Someone on another forum the other day asked if Close to the edge was a Concept album. I said I didn't think so but the title track was definitely a concept song. *berdum tish*:)

Fragile. I find it the most consistent, and Anderson's voice is well utilised here.

Bass in this album is great. Tracks have variety. It starts off catchy, has Spanish sounding and classical guitar work, hillbilly, rock n' roll, ambience, smooth acoustic and electric melodies/instrumentation, and experimental elements. It's a very well layered album, quite relaxing to listen to or something to rock out to.

Close to the Edge, which also is one of the best albums by any band ever, including any releases in the future. I also love Fragile, of course, while The Yes Album and Relayer are very good as well. The rest I don't care too much about.

Relayer juuuuuust barely tops Close To The Edge, those two are both amazing and a hella close call. After that would be Fragile, The Yes Album and Going For The One in no special order. Those albums I just listed would contain every Yes album I enjoy 100% front to back. Next would be Tales, I like it better than most people I think, but I'd have to admit that it's somewhat (ok, extremely) protracted for the mere sake of it and can be pretty tedious in spots of all 4 sides. But it has enough high points on all of the 4 pieces that I enjoy it. After that is Tormato, as I posted elsewhere that album has some really good moments (esp. "On The Silent Wings of Freedom), Squire's playing is as great as ever, but Wakeman's tone utterly SUCKS throughout and "Circus of Heaven" is Jon Anderson at his touchy-feely silliest and worst.

I really don't care for the early albums or the MTV era. I heard moments of the album with the Russian guy on keys that kinda rocked, but it didn't grab me either.

I didn't include the live albums, Yessongs would generally top Yesshows, but the latter live album features the ULTIMATE "Gates of Delerium". That track excepted I generally prefer the studio versions of those two live albums

One of the things about Wakeman that really chapped my balls was his fecking DEMANDING that we all notice that he's classically trained. Alright, dude, we get it...

When he's not doing that I love his playing on TYA, Fragile, CTTE, TFTO and GFTO. If I had a time machine I would go back to 1978 and put his hands in casts to keep him from playing on Tormato.

I can't remember which album the live version of "Gates of Delirium" I've heard is from, but in any case it is an incredible live version, and probably the same you're talking about. It is the only time I've decided I like a faithful live rendition more than the studio counterpart! After hearing it, I was astounded, and checked out RateYourMusic, and all the reviewers seemed to be saying the same. :o

I saw that tour. It was the 1976 Solo Albums tour (I just considered it to be an extension of the Relayer tour, as they didn't play a single song from any of the solo albums) I posted a mini review of that show here.

Read it. Wow, I envy you your experience, for sure. I was yet to be born, but couldn't at least my parents have seen them live in their heyday? Lousy taste in music is to be blamed. :p

Here's the stage I was describing


http://yesmuseum.org/images/stageCircus-Sept76.JPG


While we're on the topic, how about rating the solo albums? Nearly without exception people will rate either Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow or Squire's Fish Out Of Water #1, the other will be #2. That is my order, I love FOOW but OoS is one of my favorite albums ever made




...but Squire's isn't far behind




...after that it's a helluva drop to Moraz's Story of I, the high points of that album marginally outnumber the low points, but there is some unbegoddamnlievably idiotic shyte off that fecking album ("Saturday makes the week"....*barf*)

Steve Howe's Beginnings never gets that stupid, but it never gets off the ground either. It's just a bleah, boring album

Alan White's "Ramshacked" is a fecking mess. White doesn't know the first flippin' thing about songwriting, it's just a bunch of guys playing instruments. The only reason this album was made is because the other 4 were. There is utterly no reason at all for this album to exist.

That link doesn't work for me. As for the solo albums, I've never heard any of them, I didn't even know half of them existed! I've heard rumours about Anderson's album being great, though.