FEATURED CD - Yes : Tormato

[Sunlight Caller]

I see this book is written by the chap that presents the Yes Music Podcast, which as a true podcast devotee is one I was completely unaware of until earlier today. There are some 300 episodes to catch up on!

I was determined to love Tormato from my first hearing, they could do no wrong for me back then, and I remember well pouring over the cover in anticipation on the bus home from school. It’s not one I play that often now, but it still brings good memories not least of the fabulous shows at Wembley.

[noisynoise]

I highly recommend the podcast. Host Kevin Mulryne often will say that Tormato is his favorite Yes album.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mozo-pg]

It's interesting how memories are embedded. I remember sitting by my friend's parent's pool in the early summer, skipping school, and drinking tequila sunrises while listening to Toromato.

[Vic2012]

I like this album. It's Yes light. Some of those tracks could have been extended into to the 8 or 10 minute range. Silent Wings is close. Overall, ok, good, not terrible. I'll take it over 90210......lol

[Finch Platte]

I see this book is written by the chap that presents the Yes Music Podcast, which as a true podcast devotee is one I was completely unaware of until earlier today. There are some 300 episodes to catch up on!

I was determined to love Tormato from my first hearing, they could do no wrong for me back then, and I remember well pouring over the cover in anticipation on the bus home from school. It’s not one I play that often now, but it still brings good memories not least of the fabulous shows at Wembley.

Poring, not pouring. Thanks.

[llanwydd]

Like all my Yeshead friends, I told myself I liked it when it came out. Over the years I have noticed that it sounds like it was composed, recorded and released in one month. That's probably what Release, Release is about. Get it out quick before the tour starts. Worse than that, it sounds like I am listening to it on my car radio (AM, no less!). They should have taken much more time with it. Another important point is that the album cover was always a very important aspect of every Yes album. Tormato had the worst cover of any art rock band of the 70s. In my opinion, Yes cheated their audience. That said, On the Silent Wings of Freedom is a classic.

[Sunlight Caller]

Poring, not pouring. Thanks.

Disgruntled English teacher?
Never seen a typo on an internet message board before?
The inclusion of an erroneous U is your least favourite thing?
Thanks for the red ink.

[Trane]

I do remember distinctly getting the album right when it came out, already having been a fan for a year or so, having seen them in '77 (at the age of 12) and when I first heard Tormato , I noticed right away, the sound of the guitar in particular seemed off. Other instruments too, and the overall sound felt thin, compared to the Yes I had been listening to.
Over time I came to like the album. There are some good tunes and it's quite unique, but they could have worked harder to make sure it sounded great.

Similar experience (though a couple of years older than you), not awed by the album's sonics (and guitars) and some obvious filler stuff. Did like Don't Kill The Whales, though.

I still find Yes' Tormato to be my least favorite album by them. Don't like any of the songs, the sound quality or the instrumental performances on the album (with Chris Squire's bass solo on "The Silent Wings Of Freedom" being the only part of the record that I like). While it's nice that there's a book about Tormato on the way, I'll wait for Rael will do a 'making of' for this album (along with the ones that he's done for other Yes LPs) to get his take on this record.

If you take out Awaken out of GFTO, there isn't much mo re that is to like than on Tormato (except that Hypgnosis really botched the latter artwork)
I'll take Tormato over anything post Drama - with the slight exception of the Keys studio tracks.

I like the image of a tomato tornado. I savor the entire Tormato.

I bought in in Toronto

I like this album. It's Yes light. Some of those tracks could have been extended into to the 8 or 10 minute range. Silent Wings is close. Overall, ok, good, not terrible. I'll take it over 90210......lol

Clearly some songs could have stayed a while longer.

Like all my Yeshead friends, I told myself I liked it when it came out. Over the years I have noticed that it sounds like it was composed, recorded and released in one month. That's probably what Release, Release is about. Get it out quick before the tour starts. Worse than that, it sounds like I am listening to it on my car radio (AM, no less!). They should have taken much more time with it. Another important point is that the album cover was always a very important aspect of every Yes album. Tormato had the worst cover of any art rock band of the 70s. In my opinion, Yes cheated their audience. That said, On the Silent Wings of Freedom is a classic.

Yup, there are annoying sound quality on the album, but that started with GFTO... Howe's choice of instruments not helping either and that even started on Relayer, IMHO.
I also find that Drama shares some of these sonic flaws as well.

I felt more cheated by Yes with Drama and that tour, because (notwithstanding my shitty seat up in the nose-bleeds), as I hated the concert, because the album has been out a few days before the concert and didn't know of the line-up change.


===========

ill watch Rael's Relayer rockumentary ASAP, BTW.

[Dan Roth]

In one of the Facebook Yes groups, someone asked if the band was interviewed for the book, the author replied:

"I spoke to Rick and Steve but that’s not really what the book is about. I delve into the instruments, production, artwork, technicalities and results through my own research and also speaking to the experts and people who were involved in many difficult aspects of the record."

Interesting angles, I may check this out. Curious that he didn't focus as much on the songs or song-creation themselves.

[Finch Platte]

Disgruntled English teacher?
Never seen a typo on an internet message board before?
The inclusion of an erroneous U is your least favourite thing?
Thanks for the red ink.

Lol. How're the anger management classes coming along?

[Sunlight Caller]

Lol. How're the anger management classes coming along?

Not angry at all, just trying to diffuse pedantry with a dash of humour.

[vostoklake]

Not angry at all, just trying to diffuse pedantry with a dash of humour.

You did that on purpose, didn't you

[Sunlight Caller]

^^^ perhaps, but I couldn’t possibly say…

[per anporth]

^^^ perhaps, but I couldn’t possibly say…

Now you're just being ob-tuse

[Kcrimso]

Tormato is exactly 45 years old today! Of course, Tormato is not my favourite Yes album, but I think I like it more than the average Yes fan. I wrote a review of the album: https://pienemmatpurot.com/review-yes-tormato-1978/

[Piskie]

I bought this one when it came out and always liked it. There are a couple twee moment on it but I like Donovan so that didn't cause too much of a problem for me. I never noticed anything amiss with the production - I must give it another listen.

[Aquatarkus]

Tormato is exactly 45 years old today! Of course, Tormato is not my favourite Yes album, but I think I like it more than the average Yes fan. I wrote a review of the album: https://pienemmatpurot.com/review-yes-tormato-1978/

Excellent review! You get at the heart of why I like Tormato, the wild energy as you put it is evident throughout, even in the keyboard flourishes in a song like Circus of Heaven. Tormato for the most part rocks hard and this energy propels some of the songs to a higher level than they might otherwise have been.

One thing I didn't realize was that Howe and Anderson's songwriting partnership had fractured so early. I assumed this happened during the Paris sessions, but I guess the songwriting credits on Tormato are a clue. I wish I understood better the dynamics that led to the deterioration of such a fine songwriting partnership. Part of me wishes Yes had ended here for a much longer time after the failure of Paris. Drama and 90125 are different bands and I wish they had been called something else. Then you get ABWH and then the reunion of '96 with Keys and then Yes ends again after Magnification. I know this must sound strange coming from someone who has enjoyed the band's music for 45 years and counting!

[Kcrimso]

Excellent review! You get at the heart of why I like Tormato, the wild energy as you put it is evident throughout, even in the keyboard flourishes in a song like Circus of Heaven. Tormato for the most part rocks hard and this energy propels some of the songs to a higher level than they might otherwise have been.

Thank you! Yes energy levels on Tormato are very high! Maybe it is kind of desperation also... "we gotta make this work"

[Steve983]

Tormato is exactly 45 years old today! Of course, Tormato is not my favourite Yes album, but I think I like it more than the average Yes fan. I wrote a review of the album: https://pienemmatpurot.com/review-yes-tormato-1978/

Great review. I've always struggled to put my finger on what is exactly wrong with Tormato. I agree that perhaps Circus of Heaven should have been left off entirely. To fill the gap Arriving UFO could have been expanded to explore some of those wonderful music ideas further and the lyrics could be tightened up. Surely a better opening line could be found to replace 'I could not take it oh so seriously really when you called and said you'd seen a UFO'! Also perhaps some remixing and remastering could be done to improve the sonics. On the non musical side it should have been called Yes Tor as originally intended and then given a nice Roger Dean sleeve. Sorted.

[KeithCBradbury]

For those interested, I have compiled an album-worth of material NOT released on the original Yes "Tormato" album. May contain some Paris sessions music as well.

https://www.bitchute.com/video/1MynJO4XJ50n/