ABWH

[Rufus]

Though technically not a Yes album, how does this album compare in the Yes cannon?
Have just given it a spin & had forgotten what great tracks Themes & Brother of Mine where. The rest of the album i'd describe as good at best.
I certainly miss Squire's bass & harmonies though. Wish Bruford had also stuck to his acoustic kit but I guess this was the 80's & a reflection of what was hip in that decade.

[JKL2000]

I consider it a Yes album. And better than 90125 and Big Genitalia.

[TheH]

It's Yes in everything but the name, and one of better later works.

[trurl]

I had the same experience last year- Brother Of Mine was much better than I remembered. I would, however, classify the rest of the album as mediocre to awful...

[Vic2012]

I had it. Got rid of it.

[dnieper]

Have just given it a spin & had forgotten what great tracks Themes & Brother of Mine where.

Those two tracks, plus "Birthright" and maybe "Fist of Fire" are pretty good. "Birthright" is overall a surprisingly great composition IMO. The rest is pretty bad. At least they put the good ones up front so you don't have to listen to the rest.

[JKL2000]

I always liked Order of the Universe.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Absolutely beyond completely horrible.

[progguy]

As others have noted, it is a Yes album in everything but name. And a good one at that. If "Quartet" and the ghastly "Teakbois" would have been left on the cutting room floor, it could have been ever better.

[Paulrus]

At least "Birthright" (easily the best song on the album) had some semblance of Bill and Steve contributing, and it's fair to say that Rick put his unique stamp on some of the songs (although his twiddly digital leads make my ears hurt after a while). But IMO the rest was an example of why Yes should never be under the direction of just one of its band members.

But it did give us the ABWH tour where we got to see 4/5 of the '71-'73 lineup play "Close to the Edge", "And You And I", and more. That was worth it all right there.

[Sputnik]

If you exclude Quartet and Teakbois (which I do on my CDR version of this album), I think this is a listenable effort that, while far from perfect, captures some of the spirit and energy of classic Yes in a more modern context. Standout tracks for me are Themes/Fist of Fire and Birthright. Brother of Mine is OK. I also don't like the "clappy" chorus, but it has some other good moments. Order of the Universe is likewise marred by some silly vocals ("rock gives courage") and to me doesn't materialize as the epic ending it was intended to be. But it also has some OK moments.

So overall, listenable for me, other than Quartet and Teakbois, which I think are dreadful. I suppose Vultures in the city would have been an improvement on those songs, but I had the single of this and didn't think it was all that special either. Also, many have issues with Bruford's drums. While I can understand this and they aren't my favorite either, I think he did manage to bring some life to that electronic sound that many others failed to do. Sound aside, Bruford's parts are a heck of a lot more interesting than most of what White did with Yes West, imo.

This is the only post Drama Yes related album I still own.

Bill

[Scrotum Scissor]

But it did give us the ABWH tour where we got to see 4/5 of the '71-'73 lineup play "Close to the Edge", "And You And I", and more. That was worth it all right there.

Agree about the tour.

[bill g]

I can't tolerate 'Order of the Universe'. (rock gives courage! ) and as much as I love pretty tunes, 'The Meeting' I find dull as dishwater. Quartet has a great little intro from Steve, and some real nice moments, but...

Themes, Brother of Mine and Birthright I like a lot, as well as the b-side 'Vultures'.

[Dave (in MA)]

For the full ABWH experience you have to watch the 1989 video in its entirety, especially the parts where Bruford and Howe are running around in funny makeup and Bruford sings, among other treats.

[ThomasKDye]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I like everything on the album. But it has more to do for nostalgic fuzzies than anything else; I got it when all the lengthy song cycles seemed really cool and mystical. My main complaint now is the usual annoyances that eighties digital production with no bottom end doesn't age well.

But really... no one likes "Let's Pretend"? I think that song's beautiful.

[ScottAM]

But really... no one likes "Let's Pretend"? I think that song's beautiful.

Absolutely is. I loved that and The Meeting. But it's Birthright and Brother of Mine which are the standouts. Fist of Fire is pretty cool, but could have done with some better arrangements...Chris Squire in the mix would've taken the arrangements to another level (though I LOVE Tony, but he wasn't in the mix like bass should have been).

[Dave (in MA)]

What makes it a tough listen now are some of the keyboard patches and that electronic snare sound, which time have not been kind to. The snare especially, I hated from the first time I heard it crashing in during 'Themes'.

It's even worse on the live album because they use those 8-bit noises on Close to the Effing EDGE.

[Sean]

This should be in my IPod! I haven't seen the CD in year though. Therein lies the rub.

[Rufus]

I understand quite a big chunk was recorded for the follow -up ,some of which appeared on Union , others in demo form that has appeared on boots .I think it was Bruford who said they should have recorded/ released a second album ?

[Paulrus]

For the full ABWH experience you have to watch the 1989 video in its entirety, especially the parts where Bruford and Howe are running around in funny makeup and Bruford sings, among other treats.

But hey, at least it was Roger Dean-designed funny makeup (take THAT, James Cameron.)

Thanks for the link. I haven't seen that video in ages. Clearly the four of them got off on the right foot, but it seemed like a compromise solution from the get go (early on there's a shot of Bill in some office with Brian Lane lurking in the background like a hungry shark). Who was the label for this -- Arista? They forked out good money for promotion and to get "Brother of Mine" on the radio, but how the hell was ABWH going to be relevant in 1988, going up against the Michael Jacksons, Princes, and Madonnas of the world? I guess they were trying to be a sort of "Simple Minds" or "Tears For Fears" for the musos, but outside the old Yes fan base I don't think they had much impact.

And certainly that video for "I'm Alive" didn't help. That has to be a contender for Most Gawdawful Video Ever Made award.

[sergio]

ages since I played any ABWH last time. I'd suggest Yes should concentrate on legacy material and try rectify some mishaps of the past with modern tech or wiz (maybe beg Wilson again)... get Oceans and Relayer fixed, for Gods sake!

[mozo-pg]

I thought the tour was definitely one of the best Yes shows I ever witnessed. I've seen them in every decade since the seventies. Chris, who?

[Progatron]

I really, really like the first half. "Themes", "Fist Of Fire", "Brother Of Mine", "Birthright", "The Meeting"... then it suddenly and inexplicably becomes some of the worst music under the Yes umbrella. "Order Of The Universe" is more cringeworthy to me than anything on Union. (and I know that's really saying something, that's why I use that reference! )

[rcarlberg]

I don't think it's any more turgid than any other Yes album from TFTO to now.

[Banquo]

No.