A while back I set out to describe what I consider to be the Top 10 Must-Have classic rock albums, with the stipulation that all 10 are from different artists. Now I am down to the last three - here is the first of those heavyweights:
3) The Yes Album – I am not sure that this is the best lineup that Yes fielded - some would prefer Rick Wakeman on keyboards over Tony Kaye, who plays on this album. Personally, I like the keys on this album; they have not yet gotten into the synthesizers that made much of their later stuff torturous to listen to. Maybe because of that I find this to be by far the most solid and listenable album that they made. Side 1 is as good as it gets – Yours Is No Disgrace, The Clap, Starship Trooper. The Clap is a solo accoustic piece that demonstrates Steve Howe’s virtuosity on guitar, sandwiched between two anthems that showcase the musicianship of the band while remaining highly listenable. Your Move/All Good People is a radio staple that was one of the band’s great commercial successes. On any other album the last two songs, A Venture and Perpetual Change, would stand out, but here it is hard for them to live up to the standard that has been set. This album is flawed, but is the best product of the "art rock" genre of the '70's and is definitely a must-have.
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