Yes - Going For The One (Remastered & Expanded) (CD 2003)

I wish Rhino had released this in digipack form as they did for some of the other Yes albums, as the original triple gatefold cover was fantastic.

Yes sound very different on this album, much more like a conventional Rock band (I'm talking strictly about the sound here, this is still Prog). Squire's bass in particular is softer and deeper than usual, Howe's guitar has a dirtier sound and White's drumming stays resolutely on top of the beat. The sound quality has always been a little bit of an issue on this album, as the production style appears to have made extreme use of multi-tracking, and consequently sounds a little muddied. There was also a lot of hissing in some of the quieter passages. This new Rhino release is noticable better than the older versions and many may find replacing their old CD worthwhile.

This is considered by many to be Yes' last album from their classic period, and it is of a very high standard, all of the tracks are exceptional. The title track and "Parallels" are huge, fast paced rockers - they have an "out of control" quality which I really like, the entire band playing in an immodest, virtuoso, flat-out manner, as if they are trying to win a competition or something. "Going for the One" in particular has so much happening towards the end of the track, it becomes pleasantly overwhelming.

"Turn of the Century" is a complete contrast. This is a beautiful and gentle composition, led by classical guitar and Anderson's ethereal sounding vocals (the Pygmalion style lyrics are superb too), from start to finish it is dripping with otherworldly atmosphere. Another track with much atmosphere is the childlike "Wonderous Stories", with its unusual Vachalia and sleigh bell instrumentation.

"Awaken" along with "Turn of the Century" is one of the best tracks in the entire Yes catalogue. It is quite long at around fifteen minutes, but the time flies by whilst listening to it. It sounds very classical, and has a powerful Cathedral Organ in the arrangement throughout. Anderson's Obscure eastern style lyrics may not make a lot of sense, but they seem perfect here somehow.