John Koegel - Rolling Stone - 1971-07-22

Tuesday, September 6, 2022 9:42 PM

With one notable exception, Yes' configuration has remained stable since
the first of its three albums was released two years ago. Singer John
Anderson spearheaded Yes then and still does. But some time after Yes
recorded its second album, _Time and a Word_, guitarist Peter Banks left
the band to replace Mick Abrahams who had similarly abandoned Blodwyn Pig.
Before anything much happened with the newly aligned Blodwyn, Kim Simmonds
lured bassist Andy Pyle and drummer Ron Berg over to Savoy Brown. What
Banks is doing now is anybody's guess. His replacement is Steve Howe, a
guitarist of equal caliber who featured prominently on Yes' third record.
_The Yes Album_ differs from its two predecessors in several respects.
For the first time, everything the group performs is original material.
Although Yes deserves praise for having matured to the point where it can
supply enough of its own songs for an entire album, I personally miss
hearing one of two versions of someone else's songs, like "I See You" and
"No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed", which the group arranged
and performed brilliantly on its first and second albums, respectively. In
addition, the material consists of fewer short songs and more lengthy
pieces. The only three-minute tracks on this record are "The Clap", Steve
Howe's acoustic guitar quickie recorded at one of Yes' concerts in London,
and "A Venture", a straightforward rocker sandwiched between a pair of
longer compositions on the second side. Each of the album's four long
trackes are carefully structured and allow for greater instrumental
freedom than their shorter counterparts. Frequently, a particular melodic
theme first stated by one musician is echoed by another, such as in "Yours
Is No Disgrace" and "I've Seen All Good People". Organist Tony Kaye,
guitarist Steve Howe and bass player Chris Squire play as though of one
mind, complementing each other's work as a knowledgeable band should.
Squire in particular deserves to be singled out for his creative bass work
throughout the album. Bill Bruford's tasteful drumming never falls in the
way of the other musicians.
As for the vocals, Yes has an ear for harmony and takes full advantage
of this asset. Squire and Howe supplement Anderson's delightful leads with
harmonies in the upper register. On the first hearing, Yes' vocals may
seem too perfectly matched to be enjoyable and this has presented the
group with its chief obstacle toward mass acceptance because there is no
deep voice to counter the sound of Yes' falsetto harmonies, some have
refused to accept the group and its unusual vocal style. If Yes were to
change its format by adding a singer who can contribute a lower voice,
then the band would lose its distinctive identity. The high-pitched
singing is what sets Yes apart from myriad other British bands who can
also play their asses off, a qualification that has become all too
commonplace nowadays.
Forget your inhibitions and take _The Yes Album_ home with you. It may
not cure the common cold, but you'll never get sick from hearing it.

-- John Koegel, Rolling Stone, July 22, 1971.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcribed for YESMAN's Museum of YES by:
Dennis McGee
denmac@sunbelt.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------