This is the 11th album from perennial British proggers, Yes, but it was a great departure in sound for the band. The music on this album was a lot more radio friendly and commercial. The band had split up in ’81 after the tour cycle for the Drama album. After the break up, Chris Squire and Alan White had formed a band called Cinema, and were joined by original Yes keyboard player, Tony Kaye, and guitarist, Trevor Rabin. Much of this material was taken from demos that Rabin had ready. Jon Anderson was asked to rejoin at the mixing stage, and he recorded all of the lead vocals. The result was this masterpiece that basically saved the band and rescued their career.
The new approach was very American sounding and was perfect for US radio. The lead off single, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, was such a success that the album took off on the back of it – the rest they say is history. Of course, traditionalists hated the new sound, saying it was not Yes, but the master stroke from Squire was asking Anderson to join. His voice is so associated with Yes, that the older fans were won over.
It Can Happen is one of the tracks that has the old Yes DNA, with the layered vocal and keyboard part, but enhanced with Rabin’s guitar. Changes, the last track on Side 1, has all the Yes hallmarks in the intro with the intricate instrumental parts, but the melodic chord sequence and melody vocal from Rabin are all what’s great about the new version of the band.
Cinema, which would have been the title track for the original project, opens up Side 2. It’s a great instrumental in that old Yes style. Trevor Horn is the producer and his signatures are all over this record, the compressed drum sounds, the keyboard segues, and multi layered vocals. It’s very of it’s time, but still sounds fantastic.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
