The Yes Album
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The Yes Album is the third album by British progressive rock band Yes. The first release to feature longtime guitarist Steve Howe, the album was released on Atlantic Records in March 1971. This was the album that finally set Yes' career alight, with the album reaching #7 in the UK and, eventually, #40 in the US, where it was a platinum seller. In addition to being the first album to feature Steve Howe, this was also the last Yes album for over twelve years to feature Tony Kaye until his return in 1983.
The Yes Album set the stage for the band's route to superstardom with Fragile and their epic masterpiece Close to the Edge. This was their first commercial success and, reportedly, it had to be or Atlantic were going to cut them loose.
Many features for which Yes became known are demonstrated for the first time on The Yes Album:
- The "democratic" balance of the band -- with each virtuoso member making his own significant contribution -- is seen here for the first time. While other bands were hiring orchestras to provide their songs with a fuller sound, Yes had the talent and the musicianship to be their own orchestra.
- Steve Howe appeared with the band for the first time and played a very prominent role throughout. His solo acoustic song, Clap (forever renamed "The Clap" by Anderson's mis-introduction on the live track) has always been a concert favourite of the band and their fans. The title came about when Howe's young son Dylan clapped while Steve was playing the piece at home.
- The band began to explore longer songs with Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, and Perpetual Change, foreshadowing the many album-side-length tracks that followed on Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans and Relayer.
Track listing
- "Yours Is No Disgrace" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Tony Kaye/Bill Bruford) - 9:41
- "The Clap" (Steve Howe) - 3:17
- * Recorded live at The Lyceum, London, 17 July 1970
- "Starship Trooper" - 9:28
- #"Life Seeker" (Jon Anderson)
- #"Disillusion" (Chris Squire)
- #"Würm" (Steve Howe)
- "I've Seen All Good People" - 6:55
- #"Your Move" (Jon Anderson)
- #"All Good People" (Chris Squire)
- "A Venture" (Jon Anderson) - 3:18
- "Perpetual Change" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) - 8:52
The Yes Album was remastered and reissued in 2003 by Rhino Records with several bonus tracks.
Personnel
- Jon Anderson: Vocals, percussion
- Chris Squire: Bass guitar, vocals
- Steve Howe: Electric and acoustic guitars, vachalia, vocal
- Tony Kaye: Piano, organ, Moog synthesiser
- Bill Bruford: Drums, percussion
Sources
- The Yes Album, CD booklet essay, Bill Martin, c.2003
- AllMusicGuide.com
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c.2002
- [Yes Lyrics: The Yes Album]
- [Prog Archives: The Yes Album]
| Yes |
|---|
| Jon Anderson | Chris Squire | Steve Howe | Rick Wakeman | Alan White |
| Peter Banks | Tony Kaye| Bill Bruford | Patrick Moraz | Geoff Downes | Trevor Horn | Trevor Rabin | Billy Sherwood | Igor Khoroshev |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: Yes | Time and a Word | The Yes Album | Fragile | Close to the Edge | Tales from Topographic Oceans | Relayer | Going for the One | Tormato | Drama | 90125 | Big Generator | Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe | Union | Talk | Open Your Eyes | The Ladder | Magnification |
| Live albums: Yessongs | Yesshows | [[9012Live: The Solos]] | Keys to Ascension | Keys to Ascension 2 | [[House of Yes: Live from House of Blues]] |
| Compilations: Yesterdays | Classic Yes | Yesstory | [[The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection]] |
| Remix albums: Yes Remixes |
| Box sets: Yesyears | [[In a Word: Yes (1969 - )]] | The Word is Live |
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