ANDERSON / BRUFORD / WAKEMAN / HOWE - Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (1989-2010) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

File under "Yes." When this version of the band couldn't obtain rights to the name, they put their album out under their combined names, but it's still Yes by any other name. Jon Anderson's tenor wails through spacy lyrics, Rick Wakeman constructs cathedrals of synthesized sound, Steve Howe rips high-pitched guitar leads, and Bill Bruford makes his drums sound like timpani. For all that, it's a pedestrian effort for these veterans, not as bombastic as some of their stuff, not as inspired as others, but it definitely has the "Yes" sound. "She Gives Me Love" even refers to "Long Distance Runaround." by William Ruhlmann

ANDERSON / BRUFORD / WAKEMAN / HOWE - Brother of Mine (1989) Single / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

ANDERSON / BRUFORD / WAKEMAN / HOWE - Order of the Universe (1989) Single / Mp3

ANDERSON / BRUFORD / WAKEMAN / HOWE - An Evening of Yes Music Plus (1993) 2CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Recorded live on the final night of the 1989 Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe tour, this two-CD set offers both oldies and improvements upon their new material. You'll probably find yourself listening only to the second CD, as the first CD largely consists of shaky solo medleys. Howe fares the best with delicate renditions of "Mood for a Day" and "The Clap." Anderson's guitar and vocal turn comes off like a coffeehouse gig -- not bad, especially when he samples "Teakbois," but not riveting. Wakeman's "Merlin" and "Catherine Parr" solo trades speed for precision, and the crowd is unaccountably thrilled when he wrenches unimpressive blow-bottle sounds out of a keyboard. Bruford blows his solo yet again, just as in Yessongs; infatuated with electronic percussion, he produces a grating assortment of clanks and conks. Once past the solos, though, this set picks up steam. The ABWH album was a soulless-sounding production; songs like "Soul Warrior" and "Brother of Mine" are both warmer in sound and more lively in rhythm when performed on-stage. Fans may also appreciate Bruford's unprecedented live appearance on "Close to the Edge"; though he played on the 1972 studio album, he had left the band before ever getting to play it live. by Paul Collins 

JON ANDERSON / RICK WAKEMAN - The Living Tree (2010) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

It's remarkable how progressive rock pillars Yes managed to consistently create top-quality music through the decades (with exceptions here and there) despite near-constant ego clashes, management problems, and other inner turmoil that resulted in frequent personnel changes. Vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman had left the Yes fold once again before the old friends joined forces in 2010 as Anderson/Wakeman to record a new studio album, The Living Tree. Serious health problems have plagued both men; Anderson's life-threatening respiratory ailments in particular led to his 2008 Yes departure. Anderson and Wakeman were in their sixties during the recording of The Living Tree, therefore spirituality, mortality, faith, and the afterlife are important themes on the album, especially in the songs "Morning Star," "House of Freedom," "Anyway and Always," and "Just One Man." Anderson's angelic voice, which was previously as clear as a bell, is startlingly rougher and raspier on this album, especially on the opening track, "Living Tree, Pt. 1." This song, along with "Living Tree, Pt. 2" and "Garden," reflect Anderson's joyful respect for the power of nature. "23/24/11" is a biting critique of war inspired by the fighting in Afghanistan; the title refers to a soldier counting down the time left in his tour of duty. Musically, The Living Tree is spare and stripped down to just Anderson's vocals and Wakeman's piano and tasteful layers of other keyboard textures and fills. Considering the complexity of Yes' music, at times the songs on The Living Tree seem like elaborate demos, and it's worth noting that Anderson and Wakeman e-mailed audio files back and forth to make this album. Listeners used to the grandly cosmic, new age flavor of many Yes songs may be surprised to find that the songs on The Living Tree are more intimate and grounded in reality. by Bret Adams  

RICK WAKEMAN - The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973-2010) 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. by Mike DeGagne  
Tracklist:

1 Catherine Of Aragon

2 Anne Of Cleves
3 Catherine Howard
4 Jane Seymour
5 Anne Boleyn 'The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended'
6 Catherine Parr

RICK WAKEMAN - Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974-1988) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Journey to the Centre of the Earth is one of progressive rock's crowning achievements. With the help of the London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir, Rick Wakeman turns this classic Jules Verne tale into an exciting and suspenseful instrumental narrative. The story is told by David Hemmings in between the use of Wakeman's keyboards, especially the powerful Hammond organ and the innovative Moog synthesizer, and when coupled with the prestigious sound of the orchestra, creates the album's fairy tale-like climate. Recorded at London's Royal Festival Hall, the tale of a group of explorers who wander into the fantastic living world that exists in the Earth's core is told musically through Wakeman's synthesized theatrics and enriched by the haunting vocals of a chamber choir. Broken into four parts, the album's most riveting segment, entitled "The Battle," involves Wakeman's most furious synthesized attack, churning and swirling the keyboards into a mass instrumental hysteria. With both "The Journey" and "The Forest," it's the effective use of the strings and percussion section of the London Symphony Orchestra that causes the elements of fantasy and myth to emerge from the album's depths. The gorgeous voice of Ashley Holt is effectively prominent, and some interesting guitar work via Mike Egan arises occasionally but meritoriously amidst the keyboard fervor. The whole of Journey to the Centre of the Earth still stands as one of the most interesting conglomerations of orchestral and synthesized music, and it is truly one of Wakeman's most flamboyant projects. by Mike DeGagne  
Tracklist:
1 The Journey / Recollection 21:12
2 The Battle / The Forest 18:59
Credits:
Arranged By [Music Arranged For The London Symphony Orchestra And The English Chamber Choir By] – Danny Beckerman, Wil Malone
Bass – Roger Newell
Choir – The English Chamber Choir
Conductor – David Measham
Drums – Barney James
Guitar – Mike Egan
Narrator – David Hemmings
Orchestra – The London Symphony Orchestra
Producer, Written-By – Rick Wakeman
Vocals – Ashley Holt, Garry Pickford-Hopkins

RICK WAKEMAN - The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975-1988) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Rick Wakeman's third solo album is among his best, as he employs his vast array of keyboards to their full extent, musically describing the characters pertaining to the days of King Arthur's reign. With orchestra and choir included, although a little less prevalent than on Journey, he musically addresses the importance and distinguishing characteristics of each figure through the use of multiple synthesizers and accompanying instruments. "Lady of the Lake" is given a mystical, enchanted feel, perpetrated by a more subtle use of piano and synthesizer, while the battle of "Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight" is made up of a barrage of feuding keyboard runs and staccato riffs, musically recounting the intensity of the duel. But it's on "Merlin the Magician" where Wakeman truly shines, as the whimsy and peculiarity of this fabled figure is wonderfully conjured up through the frenzy of the synthesizer. As one of Wakeman's most famous pieces, it is here that his astounding musicianship is laid out for all to hear, a marvelous bisque of keyboard artistry. The album's entirety is a sensational execution of Wakeman's adroitness, and with vocals from Ashley Holt and Gary Pickford Hopkins, it still stands along with Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Six Wives of Henry VIII as one of his most astute pieces. by Mike DeGagne  
Tracklist:
1 Arthur 7:26
2 Lady Of The Lake 0:45
3 Guinevere 6:45
4 Sir Lancelot And The Black Knight 5:20
5 Merlin The Magician 8:51
6 Sir Galahad 5:51
7 The Last Battle 9:41
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar – Jeffrey Crampton
Arranged By [Orchestral Arrangements] – Wil Malone
Bass – Roger Newell
Chorus Master [The English Chamber Choir, Choirmaster] – Guy Protheroe
Conductor [Orchestra And Choir] – David Measham
Coordinator [Orchestral Co-ordination] – David Katz
Drums – Barney James
Illustration – Bob Fowke, Dave Bowyer
Narrator – Terry Taplin
Percussion – John Hodson
Vocals – Ashley Hold, Gary Pickford Hopkins
Written-By, Producer – Rick Wakeman

RICK WAKEMAN - No Earthly Connection (1976-2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Released in 1976, just as prog rock's hold in the popular imagine was starting to slip, No Earthly Connection is, comparatively, a streamlined album by Rick Wakeman. It is not as elaborate and ambitious as its immediate predecessors -- which tackled Henry VII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table, respectively -- and only the length of a single vinyl album, with the first side devoted to the half-hour suite "Music Reincarnate" (it spills over to the second side in the original vinyl pressing) and the second splitting the difference between two songs, "The Prisoner" and "The Lost Cycle." Wakeman shows some slight hints of funk infatuation here -- "The Warning" works out its clavinet songs, with its second part buttressed by brass -- and the entirety of the "Music Reincarnate" side is a bit more forceful than expected in both its rhythms and attack. The other two songs have an element of breathing room -- even "The Lost Cycle," which begins with farting analog synths that never quite disappear over the course of the track -- but they're more distinguished by the flourishes Wakeman lays over the basic track, indications of how the keyboardist is so taken with his technique he thinks of it as nothing special, just something that deserves to be on ample display. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine 
Tracklist:
Music Reincarnate 20:24
1 Part I: The Warning
2 Part II: The Maker
3 Part III: The Spaceman
4 Part IV: The Realisation
5 Part V: The Reaper 7:34
6 The Prisoner 7:00
7 The Lost Cycle 7:00
Credits:

Bass – Roger Newell

Drums – Tony Fernandez 

Vocals – Ashley Holt

Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – John Dunsterville

Organ [Pipe Organ], Electric Organ [Hammond C.3],Grand Piano [Steinway 9' Grand Piano], Electric Piano [R.M.I. Electric Piano], Clavinet [Hohner Clavinet], Synthesizer [Moogs], Harpsichord, Electric Harpsichord [Baldwin Electric Harpsichord], Upright Piano [Upright Honkey Tonk Piano],  Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes 88 Electric Piano], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Godwin Organ With Sisme Rotary Cabinet], Effects [Systech Effects Pedals] – Rick Wakeman

Trombone, Bass Trombone, Vocal Percussion – Reg Brooks

Trumpet, Flugelhorn [Flugel Horn], French Horn, Vocals – Martyn Shields

RICK WAKEMAN - White Rock (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 1977-2003 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This was the soundtrack to a motion picture documentary of the same name of the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympic Games. It features only Wakeman's huge assortment of keyboards and drummer Tony Fernandez, with a choir on two tracks. It's a fine album with many moods, from the rocking title track to the stately "After the Ball" to the sprightly "Montezuma's Revenge," Wakeman's arrangement of some Hungarian Gypsy music. His piano throughout is exquisite. by Stephen Raiteri
Tracklist:
1 White Rock 3:10
2 Searching For Gold 4:20
3 The Loser 5:30
4 The Shoot 4:00
5 Lax'x 4:53
6 After The Ball 3:05
7 Montezuma's Revenge 3:55
Written-By – Trad. 
8 Ice Run 6:09

RICK WAKEMAN - Rhapsodies (1979-2009) RM / SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Most of Wakeman's albums revolve around a concept; this double album's only concept is of a collection of "rhapsodies," which here seems to mean "enthusiastic and improvisational pieces." The album is instrumental except for the opener, "Pedra de Gavea," where the electronically treated vocals are presumably by Wakeman himself. Most of the pieces are concise for Wakeman, and very lively and bright, with engaging lead parts and well-chosen keyboard sounds (something Wakeman has not always managed). "Swan Lager" sets music by Tchaikovsky and Grieg to a reggae beat. Wakeman's version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" is actually a low point, but his version of Gershwin's "Summertime" is nicely done. This was Wakeman's last album for A&M Records. by Stephen Raiteri
Tracklist:
1 Pedra De Gavea 4:11
2 Front Line 3:42
3 Bombay Duck 3:14
4 Animal Showdown 2:40
5 Big Ben 3:58
6 Rhapsody In Blue 5:26
7 Wooly Willy Tango 3:24
8 The Pulse 5:21
9 Swan Lager 2:50
10 March Of The Gladiators 4:53
11 Flacons De Neige 5:01
12 The Flasher 5:32
13 The Palais 2:23
14 Stand By 3:30
15 Sea Horses 3:52
16 Half Holiday 3:00
17 Summertime 4:27