review by thomas

This is the first truly symphonic/progressive album from Yes and the first with new recruit Stewe Howe on guitars. It begins in a majestic and impressive form with “Yours Is No Disgrace” including excellent work from all band members. I must mention Tony Kaye’s amazing organ sound and Chris Squire’s bass that sound like something Ray Shulman were doing in Gentle Giant. “Starship Trooper” is also a goodie with terrific drumming from Bruford. It starts with a section written by Anderson then goes into a more acoustic section written by Squire, and then ends with a section composed by Howe with plenty of electric guitar.

The strange “I’ve Seen All Good People” features Gnidrolog’s Colin Goldring on recorders. The first section of the piece, called “Your Move”, seems to be about a game of chess and it’s very acoustic and in the instrumentation deliberately restrained; instead it showcases the vocal harmonies of Yes that always were a big part of their albums. The second section – “All Good People” – turns electric and rocks out but personally I find this far too repetitious (in both music and lyrics) and dull. “The Clap” and “A Venture” are both short pieces and rather good. The former an acoustic instrumental (recorded live) and the latter features good piano work from Kaye. The album closes with “Perpetual Change”: a motto perhaps? I have always seen this song as the weak one on the album. And that haven’t changed – it includes some silly sounding harmony-vocals and some lame guitar and keyboard work in the main parts; but it also has its good moments.

A good first try by Yes at the symphonic rock – sometimes referred to as “techno-rock” – that where in evolution around the early seventies.