With THE YES ALBUM, Yes began an important new chapter in its career and defined much of what the next decade would bring. They had left behind not only their original guitarist, Peter Banks, but also the covers of 1960s tunes by the likes of the Byrds and the Beatles. The arrival of the more hard-edged Steve Howe signaled the group’s ascent into full-blown progressive-rock mode, a style whose parameters Yes helped craft with this recording. Though Rick Wakeman and his classical-influenced arsenal of keyboards had not yet come aboard, Tony Kaye’s roiling Hammond organ and Chris Squire’s busy bass lines perfectly interacted with Howe’s idiosyncratic playing to create a uniquely fugue-like sound, as Bill Bruford’s polyrhythms and Jon Anderson’s angelic voice simultaneously kept things on a more abstract and ethereal plane than almost anything that had been labeled “rock” up to that point. “Starship Trooper” and “Yours Is No Disgrace” would become hallmarks of prog rock and launch a thousand pale imitations by third-string art-rockers for decades to come.

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Full title – Tales From The Topographic Oceans. 2003 remastered, reissue of 1973 album with redesigned booklet (digipak/slipcase), restored LP art, archival photos and new liner notes. Includes 2 bonus tracks ‘Dance Of The Dawn’ (studio through) & ‘Giants Under The Sun’ (studio run through). Elektra.

Recording information: Morgan Studios, North London, United Kingdom (1973).

Yes: Jon Anderson (vocals); Steve Howe (guitar); Rick Wakeman (keyboards); Chris Squire (bass instrument); Alan White (drums, percussion).

Liner Note Author: Mike Tiano.

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A three-disc collection of Yes concert performances dating from the early 1970s to the late ’80s, THE WORD IS LIVE presents the pioneering British prog-rock group in its various incarnations. The first disc features live tracks from ‘70 and ‘71, when organist Tony Kaye’s distinctive Hammond lines figured strongly into the band’s performances, which here include a jam-heavy take on “America” that precedes its studio version. The second and third discs are filled with concert appearances that have Kaye’s replacements, either keyboardist Rick Wakeman or Patrick Moraz, surging through classics such as “Sweet Dreams” and “Roundabout.” The set goes on to include Kaye’s return to the fold, most notably on the high-energy medley of “Make It Easy” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” While hardcore, bootleg-seeking Yes fans have undoubtedly heard some of these recordings before, THE WORD IS LIVE performs a great service by compiling these era-spanning tracks, making the set essential for any enthusiast.

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