Member:
Sean
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Sean)
Date:
8/18/2003
Format:
CD (Album)
A rejuvinated Yes followed up their blockbuster 80s album 90125 in an odd way, with a live EP. Fans would have to wait a couple years before a proper studio album would be released, 1987s Big Generator. In the meantime they were treated to this oddity.
This is basically an EPs worth of live music. You get very spirited versions of "Hold On" and "Changes" (ones that exceed their studio conterparts in energy and emotion) and a solo spot from each band member. All this seems rather odd. Why not a whole cd of songs and the solo spots? It is obvious the band was playing well and I think it would be interesting to hear more of the songs in the set at that time, the ones from 90125 in particular.
The solo spots vary from good to dull. Trevor Rabin turns in a McLaughlin inspired steel string acoustic solo, "Solly's Beard", and Chris Squire and Alan White team up for "Whitefish", a mixture/tease of old Yes riffs like "The Fish", "Sound Chaser" and "Tempus Fugit". Shame they didn't play the actual tunes... On the weaker side Tony Kaye's solo "Si" is just a couple minutes of directionless noodling and spacey noises. Jon Anderson dusts off the vocal from "Gates of Delirium"- "Soon". It seems out of place here and an afterthought. Maybe he was pining for another time...
Why the band chose to release such an odd little EP at the time is the big question here. Only a year into a brand new lineup most bands would never consider releasing a live document. This is for the few of you that must have it all.
|
|
|
