I remember when I bought this album in the 80s, not sure what to expect. After I listened to it I thought, 'man that was really good.' I really wished he'd made a proper second solo album. He was so talented. I actually felt that way about "Olias" too. I bought it around the same time and was a little worried but Anderson did a great job. It's a pretty impressive album for someone who only strummed a guitar or pounded on piano keys to get his musical ideas out to the other guys. He definitely gets an 'A' for effort. Steve is obviously a guitar master and his solo work is fantastic though his singing has been criticized by some, he can carry a tune. Rick is a Royal Academy keyboard wizard. His albums are brilliant. Honestly, I haven't heard Alan's album. Only one song I saw a video on YT, whuch l believe was titled "Rite of Spring' featuring Anderson & Howe. Looking forward to the next song.
I like your comment that Jackman should have taken a co-writer credit. His fingerprints are all over this song, and the most intense orchestrations are still to come. Can't wait for silently falling. It's one of my all-time favorite songs.
Wow, this is close to "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, but with more complex compositional and instrumental elements. "Our House" was written by Nash when he was living with Joni Mitchell in the famed Laurel Canyon. Both are very pretty songs, and "Our House" has come to be beloved.
For Chris to include flute, horns and an orchestra was a great idea to help distinguish it from YES' style! I am still impressed how such a flamboyant bassist is so reserved on this album, yet it works perfectly. It must have occurred to you by now, that since all the songs segue seamlessly (including the next one) that this album was designed to be heard non-stop in 1 or 2 sittings. The transcendent masterpiece "OLIAS" by Jon is a concept album & very much revealed his Indigenous World & Spiritual music influences in YES. Moraz's amazing "The STORY of i" is a whirlwind of wonderful piano/heavy synths solos and feels like a mini RELAYER with the unique inclusion of Brazilian rhythms & a Jon sounding vocalist. Taxing but in a great way, IMO. "BEGINNINGS" by Steve is a hodge podge of electric & acoustic songs that is less dense & heavy than would be expected. I was actually disappointed especially because he unfortunately chose to sing the vocals himself. Alan White's "RAMSHACKLED" is aptly titled. It's a bit of a mess with songs that are completely non-prog & non-cohesive overall.
Ramshackled is worth buying for the last song on it. Spring - Song Of Innocence features Anderson and Howe, and there is a video of it. Absolutely amazing song.
Olias is absolutely amazing. Story Of I is pretty good. Beginnings is fair. Ramshackled is poor. BUT it does have the best song of all 5 solo albums. SPRING - Song Of Innocence features Anderson and Howe, and there is a great video of it. You have to see and react to it. I think it was filmed in Alan's house.
Fish Out of Water is usually considered the best solo album produced by a band member during Yes’s break in 1975. Olias is also well regarded by many. Beginnings from Howe has good music, but choice of singing lead on some songs adversely impacts the results. His voice clearly isn’t on par with his playing. This album and the following one, Steve Howe Album (1979), really show how versatile he is: from Country Steve to Classical Steve to Ragtime Steve to Rock Steve. In fact, the most successful solo album produced by a band member was Rick Wakeman’s earlier album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII. It’s an instrumental album that has now reportedlyreached sales figures 15 millions and at the time made of Wakeman a bona fides star by himself, outside Yes.
I give Chris a lot of credit for pushing himself into singer-songwriter territory on a lot of this album -- which was probably not super comfortable for him -- when he could easily have made it an instrumental chops fest. In interviews he's even talked about how he adopted Neil Young's guitar style on one song, so he was clearly spending time listening to that kind of music back in the 70's. LOL at Justin checking out Olias... "He did *everything* on this album?" (cue the sound of a can of worms being opened...) And Justin, be warned -- Steve's solo album includes a fair amount of his singing. You know how Bob Dylan and Neil Young can get away with singing, even though they technically suck? Steve couldn't even pull that off. I actually rate his second solo album -- "The Steve Howe Album" -- as his best, partly because it's almost entirely instrumental.
Obvious Beatles influence on this one with a clear Chris Squire bass guitar underlay. Not too bad lyrically as a love song, but not sounding much like one.
Nice track. Sounds a lot like Graham Nash's debut album, but not as good. Brilliant orchestrations (like it was produced by George Martin), just wish the composition was better and more original. And, Chris isn't the most engaging singer in the world.
Ya, you'd probably like Howe's solo over Anderson's. For me, I liked Anderson's over all the others (Squire's was #2). I see it as an electronic ambient album without the electronics. Tons of atmosphere and textures. It IS amazing that he did it all himself, before all the tech. Outside of the core 3 solos, they get pretty left field, and not in the Yes universe at all.
I hope he'd like Jon's better, but Justin has shown his lack of emotional connection to Jon's melodies which I find strange since I find them incredible, so I agree OLIAS is the best one of all.
@@wendellwiggins3776 We are in the minority. But it's forgivable cause FOoW is great in its own right. So, for those you like more band oriented sound this is the album.
Chris Squire the greatest show on earth. You can really hear the choir boy and Chris's relationship with the divine in this album ✨️🙏✨️
My dad’s best friend’s sons went to Haberdasher school, where Chris was a choirboy ❤
good stuff again , Justin.
Top 50 album for me. Of a time yet timeless. Sprinkle in a few synth solos and a few guitar solos and it's Yes.
I remember when I bought this album in the 80s, not sure what to expect. After I listened to it I thought, 'man that was really good.' I really wished he'd made a proper second solo album. He was so talented.
I actually felt that way about "Olias" too. I bought it around the same time and was a little worried but Anderson did a great job. It's a pretty impressive album for someone who only strummed a guitar or pounded on piano keys to get his musical ideas out to the other guys. He definitely gets an 'A' for effort.
Steve is obviously a guitar master and his solo work is fantastic though his singing has been criticized by some, he can carry a tune.
Rick is a Royal Academy keyboard wizard. His albums are brilliant.
Honestly, I haven't heard Alan's album. Only one song I saw a video on YT, whuch l believe was titled "Rite of Spring' featuring Anderson & Howe.
Looking forward to the next song.
Saving the best for the next song Silently Falling! Thx for the great reaction! We ❤your channel!
I like your comment that Jackman should have taken a co-writer credit. His fingerprints are all over this song, and the most intense orchestrations are still to come. Can't wait for silently falling. It's one of my all-time favorite songs.
His fingerprints are all over the entire *album*!
@@yes_head I actually wrote that first, but decided I was commenting on this song, so edited it. But you are correct, of course!
Wow, this is close to "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, but with more complex compositional and instrumental elements. "Our House" was written by Nash when he was living with Joni Mitchell in the famed Laurel Canyon. Both are very pretty songs, and "Our House" has come to be beloved.
Chris Squire spoke about taking his vocal cues from Graham Nash for this album.
@@spongo thanks! I wasn't aware and I'm always wary about making comparisons
For Chris to include flute, horns and an orchestra was a great idea to help distinguish it from YES' style! I am still impressed how such a flamboyant bassist is so reserved on this album, yet it works perfectly. It must have occurred to you by now, that since all the songs segue seamlessly (including the next one) that this album was designed to be heard non-stop in 1 or 2 sittings. The transcendent masterpiece "OLIAS" by Jon is a concept album & very much revealed his Indigenous World & Spiritual music influences in YES. Moraz's amazing "The STORY of i" is a whirlwind of wonderful piano/heavy synths solos and feels like a mini RELAYER with the unique inclusion of Brazilian rhythms & a Jon sounding vocalist. Taxing but in a great way, IMO. "BEGINNINGS" by Steve is a hodge podge of electric & acoustic songs that is less dense & heavy than would be expected. I was actually disappointed especially because he unfortunately chose to sing the vocals himself. Alan White's "RAMSHACKLED" is aptly titled. It's a bit of a mess with songs that are completely non-prog & non-cohesive overall.
Ramshackled is worth buying for the last song on it. Spring - Song Of Innocence features Anderson and Howe, and there is a video of it. Absolutely amazing song.
@@charleswagner2984 well it's got members of YES on it and the closest thing to a YES song on it. I never bought it just for that!
While you're looking at solo Yes efforts, might I recommend Steve Howe at Montreaux. Nice acoustic work. Live audience. Thanks!
I honestly think this music is beautiful and as I've stated I've had this album for over 45 years and rarely if ever listened to it...
Olias is absolutely amazing.
Story Of I is pretty good.
Beginnings is fair.
Ramshackled is poor. BUT it does have the best song of all 5 solo albums. SPRING - Song Of Innocence features Anderson and Howe, and there is a great video of it. You have to see and react to it. I think it was filmed in Alan's house.
Fish Out of Water is usually considered the best solo album produced by a band member during Yes’s break in 1975. Olias is also well regarded by many. Beginnings from Howe has good music, but choice of singing lead on some songs adversely impacts the results. His voice clearly isn’t on par with his playing. This album and the following one, Steve Howe Album (1979), really show how versatile he is: from Country Steve to Classical Steve to Ragtime Steve to Rock Steve.
In fact, the most successful solo album produced by a band member was Rick Wakeman’s earlier album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII. It’s an instrumental album that has now reportedlyreached sales figures 15 millions and at the time made of Wakeman a bona fides star by himself, outside Yes.
I give Chris a lot of credit for pushing himself into singer-songwriter territory on a lot of this album -- which was probably not super comfortable for him -- when he could easily have made it an instrumental chops fest. In interviews he's even talked about how he adopted Neil Young's guitar style on one song, so he was clearly spending time listening to that kind of music back in the 70's.
LOL at Justin checking out Olias... "He did *everything* on this album?" (cue the sound of a can of worms being opened...) And Justin, be warned -- Steve's solo album includes a fair amount of his singing. You know how Bob Dylan and Neil Young can get away with singing, even though they technically suck? Steve couldn't even pull that off. I actually rate his second solo album -- "The Steve Howe Album" -- as his best, partly because it's almost entirely instrumental.
This one is just ok.
Obvious Beatles influence on this one with a clear Chris Squire bass guitar underlay. Not too bad lyrically as a love song, but not sounding much like one.
Nice track. Sounds a lot like Graham Nash's debut album, but not as good. Brilliant orchestrations (like it was produced by George Martin), just wish the composition was better and more original. And, Chris isn't the most engaging singer in the world.
Ya, you'd probably like Howe's solo over Anderson's. For me, I liked Anderson's over all the others (Squire's was #2). I see it as an electronic ambient album without the electronics. Tons of atmosphere and textures. It IS amazing that he did it all himself, before all the tech. Outside of the core 3 solos, they get pretty left field, and not in the Yes universe at all.
I hope he'd like Jon's better, but Justin has shown his lack of emotional connection to Jon's melodies which I find strange since I find them incredible, so I agree OLIAS is the best one of all.
@@wendellwiggins3776 We are in the minority. But it's forgivable cause FOoW is great in its own right. So, for those you like more band oriented sound this is the album.
@@roygaiot8105 Totally forgivable. It's always been a tossup between them.
@@roygaiot8105 Totally forgivable. It's always been a tossup between them.
i like his melodies on the earlier recordings. When they went deeper into prog thats where he lost me melodically a bit, specifically Tales.