What does it sound like?:
Q: Why is the old fool reviewing an album which is already three weeks old?
A: Because my copy only arrived yesterday after I cancelled the presell-one ordered on the Tax Dodgers because they said they couldn’t guarantee delivery by Christmas and what the feck is that all about so I bought it from Burning Shed and got it in 24 hours so up yours Jeff Bezos.
This won’t be detailed review; if you’re a Yes fan you probably have it already; but it will be an unutterably enthusiastic review because this album makes me happier than almost anything else which I’ve heard this year.
Richie Castellano is a multi-instrumentalist who has been a member of Blue Oyster Cult for two decades. In his spare time he has a bunch of friends who play classic Yes music. In the summer of 2018 they posted a version of Close to the Edge on YouTube which got over half a million views and comments. In response to some of the comments, Richie wrote:
“This isn’t a bunch of music snobs showing off. This is genuine love for Yes and their music. We are hardcore Yes fans and this video is not about conquering a song or doing it better than anyone. It’s about the joy of indulging our inner teenagers and being lucky enough to get the opportunity to play our favorite music.”
One of the half million who saw it was Jon Anderson. He contacted Richie, told him he was looking for a new band and that they should go out on the road. What with Jon’s commitments and Covid, the tour didn’t happen until 2023, billed as “Yes — Epics & Classics Featuring Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks,” the tour was a huge success and, when it finished, they were excited enough to want to record an album.
And here it is.
It’s bloody magnificent.
This is the best album by anyone associated with Yes, (and that’s currently 188 people…..maybe,) for about 40 years. It is the best of the Rabin-era sound with the classic melodies and vocals of the Anderson/Squire/Howe-era. It has keyboards which sound like Tony Kaye AND Rick Wakeman. It has guitar solos which sound like Trevor Rabin AND Steve Howe.
It is bloody joyous.
Anderson sounds like he’s having the time of his life, the songs are memorable yet unmistakeably Yes/Anderson type songs and the band are wonderful. Castellano told Rolling Stone:
“I can’t even wrap my head around all this, I used to go watch Jon in concert and scream at him. Getting to do something like this is just a dream. It’s also been opportunity as a Yes fan to go, ‘OK, we’ve been handed the keys to the kingdom. We have Jon Anderson singing for us. How do we want this to go?’”
So, if you miss classic Yes; if the current output of Yes leaves you a bit cold; if seeing Yes live can be a bit soulless, a gig without joy; then this is for you.
What does it all *mean*?
I accept that I’m talking to a very small audience here but I don’t care. I’ve played this album half a dozen times in the 24 hours that I’ve had it and it’s already in my Top 3 albums of the year.
It has made me very happy.
Goes well with…
Close to the Edge.
Now, Jon. Get some European dates booked, please.
Release Date:
23rd August 2024
Might suit people who like…
Yes.
Listened to this a few times now and couldn’t agree with that summary more. A really pleasant surprise just how good this album is – the sound of musicians enjoying themselves.
JA’s voice is holding up really well to boot.
I need to buy this! Great review!
Lovely review. A number of excellent tracks on this album. Steve Howe, please note.
I’m sure this would do a lot better if the cover didn’t look like somebody had popped back to the 1990s and knocked up something on cheap Serif software. I know that is being superficial, but the artwork really is off-putting.
It does sound good though.
As to whether it is the best of all the Yes-related albums… well I would have to put a word in for the Patrick Moraz solo LPs which are fantastic, even if they don’t sound like Yes.
Looks like the late Chas out of Chas and Dave
I believe a close relative of Jon is responsible for the terrible cover. I think I’ll be buying it, and making my own cover, as I have done in the past.
Particularly, it’s the awful lettering. Looks like something you’d find on a dodgy ’80s bootleg. Such quantities of glitter! The album title’s font is particularly cringesome.
I note the same dodgy lettering in the artists names has been employed for the YouTube clip above. With something a bit better (but still bad) for the track title.
One assumes Roger Dean was unavailable. Or beyond their budget.
Dodgy cover?
Big deal. Most people hearing it will be streaming or downloading: can’t imagine that the cover was allocated a big chunk of a (presumably) limited budget.
The cover does seem an odd thing to get upset about.
I’m a graphic designer. Bad kerning on a poster can set me off!
Well, I can see how that might happen…
TBH, I don’t like the cover much – I just care less than you. Cover design was a big part of the LP, less so with CDs due to reduction in available area – now it’s a couple of square inches on a phone or a streamer display.
Mind you, this kinda thing looks good on large, medium and small scale…so maybe you have a point…
It’s always a treat seeing a work by pencilsqueezer suddenly appearing in the middle of a thread!
I’m going to be the odd one out here…it’s a good album but just not as good as I was hoping for and overall I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. I suppose it’s one thing performing note perfect recreations of Yes classics on stage but coming up with new material than is as good as those timeless classics is no easy task. I’d certainly go and see them live if they ever come here though.
I’ll join you, though as someone who has never knowingly listened to Yes, or prog for that matter. I was piqued by the enjoyable review and the rather heartwarming story, so watched the video. I’m pretty sure I will avoid listening to anything Yes (or indeed prog) related ever again. Very glad it makes people happy though. I mean, the new Tindersticks makes me happy (sort of) and that’s probably for an equally limited audience … so it’s good there’s something for everyone out there.
Perhaps unrealistically I was hoping for something with a more 70s era sound whereas this reminds me more of the Rabin years, perhaps the Talk album.
Well, since CTTE is. one of my favourite records I’ll have to give this a listen. I can’t quite believe it can be as good as classic Yes but my ears will be open…
Edit: after one listen to the above clip I’m impressed. Everyone seems bang on, I just need to hear a song in an odd time signature with a complicated Buford drum part now . Any suggestions niallb?
@MC-Escher At your service.
I think he’s nailed it on this record to be honest. Voice is very good and the band have got a real sparkle to them. Not many do stuff this good so late in their career.
@niallb I’ve just had the same experience as you with Amazon pre-order. Steve Wynn’s book and new album both pre-ordered in July with end-August delivery dates. Come the end of August, the delivery date is changed to Christmas, then March.
I bought both at his gig at The Jericho Tavern in Oxford on Monday so I know they’ve been released.
I’ve played it a few times although haven’t bought it yet. It sounds great, I don’t think any fan of 70s Yes would be disappointed except that the lyrics are pretty awful. I preferred Jon’s lyrics when they made no sense whatsoever. And that cover is off putting!
A seasoned witch could not call that cover from the depths of its disgrace, eh…?
Burning Shed are now out of stock, so it’s flying out the door.
Live album of classic Yes songs coming in March