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For the last year, I have been trying to hear what others have heard in Yes but failed with the exception of a few songs here and there. I don't seriously hate them as I respect their talent, but maybe their approach is too friendly for what I look for in Prog. For me, the major hurdle is Jon Anderson's vocals and lyrics and sometimes the occasional flight of fancy in their keyboardists through their classic era. I intend to stop at 90201/"Owner of a Lonely Heart" in my research, and I don't mind that time all.

Still, and I know fans are going to call me evil when I say this, but Drama still has what it takes to keep me listening without cringing much, although it is mainly a Yes album in name only as it really is The Buggles meeting three members of the band in an effort to keep moving, especially after the disaster that was Tormato (one good song, but not a classic). To me, it sounded like the work of seasoned talented musicians trying to adapt to The then-New Era of music which in the end turned into a challenge that sharpened their well-traveled sound that was turning into a self parody by then. It actually let the Yes sound grow balls through Trevor Horn's vocals not reaching the annoying level of Anderson, the lyrics not going into hippie flights of fancy (much), the keyboards not going into King Arthur's court or Topographic Oceans too many times on an album, and the whole sounding sharp - one of the better Rock albums of a year when the new breed were aiming to take over for the better. It did not work completely, but it sounded ready for the fight but losing out in the end although I still find myself liking it maybe for the meeting of Faux-New Wave with the classic Yes sound. To me, "Tempus Fugit" sounded like they were listening to a lot of the most talented of the Faux-New Wavers, The Police, while a lot of the album sounds a bit influenced by Genesis' classic The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway as the style on it had some of the coldness of that epic. It may be the Yes album for those who say No to Yes, but still have time for technically well played Rock.

It's not a classic, and certainly does not represent the real Yes sound, but it actually moves good...although that silly inner gatefold cover showing the band trying to hold up something kind of kills some of the effect. Still, it was one of the better Old Guard Keeping Up With the New Ways albums of 1980.