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Monday 16 September 2019

"Yes" by YES [1969 Debut LP] (January 2003 Elektra/Rhino 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue – Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...






"...Beyond And Before..."

I remember as a young lad opening up the gatefold of the wildly exotic Atlantic Records 588 190 (why is that always such a brill thing) and reading Tony Wilson’s liner notes. Respected journo, he enthused that Melody Maker magazine had asked him what two top bands he would pick for 1969 – one was LED ZEPPELIN and the other was of course – YES (both signed to the canny American label). I think the lad was on to something...

Personally I've always thought their first two albums wildly underrated and under appreciated (most fans want to begin their catalogue with 1971's brilliant "The Yes Album" and i can understand that). But like the "Time And A Word" CD Reissue and Remaster [their 2nd platter from 1970] - I'd argue that the six 'Bonus Tracks' on this 2003 Elektra/Rhino CD Remaster of "Yes" (four of which are unreleased) lift proceedings into the realms of essential purchase for fan and newcomer alike. Here are the positive details...

UK released January 2003 (reissued August 2008 and April 2013) - "Yes" by YES on Elektra/Rhino 8122-73786-2 (Barcode 081227378622) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Six Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (79:48 minutes):

1. Beyond And Before [Side 1]
2. I See You
3. Yesterday And Today
4. Looking Around
5. Harold Land [Side 2]
6. Every Little Thing
7. Sweetness
8. Survival
Tracks 1 to 8 are their Debut studio album "Yes" - released 25 July 1969 in the UK on Atlantic Records 588 190 (reissued December 1971 on Atlantic K 40034) and 15 October 1969 in the USA on Atlantic Records SD 8243. The US issue had different artwork to the UK variant - the first page of the booklet uses the UK artwork (centred YES logo) whilst the last page uses the US cover (a colour photo of the 5-piece band standing amidst statues).

BONUS TRACKS:
9. Everydays (Single Version) – October 1969 UK 7” single on Atlantic Records 584298, Non-Album Version, B-side to "Looking Around"
10. Dear Father (Single Version No. 2) - PREVIOUSLY UNISSED
11. Something’s Coming – 4 July 1969 UK 7” single on Atlantic 584280, Non-Album B-side to "Sweetness"
12. Everydays (Early Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNISSED
13. Dear Father (Early Version No. 1) - PREVIOUSLY UNISSED
14. Something’s Coming (Early Version)  - PREVIOUSLY UNISSED

For their Debut Album YES was:
JON ANDERSON - Leads Vocals and Incidental Percussion
PETER BANKS - Lead Guitars and Backing Vocals
TONY KAYE - Keyboards (Organ and Piano)
CHRIS SQUIRE – Bass and Backing Vocals
BILL BRUFORD – Drums and Vibes

The first remaster of this album in November 1994 simply presented fans with the 8-track album and as it was a US based reissue - it used the American colour artwork. This new 2004 stab at it goes back to the British artwork and design of Bryan Lasley (the US variant is on the last page of the booklet) and adds on six tasty Bonus Tracks, four of which are Previously Unissued in the USA. The 16-page booklet has detailed and informative liner notes from MIKE TIANO and the text is peppered with colour/black and white period photos of the band as well as rare picture sleeve for Sweetness. Pages 2 and 14 recreate the inner gatefold artwork of the UK plum label 1969 original, while the rare lyric insert that came with original vinyl issues is featured towards the end. But the big news here is a new DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT CD Remaster at Digiprep from original master tapes and they've done a sterling job - full, alive and coming at you with real presence.

Grapefruit Records of the UK - the new darlings of 3CD reissues covering this period - featured the Side 1 opener "Beyond And Before" in their May 2019 mini box set "Lullabies For Catatonics: A Journey Through The British Avant-Pop/Art Rock Scene 1967-1974" and its easy to hear why. Their cover of The Byrds "I See You" smacks of Yes hijacking that hooky sound but still has enough to make it exciting and feel like something new and brill is emerging. Pretty and even beautiful describes the gentle strum of "Yesterday And Today" – the audio warm and lovely. Something on a lost melodic gem in their canyon on an album so often associated with the early Prog of the very Yes  "Looking Around". Speaking of which...

Their debut produced two wildly un-commercial UK 45s - "Sweetness" b/w "Something's Coming" in July 1969 on Atlantic 584280 and "Looking Around" b/w "Everydays" in October 1969 on Atlantic 584298 - the second reputedly withdrawn after zero interest. I can remember decades back when these orange label 7" singles would command £40 for the first and say £60 for the second, especially because of their non-album B-sides pre CD. But in 2019 they're probably four times that amount and if actual mint issues came up for public grabs (especially "Looking Back"), they’d be auction items rather than set sale. Both are featured in the bonus tracks and cool inclusions.

The Side 2 opener "Harold Land" is superb and I used to think it like Nursery Cryme by Genesis – only recorded months earlier. The acoustic guitar over to the left is clear as Jon sings of marching soldiers and holding the thin blue line. While the Byrds cover on Side 1 stayed mostly faithful - Yes rightly screw around with The Beatles cover of "Every Little Thing" (originally on their fourth UK platter "Beatles For Sale" in 1964). Half way through they come up with that familiar vocal refrain - a clever set of counterpoints as the guitars and drums punch and swirl. "Sweetness" is just over four minutes of Prog meets melody - sweetness stirred with a spoon - a very 1969 love-song wrapped up that Yes-ness sound. "Survival" points towards the multiple-song-parts of "The Yes Album" - huge thumping bass notes - guitars and keyboards dancing – until it suddenly fades into something entirely new and unexpected – gorgeous stuff and a genuinely great way to end the album.

The 1970 "Time And A Word" second LP (with orchestra) would continue the musical search for 'that sound' which they would finally realise in the 1971 game-changer "The Yes Album" - a band arriving and unleashing their potential. "...Somewhere in a field a life begins..." and "...yesterday's endings will tomorrow's life give you..." - Jon Anderson sang on "Survival". For sure "Yes" is only a start, but man what an opening Starship Trooper...

PS: This 2003 Remaster variant of "Yes" including the Six Bonus Tracks also turns up inside "The Studio Albums 1969-1987" Box Set which is amazing value for money and includes repro artwork but not the booklet...

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