RICK WAKEMAN — The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Not only did this album help pave the way for progressive rock, but it also introduced the unbridled energy and overall effectiveness of the synthesizer as a bona fide instrument. Six Wives gave Wakeman his chance to break away from the other instrumental complexities that made up Yes and allowed him to prove what a driving force the keyboard could truly be, especially in full album form. More than just synthesized wandering, Wakeman astoundingly conjures up a separate musical persona by way of an instrumental ode to each of Henry VIII's wives through his dazzling use of the Mellotron, Moog, and Hammond C-3 organ. For example, Wakeman's fiery runs and fortissimo thwarting of the synthesizer throughout "Anne Boleyn" is a tribute to her feisty temper and valiant courage that she maintained while standing up to her husband. With "Jane Seymour," on the other hand, Wakeman's playing is somewhat subdued and gentle, which coincides with her legendary meekness and frailty, as well as her willingness to cater to Henry VIII. Wakeman's masterful use of his synthesizers is instrumentally stunning, as is his talent of magically shaping the notes to represent behavioral idiosyncrasies of his characters. Yes bassist Chris Squire lends a hand on "Catherine of Aragon," while guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Bill Bruford appear on a few tracks as well, as does former Strawbs member Dave Cousins, playing the electric banjo. The Six Wives of Henry VIII unleashes the unyielding power of the keyboard as a dominant instrument, but also displays Wakeman at the beginning of an extremely resplendent career as a solo musician. Mike DeGagne  
Tracklist :
1.    Catherine Of Aragon 3:41
Bass – Chris Squire, Les Hurdle
Drums – Bill Bruford
Engineer, Mixed By – Ken Scott
Guitar – Mike Egan, Steve Howe
Percussion – Ray Cooper
Vocals – Barry St. John, Judy Powell, Liza Strike
2.    Anne Of Cleves  7:50
Bass – Dave Winter
Drums – Alan White
Guitar – Mike Egan
Percussion – Frank Riccotti
3.    Catherine Howard  6:35
Banjo [Electric] – Dave Cousins
Bass – Chas Cronk
Drums – Barry De Souza
Guitar – Dave Lambert (4)
Percussion – Frank Riccotti
4.     Jane Seymour 4:44
Drums – Alan White
5.     Anne Boleyn 'The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended' 6:30
Arranged By [End Hymn] – Rick Wakeman
Bass – Les Hurdle
Drums – Bill Bruford
Engineer – Ken Scott
Guitar – Mike Egan
Mixed By – Dave Henshall
Percussion – Ray Cooper
Vocals – Laura Lee, Liza Strike, Sylvia McNeill
Written-By [End Hymn] – E.J. Hopkins
6.     Catherine Parr 7:03
Bass – Dave Winter
Drums – Alan White
Guitar – Mike Egan
Percussion – Frank Riccotti

YES — Yessongs (1973-2009) RM | 2CD | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

In many ways, the extravagance of this package equates the profligacy of the prog rock combo themselves. After all, how else but on a triple-LP collection could one hope to re-create (and/or contain) an adequate sampling of Yes' live presentation? Especially since their tunes typically clocked in in excess of ten minutes. Although they had turned in five studio long-players, the vast majority of Yessongs (1973) is drawn from their three most recent endeavors The Yes Album (1970), Fragile (1971), and Close to the Edge (1972). There are two exceptions, the first being the "Opening (Excerpt from "Firebird Suite")" – which comes from the 1969 Boston Symphony Orchestra's recording, conducted by Seiji Ozawa. The other is Rick Wakeman's keyboard solo "Excerpts from 'The Six Wives Of Henry VIII'." Yes had just undergone a personnel change shortly after concluding work on Close to the Edge as Bill Bruford (percussion) left to join King Crimson in July of 1972. Bruford can be heard on "Perpetual Change," as well as the medley of "Long Distance Runaround" and "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)." Enthusiasts keen on various and arguably irrelevant minutia should note the spelling of "praimaturus" as credited on Yessongs. It is slightly different from Fragile, which is denoted as "praematurus." That bit of trivia aside, the new lineup finds Alan White (drums), quite ably filling Bruford's shoes, alongside Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitars), Chris Squire (bass/vocals), and Rick Wakeman (keyboards).

One of their trademarks has always been an ability to re-create their often densely layered sound in concert. They effortlessly pull off the tricky chord progressions and changes in time signatures of "Siberian Khatru" and a sublime "Heart of the Sunrise," which unquestionably bests the dexterity of its carefully crafted studio counterpart. Both Howe and Squire's respective solos during "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" are highlights as they give the entire unit an opportunity to show off their capacity for dramatic dynamics. The remainder of Yessongs is similarly strong, particularly the note-perfect "Close to the Edge," and the inspired concluding instrumental jam during "Starship Trooper." However, one criticism that can be leveled at the entire Yessongs release is the less than optimal audio quality throughout. The sound is generally muddy with no real fidelity to speak of and an even less precise stereoscape. But until someone goes back to the multi-tracks and remixes them for 21st century ears, this is as good as it gets when documenting Yes during this seminal transition period. Lindsay Planer

Tracklist 1:

1.     Opening (excerpt from 'Firebird Suite') (3:46)

2.     Siberian Khatru (8:53)

3.     Heart Of The Sunrise (11:20)

4.     Perpetual Change (14:14)

5.   And You And I: 5.1. Cord Of Life; 5.2. Eclipse; 5.3. The Preacher The Teacher; 5.4. Apocalypse (9:39)

6.     Mood For A Day (2:52)

7.     Excerpts from 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII' (6:34)

8.     Roundabout (8:39)

Tracklist 2 :

1.     I've Seen All Good People: 1.1. Your Move; 1.2. All Good People (7:06)

2.     Long Distance Runaround / The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus) (13:32)

3.     Close To The Edge: 3.1. The Solid Time Of Change; 3.2. Total Mass Retain; 3.3. I Get Up I Get Down; 3.4. Seasons Of Man (18:10)

4.     Yours Is No Disgrace (14:16)

5.     Starship Trooper (5.1. Life Seeker; 5.2. Disillusion; 5.3. Wurm) (10:13)

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals

Chris Squire - Bass and Vocals

Steve Howe - Guitars and Vocals

Rick Wakeman - Keyboards

Bill Bruford - Drums (CD 1 track 4, CD 2 track 2)

Alan White - Drums (everything else) 

YES — Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973-2019) 2CD | UHQCD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Four decades after its release, this is still the most controversial record in Yes' output. Tales from Topographic Oceans was the place where Yes either fulfilled all of the promise shown on their previous five albums or slid off the rails in a fit of artistic hubris, especially on the part of lead singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe, who dominated the composition credits here. Actually, the group probably did a bit of both here across 80 minutes of music on a fully packed double-LP set; the group's musical ambitions were obvious on its face, as it consisted of four long songs (really suites) each taking up a side of an album, and each longer than the previous album's side-long "Close to the Edge." And Tales had a jumping-off point that was as far advanced in complexity and density as Close to the Edge had been out in front of its predecessor, Fragile, – and all of it made The Yes Album seem like basic rock & roll. Anderson, by virtue of his voice and lyrics, is the dominant personality on Tales, and his fascination with Eastern religion is fully manifest, as never before (or since). Confronted by song titles such as "The Revealing Science of God," and a concept derived from the Buddhist Shastric scriptures, the casual listener might have felt in need of both a running start and a sheet of footnotes: Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman clearly felt something along those lines, as it was while making this record that he decided to exit the group. And, yet, Tales contains some of the most sublimely beautiful musical passages ever to come from the group, and develops a major chunk of that music in depth and degrees in ways that one can only marvel at, though there's a big leap from marvel to enjoy. If one can grab onto it, Tales is a long, sometimes glorious musical ride across landscapes strange and wonderful, thick with enticing musical textures; it offers the Yes fan the chance to be a true "astral traveler." Apart from one percussion break by Alan White that doesn't come off (if there had to be a Yes album with a percussion solo, why couldn't it have come along when Bill Bruford was in the band?), the music never falls flat, and it's a pity that Wakeman couldn't appreciate the richness and vitality he brought to the album. And Anderson and Howe get to work in an extraordinarily wide range of musical voices. In another reality, perhaps the gorgeous, folk-like passages on Tales would have spawned songs of four or five minutes, but here they are, woven into these long-form pieces, and if one can take the plunge into these particular sonic oceans, and comfortably stay under long enough, it's a journey that will reward. But it's not a trip for everyone – or even every Yes fan – to take, especially not too soon after discovering the album. Bruce Eder

Tracklist 1:

1.     The Revealing Science Of God / Dance Of The Dawn (20:19)

2.     The Remembering / High The Memory (20:31)

Tracklist 2:

1.     The Ancient Giants Under The Sun (18:42)

2.     Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil) (21:42)

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals

Chris Squire - Bass and Vocals

Rick Wakeman - Keyboards

Alan White - Drums

Steve Howe - Guitars and Vocals
+ Série: – The Steven Wilson Remixes

YES — Relayer (1974-2019) UHQCD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Yes had fallen out of critical favor with Tales from Topographic Oceans, a two-record set of four songs that reviewers found indulgent. But they had not fallen out of the Top Ten, and so they had little incentive to curb their musical ambitiousness. Relayer, released 11 months after Tales, was a single-disc, three-song album, its music organized into suites that alternated abrasive, rhythmically dense instrumental sections featuring solos for the various instruments with delicate vocal and choral sections featuring poetic lyrics devoted to spiritual imagery. Such compositions seemed intended to provide an interesting musical landscape over which the listener might travel, and enough Yes fans did that to make Relayer a Top Ten, gold-selling hit, though critics continued to complain about the lack of concise, coherent song structures. William Ruhlmann

Tracklist :

1.     The Gates Of Delirium (Anderson-Howe-Squire-White-Moraz) 21:57

2.     Sound Chaser (Anderson-Howe-Squire-White-Moraz) 9:27

3.     To Be Over (Anderson-Howe-Squire-White-Moraz) 9:20

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals

Steve Howe - Guitars, Vocals

Patrick Moraz - Keyboards

Chris Squire - Bass, Vocals

Alan White - Drums, Percussion
+ Série: – The Steven Wilson Remixes

YES — Going for the One (1977-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Going for the One is perhaps the most overlooked item in the Yes catalog. It marked Rick Wakeman's return to the band after a three-year absence, and also a return to shorter song forms after the experimentalism of Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Relayer. In many ways, this disc could be seen as the follow-up to Fragile. Its five tracks still retain mystical, abstract lyrical images, and the music is grand and melodic, the vocal harmonies perfectly balanced by the stinging guitar work of Steve Howe, Wakeman's keyboards, and the solid rhythms of Alan White and Chris Squire. The title track features Howe on steel guitar (he's the only prog rocker who bothers with the instrument). "Turn of the Century" and the album's single, "Wonderous Stories," are lovely ballads the way only Yes can do them. "Parallels" is the album's big, pompous song, so well done that in later years the band opened concerts with it. Wakeman's stately church organ, recorded at St. Martin's Church, Vevey, Switzerland, sets the tone for this "Roundabout"-ish track. The concluding "Awaken" is the album's nod to the extended suite. Again, the lyrics are spacy in the extreme, but Jon Anderson and Squire are dead-on vocally, and the addition of Anderson's harp and White's tuned percussion round out this evocative track. Ross Boissoneau  

Tracklist :

1.     Going For The One (Anderson) 5:33

2.     Turn Of The Century (Anderson-Howe-White) 7:56

3.     Parallels (Squire) 5:58

4.     Wonderous Stories (Anderson) 3:50

5.     Awaken (Anderson-Howe) 15:38
– BONUS TRACK –

6.     Montreux's Theme (Howe-Squire-Anderson-White) 2:38

7.     Vevey (Revisted) (Anderson- Wakeman) 4:47

8.     Amazing Grace (Traditional, Arranged by Chris Squire) 2:36

9.     Going For The One (Rehearsal) (Anderson) 5:11

10.     Parallels (Rehearsal) (Squire) 6:21

11.     Turn Of The Century (Rehearsal) (Anderson-Howe-White) 6:59

12.     Eastern Numbers (Early Version of 'Awaken') (Anderson-Howe) 12:17

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals, Percussion, Harp

Chris Squire - Bass guitar, Vocals

Steve Howe - Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Portuguese 12 String (incorrectly listed as a vachalia at the time), Lap Steel Guitar, Vocal

Rick Wakeman - Piano, Organ, Polymoog and Minimoog Synthesizers, Pipe Organ

Alan White - Drums, Percussion

YES — Tormato (1978-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The '70s model of Yes runs out of gas. Recorded in a morale slump and an impending haze of drink, Tormato's decent tunes are sabotaged by Rick Wakeman's increasing penchant for cheesy textures and the band's thin overall sound. "Don't Kill the Whale" was their last successful single for years; the soaring "Onward" almost but not quite redeems the twee silliness of "Arriving UFO" and "Circus of Heaven." Of special interest is the pounding "On the Silent Wings of Freedom," which pushes Chris Squire and Alan White to the front of the mix, establishing the kind of aggressive and straightforward rhythms that would propel the band through the '80s. Bass freaks, take note: this tune also marks one of the few appearances of the Dipthong pedal, accounting for Squire's distinctive "bow bow bow" sound. Paul Collins

Tracklist :

1.     Future Times / Rejoice (6:47)

 a) Future Times (Anderson-Howe-Squire-Wakeman-White)

 b) Rejoice (Anderson)

2.     Don't Kill The Whale (Anderson-Squire) 3:58

3.     Madrigal (Anderson-Wakeman) 2:27

4.     Release, Release (Anderson-White-Squire) 5:49

5.     Arriving Ufo (Anderson-Howe-Wakeman) 6:09

6.     Circus Of Heaven (Anderson) 4:32

7.     Onward (Squire) 4:05

8.     On The Silent Wings Of Freedom (Anderson-Squire) 7:52
– BONUS TRACK –

9.     Abilene (Howe) (4:03)

10.     Money (Squire-Anderson-White-Wakeman) 3:15

11.     Picasso (Anderson) 2:12

12.     Some Are Born (Anderson) 5:43

13.     You Can Be Saved (Squire) 4:20

14.     High (Howe) 4:30

15.     Days (demo) (Anderson) 1:00

16.     Countryside (Anderson-Howe-Squire-White) 3:12

17.     Everybody's Song (early demo of "Does It Really Happen?") (Anderson-Howe-Squire-White) 6:48

18.     Onward (orchestral backing track) (3:06)

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Lead Vocals (all), Alvarez 10-String Guitar (1a, 5, 8)

Steve Howe - Guitars (1-5, 7, 8), Electric & Acoustic Mandolin (6), Vocals (1, 3-6)

Chris Squire - Bass (1, 2, 4-8), Bass Pedals (1a, 3, 5), Piano (2), Vocals (all)

Rick Wakeman - Birotron (1, 2, 4-6, 8), Hammond Organ (1, 4), Polymoog (1, 2, 4-8), RMI (8), Harpsichord (3), Piano (5)

Alan -White - Drums (1, 2, 4-6, 8), Glockenspiel (1a), Crotales (1a, 3, 6, 7), Cymbals (3), Bell tree (3), Gongs (5), Vibraphone (7), Percussion (4), Drum Synthesizer (5), Vocals (4)

Damion Anderson - Vocals (6)

YES — Drama (1980-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

For this one album, ex-Buggles Geoffrey Downes and Trevor Horn were drafted in to replace Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. It rocks harder than other Yes albums, and for classically inclined fans, it was a jarring departure; but it was a harbinger of Yes and Asia albums to come. A newly emboldened Chris Squire lays down aggressive rhythms with Alan White, and Steve Howe eschews his usual acoustic rags and flamenco licks for a more metallic approach, opting for sheets of electric sound. Prime cuts include the doom-laden "Machine Messiah" and the manic ska inflections of "Tempus Fugit." Despite the promise of this new material, the band soon fell apart; Horn went into production, Howe and Downes joined Asia, and Squire and White toyed and then gave up on a pair-up with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, which was to be titled XYZ (i.e., Ex-Yes and Zeppelin). Paul Collins

Tracklist :

1.     Machine Messiah (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 10:28

     Part I

     Part II

     Part III

2.     White Car (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 1:21

3.     Does It Really Happen? (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 6:36

4.     Into The Lens (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 8:32

5.     Run Through The Light (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 4:43

6.     Tempus Fugit (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 5:22
– BONUS TRACKS –

7.     Into The Lens (I Am a Camera) Single Version (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 3:48

8.     Run Through The Light (Single Version) (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 4:31

9.     Have We Really Got To Go Through This (Howe-Squire-White) 3:43

10.     Song No. 4 (Satellite) (Howe-Squire-White) 7:32

11.     Tempus Fugit (Tracking Session) (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire/White) 5:40

12.     White Car (Tracking Session) (Downes-Horn-Howe-Squire-White) 1:11

13.     Dancing Through The Light (Anderson-Howe-Squire-Wakeman-White) 3:17

14.     Golden Age (Anderson-Howe-Squire-Wakeman-White) 5:58

15.     In The Tower (Anderson-Howe-Squire-Wakeman-White) 2:55

16.     Friend Of A Friend (Anderson-Howe-Squire-Wakeman-White) 3:38

Musicians :

Geoff Downes - Keyboards, Vocoder

Trevor Horn - Vocals, Fretless Bass

Steve Howe - Guitars, Vocals

Chris Squire - Bass, Vocals, Piano

Alan White - Percussion, Vocals 

YES – Yesshows (1979-2009) 2CD | RM | Mini LP | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The second official concert package from Yes contains tunes recorded over a span of two years (1976-1978) and two different incarnations of the band. Like its live predecessor Yessongs (1973), Yesshows finds the combo during one of their states of perpetual change. Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass/vocals), and Alan White (drums) are joined by Rick Wakeman (keyboards) on a majority of the selections. The exceptions being "Gates of Delirium" from Relayer (1974) and the Tales from Topographic Oceans' (1973) epic "Ritual" – which is presented in two parts – and has Patrick Moraz (keyboards) in Wakeman's stead. The original concept contained a few features that would have been akin to Yessongs. They debated as to whether they should make it another triple-LP and feature Tales from Topographic Oceans in its entirety, like Close to the Edge had been done on Yessongs. Undecided, they made a rough mix of a two-album incarnation, but then shelved it in order to focus their attentions on creating new music. Purportedly, that unapproved (by Yes, anyway) version was cleaned up by the record company and released for the holiday shopping frenzy of 1980. As issued, the seven tracks hang well together and provide enthusiasts an opportunity to hear a mixture of older and newer material. Best of all, Yes retain their enviable ability to ably re-create the complex and challenging passages with a soul that is occasionally lacking from the studio counterparts. Reaching back nearly a decade is an excellent update of the optimistic "Aquarian Age" anthem and the title composition of their second platter, "Time and a Word." It is enveloped by a pair of equally well-executed sides from Going for the One (1977). Here, both the opener "Parallels" and the song "Going for the One" exceed the comparatively sterile non-live readings. Particularly endearing and inspired is Anderson's off-key voice crack during the high-octane chorus of the latter. The more involved works – especially the Moraz performances on "The Gates of Delirium" and the nearly half-hour "Ritual" – are fuelled by a continuous energy. They build on the structure established from the respective long-players, yet even the most intricate elements and dynamics are amplified in their decisiveness and command. Anderson's intimacy and passion fuse on the closer "Wondrous Stories," almost as if releasing the audience from one last embrace. Lindsay Planer 

Tracklist 1 :

1.     Parallels (7:08)

2.     Time And A Word (4:07)

3.     Going For The One (5:24)

4.     The Gates Of Delirium (22:43)

Tracklist 2:

1.     Don't Kill The Whale (6:51)

2.     Ritual / Nous Sommes Du Soleil - 1 & 2 (28:55)

3.     Wonderous Stories (3:59)

4.     I've Seen All Good People (7:32)

5.     Roundabout (7:54)

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals

Chris Squire - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Mixing

Steve Howe - Guitars, Vocals

Patrick Moraz - keyboards

Rick Wakeman - keyboards

Alan White - Drums, Vocals

YES — 90125 (1983-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

A stunning self-reinvention by a band that many had given up for dead, 90125 is the album that introduced a whole new generation of listeners to Yes. Begun as Cinema, a new band by Chris Squire and Alan White, the project grew to include the slick production of Trevor Horn, the new blood (and distinctly '80s guitar sound) of Trevor Rabin, and eventually the trademark vocals of returning founder Jon Anderson. His late entry insured that Rabin and Horn had a heavy influence on the sound. The album also marked the return of prodigal keyboardist Tony Kaye, whose crisp synth work on "Changes" marked the band's definitive break with its art rock roots. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" was a huge crossover hit, and its orchestral break has been relentlessly sampled by rappers ever since. The vocal harmonies of "Leave It" and the beautifully sprawling "Hearts" are additional high points, but there's nary a duff track on the album. Paul Collins
Tracklist :
1.     Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Rabin-Anderson-Squire-Horn) 4:30
2.     Hold On (Rabin-Anderson-Squire) 5:18
3.     It Can Happen (Squire-Anderson-Rabin) 5:29
4.     Changes (Rabin-Anderson-White) 6:21
5.     Cinema (Squire-Rabin-White-Kaye) 2:08
6.     Leave It (Squire-Rabin-Horn) 4:14
7.     Our Song (Anderson-Squire-Rabin-White) 4:18
8.     City Of Love (Rabin-Anderson) 4:52
9.     Hearts (Anderson-Squire-Rabin-White-Kaye) 7:43
– BONUS TRACK –
10.     Leave It (Single Remix) (Squire-Rabin-Horn) 3:57
11.     Make It Easy (Bonus Track) (Rabin) 6:12
12.     It Can Happen (Squire / Anderson / Rabin) (Cinema Version) (6:05)
13.     It's Over (Previously Unissued) (Rabin) (5:42)
14.     Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Previously Unissued Extended Remix) (Rabin / Anderson / Squire / Horn) (7:05)
15.     Leave It (A Capella Version) (Squire / Rabin / Horn) (3:19)
Musicians :
Jon Anderson - Vocals
Tony Kaye - Keyboards
Trevor Rabin - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Chris Squire - Bass, Guitar (Bass), Vocals
Alan White - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

YES — Big Generator (1987-2009) RM | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The four-years-in-the-making follow-up to Yes' comeback album, 90125, Big Generator was also a million-selling hit, although not as successful as its predecessor, probably because the singles "Love Will Find a Way" (number 30) and "Rhythm of Love" (number 40) couldn't match "Owner of a Lonely Heart" from the previous LP, even if they were favorites on AOR radio at the time. Actually, it was the title track that was a carbon copy of "Owner," so maybe that was the problem. More likely, though, "Owner" was a one-shot (courtesy of producer Trevor Horn), and as Yes asserted itself more here, the band reverted more to its old style, making for some confusion. Nevertheless, this album was Yes' last major hit. William Ruhlmann

Tracklist :

1.     Rhythm Of Love (Kaye-Rabin-Anderson-Squire) 4:48

2.     Big Generator (Rabin-Kaye-Anderson-Squire-White) 4:34

3.     Shoot High Aim Low (White-Kaye-Rabin-Anderson-Squire) 7:03

4.     Almost Like Love (Kaye-Rabin-Anderson-Squire) 5:01

5.     Love Will Find A Way (Rabin) 4:51

6.     Final Eyes (Rabin-Kaye-Anderson /Squire) 6:26

7.     I'm Running (Rabin-Squire-Anderson-Kaye-White) 7:38

8.     Holy Lamb (Song For Harmonic Convergence) (Anderson) 3:24

– BONUS TRACK –
9.     Love Will Find A Way (Edited Version) (4:18)

10.     Love Will Find A Way (Extended Version) (7:12)

11.     Rhythm Of Love (Dance To The Rhythm Mix) (6:55)

12.     Rhythm Of Love (Move To The Rhythm Mix) (4:26)

13.     Rhythm Of Love (The Rhythm Of Dub) (7:51)

Musicians :

Jon Anderson - Vocals

Tony Kaye - Keyboard

Trevor Rabin - Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals

Chris Squire - Bass and Vocals

Alan White - Drums and Percussion

YES — Open Your Eyes (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Many Yes fans really dislike this album. However, it is a disc, as much of the classics in the group's catalog are, that is not fully appreciated on the first few listenings. You really need to give this one the time to sink in. The faithful in Yes' fandom had very high hopes for this release, as it was the first full studio album after Steve Howe re-joined the group. Many were anticipating another Close to the Edge. The disc certainly does not live up to that standard. It actually works better serving as a bridge between the classic Yes sound of the '70s and the more pop-oriented Trevor Rabin-era material. It also seems at times to carry on in the direction begun with such albums as Tormato and Drama. There are some fine songs in the set, but there are also a few pieces that are worthy of the contempt of the diehards. There are at least a couple of standout tracks here that would, having been released on a different album, probably have become Yes classics and fan favorites. The title track is one of those that seems to merge the '70s and '80s Yes styles, but it also has leanings in the direction of Chris Squire's solo release, Fish out of Water. That Squire styling is really natural since the song was originally intended for a new solo album from the bassist. Among the other tracks that are highlights here are "Universal Garden" (a very intriguing number that seems to combine the classic Yes sound with some tendencies toward Jon Anderson's solo work), "Fortune Seller," and "Wonderlove" (one that feels a lot like an extension of the band's work just prior to their 1980 split). On the other end of the spectrum come "No Way We Can Lose" (essentially a new attempt at the reggae-ish Rabin-era cut "Saving My Heart") and "Man on the Moon" (a trite pop ditty with very weak lyrics). The rest of the album fits more toward the middle ground in terms of quality. There are two versions of the disc out there: the first standard release and a surround-sound edition (the first album ever released in that format). If you have a surround-sound system, or intend to get one, you should try to pay the extra money for that version. The sound of the CD really envelops you, and it becomes an expansive experience when played in that format. The only thing missing from that version is the hidden track at the end of the original release. Since that track was really not much more than an extended piece of atmosphere, it is not really a loss. Gary Hill  
Credits :
Arranged By – Yes
Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Steel Guitar, Vocals – Steve Howe
Bass Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals – Chris Squire
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Alan White
Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Billy Sherwood
Lead Vocals – Jon Anderson
Painting, Design [Logos, Lettering] – Roger Dean
Producer – Yes
Written-By – Alan White, Billy Sherwood, Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe