YES - Essentially Yes (2006) 5 CD Special Edition Box Set [Re-Up]

YES are the most successful and longest lived of all the progressive rock bands that appeared in the late sixties / early seventies, still releasing albums and playing to packed houses nearly forty years from their formation. This 5CD box set includes their three most recent studio albums: "Open Your Eyes", "The Ladder" and "Magnification" plus their 1994 album "Talk". The fifth CD sees the first ever release of highlights from their live concert at Montreux in 2003.

Many of Yes' post-1987 studio albums seemed to have slipped through the cracks, as seemingly only hardcore fans are familiar with such releases as 1994's Talk, 1997's Open Your Eyes, 1999's The Ladder, and 2001's Magnification. But now you have another chance to discover these latter-day Yes efforts in one fell swoop, as 2006 saw the release of the five-disc Essentially Yes. Included are all four aforementioned albums, as well as a fifth disc that collects highlights from 2007's Live at Montreux 2003. For decades by this point, Yesstudio albums had become increasingly clean-sounding affairs with near-perfect playing, and the four studio albums here all follow this same blueprint – as evidenced by such tracks as "Homeworld (The Ladder)," "The Calling," and "Wonderlove." And the live disc is the same as well (the grit of 1973's Yessongs is replaced with perfectly executed renditions of the classics). If you don't already own these titles, it probably makes sense to acquire them via Essentially Yes.

Review by Greg Prato, Allmusic.com

The tenth lineup of Yes features Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye, Chris Squire, andAlan White. Talk makes some effort to get away from the group's indulgent art rock pretensions, at least to the extent of using a spare, spacious production full of closely miked drums and sharp guitars. (No wonder, since guitarist Trevor Rabin produced the record.) Rabin and Anderson are the main composers, and they fail to come up with really distinctive songs, which may help explain why this album had a lower chart peak than any new Yes album since 1972 and a shorter chart run than any Yes album except the compilation album Classic Yes. In other words, a disaster. [Both the limited-edition edition and the Japanese import feature a bonus version of the lead-off track, "The Calling."]

Review by William Ruhlmann, Allmusic.com

Many Yes fans really dislike this album. However, it is a disc, as much of the classics in the group's catalog are, that is not fully appreciated on the first few listenings. You really need to give this one the time to sink in. The faithful in Yes' fandom had very high hopes for this release, as it was the first full studio album after Steve Howe re-joined the group. Many were anticipating another Close to the Edge. The disc certainly does not live up to that standard. It actually works better serving as a bridge between the classic Yes sound of the '70s and the more pop-oriented Trevor Rabin-era material. It also seems at times to carry on in the direction begun with such albums as Tormato and Drama. There are some fine songs in the set, but there are also a few pieces that are worthy of the contempt of the diehards. There are at least a couple of standout tracks here that would, having been released on a different album, probably have become Yes classics and fan favorites. The title track is one of those that seems to merge the '70s and '80s Yes styles, but it also has leanings in the direction of Chris Squire's solo release, Fish out of Water. That Squirestyling is really natural since the song was originally intended for a new solo album from the bassist. Among the other tracks that are highlights here are "Universal Garden" (a very intriguing number that seems to combine the classic Yes sound with some tendencies toward Jon Anderson's solo work), "Fortune Seller," and "Wonderlove" (one that feels a lot like an extension of the band's work just prior to their 1980 split). On the other end of the spectrum come "No Way We Can Lose" (essentially a new attempt at the reggae-ish Rabin-era cut "Saving My Heart") and "Man on the Moon" (a trite pop ditty with very weak lyrics). The rest of the album fits more toward the middle ground in terms of quality. There are two versions of the disc out there: the first standard release and a surround-sound edition (the first album ever released in that format). If you have a surround-sound system, or intend to get one, you should try to pay the extra money for that version. The sound of the CD really envelops you, and it becomes an expansive experience when played in that format. The only thing missing from that version is the hidden track at the end of the original release. Since that track was really not much more than an extended piece of atmosphere, it is not really a loss.

Review by Gary Hill, Allmusic.com

You'd probably need a mainframe computer to keep track of all the personnel changes in Yesover the years, and the quality of the prog rock giant's music has fluctuated nearly as much as the lineups. The Ladder is a synthesis of the best traits of the experimental Fragile era and the pop-oriented 90125 era. Producer Bruce Fairbairn completed The Ladder shortly before his death in 1999, and unlike some of his work with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Kiss, and others, he didn't overproduce it. Vocalist Jon Anderson, lead guitarist Steve Howe, and bass guitarist Chris Squire all have fine moments, and drummer Alan White is consistent. The roles of keyboardist Igor Khoroshev and, in particular, guitarist Billy Sherwood are less clear. It occasionally seems the purpose of Khoroshev's keyboards is providing a variety of sonic textures instead of functioning as a lead instrument. Sherwood's second guitar tends to flesh out the sound. "Homeworld (The Ladder)" is a tight band performance, but the supple vocals/acoustic guitar/piano coda is the best part. Howe's bouncy acoustic guitar drives "Lightning Strikes," yet the biggest surprise is the addition of a horn section. The energetic "Face to Face" is the strongest track, and Squire lets loose with a sputtering bassline. "If Only You Knew" is a sweet, straightforward love song Anderson wrote for his wife. "The Messenger" has a smooth, funky feel – a remarkable feat considering prog rock is usually considered the "whitest" rock genre. "New Language" is the best long song on The Ladder, thanks to a clever arrangement giving all six members an opportunity to demonstrate their talents.

Review by Bret Adams, Allmusic.com

Many call Yes' brand of progressive rock "symphonic rock." The term means that the group produces arrangements in the vein of a symphony using typical rock instrumentation. WithMagnification, Yes has taken that a step further, adding a symphony orchestra. The orchestra is not simply thrown over the top, though; the songs were written for this particular grouping. Yes has flirted with this type of thing before. Released in 1970, the Time and a Word album featured a string section, but the complete integration is what makes Magnification a superior work. The material on the CD is pretty standard modern Yesfare, but the addition of that symphony really does create a whole new texture. It also seems as if it inspired the band, and some members put in performances that are head and shoulders above their recent work. The album does have its weak moments and gets just a little over the top at times, but there are a lot more moments that shine than dull ones.

Review by Gary Hill, Allmusic.com

In many Yes fans' eyes, the group will never issue a live album better than their 1973 classic, Yessongs. But the group has issued quite a few subsequent live sets, and as evidenced by 2007's Live at Montreux 2003, Yes remain one of prog rock's top live bands.Live at Montreux features arguably their definitive lineup (Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, and Alan White) and a few newer tracks are included, but Yes are no fools – they know that longtime fans expect to hear the classics. Nearly all of Yes' classics from the early '70s are here in solid/spirited renditions, including "Long Distance Runaround," "I've Seen All Good People," and "Roundabout." And it's always a gas to hear such album cuts/fan favorites as "Siberian Khatru," "Heart of the Sunrise," "And You and I," and "South Side of the Sky," while even "Don't Kill the Whale" gets a rare airing. Sure, listeners could have done without an unaccompanied keyboard solo. But this is Yes, after all.

Review by Greg Prato, Allmusic.com