----------------------------------------------------- SEPTEMBER 4, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Le Monde (France) YES: In a Word Translated by Isabelle Hevras In 1992, the British group Yes - formed in Birmingham in 1968 - had already got a retrospective boxset YesYears. From 4 CDs we now pass on to 5 CDs, with paintings by Roger Dean and a very instructive booklet. One more CD will not make much change: it is indeed in their first period that Yes were together with their fellow countrymen King Crimson and Genesis ( with Peter Gabriel) - the most certain inventors of progressive rock - a musical genre generally thought unbearable by the critics because of its excessive instrumental technicity, its somewhat pompous aspect and its so - called wish to be serious. There may be a little bit of all that in the early Yes with singer Jon Anderson, bass player Chris Squire, drummers Bill Bruford then Alan White, guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman. But above all, there are extremely rich vocal harmonies in the tradition of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, an undeniable rock rhythmical basis with a strong American influence, and various sources of inspiration ( country, r'n'b, psychedelic rock and a mastered classical writing) constantly brought into play. Creating mystical universes and fantastical worlds in the tradition of the Lord of the Rings, Yes developed between 1970 ( The Yes Album) and 1975 ( Relayer) the main part of their compositions made up of episodes, long epic pieces where the climates that carry you away, are interspersed with nervoous flashes, where flights of voices merge with powerful repetitive motifs enabling solo expressions. Then in the mid-1970s, there was a change: with shorter compositions the group was to challenge or influence the giants of rock variety ( Van Halen, Aerosmith, Police, U2....). Their hits (especially in the US) followed on from each other, with quarrels and reunion tours. At one point, there were even two Yes at the same time. The best of Yes is to be found in the first three CDs, the last two prove, from time to time, that the inspiration of long ago can be found again. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com