Yes - Relayer
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Free Music Notes for Relayer
Free Music Review: Speed metal
Hit: 5 Stars
What can I say about this album that hasn't been said before? The production is really strange, I will admit it feels a bit plasticky at times, but it fits the style. Patrick Moraz added a real focus to the band for one album, shifting away from mellotron and organ played with stiff baroque flavor to more heavy metal synth playing, played with a jazz groove. The keyboard lines are restrained and more integrated into the music. (As far as I know Moraz was directed in his playing, but I still like what it adds to the music.) Alan White stays in the background, but at least provides a solid beat, and of course Chris Squire plays all the right bass notes to let you know it's him.
Unbelievable manic solos, like the build-up in Gates of Delirium which definitely gets the title of Most Intense Song, Ever. Some of Steve Howe's finest guitar work is on this album. Listen to the trade off between guitar and keyboard in Gates, and also on Soundchaser, with some pretty crazy time signature and tempo changes, but it *always* has a groove. And the steel guitar in the beautiful, haunting 'To Be Over' is a sonic delight.
But regardless of what kind of playing they do, it's in vain if their songs aren't any good. And here Yes does not disappoint, with some of their very best songwriting ever. Gates of Delirium matches word and music perfectly, slowly insinuating conflict, building to vocal declarations of battle, from which ensues the craziest duel of instruments known to man, Steve Howe playing on the edge of his talent here, ending in the craziest drum roll in Alan White's career, then a dizzyingly triumphant victory march. Then the pain caused by battle sinks in and Anderson imparts some chillingly beautiful vocals on a layer of steel guitars and strings. The whole thing ends on a note that sounds so mysterious, so beckoning...
Soundchaser, to me, seems to be about music itself, and how it intertwines with our sensations and perceptions. "From the moment I reached out to hold, I felt a sound". A strange jazz-fusion start, then a grooving part with vocals, then an electric guitar solo that sounds at times like a Hungarian dance, then more grooving parts, with a wild solo by Moraz that proves a keyboard can be just as heavy as a guitar.
To Be Over is absolutely a gorgeous song with a beautiful atmosphere. Vocal harmonies and a dreamy steel guitar. Classical music motifs give this song a feel of the older Yes, but the feel is flowing, legato, rather than a profusion of notes. And yet another beautiful electric guitar solo by Howe, and whistling, eerie keyboards by Moraz. Vaguely consoling lyrics set the mood.
Free Music Review: One of their top albums of the '70s
Hit: 5 Stars
"Relayer" along with "Tales From Topographic Oceans", "Fragile" and "Close To The Edge" is the best of the 1970s Yes and my perhaps my favorite Yes album. Theres some truly amazing playing by everybody involved on this one. Patrick Moraz's keyboards are refreshingly different, more jazzy and really blend in well with the band. What a shame that they kicked him out after this one album. Steve Howe plays with a savagery and abandon I've never heard him play with before or since, he's remarkable. Fantastic drumming by Alan White. I think Alan came into his own on this release. Chris Squire's bass playing is wonderfullly nimble, almost jazzy, yet still retains a lot of rock muscle. Jon Anderson's vocals are impeccable, and the lyrics which actually make sense are at times quite moving.
The album starts with "The Gates Of Delerium" a song that depicts musically the start, middle and end of a battle. The middle section is the most violent Yes I've ever heard as they imitate the clash of swords and the chaos of war. The final part of Gates of Delerium, the sad aftermath of the battle is breathtaking in its emotional impact. I can't praise Moraz keyboards enough. He blends perfectly with the other guys and adds considerable atmosphere. The next song "Sound Chaser" is aptly named. Its an insane, mostly instrumental workout that sounds like "Close To The Edge" meets Mahavishnu Orchestra. Its a savage, though jazz-like rock masterpiece with some truly spastic guitar and drums. In the middle of the piece is a solo distorted electric guitar interlude that is a melding of classical with rock electricity. That's followed by some almost funky, yet sizzlingly fast jazz rock keyboard pyrotechnics by Pat Moraz. This song has odd changes of meter and tempo, wicked solos, some tribal chanting and just cooks. The last song "To Be Over" is quite simply one of the most beautiful things Yes has ever done. Its delicate yet strong and is a welcome respite after the assault of the previous two songs. There is some fine guitar from Steve Howe and wonderfully subtle keyboards from Patrick Moraz. The song builds to a slow glorious vocal melody. Some very nice keys and guitar ensue and the song ends with two different repeating melodys played on guitar and sung that gradually fade out like a majestic sunset changing to purple night.
Relayer is one of best and most unique albums in Yes' discography. Due in large part to Patrick Moraz' keyboards, it contains some of Yes most spirited almost violent playing. If you like "Close to the Edge" or "Tales From Topographic Oceans" you will most probably like this album.
Free Music Review: Sound Chaser - Open Your Mind to the Sounds of YES
Hit: 5 Stars
Out of the ten YES albums I own, I do believe this one (Remastered and Expanded with 3 extra tracks) is my absolute favorite. Although it is hard to choose with other greats - "Close to the Edge" - "Fragile" - "The Yes Album" - I even find the s/t debut to be very enjoyable...
Yes, I am a true fan of 'Relayer' as I tend to play this one most often. This was my first album in the vast and extensive YES catalog. -Very intense and satisfying to my ears. More of a straight forward - in-your-face progressive Rock sound (especially with "Sound Chaser")then the one before it - the more atmospheric "Tales From Topographic Oceans" which is still a joyous and stimulating, but relaxing mind trip, none the less.
'Relayer's' opener is "The Gates of Delerium"(Epic 21 + min.) - Highly enjoy it's sound with it's intense "battle scene" of instruments : drums & keyboards. The Electric guitar bliss of course tapering off into a meloncholic section with Jon Anderson singing : "Soon..."
"Sound Chaser" (track 2)just sounds like all instruments sounding off in a fast pacing glorious mess of noise and scope. Yes, this is my favorite YES track by far, and it's really where new band member Patrick Moraz (who leaves after this studio album)shows his gifted technique Rocking out the keyboards.
An Amazon friend of mine (who suggested that I check this band out) was a bit surprised that I picked 'Relayer' up first out of YES' catalog.
He said "Relayer is like a Rubick's Cube of sound (confusion), but Chris I am really glad you enjoy it." -Then he pointed me to checking out 'Fragile' and 'Close to the Edge' & believe me I am really thankful because of it.
"To Be Over" closes out the original 1974 album. It's a bit more of a dreamy style song with a gentler beauty then the chaotic pulse racing ("Sound Chaser") but this really is more of a reflective piece closer to the sound of "Tales From Topographic Oceans" - built with structure.
- Then you have the expanded three songs including "Soon" which is the part where I feel Jon Anderson really delivers one of his best vocals.
The part taken out of the opener -"Gates.." but you get right to this section of wondrous beauty : "Our Heart is open Our reason to be Healed"
- My favorite expansion track is the last version of "Gates of Delerium"-
More fully charged sound enlightening the mind and shows off more of YES' creativity.
I always like extra songs from Remastered + Expanded albums. It's just more to love and 'Relayer' does not disappoint.
'REPLAY the RELAYER' CHA CHA CHA cha cha!!
Free Music Review: Reissue details here
Hit: 5 Stars
The splendid lone achievement by Yes MK 5 is certainly one of my favorite Yes albums, in no small part due to the presence of Patrick Moraz. No slight to the brilliant Rick (or his many fans), but I think Moraz is a better musician here; not only can he do the Emerson/Wakeman classical rock stuff, but also the Jan Hammer note-bending fusion attack (i.e., his blazing solo on Soundchaser). According to the excellent essay included with this reissue, the band was pushing hard to evolve their sound after Wakeman quit, so Moraz fit right in with their new, more fusion-oriented direction. The same notes include mutually complimentary comments from most members, so perhaps they've buried the hatchet with Moraz at last. It's also interesting to learn that to a man, they consider The Gates of Delirium Jon Anderson's brainchild; by continually pushing the other to excel, he showed himself to be the real authority in Yes (even if Squire owns the name!).
I don't imagine I'll convince anyone to like this album who doesn't already so I'll just say a few further words about the Rhino reissue. First the remastering is superb. The hum that marred the opening of the gorgeous To Be Over (perhaps my favorite Yes song) is now gone, and the overall sound presence is rich and clean. The package recreates the LP cover and inner sleeve nicely, included the Donald Kuhlberg poem, though oddly it doesn't include the two additional Roger Dean paintings that came in the booklet for the Joe Gastwirt reissue from the 90s. The essay is, as I've said, quite detailed and informative, and you also get a few additional photographs (group and individual shots). As for the extra tracks, two are more curios than anything else. The single edits (A & B sides) of Soon and Soundchaser are simple chop-outs from the original tracks - no additional recording added or middle-eights missing, in other words. Soon just fades in and out sooner, while Soundchaser is simply the last half of the complete tune. The real bonus is the run-through of Delirium. I wasn't particularly fussed over Siberia, the early Awaken, or the Tales run-throughs, but this one is really pretty decent. Moraz has just come aboard, so his contributions are minimal, and Jon's not yet really written any lyrics, but the band jams - it's like a very rough but clean bootleg from the Relayer tour. In fact, I rather enjoy programming it and the two edits together to create a sort of alternative version of the original album.
Free Music Review: This is More Like It - Great Remaster Great Music
Hit: 5 Stars
I reviewed the earlier remaster and gave it few stars because I always thought this album sounded a little dead. Now, however, Rhino, who have done an excellent job with these remasters, have make Relayer into a better album than when it was first released. This album is better than most people remember. Often Yes fans will pass Relayer by because Patrick Moraz played the keys and not Rick Wakeman, but I will stand up for Moraz. Wakeman's style was firmly grounded in classical, all good and well, but Moraz had a world music and jazz background too, so his fierce playing reflected the mutable soundworld of Yes better, in some ways, than Wakeman was capable of.
The three song format reflects and bookends CTTE, and neither albums suffers from the comparision. The long suite here, Gates of Delirium, moves as a better organized "Ritual" from TFTO, with the same rythymic fury, but this time, the music is focused. Yes know know what they're doing when the compose a side-long piece. Too bad this is their last one. While GOD doesn't have the sheer magic of CTTE, it's still an estimable and well-concieved piece of music, driving, choatic, and moving.
Soundchaser is the weirdest song in the Yes canon. More close to jazz fusion than anything else they would ever do, the song lurches from place to place like a truck negotiating s-turns with bad brakes. Howe plays like demon, and Moraz answers him. Alan White demonstrates his abilities to be looser than his normal self, too.
To Be Over is a fine closer. Mellow is the word that comes to mind. Almost too much of an after-dinner mint compared to the furious compositions that precede it, TBO is lush and flowing, brining Relayer to a more peaceful close than is absolutely justified. Not in the same class as other Yes long songs like Siberian Khatru, You and I, or Perpetual Change, but still charming.
Relayer's monochromatic artwork belies the polychromatic music inside, but the Roger Dean cover is one of his best too, in contrast to his greener or more naturalistic covers. GOD is supposed to be Jon Anderson's interpretation of Tolstoy's War and Peace, so the grim and militaristic artwork does have a unity with the grim nature of the main piece.
I love Relayer, and I love this reissue. Full of pictures, outtakes and better sound, Rhino have made this fine album come alive.