Search - Yes :: Something's Coming

Cosmic Underpants Barely Visible

Gavin Wilson | 12/11/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is very, very early Yes. Warning: the recording quality on many of these tracks is abysmally low. I've heard Caruso 78s with greater clarity. It's astonishing that the tapes came from the BBC.If you don't know Yes, avoid this CD. In my view, their top five albums are, in no particular order: Close to the Edge, Topographic Oceans, Fragile, Yes Album, Relayer. If you want to hear early, formative Yes, buy 'Yesterdays'. Only get this album when you want to hear pre-pre-formative Yes. Yes of this era (69-70) had a sound of their own, even if they were doing many covers, but it's hard to say what it was. All the ingredients of, say 'Fragile', apart from Wakeman's synth and Dean's illustrations, are there, but they are just not delivered with the confidence and gusto of Yes's later recordings.Yes at this stage were clearly a band in need of a brand -- trying to find their feet -- not folk, not jazz, not pop. Doing Oxbridge May Balls gives you an unbalanced view of what the listening public wants. Although many rate the Yes Album as their finest, I feel it doesn't all come together until one LP later, when Yes have the logo, Wakeman and the Roger Dean picture.Tony Kaye's organ makes a big difference to the sound here, although until Howe or Anderson invade, you could easily be persuaded you're listening to Van Der Graaf or Atomic Rooster. Bruford's jazz-tinged drumming is also fine; it's hard to believe he stuck it out so long before leaving Yes. Steve Howe was the other virtuoso musician in Yes, but his guitar defined the Yes sound -- he couldn't leave without destroying the spirit of the band. But although Bruford is, in my view, the best jazz-rock drummer, he was not essential to Yes.The sleevenotes are informative, if a little (Pete Bank's) self-important.Incidentally, both the DJs whose voices appear on the 1969 recordings -- John Peel and Johnny Walker -- still have their own radio shows with the BBC (as at Dec 2000)."

Must have for fans of early Yes, the Nice, or Softs

Gavin Wilson | 05/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For fans of only the highly produced Yes albums (from any of their later lineups) this c.d. is liable to disappoint; but for fans who love the experimental rawness of the earliest incarnation of the band, this batch of BBC recordings is indispensable. A must have if you enjoy early progressive rock."

Bad sound quality, pretty good music

Bjorn Clasen | 08/15/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Most of this music is pretty good, however, even the highest-fidelity tracks on this album are not much above bootleg quality. It is often a jumble of instruments and voices, but usually good enough to still enjoy. If you're going to get this, get Yes and Time and a Word so you have a reference as to how these songs sound. The listen to Something's Coming and use your imagination to enhance the album and see how his early lineup would have sounded if you were actually at a concert."