Going for the one
40. THE REMEMBERING (HIGH THE MEMORY)
Tales From Topographic Oceans, 1973
Jon Anderson wanted “a calm sea of music” for Side Two of …Topographic Oceans, according to biographer Tim Morse. But nothing ever turned out so simple with this band. The opening passages are dreamy, but Howe can’t help but disturb the peace with emotive guitar lines and electric sitar. Squire’s lively bass offsets the singer’s Hindu-influenced visions and vocal musings, to beguiling effect.
JS
39. THE FISH (SCHINDLERIA PRAEMATURUS)
Fragile, 1971
A showcase for its composer Chris Squire – the title came from Squire’s nickname as a result of his fondness for taking very long baths. It’s built around a groove in 7/8, with Steve Howe picking out the harmonics on guitar as a backdrop. Live, the track was a platform for Squire to stretch out with an extended solo, fine examples of which can be found on Yessongs and Live At Montreux.
DW
38. HOMEWORLD (THE LADDER)
The Ladder, 1999
The Ladder saw Yes working with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who brought much of the warmth and ambition of their classic 70s albums back to the music, evidenced in the grand scale of Homeworld. “Yes seem to have come round in a beautiful cycle,” says Jon Anderson in Stuart Chambers’ Yes biography. “It’s remarkable that we’re still making music, and it’s viable music, and it’s very adventurous still. It is still, to coin a phrase, progressive.”
DW
37. SHOOT HIGH AIM LOW
Big Generator, 1987
Four years separated Big Generator from 90125 and the album had a difficult gestation that saw Yes switching studios, countries and producers before it was finished. Shoot High, Aim Low is unmistakeably a product of its time with a slick, polished production; note the gated reverb on Alan White’s drums, a technique that had become ubiquitous thanks to Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight. There’s a live performance on 2005’s The Word Is Live.
DW
36. MOOD FOR A DAY
Fragile, 1971
Steve Howe’s one-man contribution to Fragile is a classical gas. If his signature showpiece Clap doffs its cap to his guitar hero Chet Atkins, this three-minute marvel owes more to another early idol, Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia. Howe demonstrates some Flamenco-style strumming, and that rangy left hand of his fingers an ornate, baroque melody harking back to Bach. The penultimate song on its parent record, Mood For A Day is a tasty palate cleanser before the final course, Heart Of The Sunrise.
GRM
35. ENDLESS DREAM
Talk, 1994
Closing out the undervalued mid-90s album is this three-part, 15-minute epic, fruitfully recalling Yes’ longer numbers of earlier times (it’s effectively the title track). Trevor Rabin, at the helm producing, wrote the bulk of it, and both Anderson and White have since sung its praises, the former likening it to Awaken. Its shifts between busily robust and calmly chilled are consummately handled, with Squire and White reminding us why they’re counted among progressive rock’s most dazzling rhythm sections.
CR
34. HOLD ON
90125, 1983
One of Yes’ less-heralded qualities has always been their versatility, and this is as good a reflection of it as any.
Hold On manages to take the emerging AOR, FM-friendly sound of Asia, Journey, Foreigner et al and repurpose it, while also adding a gutsy rock edge echoing the increasingly dominant pop-rock sound of Bon Jovi and their ilk. Trevor Rabin’s tidy guitar licks and way with a winning chorus are never in doubt, but Anderson and Squire’s harmonies and intricate bridge section also stamp this song with an inimitable Yes identity as the band reinvent themselves for a new era.
JS
33. LEAVE IT
90125, 1983
After the incredible success of 90125’s first single Owner Of A, the pressure was on to repeat the trick. The follow-up, , didn’t reach the same giddy heights, peaking at No.24 in the US in April ’84, but it’s still a curious, clever piece. Squire’s bassline (the kernel of the song) is groovy, Trevors Rabin and Horn contribute to the numerous catchy motifs and lyrics about the ‘pleasures’ of touring, and Squire joins Rabin and Anderson on those huge, Synclavier-enhanced choral harmonies. Horn’s slick production and Godley and Creme’s 18 arty, upside-down MTV videos add to the 80s charm.
