Published on May 2, 2001
I always thought the best way to start a fistfight with a Yes
fan was to announce to them you hated
Tales From Topographic Oceans. Instead, what I’ve learned is
that feelings run deeper for other albums — and those feelings
aren’t always positive.
Take
90125, for example. There are some diehard Yes fans who
consider this album to be the worst dreck the group ever put out,
shunning their progressive rock roots and selling their soul to the
devil of Album-Oriented Rock radio. Then there are those who say
the introduction of South African guitarist Trevor Rabin was a
godsend to a band who hadn’t had a hit for the longest time.
No matter how I review this record, there are going to be some
Yes fans who will be pissed off at what I have to say. (Then again,
they’re usually pissed off any time I review something by Yes; they
still haven’t forgiven me for what I said back in 1997 about
Tales From Topographic Oceans.) So let’s try to put emotions
aside and tackle
90125 as it is.
On one side,
90125 is one of the most approachable Yes albums in their
entire discography… namely because they do indeed turn away from
progressive rock in the form they had been long identified with.
Guitarist Steve Howe was no longer in the band (which had faded
into the background after 1980’s
Drama), and the usual chunky guitar sound he provided went
with him. Into his shoes stepped Rabin, who was more of a
technological whiz, working guitar synthesizers into the mix. Also
back in the fold were keyboardist Tony Kaye (who left after
The Yes Album) and vocalist Jon Anderson (who jumped ship
after 1978’s
Tormato).
The new approach to the music is evident on “Owner Of A Lonely
Heart” — and I’m sorry, diehard Yes fans, but I can’t help but
liking this song. As a simple slab of pop-rock, it’s pretty damned
enjoyable, working in an infectious rhythm with a catchy vocal
line. (The keyboard tricks that Kaye throws in are nice
touches.)
And I refuse — let me emphasize that,
refuse
— to apologize for liking a song such as “Leave It.” Always
picturing the video in my mind whenever this song comes on, “Leave
It” demonstrated that Yes was now a band with, minimally,
three strong vocalists — bassist Chris Squire, Anderson and
Rabin.
Of the songs played on radio, “It Can Happen” feels like the
closest nod Yes gives to its prog-rock roots on
90125. It’s not quite as strong, but it’s still an enjoyable
track.
The remainder of
90125, though, is very hit or miss — and more often, the
results are forgettable misses. “Changes” tries to work its way
back to the complex prog-rock style that the long-time Yes fans
were pining for, but it comes off like a technical mess,
demonstrating more skill than emotion. Similarly, tracks like “Our
Song” and “Hold On” lean too far into the pop vein, and just sound
out of place with the group.
“Hearts” is a song which runs hot and cold with me — though I
will admit the chorus of this track is beautiful. (The beginning,
as well as some of the verse structure, is a bit on the cornball
side.) Like much of what is on
90125, this one essentially comes down to personal
preference — and in the end, I tend to believe this is a song that
could have been much better, proven by the moments of
brilliance.
Music has to evolve and change in order to survive, and
90125 showed Yes trying to adapt to then-modern times.
Whether the diehard fans agree or not, I tend to think that the
group occasionally succeeded… but there are times on the same
disc where I think that the backlash might have some substance to
it.
So what does this all mean for you? Should you buy
90125 or not? The answer is: go ahead, give it a try… but
understand that the sounds you hear on this are not typical of what
Yes had done in their career prior to this album.
90125 has its moments, but in the end, does show that Yes
wasn’t totally comfortable with this change in their musical
philosophy.