|
Review: Yes, The Ladder (released late Sep) The Revealing" Yes fanzine Dylan Howe has a New Job Homeworld in Classic Rock Magazine Liquid Audio Downloads |
Review: Yes, The Ladder (released late Sep)
From Henry Potts - July 28
Probably the last new album from a big name prog act before 2000 will be Yes's _The Ladder_, due late September, and Yes have brought us a great way to round up the '90s. Yes, I've heard it, but, no, sorry, I can't do a tape for anyone.
_The Ladder_ comes from a mature, confident and happy band. Without the scrabbling around for radio play or attempts to relive the seventies, Yes have managed to square the circle, to bring us something both new and 'Yessish'... and they play their flipping socks off. There may be a couple of false steps along the way, but I think this is a great album and many of you are going to agree... and many of you probably aren't. This isn't a safe album when it comes to pleasing the fans.
I listened to some of this album for the first time with someone new to Yes, although they knew of my obsession with the band all too well! She commented: "This isn't what I expected from Yes." I replied, "This isn't what *I* expected from Yes." This is an album with world music influences and an album that has learnt from new boys Sherwood and Khoroshev. There are still links to older Yes: I can hear _Time and a Word_, _The Yes Album_, _ABWH_ and _Keys to Ascension 2_ in the mix, but I can also hear Anderson's _Animation_, Sherwood's _The Big Peace_, some reggae, some funk...
_The Ladder_ is an album full of energy and creativity in the arrangements and playing. If there is a downside, it's that a few of the underlying songs are perhaps rather too genial and predictable, but I still constantly found myself captivated by the music. And this album is going to sound fantastic live: there are solo spots and band interplay galore; quieter moments and anthems; catchy choruses and encore fodder.
All the band are playing great, but it's perhaps the newer members where interest will focus. Contrary to early reports, Sherwood's vocal role is limited to a few backing vocals -- and the album as a whole is rather sparse on backing vocals. There are some guitar parts that sound like Sherwood, although he is only rarely to the fore. If he is not performing all that much though, I still hear his influence strongly in some of the writing and arrangements.
As for the keyboards... Rick who? Khoroshev is resplendent: he's clearly forged a strong working relationship with Anderson and he's all over this album with tremendous playing. He often sounds rather like Wakeman, but more tasteful ;)
To go through song by song...
1. Home World (The Ladder) [9:33]
The clip at YesWorld comes from the beginning and a few minutes into this track I think. Perhaps structurally the most complex piece on the album with contrasting but interrelated sections, it also comes across as having the most complete fusion of different writing input. In comparison, much of the album, group credited in the liner notes, appears to have a clearer main songwriter, usually Anderson, albeit then thoroughly pushed through the infamous Yes cheesegrater.
Squire has a riff that sounds like pure glam at one point, while I hear Marc Almond/Broadway show influences in a later vocal section - this will give you totally the wrong idea(!), but there are all sorts of things going on in this piece.
2. It'll Be a Good Day [4:53]
One of three Anderson pop songs, but still with imaginative arrangements and some fantastic playing -- for example there's a wonderful little guitar motif very low in the mix in the left channel about halfway through the piece. I would be overjoyed to hear this on Anderson's next solo album, even if it is not what I expected from Yes. Vaguely reminiscent of Rush's "Tai Shan" in its use of Chinese sounds contrasted with rockier parts.
3. Lightning Strikes [4:34]
4. Can I [1:32]
5. Face to Face [5:03]
These three pieces from a small suite, although it appears that an earlier plan to explicitly describe them as such in the liner notes has gone.
"Lightning Strikes" is going to surprise everyone. You just have to love its faux Disney/bossa nova opening, before the song moves into a sort of "Teakbois Part II" style. Tremendous playing.
"Can I" is a transitional piece between "Lightning Strikes" and "Face to Face". If "Lightning Strikes" is "Teakbois Part II", this is "Birthright Part II", complete with what sounds like a didgeridoo, perhaps played by Alan White after his recent work on one in a session for MerKaBa's second album? "Face to Face" rounds up the trilogy, continuing the hi- energy feel. Listen out for Anderson's "Come on, Steve!" low in the mix before one solo!
6. If Only You Knew [5:42]
My least favourite track with a rather bland Anderson melody and lyrics, yet the band still pull some wonderful arrangements out of the song. Listen out for Squire's bass double-tracking Anderson's vocals.
7. To Feel Alive (Hep Yeda) [5:07]
Very much in the vein of early '80s solo Anderson, "To Feel Alive" manages to have an infectious enough chorus to get you through the many repetitions of it! It does suffer from following a string of very up- tempo pieces; it is a relief to have some more dynamic variation in the next two pieces...
8. Finally [6:01]
_Open Your Eyes_ done right, with a rocking first half sounding like it comes from Sherwood and a slower second half based around Howe and Khoroshev (compare "Sign Language" on _Keys to Ascension 2_).
9. The Messenger [5:13]
Something of an oddity, the best reference point I can think of is "A Venture", with a more narrative lyric... and perhaps a _Drama_ feel to it?
10. New Language [9:19]
An old-style prog epic and the track most likely to appeal to traditionalist Trooper fans. Khoroshev gets in some dazzling solos, beginning with his "I'm better than Rick Wakeman" presentation and later moving on to his "I'm better than Keith Emerson" section!
11. Nine Voices [3:20]
A '90s version of "Your Move", complete with musical back references to the original. World music references are again strong, with the piece almost daring to sound like Shakti in the middle.
CREDITS
All songs written by Anderson/Howe/Sherwood/Squire/White/Khoroshev
Lyrics by Jon Anderson
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn
Engineered and mixed by Mike Plotnikoff
Second engineer: Paul Silveira
Recorded and mixed Feb-May 1999
Mastered by George Marino June 1999
Jon Anderson: lead vocals
Steve Howe: lead and acoustic guitars, steel, mandolin and vocals
Billy Sherwood: guitars and vocals
Chris Squire: bass guitars and vocals
Alan White: drums, percussion and vocals
Igor Khoroshev: keyboards and vocals
Horn section on "Lightning Strikes" by The Marguerita Horns
Tom Keenlyside: piccolo and tenor sax
Derry Burns: trumpet
Rod Murray: trombone
Tom Colclough: alto sax
Neil Nicholson: tuba
"The Revealing" Yes fanzine
From: Elinor Bostock [elinor@sunfighter.demon.co.uk] - July 29
[Do you have contact details for this, Elinor?]
Ian Hartley
35 Field Road
Oldswinford, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 2JQ (UK)
e mail: the.revealing@yesit.co.uk
Can't remember how much it costs and can't find it in this issue either.
There are some useful reviews of bootlegs and an article on Fragile the tribute band. A nice looking fan mag with colour cover and a central spread of Yes from the late 70s.
Just a few snippets of interest dug out so far.
Floating the idea of a UK Yes convention next year - they are asking for ideas on content.
Gossip: Jon, Steve and engineer Mike Plotnikoff put final touches to the new album after Fairburn's death.
Roger Dean designing cover and working with Martin Dean on stage set.
Perpetual Change and To be over to be included.
New video Yesshows - live at Shoreline 8 Aug 1991 released in Japan on July 23 should go worldwide soon.
Dylan Howe has a New Job
From: Bob Don [robert.don@snet.net] - July 29
Dylan Howe, son of Yes guitarist Steve Howe, will replace the recently deceased Kevin Wilkinson as Howard Jones's new drummer. More info at: http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/redirect/leaf=misstruth/fid=13690.
Homeworld in Classic Rock Magazine
From Brian Neeson [Yescelt@aol.com] - July 31
I am told that the track "Homeworld" is included as a free CD in the August edition of Classic Rock Magazine (UK). I know someone who already has it. Today I must go to Menzies and snaffle every copy. ;)
Download for "The Ladder" on Liquid Audio
From: [yessfanz@webtv.net] - July 29
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/pstest/ladder/
tower records site:
http://www.towerrecords.com/product.asp?pfid=1613188
**************************************
From: [taa@kmd.dk] - July 30
the liquid audio demos are at http://www.towerrecords.com/promo/yes/yes_download.asp