The older I get, the more I appreciate psych-era Yes - part 2. Once again Chris Squire's bass takes the lead, whereas Banks goes a bit more psychedelic in the solos. And Bruford really shines here, more so than on the debut. The orchestration was probably a bit too much addition, and it's a shame they didn't employ the mellotron instead. One can imagine the instrument being interjected to great results. 'Them' and 'Astral Traveller' are brilliant, and represent two of my all-time favorite Yes songs. Other great tracks include 'Everydays', 'Sweet Dreams', and 'The Prophet'. Great album.
Ownership: LP: 1972 Atlantic. Similar to what I said on the Yes debut entry, right down to the outlet mall CD pickup in the late 90s. These two albums are inextricably linked in my world. In fact I listened to both back to back last night, which I often do. I picked up this LP online in 2016. Single sleeve with lyric insert. It's not the first edition (generally known as the "plum" label), but it is an early green/red label UK gatefold pressing as you can see. Once again, the American censors couldn't handle the original topless lady cover and came up with something... atrocious.
1/7/21 (new entry)
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