I think u should pop the first album *Yes* "up ya kilt" otterstew

They play a few covers and make them their own.

Let us all know how u get on!!

Anna

I agree somewhat with your analisis of Yes music. but having said that they are one of the most prolific bands and there music doesnt try to follow any template. Well maybe the mid 80's they attempted to produce a few cross over main stream songs. Even then its was pretty good with Trevor Rabin in the lineup. You may want to listen to the 1973 Yes album "Fragile". This in my opinion was far and away their best. it has its lofty, dreamy moments but also has a lot of pure technical pieces with some pretty hard jamming grooves. This one has to be in the top 10 of all time Prog albums.

otterstew wrote on 19^th Nov, 2005 at 7:12pm:


Hello and Welcome otterstew!!

I am a die hard YES fan.--You will not get abuse from me for your distaste in YES music.
I grew up listening to YES from the beginning.--I think I was drawn to them because of not "weired" sounding, but, more because of a different sound at the time(a good kind of weird)
I guess.--I know of many people who argue and fight over this.--Some like the early stuff, some like the middle stuff, and, some like the last few years stuff.--I've seen them many times during these past 30 something years.--Some shows were better than others.--I liked them all though.

I don't really know why it is called "prog".--I just like it!!!--That's why I like listening to what is here at SA!--Lots of weird, good, and different music!!!--What music tastes good to you is what matters!!

Is YES the best?----NO!!!!!---There's too many good groups out there to mention all that sound "weird"(good)!!.--Thats what seperates all of these so called "prog" bands from all of these 3 chord bands out there!!!.

It is all subjective as Jane said. -- Try "Close To The Edge" with headphones or/and  loud!!!!.

If you still don't like it, you can always use it to get people to leave your house!!!!--LOL
It worked for me for years.--Until they started liking and playing it themselves!!!!--LOL
Then, they wouldn't go away!!

It's all good!!---Here especially!!------------Good evening to you!!-----Brent

By the response of soulfulness, you listed a lot of heavy vocal music--is soulfulness, to you, in the vocals then?

I don't listen to lyrics. Words aren't what I listen to music for--I'm 100% in it for the notes. I know people who hate Yes because of the vocals--both the voice and the words. Neither bother me though because at least in their big stuff--Tales from Topographic Oceans, Close to the Edge, and most of the stuff from the Yessongs album, they're playing in a more classical style--it's really quite close to a chamber group. That appeals to me. I hear soul and heart by the boatload in their instrumental performances and in the timbre of Jon's voice.

(Sometimes it does get a little twiddly and noisy. I blame Wakeman for that mostly, and I tend not to like it. He's very talented but I find his musical style lacking.)

That's my big deal with Yes--at least in their 70's prime, they were the rock equivalent of a Brahm's chamber group, and I *love* that. It isn't for everyone though, certainly. I'm hardly a Yes-head, as they completelylost me as soon as they left the 70's and I don't care at all for any of Jon's solo stuff or much of the revival stuff. For a short while, however, they were classically-spectacular.