------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 21, 1994 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Progrography http://www.connollyco.com/discography/yes/talk.html Review: Talk By Dave Connolly Talk Produced by Trevor Rabin Released on March 21, 1994. Should lightning strike twice, Yes makes a case for a heavy metal Grammy of their own with Talk. The album reunites the Yes lineup that produced 90125 and Big Generator, with producer Trevor Rabin pushing the arena-rock sound well into the red zone. Had this been a Trevor Rabin solo album, I might well be pouring effusive prose into this review, but as a Yes album it fails on a number of levels. The main problem is the disc’s cartoonish excess: layering the vocals of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Rabin simply creates confusion, listeners are pummeled with massive guitar riffs and drum beats, and poor Tony Kaye might as well have stayed home. The music is unimpeachable, but what would have been a terrific Asia album doesn’t translate into a great Yes album. Talk may leave longtime fans shaking their heads, but for those who felt Big Generator and Union were too timid, this could be seen as a comeback. Perhaps Rabin’s mistake is the total concession that Yes’ original aesthetic had no place in the ‘90s, reinventing the band as a vehicle for his own vision. Yes fans will still find plenty to like about “State of Play,” “Where Will You Be” and the multi-part “Endless Dream,” as Anderson manages to temper Rabin’s propensity for over-the-top instrumentation. The rest of the disc comes on too strong for my tastes, though some critics (especially those unimpressed with their original art rock phase) rate this as one of Yes’ best albums from the 80s and 90s. Honestly, the question of “Which Yes is it this time?” is beginning to weaken the brand name, as each faction tries to build a unique identity - down to the detail of album artwork, here done by Peter Max - while laying claim to much of the same legacy. TRACK LISTING 1. THE CALLING (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) 6:52 2. I AM WAITING (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson) 7:22 3. REAL LOVE (Trevor Rabin/Chris Squire/Jon Anderson) 8:42 4. STATE OF PLAY (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson) 4:58 5. WALLS (Trevor Rabin/Roger Hodgson/Jon Anderson) 4:52 6. WHERE WILL YOU BE (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson) 6:03 7. ENDLESS DREAM 15:41 a. Silent Spring (Trevor Rabin) b. Talk (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson) c. Endless Dream (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson) CREDITS JON ANDERSON -- vocals TONY KAYE -- Hammond organ TREVOR RABIN -- guitars, keyboards, vocals, programming, engineer CHRIS SQUIRE -- bass guitar, vocals ALAN WHITE -- drums Michael Jay -- engineer Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact YitP@yesservices.com