5 comments about Question of Balance.

1. I've read all the reviews here on QOB and am amazed that no one has mentioned what truly destroys this album. DISTORTION! I'm a pro recording engineer and have always been aware this moodies album suffers terribly! The Master crossfaded tape is horribly distorted. It also seems down a tape generation. Most engineers just splice the crossfades 'tween tracks into the master takes to avoid degradation of the body of the song... but I'm not convinced that road was taken by evidance in the dull muddy overall sound. The song 'The Balance' is absolutely destroyed with distortion!
   If you listen to the bonus tracks on this sacd release (non-crossfaded full versions) you will here a major improvment in fidelity and NO DISTORTION! The bass is clean and round and all things are musch more well defined. If they cared about this record they would re-assemble it using these pre crossfaded versions and do the crossfades digitally..It needs to be rescued!!!!I've bought this album way too many times to be cheated like this again! Now that I know the clarity is there but they won't make it right! I'm disappointed and even pissed that they keep serving this fine wine in a old dirty plastic cup! Why don't they care???



2. First of all, this album is a classic, powerful, full of deep songs and breathless melodies, one of the best albums of my personal collection.
   
   It has different moods, each song can drive you to a particular moment in your life, and i am not making this out, for example, dawning is the day, is a song that will make you think of those days where you were trying to find your way through this huge maze that we call the world, the protest lyrics of "Questions", or the mixed emotions on the "Melancholy man", the cheerfull "It's up to you".
   
   Without a question, this album is an excelent selection for any music, prog rock.., classic rock..., Moodies fan..



3. The remastered CD is an incredible improvement from the original recording. I think the album is one of the greatest CD's ever made.The surrond sound CD is a must buy for a Moody Blues fan.



4. *The following comments are in regard to the bonus tracks on this release. To read my opinions on the original content of this album, check out my review under:
   "A Question of Balance" by The Moody Blues (Audio CD - 1997) - Original recording remastered
   
   Here is what I enjoyed about each of these outstanding bonus offerings...
   
   "Mike's Number One:"
   An upbeat and beautiful spiritual sounding Mike Pinder tune ... Based on the lyrics, this song could have been titled, "A Happening," "Do You Know?," or "See The Glory." The track definitely has that "A Question Of Balance" sound to it, but it also would have made a fine addition to Mike's 1976 solo release, "The Promise," or could have made a possible bonus track for that CD release. :)
   
   "Question" (alternate version):
   This mix is like an extended version of the single mix of the song ... The sound quality is outstanding on this mix, especially on the louder elements of the song. The track also comes to a full ending with somewhat of a Spanish-flavored guitar style, at the very end. :)
   
   "Minstrel's Song" (original mix):
   This is probably the least interesting of the bonus cuts, because the song fades in, on this occasion, with very faint vocals heard in the intro. The song also fades out in the exact same spot as the album mix, because while the final version fades into "Dawning Is The Day," we can still hear The Moodies chanting "Around, around," one last time, very faintly, at the beginning of "D.I.T.D." The only positive side to this mix is that it is not cross-faded with the tracks that surround the song, on the final version.
   
   "It's Up To You" (original mix):
   Much like the single and "Best Of" (Ex: "The Best Of The Moody Blues," "Gold") mixes of "The Story In Your Eyes," from "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour," this version of "It's Up To You" is similar to the original album version, but the instrumentation near the end of the track is carried on a little bit further, before the fadeout ... It's good "ear candy" which listeners haven't heard before. :)
   
   "Don't You Feel Small" (original mix):
   This version has an extended beginning AND ending to it! The instrumental lead-in, at the beginning, is awesome, and sounds similar to the instrumental fadeout, near the end of the song ... Nice job on the guitars, mellotrons, and percussion, all at the same time! :)
   
   "Dawning Is The Day" (full original mix):
   Same format as the previous mix (above), and the deleted material sounds just as great! :)
   
   In addition, the CD booklet, that accompanies this release, provides readers with the details on the controversial album cover to this LP (rear sleeve) ... Check out this release to get the full story (Page 13). Fans who own both this CD release and the 1997 CD remaster will notice that this version features the artwork that was changed while the 1997 version features the original artwork.
   
   Just like the 1997 CD remaster of "A Question of Balance," this Deluxe Edition also featured a topnotch remastering job! I would recommend this release to any Moody Blues fan or collector. Thanks for reading! God Bless... :)



5. Okay, let's start off by addressing some of the complaints that most people have. As far as the bass being mixed too low on this release I have to say after owning this in every lp and cd edition that the bass was always a bit lower on this album than on some of the other Moodies albums. The mix itself is from the original quad lp versions done by producer Tony Clarke in early 1972. The quad mixes were different in order to take advantage of the four way split instead of the regular stereo two way split. This meant mixing the album differently from a conventional stereo album. Many of the "effects" that are in the backgroud of the stereo version are turned up here changing the overall "balanced" sound of the album in order to give the best quad sound. As far as the music itself, this album has a much more basic feel than the band's last, To Our Children's Children's Children which might have had in part something to do with the fact that it wasn't the big hit the band wanted at the time it was released. That was the first released for their label Threshold. The opening song Question had been released on single a few months before this album's release and had become a big hit for the band. This album includes many Moodies classics and doesn't have a bad song on the release. Songs like Question, Melencholy Man, And The Tide Rushes In, and It's Up To You sound just as well today as they did back when this album was released. If you like the Moodies, you'll love this album.

5 comments about Best Instrumentals (Sony).

1. This is Santana at his finest. My favorite, arguably, is "Treat" with a great mixture of fast and slow tempos, piano and guitar, bongos and a salsa rhythm that will slap you in the face if your volume dial and speakers will allow it. Afterwards just explodes right into "Blues For Salvador" which is just icing on the cake. I wish they would've put a few more songs from the album Zebop onto this collection, namely "American Gypsy" which is another great song that doesn't get the attention it deserves as well as "Tales of Kilimanjaro". All I can say is WOW!



2. This order I just payed with my credit card but I don't arrived at home.



3. If you are a big Santana fan, this is one that you must add to your collection.



4. Going over the tune titles, right off the bat I was surprised that a couple of my instrumental favorites were missing .The beautifully soulful, atmospheric TALES of KILIMANJARO should definitely be on there as well as what I consider to be the most ambitious number from the fusion period, the epic FLAME/SKY. Fans who would purchase an all instrumental Santana album are astute listeners looking for the more obscure gems--who needs another best of album with all the obvious tunes? I give this cd three stars not for what it contains but for what it's missing.



5. This CD has a number of Santana's classic hits like Samba Pa Ti, Flor de Luna, and Soul Sacrifice that I really enjoyed, however, in my opinion those are the only really good songs and this is a mediocre album.

5 comments about Smiley Smile/Wild Honey.

1. Brian Wilson's obsession with taking the Beach Boy's sound to another
   level, like the Beatle's had done with Revolver & Rubber Soul, gave us
   Pet Sounds and would later bring about the Good Vibration sessions and
   the aborted Smile project, but for my money Wild Honey is the masterpiece
   that Brian was trying to make, by accident or by design, this album was
   everything that Rubber Soul was, every song stands out by itself, there
   is continuity, the songs flow together in a fashion that nothing on
   Pet Sounds or the patchwork bits & pieces that made up Smile every could.
   Let's face it, Smile is overrated, too much filler, the musical textures
   and structures are brilliant, but Van Dyke Parks lyrics are annoying and
   not up to the high standard set by the music, Wild Honey had at least 3
   songs that should have been top 20, Aren't you Glad(with a Motown beat)
   Let The Wind Blow(Lennon & McCartney didn't compose anything better than
   this)and even the cover of I Was Made To Love Her should have charted,
   that Capitol ignored this album and did not push these songs is criminal,
   it was 1967 and Brian Wilson was still king.



2. I feel that this grouping of albums is a blessing in that you can get two important but slightly flawed albums of Tehe Beach Boys for a low price. The music is unbelievable especially Smiley Smile. It is exhilirating to hear Brian Wilson's genius in this stripped-down form. What is there just teases you as to what it would have been if all the problems of Smile hadn't occured. The second half, Wild Honey, is just fun Beach Boys, no psychedelia at all, just fun. It's a great summer album all together, the first half for when your blazing, the second for when your driving around in the hot summer air. I recommend this album.



3. Smiley Smile - The "released" version of Smile is here in a smaller scale. If you ever wanted to hear what the Beach Boys would sound like on Hashish and laying on their backs while singing harmony stoned, get this, it's really good.
   Wild Honey - White soul before there was white soul and 10 years before Hall & Oates and the white Philly soul movement, The Beach Boys did it in 1967.



4. Smiley Smile simply is the moment when the Beach Boys died. It maybe impossible to imagine now, but up to 1966 the Beach Boys were as respected as artists as the Beatles. Smiley Smile is a rushed album, with practically no instrumentation whatsoever and many under-rehearsed vocals, except for Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villians. If Capitol ever releases a Smile box set as they promised, Smiley Smile will be then send to oblivion, in the hall of shame where it belongs. The world never took the beach boys seriously after that. Wild Honey is actually a very good album, not better than Pet Sounds or Smile, but different than anything they ever did before. Some of the songs and arrangements are totally Brian Wilson at his best. Some of the 'soul' vocals I find difficult to digest and I miss the Beach boys blend on the songs. The extra tracks on the album are ESSENTIAL to any serious beach boys fan, so, if you are, you need this album.



5. Letting go of the "what could have beens" with Smile hasn't been easy for many Beach Boys fans- yet it tarnishes a lot of what they did afterwards. There have been many bands that have had aborted projects- some songs found life in other projects. In the progression of The Beach Boys circa 1966-67 there's Pet Sounds, the "Good Vibrations" single, Smiley Smile, and then Wild Honey. There was a time when I might I have thought that Smiley Smile and Wild Honey were steps back artistically; especially when I would put myself to wondering about the aborted Smile project; but in my maturity the steps back artistically have become steps forward humanly. The proceeding albums had less flair and "ambition"; the staple became more and more friendly and subtle- especially when you include the wonderful Friends album.
   
   
   The enormous ambition that was so much the core of Brian Wilson's progress had turned into personal flights of fancy. The remnants of this, Smile, was rerecorded and turned into Smiley Smile. Parts spooky and haunting, parts comical and silly, the music is complex yet at times astonishingly simple- it was an exorcism and slow return to being the Beach Boys. One major change that started occurring during the recording of this album is that the Beach Boys started recording the music themselves without the assistance of the Wrecking Crew (a famous group of LA session musicians).
   
   Although I have preferred the "Smile" versions of Wonderful, Vegetables, Wind Chimes they are not without plenty of charm. She's Going Bald and Little Pad are fun ditties that have some experimental elements. Although this is a personal estimation I think some of the songs could be very disregarded by the most serious fans such as Fall Breaks Back Into Winter and Getting' Hungry.
   
   
   Within the same year they had switched tracks to a much more earthy less psychedelic sound. The result is the highly enjoyable Wild Honey. This is a truly great album by the Beach Boys- this was their back to basics album with a new found interest in R&B. It was a group effort on many levels- the song writing was very good and the performances had a passion and honesty that I have found on Pet Sounds without the self indulgence. Songs like Darlin', Wild Honey, Here Comes The Night and Aren't You Glad are on my list of top Beach Boys songs. The Stevie Wonder cover I Was Made To Love Her is actually a surprisingly good cover; Carl sounds quite soulful.
   
   Finally I have to mention Let The Wind Blow- a touching reminder of the power of love- the deepest and most important thing in the world. The sentiment came during a time when many were writing protest songs about everything that was wrong with the world. The simplicity of the desire to give and feel love to one special person in his life resonates so strongly in contrast to the protests and criticisms of inhumanity. The song itself is so simple that it's easy to past right by it but with the feeling of the song hits you it is a sincere plea for more love.
   
   
   The bonus tracks a cool- there is an amazing live recording from another aborted album; Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring is a cover of a Four Freshmen song that harkens back to Brian's youth. There's also a good version of Can't Wait Too Long once again from the Smile sessions.
   
   
   I highly recommend these albums. They come as a twofer but both albums are remarkably short; many albums back then clocked in at 40 minutes long because of the time constraints of records-- Wild Honey is only 23 minutes long!)
   Also check out Sunflower, Friends, Holland, and Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blues (if you can find it) all top notch albums.

5 comments about The Very Best of Dr. John.

1. I love the darker, murkier side of Dr. John like Walk on Guilded Splinters and Gris Gris Woman, so there are several songs that aren't to my taste, but it is a great cd and worth the money.



2. This is an excellent compilation of Dr John, that makes a perfect introduction to the mans many talents. As producer, guitarist, pianist, writer, voodoo rock star and Jazz and Blues musician you are bound to find something you like here.
   
   You want to hear the Piano playing that inspired Jools Holland? Listen to the 'Honey Dripper' from the marvellous solo Piano album 'Dr John plays Mac Rebennack'. His early 70's material (mainly produced by Allen Toussaint) is well represented by 'Right Place Wrong Time', 'Such A Night', 'Iko Iko', 'Qualified', What Comes Around', 'Mos' Scocious' and of course a cover of Professor Longhair's 'Tipitina' (another chance to hear his Piano skills).
   
   Some of the later material like 'Makin' Whoopee!' with Rickie Lee Jones, is a little too smooth for my taste. This track is a swinging big band affair, its still good don't get me wrong, but all the rough edges have gone. However, modern production techniques can't hide Dr Johns singing voice which will not be to everybodies taste - given time you will get used to it.
   
   Theres a nice 4 page booklet with the CD which gives you a mini biography of the artist. In a way those 4 pages are like this CD. Its just an overview. There is or was a better compilation available (The Dr John Anthology) and in truth some of his albums (like ...plays Mac Rebennack) should be in your collection anyway. But this is a fine way to find out which Dr John you want buy into.



3. Contrary to popular belief, The Night Tripperhad more good songs than just Right Place, Wrong Time, sadly the only Dr. John tune most can identify. For starters, the stripped-down voodoo music (no better term) I Walk on Gilded Splinters does a better job of sending chills down my spine than anything death-metal has to offer (that crap makes me laugh, but that's off-topic). That tune is easily one of the 100 best songs ever recorded. Incidentally, the chorus of the song is not "Till Alberta" but "Till I burn out". Anyway, I'm also a big fan of Right Place Wrong Time Such a Night, Junko Partner (I especially get a laugh out of that opening line), Wash Mama Wash, Loop Garroo, Iko Iko, Tipitina, Qualified, What Goes Around (Comes Around), Honeydripper and Goin' Back to New Orleans. Each of these tunes can go toe-to-toe with virtually every radio hit by the much more-famous Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd. Dr. John's music is very niched, a combination of funk, blues, jazz and voodoo grooves, but it's great stuff just the same and should be heard by all music fans. Granted, it might just be too left-of-the-center for you. Only one key track was left out: Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya-ya, which could've easily replaced Mos' Scocious. The Doctor's vocals and piano are strong through the album, and every song is good. Why not?



4. Cut down from Rhino's 2CD anthology Mos' Scosious from the previous year, this 18-track non-chronological collection manages to weave its way through the various styles of Dr John's albums in such a way that they seem to fit together despite their disparate nature, from the mystic voodoo of the Gris Gris album and the New Orleans roots of his piano playing to the lushness of the two tracks from In A Sentimental Mood. Most of the most popular singles are included (missing are Wang Dang Doodle, Let The Good Times Roll, Rite Away, Let's Make A Better World and a few others), as well as some illuminating album tracks made for Atco (to 1974), for Warner (1989-1992), including the Grammy-winning duet with Rickie Lee Jones, Makin' Whoopee; and the Baltimore-based Clean Cuts (a solo piano tour-de-force found on Joe Liggins' Honey Dripper)(1981)



5. Trying to pick the best of Dr. John has got to be as hard as trying to classify what type of music he plays. But I have to agree with the decisions on what to put on this disk.

5 comments about From the Mars Hotel.

1. The Grateful Dead's seventh album From the Mars Hotel (1974) is Definitive Dead, and essential to any serious rock collection. It is a fusion of rock, blues, reggae, jazz, psychedelia, country, and improvisational jam. From the Mars Hotel marked bassist Phil Lesh's final lead vocal work for the Dead for over ten years, and with Pride of Cucamonga and Unbroken Chain (two really great songs) his last studio contributions ever. The album features Garcia and Weir on guitars and vocals, Lesh on bass and vocals, Keith Godchaux on keyboards and vocals, Donna Jean Godchaux on vocals, and Kreutzmann on percussion. I first experienced this album on vinyl. The remastered CD is worth the upgrade from vinyl, featuring the following setlist:
   
   1. U.S. Blues
   2. China Doll
   3. Unbroken Chain
   4. Loose Lucy
   5. Scarlet Begonias
   6. Pride Of Cucamonga
   7. Money Money
   8. Ship Of Fools
   
   9. Loose Lucy (studio outtake, recorded August 7, 1973)
   10. Scarlet Begonias (recorded live at the Winterland, October 16, 1974)
   11. Money Money (recorded live in Vancouver, May 17, 1973)
   12. Wave That Flag (recorded live in Springfield on March 28, 1973)
   13. Let It Rock (recorded live in Miami on June 23, 1974)
   14. Pride Of Cucamonga (studio acoustic demo, recorded August 4, 1973)
   15. Unbroken Chain (studio acoustic demo, recorded August 11, 1973)
   
   G. Merritt



2. If your reading this, you probably don't need much more from me. Buy the album. It's even got some extra goodies in the form of live tracks of several of the songs. Heaps o' music. The Grateful Dead. Just do it, you won't be sorry.



3. The Evolution was already in progress and the Music of The Grateful Dead had come a Long, Long way from from 1967 when the Band released their first Record: "Grateful Dead" to this Highwater Mark of San Francisco Rock Exploration called: "From The Mars Hotel". First released way back in 1974, this little Gem was as close as this Fantastic Band would come to Mainstream Sucess until the Big-Bust-Through of: "In The Dark".
   
   With only Eight Songs on the Original Release, this Re-Issue has an additional Seven Numbers added on to really increase it's Value. For the Original Eight, Six of that Number are considered 'Classic' Dead Songs. For most of us the Two Diamonds from the Pen of Phil Lesh are the Stars of this Show: "Unbroken Chain" & "Pride Of Cucamonga". But Jerry weighs-in heavy as well on "Mars Hotel" with Three Stunners of his own: "U.S. Blues", Ship Of Fools" & "Scarlet Begonias" which would be Staples of the Live Shows...{Well, they STILL are included in the Live Shows}. And then there is: "China Doll", that is about the most Beatiful Ballad this band ever Performed in the 30 Years they existed.
   
   Some of the Grateful Dead's most Majestic Playing can be found on this Record, the Arrangements are Well-Thought out, and every Note played here is On The Mark. The Piano Playing of Keith Godchaux makes every Tune better because of it. Bill Kreutmann, the Drummer often sounds like Three Guys, he really gets to leave his Stamp on these Great Recordings. And Jerry? Some of his Greatest Solos found on an Studio Dead Record are here on this One! He Snakes around the Melodies and always Explores the Outter-Reaches with his Playing, but never Loses his Focus, He is Sharp and Bright in Tone & Color and just Down Right Awesome throughout.
   
   I thought the Dead would have a Hit Single or Two from this Record and Blunder some Booty on The AM Radio...But, Alas that was not to be. Still it was still a Winner on all Counts, for me it's the Best Grateful Dead Record of the 1970's, a Grand Space Exploration not to be Missed!
   
   The Bonus Material does not detract from the Glory of The Original Record. And I'm pleased to see a Version of: "Wave That Flag", The 'Early' rendition of: "U.S. Blues", included here. Also of Note is a Dead Version of: "Let It Rock", normally this Chuck Berry Gem is featured in Jerry's Band, But here is, a Stompin' Live Dead Version. The real Treat is saved until the End of this CD, with the inclusion of Phil's, Acoustic Demos of: "Unbroken Chain" & "Pride Of Cucamonga" that show the Bassman at the Peak of his Powers, This is Classic.
   
   A Five Star CD!!! It would be Equaled over and over again BUT never Bested. The Goods are right here on this Fantastic CD.



4. My personal favorite of the Dead's studio work, the bonus tracks added an interesting plus to this classic album.



5. I've always found this album to be a little weak. China Doll, Unbroken Chain, Ship Of Fools and Pride Of Cucamonga are a nice listen. Scarlet Begnias and US Blues are much better in their live performances. Loose Lucy and Money, Money are ok. However, the bonus tunes are great and there's more than enough good stuff to keep you hooked over the long haul.

5 comments about Cloud Nine.

1. Cloud Nine is a likeable album that's also slightly melancholic. The music is professionally-constructed adult pop that would sound great on a long car journey, and I have no doubt that George Harrison was thrilled with it, and that the album was exactly what he wanted. It's much poppier and less pretentious than Harrison's earlier work, and slightly less interesting because of it. There's absolutely nothing about Krishna consciousness, and he doesn't try to sing about the human condition, or the problems that face the world; the album is a collection of vague love songs, with the exception of "When We Was Fab", which is a parody of The Rutles.
   
   Way back in the 1970s Harrison was often criticised for sticking to a formula. His songs tended to have gloomy minor-key mid-tempo arrangements with slide guitar. The slide guitar is still present in Cloud Nine, but the songs are generally upbeat and often cheerful, which would have been unthinkable circa 1973. His voice has matured well and it is a shame he didn't record it more often. As any fule kno, this was George's first record for ages, and his last record until he died; he hid in a tree and sniped the 1980s. Headshot.
   
   None of the songs are bad. "That's What it Takes" sticks out, because it sounds like The Thompson Twins or Cutting Crew, but on that level it works well. Compared to something from All Things Must Past it is cheesy, but All Things Must Past was seventeen years old in 1987. Most of the people buying Cloud Nine would have no memory of it. "Got My Mind Set on You" is one of those guilty pleasures that works best in short bursts. I'll put it this way; if you were listening to the album in your car, you'd nod your head to "Got My Mind", and sing along, but you'd make sure that it was not playing when you pulled in to the driveway. You'd skip to "Fish on the Sand" or the title track, both of which are fab. In fact the title track is a grower, and has the best guitar playing of all.
   
   The production has dated, but well. It's definitely late-80s, but not cheesy late-80s, with the exception of some synth stabs on "This is Love". The drums reverberate in the Phil Collins style, and the arrangements are ultraprofessional and a bit fussy, but likeable. It's interesting to compare the album with Paul McCartney's Press to Play, which came out the year before. Conceptually, the two albums are similar; they are both big-budget late-80s pop records that were produced on huge automated digital mixing desks in top studios. Whereas Press to Play is offensively excessive, excessively offensive, tasteless, hollow, and smug, Cloud Nine is generally low-key, catchy, toe-tapping, tasteful, a bit shallow, but pleasant.
   
   It's also interesting to compare Cloud Nine with David Bowie's Never Let Me Down, which came out the same year, but I am too tired for that.
   
   In summary, Cloud Nine will never be on anybody's "ten best rock albums of all time" list, indeed it will probably never be on anybody's "ten best rock albums of 1987" list - it falls between too many stools - but I like it, and that's what counts.



2. From the first note to the last, this is an exceptional recording. The compositions, lyrics, rhythm section and soloists all shine throughout. George Harrison's voice has rarely sounded better. And he's as clean a bottleneck guitar player as anyone I've heard. The sound quality of the recording couldn't be improved upon.
   
   These performances come from the hearts of musicians famous for their ability to wear their hearts on their sleeves. Essential listening for all pop music fans.



3. When I was a baby , my mother brought home an album that would begin my love for music, the album was "All things must pass" , little did either one of us know was it would be mine at the young age of six , it was an album that never left me and I still listen to it now and even during my teen years in th eighties when it wasn't cool by my peers to listen to such a relic at that time. So lets go back to 1987 the year of the release of "Cloud Nine". I was 17 and it was to be my senior year of high school onward to 1988 , this was a Xmas present from a friend , and not only was this great , this album too stuck with me . these songs bring back so many memories this would be the soundtrack to my final year of high school , as well as a farewell to those things at that time that "MUST PASS AWAY". George truly shined on this album and it was a shame he was never again to repeat such an effort. Now I am preparing for my 20 year high school reunion, where I will truly be a "Fish out of sand", with memories of a girl I will have my mind set on, and if "just for one night" my old friends and I regroup like "We were Fab", then like the music of this album I will truly be on "CLOUD NINE".



4. After being a movie producer for a few years George finally got back to what he does best. Great Harrison release for fans or even a great 80s CD.



5. Cloud Nine is a great release from George Harrison, who, in 1987, was seeking to re-establish himself as an artist. With essentially a newfound focus to propel his solo career at the top as he did seventeen years prior with All Things Must Pass, Harrison enlisted the services of Jeff Lynne of ELO fame as the co-producer for this project. Alongside Harrison's guitar were to be the key instrumental contributions of Eric Clapton, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Gary Wright, and Jim Keltner, among others.
   
   The songs are timeless, and the instrumentations are very nicely arranged. In this collection, the tracks are representative of the various phases Harrison was artistically going through since his early Beatle days. Fish on the Sand, Cloud Nine, and the number one hit, Got My Mind Set on You, an obscure early 60s Rudy Clark song that Harrison actually wanted to record as a Beatle, comprise material reminiscent of those pre-Sergeant Pepper days. When We Was Fab and Breath Away from Heaven are interesting tracks, blending together the sitar sound that was often Harrison's trademark since late 1966 with traces of the ELO-type production that was of none other than Jeff Lynne.
   
   For those who were hoping for a bit of the All Things Must Pass sound from Cloud Nine, That's What It Takes, the second track, has a mid-tempo, bluesy sound with excellent Clapton guitar added and thus parallels the All Things Must Pass tunes I'd Have You Anytime and Beware of Darkness. Just for Today, lyrically and musically, is a poignant song that has a ring of both resolve and finality to it in the style of the All Things Must Pass title track.
   
   In retrospect, I say that, roughly twenty years after its chart success, Cloud Nine was a return to basics release with a contemporary sound that would provide a touch of retrospection, which I think brought to life the strengths of this masterpiece without having it stuck in any particular decade. In this twenty-first century, it sounds just as fresh and new as it ever did.
   
   A sad note: Cloud Nine would end up being the very last solo work that George Harrison would issue during his lifetime. But what a way to summarize the career of so talented a performer who, in 2003, would be ranked #21 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
   
   Looking at the catalogue of his works,one can definitely agree that George Harrison was a one-of-a-kind performer who was anything but a one-trick pony.
   
   Once again, thanks for the memories, George.

5 comments about Fill Your Head: The Studio Albums 1969-1974.

1. There's a lot on offer here, so let's get straight to the details (all release dates are USA)...
   
   Disc 1 (77:45 minutes):
   Tracks 1 to 6 are the debut album "Get Ready" issued August 1969 on Rare Earth RS-507
   (Tracks 7 to 15 are BONUS single versions from the various 5 studio albums)
   Track 7 is "Generation (Light Up The Sky)" which is the A side of Rare Earth 5010 issued November 1969 - also on the O.S.T. to the film "Generation"
   Track 8 is "Get Ready" the 7" single edit issued April 1970 on Rare Earth 5012
   (the single edit is 2:50 minutes long, while the full album version takes up all of Side 2 at 21:35 minutes)
   Track 9 is "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - the 7" single edit issued July 1970 on Rare Earth 5017 (the single edit is 3:42 minutes long, while the full "Ecology" album version is 10:52 minutes)
   Track 10 is "When Joanie Smiles" the non-album B-side to "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
   Track 11 is "Here Comes The Night" which is the non-album B-side of "Born To Wander" (from "Ecology") issued January 1971 on Rare Earth 5021
   Track 12 is "Hey Big Brother" is a non-album A-side issued November 1971 on Rare Earth 5038
   Track 13 is "Love Shines Down" the non-album B-side to "Good Time Sally" (on "Willie Remembers") issued October 1972 on Rare Earth 5048
   Track 14 is "Chained" which is a non-album A-side issued May 1974 on Rare Earth 5057
   Track 15 is "Fresh From The Can" is the non-album B-side of "Chained"
   
   Disc 2 (73:40 minutes)
   Tracks 1 to 7 are their 2nd album "Ecology" issued June 1970 on Rare Earth RS-514
   Tracks 8 to 15 are their 3rd studio album "One World" issued June 1971 on Rare Earth RS-520
   
   Disc 3 (77:30 minutes):
   Tracks 1 to 8 are their 4th studio album "Willie Remembers" issued October 1972 on Rare Earth R-5431
   Tracks 9 to 13 are their 5th studio album "Ma" issued May 1973 on Rare Earth R-5461
   (both "Willie Remembers" and "One World" make their CD debut on this 3CD set, while the live double "Rare Earth In Concert" issued on R 534 in 1971 isn't featured at all)
   
   Their first album "Get Ready" came in a rounded top sleeve in the USA (rather like a gravestone head or a Zippo lighter) and it is this that is imitated in the shaped packaging. The lid has the words "LIMITED EDITION" embossed in gold on the rear (3000 or so copies worldwide) and inside is a concertina effect card sleeve, which depicts all 5 albums covers front and rear when fully folded out. The 3 discs themselves sport the distinctive red Rare Earth logo on each, while the 32-page booklet even pictures the Tamla Motown special offers inner bags that came with some early 1970s albums! There's an essay by noted writer SCOTT SCHNIDER on the group - all album artwork featured again in full colour - session details, discography info - all of it very tasteful done - pretty much as you would expect from this top notch reissue label. Against it - I'd say that the packaging is a card sleeve and therefore too prone to crushing - it would have been better in a book form - like the Jimmy Cliff and Muddy Waters sets.
   
   But as ever with HIP-O SELECT the goodies come with the SOUND. Remastered from the Motown Archive tapes by SETH FOSTER at Universal Mastering Studio East - the sound is full, detailed and wonderfully clean. I would say though that the first Disc is slightly hissy in places - especially on the debut "Get Ready", but once you get into Disc 2 and 3, "Long Time Leavin'" and "If I Die", it's so much better. One reviewer has expressed extreme disappointment with the sound, but I don't hear that. I would say though that the song quality does taper off as you get to the end, but with 43-tracks in all - I can't help but think that fans of the band, Tamla lovers and soul-rock junkies everywhere - will absolutely eat up this set.
   
   A cross between Rock and Soul, RARE EARTH were difficult to categorize - a sort of rockier version of The Temptations meets the funkiness of Blood Sweat & Tears meets The Undisputed Truth's social documenting of urban America - a lethal combination if ever there was one!
   
   Unfairly dismissed at the time (especially in Europe), hopefully this 3CD box set will make people reassess.
   
   In their ongoing trawl through the Motown archives - and despite reservations about packaging, content and sound - in my mind, this is yet another superb HIP-O SELECT reissue. Dedicated fans will have to have it - casual buyers, however, should stick to the "Best Of".
   
   PS: the review title is a lyric from the funky "Hey Big Brother"



2. You've got to be kidding here - $75 for three discs and a paper book? GET REAL. This is perhaps the most overpriced and unoriginal box set of all time. Save yourself the agony of defeat and buy the albums individually.



3. FILL YOUR HEAD is a welcome box set documenting a popular yet underrated rock band of the early 70s. The packaging includes foldout artwork of the five albums represented ("Get Ready", "Ecology", "One World", "Willie Remembers" and "Ma")and a booklet featuring quotes from the band members.
   
   Unfortunately, Rare Earth was more of a singles band, and while some album cuts are good here and there, alot of the songs (especially those written by the band members) range from okay to just plain weak. The best albums here are ECOLOGY (a top-20 pop album) and the Norman Whitfield produced MA. GET READY is essentially a one-song album (and that song is 21 and a half minutes long), while WILLIE REMEMBERS finds the band contributing more of its own material with ho-hum results. Buy this box set for historical purchases and rip yourself two good cds of their five top-40 hits and the MA album.



4. As regards the price of this set: I assume Motown had something to do with that. As an example, check out the $120+/- for the 6 CD Singles boxes. Berry Gordy was never known for his generosity. Just be glad you never worked for him. He screwed many of those people.



5. For 25+ years, Rare Earth fans have been subjected to a slew of CD catalog reissues, bootlegs and compilations, all featuring a wide variance of mastering quality, and none delivering either a complete or satisfying picture of the band. Therefore, the announcement of this box set by Hip-O Select was a fortuitous portent: We, the long-suffering, would FINALLY have the five primary Motown studio albums (Get Ready, Ecology, One World, Willie Remembers & Ma, plus singles and rare tracks) in remastered matched audio. That Hip-O has developed a decent rep for reissues made the imminent release even more welcome.
   
   Unfortunately, in just about every department, this set falls depressingly short.
   
   First, and most importantly, the audio. I have always used the excellent 2001 Millennium Collection remastered compilation CD (the only one to include "Get Ready", "Ma", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" & "What'd I Say", in their original, full-length-jam LP versions) as a comparison disc. However, A/B'ing against that disc, it was immediately obvious the Hip-O versions were mastered without regard to the dynamic range of the original material. This is most apparent in the long version of "Get Ready": On the Millennium CD, all the instruments are perfectly balanced, with none being dominant, and Pete Rivera's kick drum providing a great bottom.
   
   On the Hip-O, the drums are buried, the kick is muffled, and the individual instruments have been magnified in volume. Accordingly, the previously slight, artificial echo added in the studio to simulate a live performance is also increased, but to the point of annoyance: "Get Ready" now sounds like it was engineered by the Tidy Bowl Man.
   
   Superior audio versions of Rare Earth material are not limited to the Millennium CD: "Tobacco Road", and 13 other tracks, appear in much better clarity on the 1998 The Very Best Of (unfortunately, now OOP, but available used). Incredibly, even Motown's own Ma entire CD, released in 1994, sounds better; with modern digital mastering, how do you miss not improving on a near-15-year-old target? In fact, the mastering on this set is suspiciously identical to the 2004 The Collection compilation (which I don't recommend), but that disc has no production credits for confirmation.
   
   (Although I have referred to my A/B set-up in previous Amazon reviews, I should reiterate: My comparisons are made on two Sony XA7 transports running simultaneously into a Camelot Uther DAC via matched-length Acoustic Zen coax cables and monitored thru Sennheiser 590's.)
   
   Then there's the set itself, made entirely from cardboard and paper. It probably made for a cool-sounding concept during a design meeting, but in execution, popping the shrinkwrap on this set is like scraping the pancake makeup off a 50-year-old drag queen; it isn't pretty.
   
   The exterior "box" is just a flimsy-and-I-mean-flimsy (remember cardboard CD long-boxes? Even thinner) two-piece sleeve. The removable cardboard inner section containing the discs is a single-piece, five-part, multi-fold affair, each section replicating the original front and rear LP artwork. However, the sections don't really line up straight when folded. Also, as the insert is accordion-like, it naturally wants to un-compress, so each end pressure-rubs against the inside of the box when removed/reinserted. The resultant friction on the art (the front of the "Get Ready" LP & the rear of "Ma) obviously didn't occur to the two credited designers; mine's already showing minor wear, and I've barely touched it. All of the exact same album art is unnecessarily repeated in the booklet, a blatant padding of an otherwise emaciated document, which only additionally delivers a five-page essay, one non-album archival photo, and each LP's inner sleeve art.
   
   I'm all for "eco-friendly packaging", but this set just screams "CHEAP!", and is the antithesis of its exorbitant cost: a $60 list price (Hip-O-direct, Amazon is even higher) for three discs, cardboard, a meager booklet and sub-par remastering? I'm sorry, but I own 100+ box sets, and I can't think of one which is such a low-grade production at this price point (the equally-shoddy Beatles "Capitol Years" boxes are within $10, but they both had better sound, far more robust booklets, four discs each, and, let me think... oh yeah, THE BEATLES). Also, Rare Earth did a lot of television during its heyday, so would have an added DVD with those performances been that hard to license/assemble/include at this cost?
   
   Unfortunately, this will probably be the last word for Rare Earth aficionados, and it's a limited edition to boot. If you've ever wanted the complete primary repertoire, this will probably be the only way you'll ever get it... You almost HAVE to buy the bloody thing. Or, you could compromise and opt for the afore-mentioned The Millennium Collection, The Very Best Of & Ma titles, then assemble your own anthology, like I did: Ultimately, less satisfying in total content, but you get the core, essential tracks in both original LP length, superior sound, and with far less wallet-stress. To be honest, on this entire 43-track set, I only found seven additional songs I would listen to with any regularity, but none which I would consider essential.
   
   You really have to hope other reissue houses aren't taking a page from Hip-O's book on this one, as it establishes a new low on the expectations scale. Indeed, I have a hard time reconciling this release being produced by the same outfit who birthed the amazing Complete Motown Singles series. One could observe there's a 40% street-price delta between this set and any one of the Motown volumes (I've puckered up for all ten released to date), but that percentage is certainly not representative of the dichotomy in the quality or content received when both are purchased. Quite simply, Hip-O's $59.99 list price for this Rare Earth Set just sucks. IMHO, and comparing it to all my other box sets, for what you get, anything north of a $35 list (not street) is sheer highway robbery.
   
   When this set was first announced, I moved all of my Rare Earth CD's to the "sell" shelf, then eagerly, impulsively and idiotically ordered it direct from Hip-O (and paying shipping, which would have been free thru Amazon), rather than wait the extra two weeks for it to debut here. However, as I glower at it sitting here in front of me, I inhabit the same frame of mind when handing over my credit card for an expensive meal I didn't enjoy: Extreme, disappointed annoyance. I have since restored the older CD's to my collection, and the "Millennium" disc will remain my primary source disc. This set? I'll hang on to it for a year after it's OOP, then sell it for big bucks on eBay to some poor sod who hasn't read this review, will never know the difference and will be SO HAPPY he finally found one which had only been played once... well, actually, because I sooooo couldn't believe what I was hearing that I had paid list price for (plus shipping!), I had to "audio-pinch" myself and play it twice, just to be sure. Yep, unfortunately, I was right the first time.
   
   Hip-O, you blew this one and you broke my heart. Hopefully, it's not an omen of all things Hip-O to come.

5 comments about In the Right Place.

1. As the memory banks brought the song to the forefront, aided by some current Dr.John news (he is doing some great charity work) this CD further cemented his pace in the musical grand hall.
   now looking at the rest of the library. I geuss now that it's loaded into iTunes, the Genius Bar will help.
   Cheers
   Damon



2. borrowed this record from an old hippie. i had a couple of the tunes on a best of cd but it's the "b sides" that round out this must have. highly encourage everyone to add this to your collection . allen toussaint, the meters, dr. john together......nuff said



3. This CD is funky throughout, with some slow gems in between. I got it for the title track & "Such a Night", since I am in love with "The Last Waltz" version, but the rest of the album is a joy to listen to. Great horns by the Meters & the soulful voice of The Doctor! Especially nice with the Summer coming along...



4. Funk, in its purest form, is hard to come by these days. That's because we don't have the kind of wreckless visionaries that the 70s had, like Dr. John and George Clinton. These guys were so far gone into their music that they bordered on being parodies of themselves, and somehow that translated into the kind of raw and unprecedented energy that makes their music so saturated in what one would ideally define as 'funky'. Take Dr. John: the dude is basically the white George Clinton, with his crazy head dresses and honky tonk muppet voice. Put him in front of a piano, get the Meters to lay down the tightest funk grooves you've ever heard, and add producer Alain Toussaint's canjun roots and you've got an exceptionally enjoyable album in "In The Right Place". The music is uplifting and listenable; The Meters take the house down with some thick bass riffs, brilliantly arranged horns and tight-as-hell percussions. Dr. John wails like a drunken canjun cartoon character, which is such an endearing and appropriate compliment to this musical experience that you will not know how to listen to this kind of funk without a voice as original and funky as this.
   
   While the entire album provides a consistent line-up of quality jams, the two stand-outs that have become two of Dr. John's greatest hits are "Right Place, Wrong Time" and "Such A Night". "Right Place, Wrong Time" would fill any dance floor with its danceability factor, while "Such A Night" is a kind of honky tonk interpretation of a faster-paced soul ballad, with great backing vocals and a nostalgic, Bugsy Malone-sounding keys section.
   
   This album is a must-have for any self-respecting fan of the funk. Dr. John is a true pioneer in the genre and, while most of his work is worth owning, this is nonetheless one of his best albums to prove it.



5. Discover the different sort of attitude from down South .
   The Doctor is here to help you....shake it .
   
   This sort of music is unlike any you've heard before , unless you've been exposed to Harry Connick Jr's piano as well .
   
   The music is varied and shows the Doctor's versatility as well as that of the great backing band , the Meters .
   
   Another great record for a party .
   This music is part of the heritage of America , as well as being extremely groovy !

5 comments about Yes - Symphonic Live.

1. It seemed like a natural for Yes to expand its live performance through the use of an orchestra, but it did not reach real professional fruition until later in the band's career.
   
   It was well worth the wait.
   
   In 2001, Yes teamed up with the European Festival Orchestra for two performances at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. With Tom Brislin on keyboards, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Alan White and Steve Howe delivered an awesome retrospective on the band's discography and solo projects.
   
   The 194 minutes is a stunning display of sound, with a majestic artistry that compliments the critically-acclaimed release the band was promoting for this tour, Magnification. The tour was a high point in the band's illustrious career. The performance in Amsterdam was something very special and is captured in all of its splendor.



2. Yes - Symphonic Live is a videotaped presentation of a wonderful 2001 Yes concert in it's entirety at the intimate Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. The European Festival Orchestra provides the symphonics, and their stimulating sound complements Yes' music in no less than perfect form. What a night this was for the Yes fans who were there!
   
   And what a concert DVD this is!
   
   The picture and sound quality on this is as good as I've ever seen, and everything else about this concert DVD is just as good. No, wait...Perfect! This is perfect! The members of the band all look healthy and inspired, and they're playing their music as well as they ever have. The lineup for the this show includes:
   
   Jon Anderson
   Chris Squire
   Steve Howe
   Alan White
   Tom Brislin
   
   The lightly bearded Anderson's vocal performance is excellent, and his between-song stage banter is interesting and gracious. Guitarists will enjoy watching Steve Howe expertly play a wide range of stringed instruments including a flat steel and classical guitars. Chris Squire energetically moves all over the stage while playing his mighty bass, and a fit looking Alan White works his drum kit with a friendly smile on his face for most of the night. And Tom Brislin? He's the young and very capable keyboardist who's jumps and animated arm motions add even more enthusiasm and showmanship to the production.
   
   The professional multi-colored lightshow includes fog and animation, and the effect is captivating at times. There are many different camera angles used, and sometimes it even feels as if you're right on the stage.
   
   The European Festival Orchestra musicians are young, mostly female, and very attractive. They get plenty of camera time, and it's fun to watch them lip-synch the lyrics and bob their heads in time with the music. They even worked out some choreography to go along with a few of the songs. Their sound adds plenty to the concert and everybody seems to be having a great time, especially the appreciative audience.
   
   The music is mostly from the classic Yes years, but they also perform songs from their symphonic studio album, Magnification, which was new at the time. They open the show with Close To The Edge, and it sounds just as great as it always has. It's hard to single out just one highlight from this show of many highlights. For me, it's And You And I, but Starship Trooper, The Gates Of Delirium, and Ritual are all fantastic, too. Steve Howe does a classical guitar solo that includes Mood For A Day, and that's also enjoyable. The show closes with Roundabout, and the girls in the orchestra set down their instruments and dance in a chorus line on the stage behind the band. It's a lot of fun, and the apparently surprised Yesmen love it.
   
   Yes - Symphonic Live is a remarkable Yes visual experience. The song selection includes the classics and fan favorites that you would expect, and the performance is masterful and very professional. The feeling you get from watching this is the same feeling you get when listening to Yes' music or seeing one of their concerts. Perfectly Yes.



3. Buy this and pass it on to your childen.
   
   Yes has provided the soundtrack for the past 35 years of my life. These men, who were at the top of their game in 1977, have lost nothing!
   
   The beauty of their voices, musical chops and energy levels is at as high a level as ever. The new material (MAGNIFICATION) is the best new YES in two decades.
   
   I didn't expect to get emotional, but I did. Young, world-class musicians (the EUROPEAN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA) taking the charts of the masters to a new level, for future safekeeping.
   
   The sound and visual quality are impeccable. All the voices in the orchestra can be heard clearly, expertly interwoven with the group.
   
   During the encore, the orcestra empties onto the stage behind the band and joins them in a RITUAL of sorts. The bemused expressions of Steve, Tom Brislin, Jon, Alan, and Chris are worth the price of admission. And make no mistake, the girls in the orchestra are cute!
   
   MVP goes to Alan for holding together the two groups of musicians. The Jewel of the collection is "In the Presence Of." I can go on with superlatves, but that's enough....



4. With the unsettling news that the Yes tour for Summer 2008 has been cancelled due to Jon's declining health, recorded Yes concerts will be all that we have for now, and fearfully, forever.
   
   Fortunately, this and other Yes concerts have been preserved in an extraordinary fashion. This concert captures Yes, late in their touring career and shows what geniuses they are. The music is superb, the set list is a cross section of their music from the early 70s until now and it is all enhanced by having the orchestra back them up. Chris and Steve play incredibly and provide the backdrop for Jon to display his unbelievable creativity and vocal talent.
   
   Take care of yourself and get well soon Jon and bestow upon your fans the biggest gift you can...your good health.
   
   Todd Edlin
   Atlanta, GA



5. This is not one of those orchestrated monstrosities where an orchestra gets paid to riff along with a band (i.e Symphonic Metallica). The music of Yes works well with an orchestra and the band itself is always in charge but never overshadowing the orchestra. A big plus is that the members of Yes seem to understand something about songwriting and arranging moreso than most and the result is surprising entertaining and enjoyable, especially the version of Close To The Edge here.
   The camera angles are nicely highlighting the different sections of the orchestra at key times during the performance as well as the band and the conductor. Yes share the stage surprisingly well with an orchestra. It at first sounds like the band have turned their instruments down a little more than usual in an effort not to overplay. There is a definite chemistry between band and orchestra here.
   This is probably more for diehards than casual fans but well worth it. My only complaint is minor one. I thought some of the fans on the second "making of" disc were a little unecessary and I would've preferred to see more of the band and less about their fan clubs and t-shirt sales, but I can alway skip that disc.

5 comments about Drama.

1. 
   It's YES ! Not their best but not their worst!
   Yes rules so....get it! :- }



2. Yes Drama is an excellent album I owned the cassette in the 80's loved it then & still love it now.I was very pleased to see that Amazon had this on cd your service on this order was fantastic as well thankyou



3. From the rubble left with the departure of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman came this vastly underrated, energetic album that was released in August 1980.
   
   The drama endured by the band before enlisting Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes (The Buggles, who scored an international hit with the single, Video Killed the Radio Star) was tremendous and to the point where band members would have individual limo rides to take them to and from concert appearances, with most substantial conversations relegated to stage banter.
   
   But the punch added by the new duo - especially heard on Machine Messiah, Into the Lens and Run Through the Light - powers the band artistically, with Tempus Fugit simply an incredible piece of music.
   
   The bonus tracks provide a fuller picture of the avenues the band was exploring and the potential if given a chance to blossom through additional releases. Though the album reached #2 on the U.K. charts, it stalled at #18 in the United States, with "in-the-round" North American tour dates performed mostly before half-filled arenas, or worse. It became a one-off project when Horn left the group.
   
   The album remains a quiet classic from a time period when many fans quickly dismissed the personnel change. That should not be the case today.



4. A lot of Yes fans won't even give this album a chance due to the fact that vocalist Jon Anderson is not on it. In my opinion this is a big mistake. Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman both departed the band after the "Tormato" album and tour (Wakeman for the second time). The rest of the band, drummer Alan White, guitarist Steve Howe, and bassist Chris Squire decided to continue and added vocalist Trevor Horn and keys player Geoff Downs to the lineup. Horn and Downs had been formerly known The Buggles, a new wave group that had a big hit with the song "Video Killed The Radio Star". When I first heard that these two guys had been picked to join Yes my first thought was "you've got to be kidding me", but amazingly this lineup put out some really killer music. "Drama" is unlike any Yes album before or since, but it stands on it's own as a great mix of progressive rock, AOR, and 80's style new wave. Chris Squire and Alan White really step up to the plate on this one like they had something to prove. Squire is all over the album playing his bass like a man possessed, sharing in many of the lead vocals, and involved in much of the songwriting. Alan White is all over the drum kit playing with a much heavier rock style than on previous discs. Even Steve How adapts his guitar style to fit this new sounding approach, and it works like a charm. Horn does not sound like Jon Anderson on vocals, but he has a similar high pitched voice that really harmonizes with Chris Squire's similar vox in a nice way. Geoff Downs is a great keyboard player (along with Steve Howe he would go on to form Asia after this album) and adds just enough of a new wave feel to Yes more prog oriented sound. Of the songs "Machine Messiah" and "Tempus Fugit" rank right up with the band's all time best. The other tracks are all solid as well. If you are a Yes fan and have never given "Drama" a chance you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. I think I like it even more today than when it came out 28 years ago (wow has it really been that long?)



5. I can't describe how rocking... how great the musicianmanship is... how infinitely PROGRESSIVE (for pete's sake) this album is!!
   
   Every Yes fan should own this. The playing is amazing, the songs have strong melodies.
   
   I'm at a loss for words. Amazing.