Yes studio albums countdown thread! (# 01 featured!)

[KevShmev]

Total scores are below. Thanks again to everyone who participated and contributed to this countdown, as well as thanks to anyone who participated in all the previous countdowns I ran.  They were all mostly a lot of fun.

22 Heaven & Earth       0
21 The Quest         3
20 Mirror to the Sky      7
19 Open Your Eyes         12
18 Yes               24
17 Magnification         27
16 Union            45
15 Time and a Word      47
14 Fly from Here         49
13 The Ladder         53
12 Tormato            77
11 Big Generator         78
10 Keystudio         87
09 Talk            94
08 90125            134
07 Tales from Topographic Oceans   157
06 Drama            170
05 The Yes Album         176
04 Relayer            183
03 Going for the One      187
02 Fragile            206
01 Close to the Edge      224

[lonestar]

Wait, Heaven and Earth wasn't on top, wtf man?



Fun to follow, any of my top five are #1 worthy for me, Tales just was always such an epic work for me.

My final list...

15- Talk
14- Big Generator
13- Time and a Word
12- The Ladder
11- Tormato
10- Yes
9- Union
8- Drama
7- 90125
6- Going for the One
5- Relayer
4- Fragile
3- Close to the Edge
2- The Yes Album
1- Tales from Topographic Oceans

[Mladen]

Obviously, Close to the edge is my number one. I could count the perfect albums on my fingers. This is one of those.

Regarding the entire list, I'm suprised Drama was that close behind The Yes album. Also, not that I love Magnification, but I still feel like it deserved better.

Once again, Kev, fantastic job and a lot of fun. 

[devieira73]

Fragile (my #9) and CTTE (my #10) are both amazing albums, especially CTTE (yes, I kind should have swaped their order!). They could rank higher, I just like better more modern Yes. The title track is one of my fave Yes big epics along with The Gates of Delirium and Mind Drive. That organ on Part III - I Get Up, I Get Down is one of the best things already made in the prog world! It's a shame Bill Bruford didn't last more in the band. Although Alan White was a great drummer, he didn't have the same finesse that Bill had.
Thank YOU, Kev, again! Indeed lot of fun as always!

[romdrums]

I think CTTE being number 1 was something of a foregone conclusion, and for good reason.  The band caught lightning in a bottle.  Bruford left after it was completed because he didn't think the band could do any better.  Fifty years later, it would seem he was right!  For me, it's the best album in all of progressive rock.

Thanks again to KevShmev for running these rankings!

My final list:

15. Yes
14. Open Your Eyes
13. Time and A Word
12. Union
11. Tales From Topographic Oceans
10. Keystudio
9. Talk
8. 90125
7. Drama
6. The Yes Album
5. Big Generator
4. Going For the One
3. Fragile
2. Relayer
1. Close to the Edge

[Orbert]

It's a great album.  I think I had it second on my list, after Going for the One.  They're really close, though, and on any given day, depending on my mood, I could play any of the top five, or top ten, and be fine.

[The Letter M]

And number 1 of course...

01 Close to the Edge

Highest Finish: 1 (DTwwbwMP, pg1067, Mladen, romdrums, Trav86, Mosh, KevShmev)
Appeared on 17 of 17 lists

22   Heaven & Earth
21   The Quest
20   Open Your Eyes
19   Union
18   Big Generator
17   Time And A Word
16   Yes
15   Mirror To The Sky
14   Magnification
13   Tormato
12   Fly From Here
11   Talk
10   90125
09   The Ladder
08   Keystudio
07   Drama
06   The Yes Album
05   Going For The One
04   Tales From Topographic Oceans
03   Close To The Edge
02   Relayer
01   Fragile

(I'll calculate my MOOTI later)

I figured this would be number one. It's at the top of many fans' lists, critics' lists, reviewers' and magazines' lists. It's just widely praised and accepted as one of the greatest prog rock albums of all time!

For me it landed third because it took me a LONG time to really get the title track, and I've always found SK to be "fairly good", especially the studio version. Live it's definitely elevated (like most of their songs).

Thanks again for running this Kev! Now I wonder if my Yes Albums Survivor will see CTTE end up at top as well!

-Marc.

[HOF]

Close to the Edge is awesome. Not a bad moment on it anywhere. I wouldn’t call it my favorite prog album so it’s hard for me to say it’s the greatest prog album, but I can see why some would. If I wanted to pick nits I’d say that I don’t get as much out of And You And I as the other two tracks, but there’s nothing wrong with that track. The title track and Siberian Khatru are each just tremendous though.

[Zydar]

My favourite Yes album as well. For many years it was Fragile but the title track suddenly "clicked" for me one day and it took the #1 spot.

[jammindude]

I never doubted that CTTE would be #1. But this was really really fun. It was really interesting to see how the rest shaked out.  Kinda wish Talk was a bit higher.

Here’s mine:

15. Union
14. Open Your Eyes
13. The Ladder
12. Tormato
11. Fly from Here
10. 90125
9. Drama
8. Keystudio
7. Relayer
6. Tales from Topographic Oceans
5. Fragile
4. Talk
3. Close to the Edge
2. The Yes Album
1. Going For the One

[Jamesman42]

I've only heard parts of Union back in 2006, and I remember liking it. Seeing it not crack the top 15 means I got some exploring to do!

[lonestar]

Just curious, how many of you would've placed the ABHW album on this list if allowed. It surely would've scored above a few I had listed, really dug a lot of what was on that. And just a ridiculously amazing live show.

[Orbert]

I would have.  With four of the five "classic" members, it's as legitimate a Yes album as most of the later stuff with "Yes" on the cover, if not moreso.  It just couldn't be called Yes at the time it was released.

[lonestar]

I would have.  With four of the five "classic" members, it's as legitimate a Yes album as most of the later stuff with "Yes" on the cover, if not moreso.  It just couldn't be called Yes at the time it was released.

Totally agree, and going from Squire to Levin is hardly a loss in quality

[pg1067]

And number 1 of course...

01 Close to the Edge

I mean...what else could it be.  It's a perfect Yes album and a perfect album.  Production is stellar, and playing is off the charts amazing.  The title track is in competition for the best prog rock song ever written.  AYAI is just beautiful.  It got played at my wedding reception.  And they round it out with the "short" song of the album, Siberian Khatru.  Not a wrong note or word on the entire album.


1. Close to the Edge (1)
2. Tales from Topographic Oceans (7)
3. Fragile (2)
4. Going for the One (3)
5. The Yes Album (5)
6. Relayer (4)
7. 90125 (8)
8. Drama (6)
9. Tormato (12)
10. Keystudio (10)
11. Union (NR)
12. Time and a Word (15)
13. Big Generator (11)
14. Yes (NR)
15. Talk (9)

DNR:  Fly from Here, The Ladder

I got 1, 5 and 10 right on the mark.  No POOTI for this one since I didn't rank all of the albums.

Thanks for running this, Kev!

Just curious, how many of you would've placed the ABHW album on this list if allowed.

I'd probably have had it somewhere between 11-13, which would have bounced Talk off my list.

[The Letter M]

And number 1 of course...

01 Close to the Edge

Highest Finish: 1 (DTwwbwMP, pg1067, Mladen, romdrums, Trav86, Mosh, KevShmev)
Appeared on 17 of 17 lists

(I'll calculate my MOOTI later)

            +/- Difference
22   Heaven & Earth         0
21   The Quest            0
20   Open Your Eyes         1
19   Union                    3
18   Big Generator         7
17   Time And A Word         2
16   Yes                    2
15   Mirror To The Sky      5
14   Magnification         3
13   Tormato            1
12   Fly From Here         2
11   Talk                    2
10   90125            2
09   The Ladder            4
08   Keystudio            2
07   Drama            1
06   The Yes Album         1
05   Going For The One      2
04   Tales From Topographic Oceans   3
03   Close To The Edge      2
02   Relayer            2
01   Fragile            1

MOOTI = 2.181818

Lots of 2's in my differential here, which makes my MOOTI close to 2. My biggest misses were BG, MTTS, and The Ladder. Of course, the Top 8 were fairly spot on with just TFTO being a difference of 3.

-Marc.

[Stadler]

22   Heaven And Earth
21   The Quest
20   Open Your Eyes
19   Mirror To The Sky
18   The Ladder
17   Magnification
16   Yes
----------------------------------
15   Onion
14   Relayer
13   Keysstudio
12   Time and a Word
11   90210
10   Fly From Here
9   Big Penetrator
8   Talk
7   Tormato
6   Tales From Topographic Oceans
5   The Yes Album
4   Close To The Edge
3   Drama
2   Fragile
1   Going For The One

I had it at #4, and while it was never going be no. 1, it could have been number 2.   I go through phases with this record; the title track is seminal, and one of the first album-side length songs I REALLY appreciated.  And You And I is a top five Yes song (and one of the few that the Yes West version did as well as the "classic" version).   Siberian Khatru is a better song live, but it's also integral to the album; I can't imagine that record without Khatru.

[Stadler]

Just curious, how many of you would've placed the ABHW album on this list if allowed. It surely would've scored above a few I had listed, really dug a lot of what was on that. And just a ridiculously amazing live show.

Probably not.  I didn't like the electronic drums from Bruford, and not all the songs were strong.  I loved the tour, though. Great show (and first time seeing Wakeman live).

Have to gently push back on the Levin - Squire comparison though.   Levin is a BEAST, no doubt, but he's very different than Squire and I didn't think that was a great fit.  Plus, I think Squire is an amazing vocalist, and that entire layer was missing (think of "I Would Have Waited Forever", by FAR the best of the ABWH-ish material). 

[romdrums]

Just curious, how many of you would've placed the ABHW album on this list if allowed. It surely would've scored above a few I had listed, really dug a lot of what was on that. And just a ridiculously amazing live show.

It would have probably fit somewhere in the 10-15 range, most likely knocking Open Your Eyes off of my list. I never had a problem with Bruford's Simmons drums, but I also love those sounds.

[Orbert]

Have to gently push back on the Levin - Squire comparison though.   Levin is a BEAST, no doubt, but he's very different than Squire and I didn't think that was a great fit.  Plus, I think Squire is an amazing vocalist, and that entire layer was missing (think of "I Would Have Waited Forever", by FAR the best of the ABWH-ish material). 

Levin and Squire have/had very different styles, but I don't think they really took advantage of Levin on bass.  They should have had the confidence in both him and the project overall to let him thump away, fill the bottom in his own way.  Levin is also an excellent vocalist and does high harmonies with King Crimson, so that's something else they didn't really take advantage of.  I don't know if they outright asked him to be a Squire surrogate -- that would have been disrespectful to both Levin and Squire -- but I think Levin could have if they'd asked.  Sure, the absence of Chris' sound was probably the one thing that kept ABWH from truly sounding like Yes, but again, I'm not sure if that was what they were going for.

I didn't catch ABWH live, and the only official live recording we have of them has Jeff Berlin filling in literally at the last minute, but Berlin too is a beast and ironically the sound might been even closer to Yes if he'd had more time to rehearse and they let him loose.  I don't know about his vocals, though.

[lonestar]

I feel fortunate that I was able to catch pretty much every iteration of the band, from 90125 on.. including the ABHW shows, the Union shows in the round with every member, and the unforgettable Masterworks shows. They were so top form back in the days, such an amazing live band.

I saw them a few years ago when they did the three big albums in their entirety, and it just wasn't the same. Occasionally How would bust out some magic, but it seemed so mechanical.

[Glasser]

Fragile and Close To The Edge are interchangeable to me. Both define Yes in my opinion.

[DragonAttack]

15 Time and a Word (#10)
14 Fly from Here (NR)
13 The Ladder (#12)
12 Tormato (NR)
11 Big Generator (#8)
10 Keystudio (#9)
09 Talk (#13)
08 90125 (#3) 
07 Tales from Topographic Oceans (NR)
06 Drama (#6)
05 The Yes Album (#1)
04 Relayer (#7)
03 Going for the One (#3)
02 Fragile (#2)
01 Close To The Edge (#5)

Side One is something else, eh? Good lawd, the subtleties and emotional highs throughout.   'And You And I' is good with some great moments.  'Siberian Khatru'....cannot stand the final three minutes.  OMG, those horrible shrieking vocals.   Thus, my lower than it should be rating.

DA-BOOTI 3.1

Again, thanks Kev  (though I wish the initial ranked LPs would have had two a days rather than those that were in the top six)

[devieira73]

Rabin's new song:
https://youtu.be/KNETGXVeTXw

[The Letter M]

Rabin's new song:
https://youtu.be/KNETGXVeTXw

There's a Trevor Rabin thread if you're interested.

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=55262.0

-Marc.

[HOF]

I have listened to the first side of Tales, but I really need to take the plunge and buy a copy to really be committed to listening to all of it closely. It took that for me to get into Revolver, which I now love.

So I grabbed a copy of Tales from Topographic Oceans off Discogs this week and have spun it several times. The first disc is much more immediate, and probably the one I'd be more likely to return to again. The second one (especially the last one) gets more into King Crimson territory, which is cool in it's own right, but really gets dense in places. It's a pretty interesting experience overall though. Can see it growing on me.

[devieira73]

Rabin's new song:
https://youtu.be/KNETGXVeTXw

There's a Trevor Rabin thread if you're interested.

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=55262.0

-Marc.

I didn't know, thanks!