Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans
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Free Music Notes for Tales from Topographic Oceans
Free Music Review: Dem were the days...............
Hit: 5 Stars
Having read a few of the lengthy and eloquent reviews, I'll just make a few comments. I've played guitar seriously for over 30 years and have been a prog-head since the early 70's. If I had to choose one desert island album, this would be it. The originality and sheer depth of musicality, spirituality and emotion contained in this album is breathtaking.
For the average kid reared on MTV and the plethora of b.s. music filling the airwaves, this album (as for much of 70's prog-rock) would be a very hard listen. It was tough for alot of people to comprehend when it was initially released. Still, one can only hope that music like this will not be forgotten as the din of hip-hop and Emo continues unabated. Comparing Topographic Oceans to a hip-hop song is like comparing the Mona Lisa to stick figures, and that's being kind (mind you, I do try to keep an open mind. Two bands of the noughts that I actually like are System of a Down and The Strokes).
Re: Alan White's playing, I think his drumming is astounding on Tales; I don't think Bruford could've done better.
Finally, although my faith in a benevolent deity has sadly dwindled over the years, albums like Tales preserve what little faith I have left. How can music so profoundly beautiful have been created in a random, godless universe?
Free Music Review: "Tales" From Topographic Oceans 1973, YES
Hit: 5 Stars
"Tales" From Topographic Oceans 1973, YES
I had my first listen to "Tales" in the backdrop of 1970s art-rock, Prog-rock, fusion, jazz, experimental, and of course the pop music of that period. The inventive music of that period influenced me to be a life-long musician. Upon hearing Tales during a radio broadcast in the winter of 1973, I looked forward to Yes delivering another Close to the Edge, Fragile, or Yes album. Tales was nothing like those albums, so I hated it until I began to question my need for constancy and convictions in my music listening. The critics state that Tales is pretentious, too long, over-done, has dense non-sense lyrics etc...and often compared Tales with "Tommy" rock opera by the Who, "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" by Genesis, The Moody Blues stuff, Jesus Christ Superstar, or more absurdly, orchestral composers and Spinal Tap! All of this completely misses the point. The critics of Tales suffered from the age-old music listening problem: "They liked what they knew, but didn't know what they liked. " This premise is built on the historical example when "swing jazz" transitioned to "bop." Louis Armstrong (swing) said Charlie Parker (bop) was playing "the wrong notes." Today "bop" has become mainstream musical vocabulary to the informed listener and musician. By the same token, Yes music (particularly 1970-1974) including Tales has become part of the mainstream musical vocabulary to the enlightened listener and musician.
"Tales" From Topographic Oceans remains the most controversial works by both Yes fans and by their critics. "Tales" is for those seeking music like an innocent child, and conversely, for those that have a love for creativity, beauty, and eclectic marriages of extended musical developments. Tales is diverse music comprised of 4 separate, but intertwined 20-minute (average time) musical pieces. Yes' collective as well as individual musicianship is beyond their musical peers and showed great maturity to deliver high ideals and low energy in the genre-bending recording. The sounds as well as the imagery of the lyrics are based on the four part Hindu Shastric concepts. As with any major musical developments, the making of Tales was filled with interpersonal conflicts within the band.
As with most of the other Yes music, Jon Anderson is more concerned with his voice being an added instrument to the band and the sound of the words against the music than linear lyrics that are typically found in pop music. Jon also has the ability to turn a lyrical phrase at the same time a musical phrase has just completed itself. Examples are found in: The Revealing Science Of God Isolated Lyric: "a part we offer is our only freedom" Idea: "...an ever-opening flower in which simple truths emerge..." The Remembering" Isolated Lyric: "alternate tune" Idea: "...the nature of what is impressed on the mind, and how it is retained and used. The Ancient- Giants Under The Sun." Isolated Lyric: " Do the leaves of green stay greener through the autumn" Idea: "...The Ancient people left an immense treasure of knowledge probing still further into the past beyond the point of remembering..." "Ritual" Lyric::"Nous Sommes Du Soleil" Idea: "...freedom to learn and to know the ritual of life..." Anderson, Squire, and Howe provide unique and well-executed vocal harmonies throughout Tales, which separates Tales from all the "comparison music" of that time in of itself. Overall, the vocals are more of a feature than previous Yes recordings.
Steve Howe's guitar work in Tales is unique, melodic, and masterful. Steve Howe plays a Les Paul Jr. with clean, crunch, and smooth distortion throughout the tracks as a main staple. Steve employs volume swells in single note as well as chords, both with clean and smooth distortion to create a soft and rhythmically expanded feel. In the revealing science of God there are some octave unison lines as well as harmonized lines between the bass, keyboard, and guitar. Notably as with most Yes' music is the use of the different guitars like the Dan Electro electric sitar in RSOG and Ritual, Dan Electro 12 string with Leslie speaker on Remembering as well as the acoustic guitars, beautiful classical guitar work near the end of Ancient, Steel Guitar in the beginning of the Ancient, and the sweet singing guitar lines throughout the four pieces. Howe rises to the occasion with fluid playing, writing, and arranging abilities.
Chris Squire provides classic Rickenbacker bass tones along with some cutting edge sounds from his Fender, Gibson, and Acoustic basses. Squire's 5/4 line in Ritual is melodically and rhythmically contagious and very cool when he solos over it later in the song. Thoughout Tales Squire uses his signature displaced rhythms, harmonized lines, chords, astute contrapuntal lines, imitative lines, distortions, Wahs, and composed punchy bass rhythms to guide Tales into new territory for Yes, and also to keep drummer Alan White on task for his first studio recording with Yes.
Alan White approaches Tales as if he is playing rock music, lacking the seasoning of drummer Bill Bruford. Notably White's drum kit sound and his stiff and heavy handed approach is hard to get past. The overdubbed percussion may have help save his kit performances, but in all fairness the heavy editing process on Tales does not work in White's favor. However in saying that, White does some interesting drum/percussion bits on "The Ancient" and on "Ritual." He also has a knack for playing the odd time signatures with a rock feel, which is very cool in those spots. World class drumming is a major component to Yes Music, and Alan White is not always world class on facility or finesse. Tales may have been a greater accomplishment with the likes of Bill Bruford.
Rick Wakeman clearly did not contribute much on this album offering stale and mechanical piano, Mini-Moog synthesizer, mellotron, and organ. One could surmise from listening that Wakeman only laid down some initial tracks and was so displeased that he did not completely develop his keyboard ideas and sounds. However, Wakeman was able to provide some bits of atmosphere to the music with the help of editing and mixing most likely. Wakeman made up his mind that he could not adequately contribute to Tales and hastily departed Yes shortly thereafter the supporting tour in 1974.
Finally, because of the tenacity of Anderson, Howe, and Squire, they were able to carry Tales as a landmark of inspiration for future generations.
C. Cuda 8/4/2007
Free Music Review: stunning
Hit: 5 Stars
Having seen this masterpiece performed live (and Yes CAN play their music to the letter), it has always held a special place in my heart...it had been years since I listened to it, but it all came back...a stunning piece of rock historyFree Music Review: Back to the 'Topographic Oceans'
Hit: 5 Stars
From the time I first started listening to FM radio, way back in 1980, I was always fascinated by Yes. I didn't know much about them, but I was hooked the first time I ever heard "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish."
Then a neighbor who was also a fan bought a copy of "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and very graciously loaned it to me...and it became my favorite Yes album at once. It still is. If the Who's "Tommy" was the first rock opera, I would venture to call "Topographic Oceans" the first rock -symphony-. Its four movements roughly follow symphonic form, although a bit slower than a classical symphony; the notable exception is "The Ancient," which is -definitely- a scherzo, especially at the first! One can even detect recurring themes, introduced in "The Revealing Science of God" and later developed in other movements.
As always, Jon Anderson's lyrics are quite surrealistic, but like the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins or e. e. cummings, they are easier to understand if they are read as clusters or word pictures. And the music that surrounds and interweaves the lyrics is so unbelievably complex that even now I can listen to this album and hear something new; that's a rarity for any piece of music at any time, and if I were to give one reason for buying this album, that would be it.
Caveat auditor(let the listener beware), however: if you aren't at least somewhat familiar with classical music, you might find this album tough going at first. But if you give it a chance, I think you will find your perseverance rewarded.
Free Music Review: Must have item for Yesfans
Hit: 5 Stars
I have had this on vinyl, first issue CD, first remaster, and now this Rhino remaster. This to me was the first Yes album that really sparkled in terms of sound quality and production. It could almost have been recorded in 1994 as much as 1974. Despite the misgivings of some fans and critics, there is great music on this album. The Remembering is a bit short on ideas, but Ritual is one of my absolute favourites, and which Yesfan couldn't thrill to the stereo pans at the beginning of The Ancient. The studio run throughs are interesting if not essential. I did enjoy some of the passages on the early version of The Ancient - sounded quiet different but would have worked equally well. What isn't made clear in any documentation i have seen is that there is an additional minute or so at the opening of The Revealing Science Of God. i think this first appeared on the version on The Word Is Yes, and it is a welcome addition. Do you need this? It is marginally better than previous versions, but i wouldn't be without it. With sleevenotes, additional material and beautiful packaging, i think it is worth it, especially at such a good price. Long live Yes!