Will be called "Fly From Here" according to Chris Squire and is named after the main track (re working of the Drama tour track maybe?).
Apparently due in July. Trevor Horn & Geoff Downes involved too :?
Sounds like it will be a Drama style recording.
Blimey - not really sure what to make of this. Having sworn with great regret that Yes was finished for me, along comes something which just might (stress: might) reawaken my interest.
That is, the live version of "We Can Fly From Here" which is on "The Word Is Live" is pretty damn good and, unlike many I realise, I've always had plenty of time for Drama.
But, lest I get way, way ahead of myself here, let's not forget that Drama was released more than 30 years ago, and even Horn is over 60. And he won't even be the singer, any more than Jon Anderson will.
I need to start taking my anti-sentimentality pills ... ;)
Apparently there's a twenty something minute long track on it as well. :) ;)
Quote from: "turbo"Apparently there's a twenty something minute long track on it as well. :) ;)
Which, I'm led to believe, is "We Can Fly From Here" the track that never made it on the Drama album but was played on the Drama Tour and is on the live album "The Word is Live".
Quote from: "keithd"Quote from: "turbo"Apparently there's a twenty something minute long track on it as well. :) ;)
Which, I'm led to believe, is "We Can Fly From Here" the track that never made it on the Drama album but was played on the Drama Tour and is on the live album "The Word is Live".
Oh stop it, Keith; I think you're just doing this wind me up, now 8-)
Ah well, I'm seeing them in Cambridge in November, for old times' sake, and will reserve judgement.
Scepticle? Sure. :?
We'll see.
I'll listen to it. :|
If I like --> buy. 8-)
If I not like --> no buy. :(
Quote from: "RWA"Scepticle? Sure. :?
We'll see.
I'll listen to it. :|
If I like --> buy. 8-)
If I not like --> no buy. :(
I didn't know that RWA was an android ... 8-)
It's released in July and Oliver Wakeman is out and...wait for it....Geoff Downes is in :?
http://heavyrocktheplaylist.blogspot.co ... -july.html (http://heavyrocktheplaylist.blogspot.com/2011/03/yes-new-album-fly-from-here-out-in-july.html)
Quote from: "keithd"It's released in July and Oliver Wakeman is out and...wait for it....Geoff Downes is in :?
http://heavyrocktheplaylist.blogspot.co ... -july.html (http://heavyrocktheplaylist.blogspot.com/2011/03/yes-new-album-fly-from-here-out-in-july.html)
And so the soap opera continues ...
Quite what one is supposed to make of this picture, I don't know: I suspect that Mr David and Mr White are wondering quite how they've ended up at a meeting of the Women's Institute ... 8-)
(//http://www.dprp.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/yesrobshanahan.jpg)
LOL
One of them looks like the coach-driver and the rest just look like they are glad to be out for the day.
It's the "Dream Team".
Like in the Michael Keaton film, but less funny (if that's possible).
Of course, I should say that each one of them has more musical talent in one strand of hair than I have so I'm only taking the haddock. :D
Scary photo, isn't it :lol:
Don't you go dissing the WI, either.
I think it's time to change the name from "Yes" to "Perhaps"... about bloody time, really.
Quote from: "E.S."I think it's time to change the name from "Yes" to "Perhaps"... about bloody time, really.
"Revolving Door" would be more apt.
Quote from: "keithd""Revolving Door" would be more apt.
#We go round and round and round and round
#Until we pick it up again
#Time flies, on and on it goes
#Thru the setting sun
#Carry round and round and round and round
#Until it comes to carry you home
is that Matt Lucas in the middle?
Quote from: "Pedro"#We go round and round and round and round
#Until we pick it up again
#Time flies, on and on it goes
#Thru the setting sun
#Carry round and round and round and round
#Until it comes to carry you home
Rejoice, Rejoice :)
Quote from: "JakeWorrell"is that Matt Lucas in the middle?
Nah - It's Eric Cartman
And here's Oliver Wakeman's statement on being left out.
Oliver would firstly like to thank all the people who have taken the trouble to write to him with their concerns over the current YES rumours and press releases that have been circulating around the web.
An official statement will be forthcoming but we would like to at least put some facts forward.
Oliver is not voluntarily leaving YES and, as of this moment in time, we do not know which of Oliver's many contributions to the recording will exist on the new YES record.
Oliver wanted to stay focused on the music for the 'Rite of Spring' tour and felt his primary role was to put on the best possible show for the fans who have paid to see the band.
As soon as the position becomes clear we will be posting more information on the new Facebook page and the official website (www.oliverwakeman.co.uk (http://www.oliverwakeman.co.uk)).
Quote from: "Againesis"Quote from: "JakeWorrell"is that Matt Lucas in the middle?
Nah - It's Eric Cartman
Haha, it actually is. :mrgreen:
You bastards! You killed Ollie! :twisted:
no clowns.
Is that Christopher Biggins in the middle?
Amazon have it listed for pre order at £22.50 :shock:
For that much dosh, I want a small square of matey's carpet to come with it.
Ooooohhhh - "pink wafer". Sounds like a ....ahem.....manly snack.
:D
Quote from: "Geetar"Ooooohhhh - "pink wafer". Sounds like a ....ahem.....manly snack.
grats, Geetar!!
it's great to see you around again! 8-)
Quote from: "turbo"Amazon have it listed for pre order at £22.50 :shock:
I saw that too but I think it was the import version for those who couldn't wait - for some reason, it has different release dates - "Fly From Here will be available in Japan on June 22, in the EU on July 1, and in the US on July 12."
You'll be glad to now that the standard CD is now a more reasonable £10.94 on Amazon and an even more reasonable £8.99 on Play. Guess which one I ordered?! ;)
Whatever the price, I'm looking forward to getting it....and then playing: "spot the edit/session player/melodyne interference."
It has the potential, given the personnel involved, to make "Union" look like an honest endeavour.
Oh, yes, I nearly forgot: "Hi, all of you!"
[waves at rog, Pedro, Hippo et al/assembled old lags of this fine and flakey institution. Where're the 'fox and the other rodent, by the way?]
It's good to have the time, leisure and (sadly diminished) brain-power to be back here properly; and. in my old incarnation of unreliable and cranky flagellator of the musically and socially inept.
Quote from: "Geetar"Oh, yes, I nearly forgot: "Hi, all of you!"
[waves at rog, Pedro, Hippo et al/assembled old lags of this fine and flakey institution. Where're the 'fox and the other rodent, by the way?]
It's good to have the time, leisure and (sadly diminished) brain-power to be back here properly; and. in my old incarnation of unreliable and cranky flagellator of the musically and socially inept.
/waves
'fox has been around a bit, but not since March, and the Mouse is busy finishing up school and spending time in the Fishtank.
we have missed your cranky flagellations!
'We Can Fly,' the First Yes Single in 10 Years. I'll let you guys be the judge.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... s-20110613 (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-listen-to-we-can-fly-the-first-yes-single-in-10-years-20110613)
There are some clearer snippets on Yes' own site on Facebook, here:
Yes (//http://www.facebook.com/yestheband?v=app_178091127385/)
It's, at the very least, interesting. As a Rabin-era fan, I'm inclined to make all kinds of snotty remarks about what does and doesn't constitute Yes, but I won't. I might even quite like it......
Until we get some real Yes, that is :twisted:
Quote from: "keithd"'We Can Fly,' the First Yes Single in 10 Years. I'll let you guys be the judge.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... s-20110613 (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-listen-to-we-can-fly-the-first-yes-single-in-10-years-20110613)
Well, goodness me. Before I grow all cynical and hedge my opinion, let me say quite clearly: I like it. A lot.
Of course, it helps enormously that it's a pretty good studio version of the Drama 1980-era live "We can fly from here", which, as already said earlier in the thread, I've long since thought was superb. This then made it very easy for me to get straight into this new version and made it very enjoyable.
However ... I do find Mr David's singing to be far too pure and unstrained. Belatedly and bizarrely, I've just realised that the occasional roughness in Jon Anderson's voice very much adds to the overall "real" quality. Here things are a little too sweet and smooth for my tastes (and I do hope the vocals haven't been doctored), until, that is, Mr Squire drops in and adds some more grit to the proceedings.
Also, I'm saying that I like a song that's actually more than 30 years old: do Yes still have the writing chops to put together a whole album at the same high level of creativity? I suppose I'll have to buy the album to find out, which, I presume, is precisely why they released this song as the teaser single. Clever chaps ... 8-)
----------------
Hmmm ... addendum. Now I've listened to the Facebook snippets, I tend to agree with someone who commented on the Rolling Stone website, I think: this sounds a lot more like Asia than Yes. Not surprising, perhaps, given that two of the principals are shared, but ... it's not really Yes, is it? (I still like "We can fly from here", but the new bits sound a bit, err, lacking :( )
Quote from: "Trapezium Artist"do Yes still have the writing chops to put together a whole album at the same high level of creativity?
You're kidding, aren't you? :twisted:
Since they never did in the first place, why would they start now? They are, IMO, the world's most hideously-uneven-yet-still-praised-to-the-heavens band of all time. They get their pass based on chacter, not consistency.
Rabin's tenure was perhaps one of the nearest spasms in their long search for consistency over the course of an album; and I suspect that's one of the principal reasons Troopers hate that period in the band's history. There are plenty of other reasons, sure, but I suspect anything approaching homogeneity is anathematic to the average Hocosaurus Ubiquitus.
Many seem to love them as much for their headlong crashes into the wall just as much as for their glorious musical successes. Drama and The Ladder would be cases in point.
Quote from: "Geetar"Quote from: "Trapezium Artist"do Yes still have the writing chops to put together a whole album at the same high level of creativity?
You're kidding, aren't you? :twisted:
Since they never did in the first place, why would they start now? They are, IMO, the world's most hideously-uneven-yet-still-praised-to-the-heavens band of all time. They get their pass based on chacter, not consistency.
Rabin's tenure was perhaps one of the nearest spasms in their long search for consistency over the course of an album; and I suspect that's one of the principal reasons Troopers hate that period in the band's history. There are plenty of other reasons, sure, but I suspect anything approaching homogeneity is anathematic to the average Hocosaurus Ubiquitus.
Many seem to love them as much for their headlong crashes into the wall just as much as for their glorious musical successes. Drama and The Ladder would be cases in point.
Nice try, Geetar: that's such a transparent troll that I'm not going to be drawn in ;)
Except to say that I disagree with (most aspects of) every single paragraph you've written.
No troll intended - merely a statement (and the IMO was the clue here) of my take on a band that I have loved for a very long time. If you've been unable to detect any irony in any of my previous posts on the subject, it's no skin off my rosy nose; anyway, why would even an extreme difference in viewpoint (I don't value the all-over-the-map-ness perhaps anything like as much as you might) be trolling?
No man's - or woman's - personal view ever enjoys any measure of universal truthiness AFAIK.
And as a passing aside, I never even bother to comment on anything to which I am merely indifferent. I'm quite simple to decode, I am....
The vocals are indeed a bit sugary initially. Bring back Jon Anderson, please.
Guitar's a bit muted - I can't help feeling it should be singing out more exuberantly, and the keyboards are pretty unexceptional. Bass is recognisably Chris Squire. Production's quite classy (as far as I can tell through laptop stream and headphones).
I wouldn't say it was so much Asia-sounding as an X-factor attempt at a Yes... but I expect I'll buy the album anyway.
Quote from: "catherine"The vocals are indeed a bit sugary initially. Bring back Jon Anderson, please.
Guitar's a bit muted - I can't help feeling it should be singing out more exuberantly, and the keyboards are pretty unexceptional. Bass is recognisably Chris Squire. Production's quite classy (as far as I can tell through laptop stream and headphones).
I wouldn't say it was so much Asia-sounding as an X-factor attempt at a Yes... but I expect I'll buy the album anyway.
The Drama-era live version from 1980 (as found on "The Word Is Live") answers your questions, Catherine: Howe's utterly unmistakable and billion-percent Yes guitar sound is up close and personal, particularly throughout the end section, which has been excised from the radio edit of the new studio version (I certainly hope the full version includes that blazing instrumental section). Squire's dirty-bass-but-treble sound is there in its glory, as are his vocals, and Horn's singing is far less sugary than David's.
If you don't have access to it, just let me know ... ;)
But just suppose, for a moment..... what if the rest of the album turns out to be better than any of the old shoddy off Drama?
http://soundcloud.com/yestheband (http://soundcloud.com/yestheband)
This is like the closest this forum has got to an argument.
They should get Mike Portnoy on drums yeah? Cool!!!2!
I can proudly say I bought the best of Yes (35th anniversary) from a Virgin shop a long time ago. I enjoy some of the songs. Some of the songs are too cheesy or cringeworthy or maybe thats just prog.
Anyway I just wanted to join in.
Good: Roundabout, hunt the whale (hunt it dead), OoALH, Leave it, Survival
Should be good: Heart of the sunrise (those vocals go right through me in a dodgy pork pie way)
I prefer the terms: "robust difference of opinion."
I'd also be delighted to discover that Benoit could be up for a tilt at the title "Napoleon II".
Quote from: "Geetar"any of the old shoddy off Drama?
Benjamin Law and the Development of ShoddyCirca 1813 in Batley, England, Benjamin Law developed a process using recycled woolen rag combined with virgin wool to make a material called shoddy. Benjamin Law is listed as the developer of this process in several books on the woolen industry in Yorkshire. A Guide to Batley at A Guide To Batley states: "Batley's heritage can be traced back to the start of the Industrial revolution when Benjamin Law, a local man, decided to mix finely shredded rags with virgin wool to produce woven cloth known as "Shoddy", which had a revolutionary effect on the textile industry." The area south west of Leeds had been a major center of woolen cloth production for centuries. Several types of cloth were woven from wool. "Woolens" were heavy felted cloths of the type used for coats and blankets. The cloth trade in England suffered during the the Napoleonic War because of trade embargoes. However, the woolen trade in West Yorkshire remained relatively strong. One of the major problems in the woolen trade in the early 1800's was the lack of sufficient yarn to meet the demands of all the weavers. England did not produce enough wool itself and the war restricted the amounts of importable wool. In the time before the Industrial Revelation much more time and many more people were needed to prepare and spin the yarn than were needed to weave the cloth. Spinning was a time consuming activity. On the other hand the weaving went relatively quickly. The word "spinster" (to denote someone who never married) is a reflection of the need to have people who had virtually no life except spinning in order to provide the family with enough yarn to keep the family clothed. Spinning wheels greatly speeded up this process, but it still required more spinners than weavers. With the advent of carding and spinning machines the process was accelerated to the point that spinning could more than keep up with weaving. The cloth industry grew at a rapid rate after the introduction of carding and spinning machines. The increased demands for cloth created a need for more raw materials and out of this need shoddy was born. Benjamin Law developed a process of turning recycled old rags mixed with some virgin wool into shoddy around 1813. He was unable at the time to figure out a way of incorperating taylors clippings into the process. This was figured out by his nephews several years later and was called "mungo". By 1855, 35,000,000 pounds of rag were being sorted and processed into yarn to make "mungo" and "shoddy". The making of shoddy and mungo is a similar process to the making of woolen and worsted, once the rags had been ground up and processed into yarn. Batley and Dewsbury were the major centers for the rag collecting and sorting business, as well as the manufacturer of shoddy and mungo. Rags were collected from two sources. Old rags from old clothes were collected by ragmen for a price. The ragmen would then sell them to the rag merchant. New rags were bought by the rag merchant as scrap from clothing manufacturers and tailors. Old rags were not as valuable, as they were dirty and needed more processing to turn into yarn. New rag was used for mungo, which was a finer cloth than shoddy. Mungo was developed by Benjamin Law's nephews, who were the sons of his partner, Benjamin Parr, and Parr's wife, Elizabeth Sheard (The sister of Benjamin Law's wife, Lydia Sheard.) The sorting of the rag was done at the rag merchant's establishment. The work was mostly done by girls and women. The sorting was done in large well-lit rooms over tables with "riddles" (basically a wire mesh to allow the dirt and dust to fall through). Baskets were placed all around the worker, who sorted the rag to the baskets by quality and color. Sorting was skilled labor. Rag sorters had to recognize the difference in quality of the rag in mixed lots both accurately and quickly. A smart rag sorter could sort about one cubic weight of old rags in one hour. New rag took longer, because it required greater care due to its higher value. Only woolen and worsted were used to make shoddy and mungo. Cotton rag was used to make paper. Sir George Head wrote: "The trade or occupation of the late owner, his life and habits, or the filthiness and antiquity of the garment itself, oppose no bar to this wonderful regeneration; whether from the scarecrow or the gibbet, it makes no difference; so that, according to the change of human affairs, it no doubt frequently does happen, without figure of speech or metaphor, that the identical garment to-day exposed to the sun and rain of a Kentish cherry orchard or saturated with tobacco smoke on the back of a beggar in a pothouse, is doomed in its turn to grace the swelling collar, or add dignified proportion to the chest of the dandy". Yorkshire Scenes Lore and Legends, M Tait, 1888 And again from Mr Taits book: "Hither are brought tatters from pediculous Poland, from the Gipsies of Hungary, from the beggars and scarecrows of Germany, from the frowsy peasants of Muscovy; to say nothing of snips and sherds from monks' gowns and lawyers' robes, from postillions' jackets and soldiers' uniforms, from maidens' bodices and noblemens' cloaks" A heterogenous collection truly, to be shredded by "devils" into mungo fibre, re-spun and re-woven, and thus resurrectioned into new material for the backs of people who little dream of the various vicissitudes through which their garments have previously gone." Yorkshire Scenes Lore and Legends, M Tait, 1888 Shoddy has come to mean something made with inferior material. However, the development of shoddy in 1813 was of financial significance in the woolen trade in Yorkshire in the 1800's and later. Batley became the center of shoddy manufacturing in England and was still the center of the shoddy trade as late as World War I.
Shoddy Grinding MillJohn Hewitt in the History and Topography of the Parish of Wakefield and its environs published 1862 gives a description of the Shoddy Grinding Mill as follows: "About the years 1829 and 1830, I recollected a man of the name Pearson, who was a manufacturer of flocks, at East-Moor, Wakefield. He had a grinding machine which was worked by hand labour, and with this machine he ground woolen rags, commonly called "hard woolens" (old cloth garments) into flocks. This grinding mill was very much like the apparatus fixed at the head of a draw well, for the purpose of drawing up water, with the exception that the roller, instead of having a rope attached to it, had many iron-spikes or teeth well sharpened fixed in it; and, in lieu of the well, there was a large wooden box, into which dropped the rags which had been speedily rent or torn into flocks by the iron teeth of the roller, when motion was given to the latter by means of turning round the crank attached to it. Flocks thus ground much resemble wool, the originals fabric of which woolen cloth is made, but being of course the "worse for wear" and in consequence of the pulling to pieces by the mill, are of a much shorter nature, or fibre, than the new wool is; but notwithstanding this drawback, woollen rags disentangled in this manner by mills, similar in principle to the one I have mentioned, have become a famous article of traffic in Dewsbury, Ossett, Daw-Green, Horbury, Wakefield, and a few adjacent places westward from Wakefield. With the admixture of a little new wool, the flocks (called "shoddy") produced by grinding "soft woolens" (old stuff garments, flannels, etc.) have become extensively used at Dewsbury and a few neighboring places, and are manufactured into "new cloth" and other kinds of new woollen goods, suitable to be made into new wearing apparel! Invention and the skill of man are always progressing; and in course of time it was discovered that cloth rags (hard woolens) when properly separated from sewing thread and cotton linings, were much superior than soft woolens in being made up into new cloth, and this caused them to much exceed the latter in price as 3d. and 4d. per stone of 16lbs*, whilst, since their improved value, I have known old cloth rages devoid of seams, and likewise new cloth "clippings" (tailors rags) sold at as much per lb.. There is one fact with regard to woollen rags, which, more than any other is calculated to make a person smile who is unacquainted with their history in this part of the West-Riding. This fact is that woolen rags, especially hard woolens, have frequently in large quantities, used as manure for potatoes, and when the new potatoes were gathered; and, after the latter's going through the process of grinding by the shoddy mill , (laconically, humorously, and justly styled "the Devil"!) they have been re-manufactured into "bran-new cloth". I can vouch for this; for I have seen potatoes manured with woolen rags in Wakefield, and which same rags were afterwards sold at a good price for manufacturing purposes to the shoddy manufactures of Dewsbury!
LOL
The only three topics to have caused actual trouble in this place...
1) Jem's tough choices
2) American politics
3) Howe era vs Rabin era
:)
I think if we add those to the only other banned topic ("Now playing...") we would have found forum perfection! ;)
Quote from: "Pedro"LOL
The only three topics to have caused actual trouble in this place...
1) Jem's tough choices
2) American politics
3) Howe era vs Rabin era
:)
I think if we add those to the only other banned topic ("Now playing...") we would have found forum perfection! ;)
Nah, we'd have a neutered fat old cat sitting in front of the fire.
It's usually my fault, though I can't fairly be blamed for random incursions by borderline psychotics. Perhaps just banning me would achieve the moksha some people apparently yearn for.......... :D
Quote from: "Geetar"...would achieve the moksha some people apparently yearn for.......... :D
I can't be bothered with fancy schmancy coffees... ;)
Quote from: "Pedro"Quote from: "Geetar"...would achieve the moksha some people apparently yearn for.......... :D
I can't be bothered with fancy schmancy coffees... ;)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Excellent- loving your work, Pedro!
Anyone get the (SF/Fantasy) references? :
Moksha
The Ban
A fat neutered cat sitting by the fire (Hell, AFAIC)
Think Donaldson (for 10 points), and rave on!
And then (for 20 points) can anyone link part of this with Linebarger?
Quote from: "Geetar"And then (for 20 points) can anyone link part of this with Linebarger?
While Linebarger Goggan makes every effort to work with delinquent taxpayers to avoid foreclosure, we will pursue all remedies available to our clients in the event that the delinquency continues.
That must cover Yes
Quote from: "Geetar"Excellent- loving your work, Pedro!
Anyone get the (SF/Fantasy) references? :
Moksha
The Ban
A fat neutered cat sitting by the fire (Hell, AFAIC)
Think Donaldson (for 10 points), and rave on!
And then (for 20 points) can anyone link part of this with Linebarger?
Ban him! He's speaking in tongues!
Too clever for the likes of me I says, I say he is!
:P :P :?:
quite like the single, will buy the album but maybe they should be called Yeasia
Amazon.co.uk have it available for download as there album of the week for 3.99 :shock: now thats what i call a bargain.
My digipak CD+DVD popped through the letterbox this morning apparently. (After I had left for work :x )
Shall take a listen later.
Also got Neal's Testimony 2 and Black Country Communion 2
Quote from: "MarkOneMusic"My digipak CD+DVD popped through the letterbox this morning apparently. (After I had left for work :x )
Shall take a listen later.
Also got Neal's Testimony 2 and Black Country Communion 2
You won't be disappointed with Neal's Testmony 2, it's a superb album :) The new Yes album is OK, parts sound like Asia, the last song (Into the Storm) sounds like it should have been on a Conspiracy album. Still makes me mad that Jon's not on it though :cry:
Quote from: "MarkOneMusic"Testimony 2 Black Country Communion 2
This is beginning to sound like football results...
Led Zeppelin 4 Tubular Bells 3 ;)
I really like it actually it deffo leans toward the drama era but thats not too surpriseing given the line up.
Fly From Here - £3.99 as an mp3 download from www.amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk) for a limited time...I couldn't resist trying it at that price.
OK... I actually like it.
In places I *really* like it.
Going onto play rotation for a few days (when I can wrestle it away from Mrs One! :) )
After a couple of listens I'd say that it's good.
I wouldn't go much further than that.
The curse of the "difficult twentieth album" is hard to shake... ;)
Quote from: "Pedro"Fly From Here - £3.99 as an mp3 download from http://www.amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk) for a limited time...I couldn't resist trying it at that price.
Ditto!
Started listening to it this morning. So far I think it's OK. There are some bits that have instantly been absorbed, and some that will need further listenings. I guess the use of the yes "badge" is just a marketing thing as to my ears they really don't sound much like Yes - or is that an obvious thing to say considering how long the brand has been in existence.
I've been listening to it quite a bit, which is a good thing I guess, but there are some bumps in the road.
The first of which is the aptly named track "Bumpy Ride" which I reckon should have been left out. It sounds too much like Rhapsodies-era Wakeman to me...and that's not good.
The drums sound almost programmed to me....nothing exciting at all.
I really wish Benoit didn't sound so like Jon at times (e.g. when he sings the word "clearly"), in a tribute band it's great but in "new" music it just makes me wish it really was Jon.
I keep saying it; if you ranked all 20 of their studio albums....this wouldn't be in the top 10....and that's not good.
Some straight talking from Geoff Downes
http://yesworld.com/blog/ (http://yesworld.com/blog/)
Straight? I've got a better word for it than that, but this is a family forum :shock:
Interestingly aggressive post, especially considering the fact that he's really only the about the fourth- or fifth-best keyboard player they've ever employed.
Quote from: "Geetar"Straight? I've got a better word for it than that, but this is a family forum :shock:
Interestingly aggressive post, especially considering the fact that he's really only the about the fourth- or fifth-best keyboard player they've ever employed.
Seems he's on the defensive from the start. No doubt he's well aware of the "bring back Jon" campaigners (and yes I'm one of them). Seems like they've developed a Rorke's Drift attitude, pile up the sandbags and get on the defensive. Perhaps they think their in for a "Bumpy Ride" :lol:
Just reached the end of my 1st listen and... well, I think I need a few more listens. :? Other than the last track, Into The Storm, nothing really hit me as having a wow factor to it. There is also quite a lot of obvious auto-tune, which is an immediate turn-off for me. This is unnecessary as we know the guys can sing (well, OK maybe not Steve Howe... ;) ) and is there any point in trying to make Yes 'trendy' at this point in their career?
I really like Drama - the line-up change and heavier edge kicked some real life back into the band again, even minus 2 key players in JA & RW, so I was hopeful that that line-up might still have some spark. Not convinced yet...
It's on rotation now, there's a couple of skip-worthy tracks but I'm liking it a little more now that it's familiar. Still not a classic by a hugely long chalk.
I need to get better ears, though, cos I haven't detected any obvious autotune but I'm not really sure how to spot it.
Car broke down this morning so had it on repeat play whilst waiting for the AA. It does get better with more listenings but agree it is unlikely to replace some old favourites. Still, it's much better than most recent offerings such as Open Your Eyes, The Ladder, etc.
Madman at the Screens has become a bit of an earworm :) and I quite like the harmonies on Life on a Film Set, this track also reminds me a bit of 10CC in places. Not convinced about the lead vocals and I haven't quite worked out the meaning of the Fly from Here concept - makes me think of the BBC series Survivors.
Dear all,
The missus can't stand Yes, so I confess to being desperate to natter about "Fly From Here" to somebody! I hope Frosties will forgive my desire to give my tuppence worth about the new album. Skip on past if you don't want to read on ;-)
It's funny that I've seen a few remarks in various places about "The Ladder" being below par. I thought it was a really promising return to form, and it's a shame that this line-up didn't really take off fully because of the customary Yes shenanigans in its aftermath. Then "Magnification" had some good qualities, but wasn't quite consistent enough (although Yes Symphonic was smashing stuff, I thought...).
As for "Fly From Here", I've listened to it about 8 times now, and with each listening I really enjoy the title-track/suite/thing 'Fly from here' (maybe the best 'epic' since 'The Endless Dream' - though nowhere near as blistering and inspiring as that, to my ears, and maybe it has more predictable instrumental sections than 'Mind Drive' or 'That, that is' from KTA). But the rest of the new album is, well, it hurts me to say - insipid, characterless and as poor as any of the best bits on "Open Your Eyes". One remark I saw somewhere online said that "Fly From Here" is the best Yes album since "Talk". Now, I love "Talk", but I just don't agree...
I'm neither a Trooper nor a Rabinette; I love "Drama" and I loathe about 3/4 of "Topographic Oceans", and I think "Tormato" has poorer songs on it than "Big Generator" - even though I love the style of the band more on the former. I've always picked and mixed when it comes to Yes, and found something to love on every album of every period (even "Union"). So it isn't with any particular axe to grind that I admit that I'm really disappointed with all the shorter tracks on "Fly From Here". The opening 24 minutes is surprisingly good and restores one's faith, and then the remainder is disappointingly weak and takes the faith away again...
Maybe I need more listens, but it was an interesting experiment for me to finish listening to the last song "Into the storm", and then straight away listen to "The Ladder" from beginning to end. Even the more commercial shorter songs on "The Ladder" have punchy arrangements, colourful keyboards, interesting drums and imaginative vocals; the band sounds like it was playing in tip-top-shape under the guidance of Bruce Fairbairn. I don't want to put anyone off "Fly From Here", and it isn't by any means an awful album to be avoided like the plague, but it just doesn't sound as 'up-for-it' and communicative as the best songs on "The Ladder" such as 'Homeworld', 'Face to face', 'If only you knew' (yep, I'm rather fond of that lovely ballad) or 'New language' (on which Jon Anderson sings his heart out - something that isn't evident anywhere on the new album from anyone singing, regardless of Trevor Horn's impressively crafted production).
Yes fans will never find themselves in total harmony about everything the band has ever done, and "Fly From Here" will continue to nurture that tradition. I'm glad I bought it and I recommend Yes fans should hear it, but there's a part of me that feels really sad that the band - regardless of who is in it - hasn't got the spunk to recapture either the wizardry of "Fragile", the freshness of "90125", the fabulous songs and sonic thrills of "Talk", the positivity and diversity of "ABWH", the eccentric proggy avant-garde jazz fusion of "Relayer", the lyrical sweep of "Going For The One", or the white-hot inspiration of "The Yes Album". Right now I don't feel brave enough to hold out enormous hopes for the reported Anderson-Wakeman-Rabin project, but deep down I'm an eternal optimist, and maybe it'll be another case of the Yes Family getting a massive jolt in the arm that the official band itself can't quite manage (like "ABWH" managed back in the day).
Rant over, but I hope I've struck a chord with at least some fellow Frostie Yes-fans!
Peace and Love,
David
Interesting comments David and your pick and mix approach to Yes over the years is almost identical to mine - which is making me wonder if I should revisit The Ladder! I love Homeworld but didn't get the rest. Must try again sometime... ;)
I rather liked The Ladder and saw them on that Tour. Some good points there David. The only track I didn't like on "Tales" is the 3rd one, all that crashing and banging, although Jon's "and I heard a million voices singing" part was the only section of the song I liked.
Interview with Anderson
//http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ex-yes-frontman-jon-anderson-opens-up-about-getting-fired-20110706?page=1
Forgot about this new album.....
Listening to it on Spotify right now. Very nice! More melody... less wankery weirdness. I think I like this one! 8-)
I was listening to "Big Generator" 3 days ago, my 1st daughter asked me : "Who's this lady singing ?".
Yesterday, I played "Fly from Here", and my 2nd daughter said "I like this girl's voice".
Therefore :
1. My girls both can't ear properly good music ;
2. there are now excellent clues to say that Benoît David has definitely been a good choice :)
Is it me..... or is the 'Fly From Here' epic one of the finest things they've ever done?! :shock:
I love it! 8-)
Not to my ears....but we're all different. It's not in the top 5 Yes albums in my opinion but that doesn't mean it's bad....just not to my taste.
Quote from: "Pedro"It's not in the top 5 Yes albums in my opinion but that doesn't mean it's bad....
Indeed; though there's a Lynsey de Paul album lost in a box in the attic somewhere that I've played more times than this......
Quote from: "RWA"Is it me..... or is the 'Fly From Here' epic one of the finest things they've ever done?! :shock:
I love it! 8-)
Although a big Yes fan since about 1973 (holy moley), I still haven't got my act together to buy this new album. Without the cosmic pixie, it can't be right, etc. etc. ...
That said and as I have no doubt said here before, I have always had time for Drama and very much like "We Can Fly From Here", recorded live during the Drama era and appearing on "The Word Is Live".
So, if anything is going to persuade me to buy the new album, it's a positive review of the 21st century version of that song. Which you've just delivered, sir ... ;)
Can it still be descibed as a new album?
Quote from: "Mikey"Can it still be descibed as a new album?
New inasmuch as it's from this year and the prior album, Magnification, came out ten years earlier: I think it qualifies on that count. (Good grief; is that really true? Ten years since Magnification? Astonishing ...)
Or are you saying that because the name and main song derive from something written more than 30 years ago, it hardly counts as new? Can't argue with that ...
To me it sounds like second rate Asia, with a squeaky voice and a drum machine. Even Squire's bass is lost in the mix. And that's the problem for me: it's a Buggles album with Steve Howe on (occaisional) guitar. Not sure if Alan White even showed up. One look at the song writing credits pretty much showed that they had to sack O Wakeman so that Trevor Horn had someone to write with. No one else had much creative input. Though I suspect I'm being a little unfair on their singer
Quote from: "Trapezium Artist"Or are you saying that because the name and main song derive from something written more than 30 years ago
No, its been out a while now
Saw them last night in Cambridge and it was a really enjoyable evening. Benoit wasn't at all bad; everyone else was good. (But my goodness, they're looking old these days - last time I saw them was 7 years ago and time has not been kind to them since then). Geoff Downes was tinkling the ivories, which surprised me as I was expecting a Wakeman.
Catch them if you can!
Quote from: "Trapezium Artist"...the prior album, Magnification, came out ten years earlier: I think it qualifies on that count. (Good grief; is that really true? Ten years since Magnification? Astonishing ...)
I'm seriously out of date then - the most recent one I have is The Ladder... (how on earth did Magnification pass me by? Was I asleep at the time?) Just as well I didn't buy the rather nice £30 Yes tie-dye t-shirt at the gig last night as I think I can feel a couple of album purchases coming on...
Quote from: "catherine"I'm seriously out of date then - the most recent one I have is The Ladder... (how on earth did Magnification pass me by? Was I asleep at the time?) Just as well I didn't buy the rather nice £30 Yes tie-dye t-shirt at the gig last night as I think I can feel a couple of album purchases coming on...
Honestly, you haven't missed much skipping Magnification... Well, in my opinion anyways. ;)
About the new album... I was very hesitant to get it. Not because of the lead singer change, but simply because Yes has fallen very far from expectation with their previous albums (or simply for their lack of albums :cry: ). Magnification is probably the most boring Yes album ever, The Ladder had very good moments, but not all good, Open Your Eyes had just a couple of good songs. The last excellent album was Talk (again, IMHO), and that's way back in 1994. That's 17 years ago!!! That's longer than most bands even exist for :lol: . So I did the thing I'm not supposed to do: I downloaded the album. Well well well... to my surprise, I was enjoying my first listen of the album :shock: . And then, the more I listened, the more I liked. I eventually bought it in store, because I was enjoying it too much. That's when I say, even on my tight budget, "I have to get this!".
Since then, I don't think there's been a day passing by where I didn't listen to at least one track on the album. It's been SOOO LOOOOONG since I've enjoyed a Yes album this much. It's refreshing. I don't know if it's the coming of the new lead singer that sparked something up, but for me, this is a new start for Yes. Of course it does not sound like Fragile, but it doesn't sound like 90125 either. Sort of in the middle where Drama was.
Verdict: buy!
Quote from: "MrBabou"About the new album... I was very hesitant to get it. Not because of the lead singer change, but simply because Yes has fallen very far from expectation with their previous albums (or simply for their lack of albums :cry: ). Magnification is probably the most boring Yes album ever, The Ladder had very good moments, but not all good, Open Your Eyes had just a couple of good songs. The last excellent album was Talk (again, IMHO), and that's way back in 1994. That's 17 years ago!!! That's longer than most bands even exist for :lol: . So I did the thing I'm not supposed to do: I downloaded the album. Well well well... to my surprise, I was enjoying my first listen of the album :shock: . And then, the more I listened, the more I liked. I eventually bought it in store, because I was enjoying it too much. That's when I say, even on my tight budget, "I have to get this!".
Since then, I don't think there's been a day passing by where I didn't listen to at least one track on the album. It's been SOOO LOOOOONG since I've enjoyed a Yes album this much. It's refreshing. I don't know if it's the coming of the new lead singer that sparked something up, but for me, this is a new start for Yes. Of course it does not sound like Fragile, but it doesn't sound like 90125 either. Sort of in the middle where Drama was.
Verdict: buy!
Spot on! That is exactly my view of the last few albums and this one. There have only been a couple of decent tracks on each album since Talk but this one is a real grower. Looking forward to seeing them on Saturday. 8-)
Here they are, having a bit of a Status Quo moment...
(//http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss244/technobotts/Yes%20at%20the%20Cambridge%20Corn%20Exchange%208%20Nov%202011/IMG_4599-1.jpg)
More photos available here (//http://photobucket.com/YesCambCornex).
Quote from: "catherine"Here they are, having a bit of a Status Quo moment...
(//http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss244/technobotts/Yes%20at%20the%20Cambridge%20Corn%20Exchange%208%20Nov%202011/IMG_4599-1.jpg)
More photos available here (//http://photobucket.com/YesCambCornex).
Nice Catherine! Thanks for sharing!
My review and crappy iPhone photos of the Hammersmith gig from a few weeks back...
http://giggingforever.blogspot.com/2011 ... smith.html (http://giggingforever.blogspot.com/2011/04/17th-november-2011-yes-hmv-hammersmith.html)