Izdavač: Atlantic Records
Datum izdanja: 19. 2. 1971
Produkcija: Eddie Offord
Trajanje albuma: 40.56 min
Žanr: Progressive Rock
Ocjena: 9.0/10
(for an English version, scroll down the bar)
Aaaaaaa! Oprostite mi, ali ova će recenzija zvučati više kao “Kratka priča o Steveu Howeu”. Nakon dva studijska albuma Yes su, ne sluteći ništa loše, visjeli na rubu. Atlantic Records namjeravao je raskinuti ugovor s njima ako nastave izdavati tako komercijalno neproduktivne albume. S “The Yes Albumom” uskrsnuli su kao feniks iz pepela (iako im na izgled i na sluh s Peterom Banksom na gitari zapravo ništa nije falilo) i doživjeli potpuni preporod. Banks je napustio sastav, a zamijenio ga je fantastični Steve Howe. Integracija Stevea u bend glavni je krivac za metamorfozu nakon koje ni svijet ni Yes više nikad nisu bili isti. Steve je odmah dokazao da bez po muke svira cjelokupno nasljeđe svog prethodnika. Bendovi pri izmjenama i popunjavanju rupa u postavi obično imaju problema s nadomještanjem člana koji nedostaje, u nadi i s namjerom da novi pridošlica što uspješnije kopira prethodnika koji je napustio sastav.
A u slučaju Yes smiješno je to što im je ta činjenica bila najmanje važna. Prelomno je bilo to što je Steve Howe pokrenuo potpunu obnovu, jer je unio čitavu hrpu novosti, a Yes su napravili golem kvalitativni skok u svom glazbenom izrazu. Steve nije bio samo svestraniji od Banksa prije njega, nego su iz njega svježe ideje letjele jedna za drugom. Stilski raznovrstan gitarist vladao je svime pomalo, od boogie country izleta (The Clap ili dio pjesme Starship Trooper zvan Disillusion) do jazzističnih eksperimenata u solažama unutar pjesama. Jasna je bila i njegova posebnost: predugo zadržavanje na drndanju akorda silno ga dosađuje pa u svakom prijelazu pokušava pronaći prostor koji potom solistički prozrači i preokrene naglavce. Zato s pridom iskorištava linije klavijatura, koje drže melodijsku podlogu, za utkivanje raznovrsnih specijaliteta u pjesme. U osnovi Steveov stil proizlazi iz jazza. Uključen u rock sastav, njegov je stil značio pravu revoluciju. Prije njega nitko nije zvučao kao on i (srećom) nikad neće. Jednom riječju, jednostavno “howeovski”! A Yours Is No Disgrace izravan je dokaz Steveove svojstvenosti i raznovrsnosti kojom je gitarist naoružan. U mini hitu Your Move poigrava se portugalskom vachaliom (vrsta gitare), a bend u njoj kao cjelina isijava izuzetnu mekoću i sofisticiranost. Ni bend više nikad nije zvučao kao prije. Steve je sve povukao za sobom na višu kvalitativnu razinu. T. Kaye na Hammond B3 orguljama svojim je teškim linijama pazio da se pjesme ne raspadnu u motivima i tako su zadržale svoju kompaktnost. Prvi put u povijesti sastava izraz “biti progresivan” zvuči zaista adekvatno. Puna mjera Steveova improviziranja savršeno je prizemljena kroz Hammondove linije, dok je ritam sekcija sa Steveom dobila još više manevarskog prostora i unijela u cjelokupni izraz Yes još više melodike, a time i dodatni kontrast u glazbu Yes.
Možda zvuči ironično, ali Yes su postali tvrđi i lakši. Tvrđi zvukovno, a lakši aranžmanima. Lakši ponajprije u smislu da su našli formulu skladne kombinatorike odabira motiva, koji kroz pjesme leže u “prima” ravnoteži i teku fluidno. Tvrđi su postali uglavnom zbog zvuka Chrisova basa, koji je postajao sve naglašeniji, i spomenutog Tonyjeva načina sviranja orgulja. Ako tome dodamo doprinos nezamjenjivog hrapavog sopranskog vokala Jona Andersona, ovako preporođeni Yes hrabro su zakoračili u svoje najproduktivnije razdoblje.
Autor: Aleš Podbrežnik (recenzija je prvi put objavljena 2003. za glazbeni portal Firegoat)
English version:
AAA!!! Forgive me, but this review is more like “A Story of Steve Howe”. This is where a real take off for the band starts. It changed band’s musical expressions forever. Peter Banks leaves the band, Steve Howe joins in. As a band’s new recruit Steve was already very familiar with Peter’s guitar playing style and that was more than obvious, ’cause he has integrated very easily into the band’s musical directions.
Funnily enough, perhaps even ironically this seemed to be the less important fact for the band. When comes to splits of original line ups it is usual problem for the band to find appropriate replacement and to find a guy who would be successful in copying his predecessor’s playing style. But the point where Peter and Yes parted their ways was, looking back now over thirty years, not only of extreme importance for the band’s further musical directions, but also for the entire rock scene. Highly talented and gifted newcomer served not only as Peter’s replacement, he was also the income of fresh ideas that were new to the band. Steve developed his own guitar style that influences even now days on many young guitarists. Guy brought a good portion of jazz inside the music. And specialty which was translated into new Yes language sounded as nothing else ever sounded or will ever sound. It can be described as strictly “howeish”. Term “progressive” in Yes music, becomes more appropriate for the first time.
Whole sound becomes cleaner and structures are figured now on much tighter and compact way and beside that assembled together on a way that leaves motives to run smoothly and more fluidly as on first two records. Generally speaking the whole sound becomes heavier thankfully to the chunky Hammond B3 organ dashes (Perpetual Change, Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper) and of course Chris’s heavy bass drives, that began to sound more and more thunderous. On the other hand it seems as if band learned to compose in a much sophisticated and subtle way (Your Move). At those days no one even think about that challenging Steve’s integration into Yesworld would be of such great importance. Steve’s advantages were not only that he was more diverse skilled than Banks (don’t get me wrong Peter, I respect all you’ve ever done for Yes), but also cause his uniqueness and the way how he freely and spontaneously delivered the whole Yes sound a new qualities. So “The Yes Album” (1971) is somehow band’s new beginning, a rebirth if you wish. Listen Yours Is No Disgrace. Howe’s involvement of putting all those unmistakable diverse touches surely outstands in that song. Other guys just followed him. Rhythm line also becomes more melodic then ever before. Accompanied with Anderson’s soaring irreplaceable vocals and Kaye’s keyboard lines that helped in keeping all songs not to fall apart, renewed and stronger Yes moved now bravely forward into their most productive period.
Popis skladbi:
1. Yours Is No Disgrace (9:36)
2. Clap (Recorded Live at the Lyceum, London) (3:07)
3. Starship Trooper: Life Seeker / Disillusion / Wurm (9:23)
4. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move / All Good People (6:47)
5. A Venture (3:13)
6. Perpetual Change (8:50)
dodatne skladbe na reizdanju iz 2003.:
7. Your Move (single version) (2:59)
8. Starship Trooper: Life Seeker (single version) (3:27)
9. Clap (studio version) (4:01)
Postava:
Jon Anderson – vokal, udaraljke
Steve Howe – akustične, električne gitare, portugalska 12-žičana gitara na skladbi br. 4, prateći vokal
Tony Kaye – Hammond orgulje, klavir, Moog sintisajzer
Chris Squire – bas gitara, prateći vokal
Bill Bruford – bubnjevi, udaraljke
