------------------------------------------------------- JANUARY 25, 1984 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: UCLA Daily Bruin Yes: 90125; Atlantic. by Rob Remstein With the release of Yes' new album 90125, the last of the mega-progressive rock groups of the early 1970s has navigated its way safely into the port of pop music. Their two major competitors of a decade ago have either already gone pop or have disbanded. Genesis had its first pop hit in late 1979, and Carl Palmer, the drummer for Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, is now an integral part of Asia, the best example of progressive rock artists gone mushy. Thankfully, Yes has managed to avoid mushiness on this record, although the staleness of several tracks prevents the entire collection from truly succeeding. Also, unlike Genesis, Yes is unable to quite hit on a definitive sound on this album, achieving instead a chameleonic mixture of sounds borrowed from numerous other groups. Part of the reason for this may lie in the fact that 90125 was made by the third Yes lineup to appear in as many albums. Newcomer Trevor Rabin replaces Steve Howe on guitar, while the new keyboardist is Tony Kaye, who actually preceded Rick Wakeman in the band over a decade ago. Rather than coming back pompous and moldy, Yes has returned from the great rock and roll beyond with a pert and polished style that borrows from several (too many) of their newfound pop radio pals. In fact, certain cuts from 90125 come dangerously close to being imitations of other groups. ''Changes'', for example, is a dead ringer for a bottom-heavy, Kansas rock-ballad, while ''It Can Happen" gets awful close to Supertramp in some spots. Even the hit single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart", borrows its plunky guitar background and its fade-out vocal chorus from The Police. The real star in this new version of the Yes show is Trevor Horn, producer extraordinaire. Best known in recent years for his brilliant production of ABC's debut album, The Lexicon of Love, Horn turned "Owner of a Lonely Heart" from a rather mundane little tune into a snappy and crackling pop treat. The TV-orchestra solo break stands out in particular as an amazing production feat. Also notable is the doo-wop vocalise leading into "Leave It" where the Yes singers imitate a sort of 1960s R&B instrumental sound. Although Yes' music has gone pop, their lyrics, with a few exceptions, remain as stilted as ever. Take, for instance, the last four lines of the album: "As we flow down life's rivers/I see the stars glow--one by one/All angels of the magic constellation/Be singing us now." Whew! Cosmic, man. 90125 is a consistently listenable album of songs which, though not often inspired, are so well produced that things keep humming alone nicely throughout. Cleverness, not emotion, is the key to this collection, however, and even this commodity is spread a bit too thinly. Although one has to credit Yes with creating a confident comeback, 90125 falls slightly short of being a truly affirmative album. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact yitp@yesservices.com