Wakeman, Anderson, Howe & Bruford - s/t

**Kcrimso** · 02-11-2015

Themes, Fist Of Fire and Birthright are very good, rest of the songs varies from ok to awful (Teakbois).

**JKL2000** · 02-11-2015

Fisting of Fire

**rcarlberg** · 02-11-2015

It's just another Yes album for me. I file it under 'Y'. It has all the pretentiousness and over-polish of every other Yes album of that decade. Couldn't care less about the title.

**JKL2000** · 02-12-2015

BWAH
HAWB

**undergroundrailroad** · 02-13-2015

Some very exciting Howe moments at the end of Themes. That section (a sneaky rhythmic augmentation of the opening riff from Changes) is one of my very favorite Yes instrumental moments. And it's the only place I know of where you can hear Bruford play a two-step. The lyrics are Anderson's version of "Death on Two Legs." I LOVE this song and it belongs on any Best of Yes compilation I'd make for myself. But then, I feel that way about Future Times/Rejoice, too.

I adore Quartet and totally understand why others don't.

Brother of Mine was the lead-off promo and I hated it at the time but later warmed up to it nicely. Now I kind of go "Awwww" in a heartwarming way every time it starts.

Order of the Universe is the big misstep of the album for me. Silly, lame rock posturing and an uninteresting stretch of music with an obnoxious chorus I can't stand. I actually rate it below Teakbois.

I like Chris Kimsey's production, clear and clean, fresh off Misplaced Childhood.

This album suffers from the problem of bands feeling they needed to produce too much material for an album in the recently arrived CD era. Shave off 15 or 20 minutes of the worst stuff and it's a pretty good album.

**member** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by rcarlberg

It's just another Yes album for me. I file it under 'Y'. It has all the pretentiousness and over-polish of every other Yes album of that decade. Couldn't care less about the title.

Spot on.

**member** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate

Overall this album gets too cheesy for me after a few minutes. Different sounds & less singing might have helped, but I'm not sure.

Don't you find that is always the case with Yes?

**member** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by Kcrimso

So "In The City Of Angels" is also a Yes album?

I have never heard of it?
Is it real?

**Kcrimso** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by member

I have never heard of it?
Is it real?

It is real Jon Anderson album.

**infandous** · 02-13-2015

I remember when me and my musical partner at the time saw Brother Of Mine on MTV. We had no idea these guys had gotten together and made an album, and we were elated, thrilled. Of course, we tempered these feelings when we actually heard the thing. At the time, we still thought it was pretty darn good. Now though, I agree with others who say it hasn't aged well. I don't even own the studio album anymore, just the live album (which I still think is pretty darn good.......except for Bruford's annoying electronic snare that dominates nearly every song).

The biggest disappointment was that they were going to do another album.......but then the abomination that was Union happened instead. Bruford was excited (Bruford!!! excited!!) about the prospect of doing a second ABWH album. The proceeding Union album and tour killed any interest he had in the Yes brand. Sad. It would have been interesting to see what they would have come up with as a solid unit (what appeared on Union was just a pale shadow of what might have been........at least that's what Bruford and Wakeman thought).

**Dave (in MA)** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by undergroundrailroad

Order of the Universe is the big misstep of the album for me. Silly, lame rock posturing and an uninteresting stretch of music with an obnoxious chorus I can't stand. I actually rate it below Teakbois.

The best part about Order... was seeing Bruford singing it in the video that I rented back when the thing first came out.

**bill g** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by undergroundrailroad

Some very exciting Howe moments at the end of Themes. That section (a sneaky rhythmic augmentation of the opening riff from Changes) is one of my very favorite Yes instrumental moments. And it's the only place I know of where you can hear Bruford play a two-step. The lyrics are Anderson's version of "Death on Two Legs." I LOVE this song and it belongs on any Best of Yes compilation I'd make for myself. But then, I feel that way about Future Times/Rejoice, too.

I adore Quartet and totally understand why others don't.

Brother of Mine was the lead-off promo and I hated it at the time but later warmed up to it nicely. Now I kind of go "Awwww" in a heartwarming way every time it starts.

Order of the Universe is the big misstep of the album for me. Silly, lame rock posturing and an uninteresting stretch of music with an obnoxious chorus I can't stand. I actually rate it below Teakbois.

I like Chris Kimsey's production, clear and clean, fresh off Misplaced Childhood.

This album suffers from the problem of bands feeling they needed to produce too much material for an album in the recently arrived CD era. Shave off 15 or 20 minutes of the worst stuff and it's a pretty good album.

Pretty much agree on all counts, esp. about 'Order...' . Its no wonder I like 'Underground Railroad' so much.

**bill g** · 02-13-2015

Rock gives courage? (or whatever) Seriously?

**snowsnow** · 02-13-2015

Good album - great tour.

My fav has always been The Meeting - lovely piece!

**thos** · 02-13-2015

ahem...

Soooooo............. . . . . . . . .

Give my all the drugs you have...

Never be afraid....

to share you stash.

Soooooo... OH oh oh....

Give me all the drugs YOU HAVE!!!!

There is a special doobie..... a special doobie...............

**undergroundrailroad** · 02-13-2015

lol thos

**thos** · 02-13-2015

Long lost, buddage of mine
smokin' the jibs for the first time...

The drugs are there!

and you brain is that one special reason!!!

**Progatron** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by Dave (in MA)

The best part about Order... was seeing Bruford singing it in the video that I rented back when the thing first came out.

LOL! Agreed. He was like, "Ummm really, you want me to sing backing vocals?"

**Sputnik** · 02-13-2015

For all the criticisms of this album, many of which I agree with, I ask myself, "why do I like this album better than any Yes-related project released since Drama?" (The possible exception being Howe's Turbulence, which suffers from many of the same problems as ABWH).

I have two answers. The first is the rhythms. Yes, the drum sounds suck, but the rhythmic approach is a breath of fresh air in a sea of neo-disco. At least it was to me at the time, and to some degree still is true. Electronic drums or no, Bruford breathed life into this stuff, and that still shines through despite the awful 80s sounds. It separates this music from 90125 and other YesWest stuff in my mind.

The second aspect is ambition. Is it 70s ambition? No. But at least it at times nods substantially in that direction. Again, a breath of fresh air in a time when it seemed that music was getting more and more packaged to suit the mainstream pop sensibilities. This album, flawed as it was, at least acknowledged that there was something more to Yes' sound than what we got from 90125 and Big Generator.

It resonated with me then, and despite all my instincts to the contrary, it still does. To me, it's a shame they couldn't maintain this quality level on subsequent albums.

Bill

**JKL2000** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by bill g

Rock gives courage? (or whatever) Seriously?

I don't really give a crap about the lyrics. I might enjoy this album more than some because of this. I enjoy most of it - maybe not the Jamaican section...

**yesstiles** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by undergroundrailroad

Some very exciting Howe moments at the end of Themes. That section (a sneaky rhythmic augmentation of the opening riff from Changes) is one of my very favorite Yes instrumental moments. And it's the only place I know of where you can hear Bruford play a two-step. The lyrics are Anderson's version of "Death on Two Legs." I LOVE this song and it belongs on any Best of Yes compilation I'd make for myself. But then, I feel that way about Future Times/Rejoice, too.

I adore Quartet and totally understand why others don't.

Brother of Mine was the lead-off promo and I hated it at the time but later warmed up to it nicely. Now I kind of go "Awwww" in a heartwarming way every time it starts.

Order of the Universe is the big misstep of the album for me. Silly, lame rock posturing and an uninteresting stretch of music with an obnoxious chorus I can't stand. I actually rate it below Teakbois.

I like Chris Kimsey's production, clear and clean, fresh off Misplaced Childhood.

This album suffers from the problem of bands feeling they needed to produce too much material for an album in the recently arrived CD era. Shave off 15 or 20 minutes of the worst stuff and it's a pretty good album.

**Adrian** · 02-13-2015

Originally Posted by bill g

Rock gives courage? (or whatever) Seriously?

I always thought "The Order of the Universe" was tailor-made to be a Douglas Adams book title.

"But Ford, what *is* the Order of the Universe?"
"Ham and cheese on rye, Arthur."

**trurl** · 02-14-2015

The Oder Of The Universe

**ScottAM** · 02-14-2015

Originally Posted by dropforge

Bruford's solo spot in the show (the last of the four) sucked, too. It was pointless. Likewise, the drum duet with Bruford and White in the Union concert was underwhelming.

I think the Bruford/Levin duet was a highlight. For those that saw ABWH with Levin, not Berlin.