Monday 28 January 2019

For You Lot Yep - 2015 Progeny: Highlights From Seventy-Two

Yes was firing on all cylinders inward the autumn of 1972. The prog-rock pioneers’ 5th studio album Close To The Edge was a nail success every bit audiences around the globe packed arenas to meet the legendary grouping perform. The band captured the magic of that tour on its kickoff alive album, Yessongs. Released inward 1973, the triple-LP sold over a 1000000 copies together with blew minds amongst Roger Dean’s iconic artwork.

The band of late discovered recordings of 7 consummate concerts from the weeks leading upwards to the shows heard on Yessongs. The latest sound technology was used to restore the reel-to-reel recordings together with convey out incredible sonic detail, creating an open, immediate sound that drops listeners correct into the front end row.

Progeny: Highlights From Seventy Two consists of 90 minutes of alive recordings exhumed from Yes' 1972 tour, some of which were released every bit Yessongs (Atlantic, 1973). Culled from 7 previously unreleased recordings of consummate concerts, together with sequenced to guess a setlist of the time, this ii packet comes adorned inward vintage Roger Dean artwork that, brilliant every bit it is, cannot compare to the vibrancy of the music inside.

Cognoscenti may or may non handgrip this cloth constitutes Yes' holy grail every bit the grouping became ever-so-slightly to a greater extent than structured amongst the divergence of master drummer Bill Bruford (to bring together King Crimson)and the subsequent enlistment of Alan White to fulfill that role. But the somewhat rigidified presentations of these shows belies how the vocal together with instrumental expertise is catalyzed past times the extraordinary self-discipline evident on "I've Seen All Good People."

There's no denying the enthralling together with uplifting sensation of the latter together with that forcefulness is fifty-fifty greater after inward the demonstrate during the greater complexity of "Roundabout;" the intricacy of Steve Howe's electrical guitar every bit it interweaves amongst Rick Wakeman's keyboards together with Chris Squire's bass mirror the shifting textures fifty-fifty to a greater extent than graphically, all the piece maintaining, together with fifty-fifty elevating the visceral touching of the musicianship. White's comparatively simpler approach to his kit genuinely keeps Yes from sound likewise busy for the ain good. In contrast, piece some of the lyrics of "Siberian Khatru, " for instance, sound esoteric to a fault, the pastoral images tin lend to the rapture Yes aims to create.

Still, workouts similar "Heart of the Sunrise" (and fifty-fifty to a greater extent than Howe's solo "Clap"/Mood for a Day" together with Wakeman's spotlight "Excerpts from The Six Wives of Henry VIII") lend themselves to the criticism of technical braggadocio, unless they're taken every bit pure sonic expression, but the latter the acoustic-based reveal adds markedly to the dynamic stream of the concert , especially every bit it sets upwards "And You together with I" where the deceptively delicate sound of Jon Anderson's vocalisation comes to the for every bit a major property of the Yes sound fifty-fifty to a greater extent than then every bit purpose of the billowing grouping harmonies when Howe together with Squire bring together in.

Further such nuance below the surface of the most prominent components of the arrangements is worthy of selective scrutiny here, all the to a greater extent than remarkable given the historic menstruum of the recordings (notwithstanding Yes long-standing devotion to sound quality). The unadorned mix reveals the elbow grease expended past times the grouping every bit they play, the antithesis of antiseptic, especially played at high-volume (headphone listening doesn't offering the same insight). "Close to the Edge, " for instance, moves at a breathless pace.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 highly-distinctive 'greatest hits' fix for the novice, Highlights From Seventy-Two is also available for nostalgists inward the cast of a of a three-LP fix of vinyl, piece for the completists, there's a fourteen-disc box titled Seven Shows From Seventy- Two comprising the fruits of this archiving projection inward their entirety. All these diverse configurations are but a farther reflection of the multi-colored density of this music.

Progeny: Highlights, It's similar Yessongs, but amongst each musical instrument inward crisp, well-separated detail. Wakeman's keyboard wizardry (Mellotron!!), White's frantic drumming, Howe's speed-riffing, Anderson's free-associating, together with of course of written report Squire's Rickenbacker bass (the heartbeat of Yes, ever together with forever) - they're all here, together with are all slow to selection out individually inward the mix. Or, hear to it a few to a greater extent than times together with but relish how they blend.

I didn't bother amongst the 7-CD fix - seems overkill to me. But this one? Just right. And after almost 45 years, this cloth sounds similar it was recorded yesterday. Best restoration task from master tapes that I've ever heard, period.

It's difficult to live on objective when I'm a hardcore die-hard almost-lifelong Yes freak, but I give this album 6 stars. At least.

/search?q=yes-1973-1994-yessongs

Tracks Listing:

CD 1
1. Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) - Siberian Khatru
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, Nov 20, 1972

2. I've Seen All Good People
    a. Your Move
    b. All Good People
xx Nov 1972: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, USA

3. Heart Of The Sunrise
xv Nov 1972: Knoxville Civic Coliseum, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

4. Clap/Mood For Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Day
12 Nov 1972: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

5. And You And I
    i. Cord Of Life
    ii. Eclipse
    iii. The Preacher The Teacher
    iv. Apocalypse
eleven Nov 1972: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

CD 2
1. Close To The Edge
    i. The Solid Time Of Change
    ii. Total Mass Retain
    iii. I Get Up I Get Down
    iv. Seasons Of Man
eleven Nov 1972: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

2. Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"
12 Nov 1972: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

3. Roundabout
31 October 1972: Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

4. Yours Is No Disgrace
12 Nov 1972: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Personnel:

Bass, Vocals – Chris Squire
Drums – Alan White
Guitar, Vocals – Steve Howe
Keyboards – Rick Wakeman
Vocals, Percussion – Jon Anderson

Painting, Artwork By – Roger Dean


EmoticonEmoticon