Yes are a strange band to a lot of people and they have existed in many variations, personnel wise, and it can be quite confusing to the average music fan as to which version you are seeing. Musically, it’s a lot easier as it’s before or after Owner Of A Lonely Heart. Before, they were one of the grandfathers of British Prog and it was always bewildering to me that they were so big in America.
One of the reasons for this was the song Roundabout, which did really well in the US and it’s the song that opens up this album. The hook and the melody are very commercial sounding, but musically it’s quite a busy tune. The single was edited somewhat upon its release to make it more radio friendly. There are basically five tracks on the album that are joined together by short instrumental pieces, which at times sound as though they are just jamming around. The big song on the album is Heart Of The Sunrise, which weighs in just shy of twelve minutes and is Yes at their proggiest. There is so much happening musically to keep the listener entertained and this is Yes at their best, it’s my favourite track on the album.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
