Yes or No? Tales from Trollographic Oceans

Queen Boo · 01-02-2023, 02:39 PM

I used to think the first Yes album was just ok but over the years it's grown on me a lot, yeah it's more psychedelia than prog and the songwriting isn't up to par with what came later but right from the get go the energy is there and the album has such an earnestly positive vibe it's impossible for me to resist, I think it's pretty underrated tbh.

Time and a Word has a stronger collection of songs but aside from a couple of tracks the use of orchestra feels very clumsy, forced and distracting, for that I think the debut is better at showcasing the original lineup, Banks especially, he's no Howe but he was a pretty excellent guitarist in his own right and he got a bit lost in the mix of Time and a Word which was why he left.

Trollheart · 01-02-2023, 02:48 PM

Yeah, it's only really my second foray into the early albums, the first being when I got to them in the History of Prog journal. I agree with your comment about the orchestra, which was pretty silly as it forced Banks to quit. I really don't think it worked out, and perhaps they knew that, since they never did it again. Still, compare Yes's debut to that of Procol Harum, King Crimson or as I said even ELP, and I think if you had, back then, to decide who was going to lead the prog revolution it's few people who would have chosen Yes.

Queen Boo · 01-02-2023, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I really don't think it worked out, and perhaps they knew that, since they never did it again.

Uh what? Magnification says hi.

I like Magnification a lot more too, I think the use of orchestra works much better on that album, they chose to do without a keyboardist for that album and the orchestra fills in the gaps quite nicely. It is overlong and wears me out towards the end but that's a problem a lot of early 00s albums have. I'm curious to see what you think of that one.

Chula Vista · 01-02-2023, 03:56 PM

Devoured it in the 70s. for the longest time only listened to side 2 during walks. recently spun it beginning to end and in hindsight it is so easy to see why it tops many people's list of most pretentious album/tour of that decade.

Read an Allan White interview years back where he said that during the entire TFTO tour there was only a single show (out of 77) where the entire band NAILED all 4 sides.

Don't suppose I'll ever listen to it again. Nothing was gonna top hearing it the first time while tripping anyway.

Queen Boo · 01-02-2023, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Devoured it in the 70s. for the longest time only listened to side 2 during walks. recently spun it beginning to end and in hindsight it is so easy to see why it tops many people's list of most pretentious album/tour of that decade.

Read an Allan White interview years back where he said that during the entire TFTO tour there was only a single show (out of 77) where the entire band NAILED all 4 sides.

Don't suppose I'll ever listen to it again. Nothing was gonna top hearing it the first time while tripping anyway.

I've always been a Tales defender and I've never even done acid.

Not because I abstain from doing drugs, I just don't have connections.

Chula Vista · 01-02-2023, 04:35 PM

Speaking of psychedelia, you folks ever heard Howe's previous band's big hit?

Pretty cool how Howe's unique style is already easily discernible in 67.

Trollheart · 01-02-2023, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen Boo

Uh what? Magnification says hi.

I like Magnification a lot more too, I think the use of orchestra works much better on that album, they chose to do without a keyboardist for that album and the orchestra fills in the gaps quite nicely. It is overlong and wears me out towards the end but that's a problem a lot of early 00s albums have. I'm curious to see what you think of that one.

I guess that was a silly thing to say, as I haven't heard a full Yes album since The Ladder. Work to be done, for sure.

Queen Boo · 01-02-2023, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Speaking of psychedelia, you folks ever heard Howe's previous band's big hit?

Pretty cool how Howe's unique style is already easily discernible in 67.

That whole album is some solid British psychedelia and Howe's guitar playing is the main attraction as you'd expect, definitely worth checking out if you don't mind the muddy production.

rubber soul · 01-03-2023, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Speaking of psychedelia, you folks ever heard Howe's previous band's big hit?

Pretty cool how Howe's unique style is already easily discernible in 67.

I had that album not even knowing Howe had been in the band. Great paisley pop.

Synthgirl · 01-02-2023, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen Boo

I used to think the first Yes album was just ok but over the years it's grown on me a lot, yeah it's more psychedelia than prog and the songwriting isn't up to par with what came later but right from the get go the energy is there and the album has such an earnestly positive vibe it's impossible for me to resist, I think it's pretty underrated tbh.

Time and a Word has a stronger collection of songs but aside from a couple of tracks the use of orchestra feels very clumsy, forced and distracting, for that I think the debut is better at showcasing the original lineup, Banks especially, he's no Howe but he was a pretty excellent guitarist in his own right and he got a bit lost in the mix of Time and a Word which was why he left.

I totally agree, the debut feels kind of quaint in comparison to the 1971 onward stuff, but I think it's a pretty fun and charming album for what it is. Every time I go back to it it's always better than I remembered.

01-02-2023, 02:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Yeah, it's only really my second foray into the early albums, the first being when I got to them in the History of Prog journal. I agree with your comment about the orchestra, which was pretty silly as it forced Banks to quit. I really don't think it worked out, and perhaps they knew that, since they never did it again. Still, compare Yes's debut to that of Procol Harum, King Crimson or as I said even ELP, and I think if you had, back then, to decide who was going to lead the prog revolution it's few people who would have chosen Yes. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-02-2023, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	Devoured it in the 70s. for the longest time only listened to side 2 during walks. recently spun it beginning to end and in hindsight it is so easy to see why it tops many people's list of most pretentious album/tour of that decade. Read an Allan White interview years back where he said that during the entire TFTO tour there was only a single show (out of 77) where the entire band NAILED all 4 sides. Don't suppose I'll ever listen to it again. Nothing was gonna top hearing it the first time while tripping anyway. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

01-02-2023, 04:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	Speaking of psychedelia, you folks ever heard Howe's previous band's big hit? Pretty cool how Howe's unique style is already easily discernible in 67. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”