Yesterdays

by

Yes

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Before they became the world's biggest progressive rock band, Yes released two albums that flew under popular music's radar, "Yes" (1969) and "Time and a Word" (1970). After reeling off 5 consecutive top ten records from 1972-1974, Yes took a 3-year break from recording; to fill the gap they released "Yesterdays," a compilation of highlights from the first two records with some extras thrown in. Most of the tracks feature the original lineup (Anderson/Bruford/Kaye/Squire/Banks), with only the Simon & Garfunkel cover 'America' featuring guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman.

It's a somewhat uneven compilation, with only two songs from their debut album and four from "Time And a Word." "America" and 'Dear Father' (a B-side from the "Time and a Word" sessions) complete the set. While the 10-minute "America" is the standout track, other highlights include the mini-epic "Survival," the groovy "Looking Around," the ballad "Time and a Word" and the dynamic "Then." Yes' early work exhibits influences from the Beatles and other mod/British invasion bands, as well as American folk/rock artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Most of the "Time And a Word" songs feature an orchestra, which adds a touch of grandeur to the band's sound and signals the symphonic development of their music.

Original members Tony Kaye (organ) and Peter Banks (guitar) acquit themselves nicely. In particular, Kaye's organ work is stellar. It's a shame he couldn't make the transition to synthesizer that Yes' ambitions required.

Yes has since released countless CD compilations and boxed sets, which have rendered "Yesterdays" somewhat superfluous. Still, I like it. This was my introduction to early Yes, and convinced me to acquire the first two albums. The Roger Dean cover is a classic (look for the irreverent humour on the back). "Yesterdays" is a throwback to the days of vinyl, when constraints on running time required tough choices that generated spirited debates among fans.

The nearly eleven minutes of Yes' cover of Paul Simon's America make this disc worth purchasing. This cut presents the classic Yes line-up with Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire and Wakeman. It is just an outstanding gem and this is by far Yes' best version of this tune. The rest of the material is taken from their first two albums with original guitarist Peter Banks and keyboardist Tony Kaye. Where Kaye performs admirably, Banks' playing is not up to the task. The compositions are not up to the standard of their other 70's work as they are often underdeveloped and lyrically unsophisticated. Still the interplay between Bruford, Squire and Kaye is impressive even then. Collect The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales of Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going for the One before opting for this one...Simon