YES

	Yes
	Produced by Paul Clay & Yes
	Released on July 25, 1969
	US RE-CHART POSITION #36 (1982)
	Find it at GEMM
SD 8243 cover [high resolution photo]

O n their eponymous debut, the band’s brand of muscular psychedelia is already distinctive. Anderson’s precious voice, the sinewy rhythms of Squire and Bruford, Banks’ dexterous guitar and Kaye’s austere keyboards offer clear indicators of a style that would evolve into their subsequent masterworks. However, there are some growing pains in evidence: the harmonies are occasionally strained and some of the softer tracks (“Sweetness,” “Yesterday and Today”) sound dated. Despite arriving at a unique style that mixes airiness with explosive playing, Yes didn’t create this music in a vacuum. Bits of Pink Floyd (particularly in their cover of The Beatles’ “Every Little Thing”) and other sci-fi rockers pop up in their music, tempered by the psychedelic harmonies of CS&N and The Byrds (whose “I See You” gets a terrific treatment here). While their first album didn’t chart or generate a hit, some of the songs are well worth hearing: “Beyond and Before” and “Looking Around” are dynamic and inventive, “Harold Land” is a fine piece of musical storytelling (an early example of Anderson’s lyrics before he abandoned form), and “Survival” offers a taste of the impressive arrangements to come. Viewed from the vantage point of their later music, Yes is still rough around the edges, but the band’s enthusiasm and artistic aspirations already set them apart as something special.


SD 8243 back cover	SD 8243 lyric insert

TRACK LISTING

BEYOND AND BEFORE (Chris Squire/Clive Bailey) 4:50
I SEE YOU (Roger McGuinn/David Crosby) 6:33
YESTERDAY AND TODAY (John Anderson) 2:37
LOOKING AROUND (John Anderson/Chris Squire) 3:49
HAROLD LAND (John Anderson/Chris Squire/Bill Bruford) 5:26
EVERY LITTLE THING (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) 5:24
SWEETNESS (John Anderson/Chris Squire/Clive Bailey) 4:19
SURVIVAL (John Anderson) 6:01

CD reissue bonus tracks
EVERYDAYS
DEAR FATHER (EARLY VERSION #2)
SOMETHING'S COMING
EVERYDAYS (EARLY VERSION #1)
DEAR FATHER (EARLY VERSION #1)
SOMETHING'S COMING (EARLY VERSION)

CREDITS

JOHN ANDERSON -- leader singer & incidental percussion
PETER BANKS -- guitar, vocals
BILL BRUFORD -- drums, vibes
TONY KAYE -- organ, piano
CHRIS SQUIRE -- bass, vocals
David Gahr -- cover photo
Haig Adishian -- cover design

return to YES discography

REGION	RELEASE DATE	LABEL	MEDIA	ID NUMBER	FEATURES
UK	July 25, 1969	Atlantic	LP
US	October 15, 1969	Atlantic	LP	SD 8243	lyric insert
UK	1972	Atlantic	LP	K40034	gatefold, lyric insert
GER	1975	Atlantic	LP	ATL 40034	gatefold, lyric insert
BRA	1976	Atlantic	LP	6107021
US	1982	Atlantic	LP	SD 8243	lyric insert (on coated paper)
US		Atlantic	CD/CS	8243
US	Sep/Oct 1994	Atlantic	CD	82680	digital remaster
US	January 14, 2003	Rhino	CDX	73786	digital remaster w. bonus tracks
JPN		WEA	CDX	WPCR-11442	digital remaster w. bonus tracks

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