20/06/2024
Hello Dan the Yes Fan here
Here is my 2006 lost album review.
So, a few things About me and fan made albums in general. Since the mid 2000’s I have enjoyed playing what if’s with Yes History and in turn using Demos and sometimes playlists to create “albums” of Yes music. In the past using the townhouse sessions, the XYZ sessions, Adventures in modern recording and Run with the fox single I managed to create Go through this an alternate look at what we could have gotten in 1981 had the Drama lineup stuck around for one more album. I have done the same for the Sherwood led lineup of 1990 and I am close to doing the same if Hodgson was the lead singer.
However, the time period I usually get interested in around this time of year is the Hiatus period. The period in question is January 2005- March 2008 (when we finally got the announcement of the Close to the edge and back tour). Now I have (with Billy Sherwood’s permission) put the first circa album as Yes on my Iphone.. and honestly it doesn’t take much imagining to hear how Chris and Steve would of sounded on that album. But there was a road not taken that always bothered me. The More Drama Tour which would have happened August 2005- honestly continued into the next year. I believe it eventually would have become yes with the lineup being
Kevin Currie: Lead Vocals
Chris Squire: Bass and Vocals
Geoff Downes Keyboards
Steve Howe: Guitar and Vocals
Alan White Drums
However, the more drama tour was canceled due to some reason. (poor ticket sales or visa issues depending on who you ask) and the Hiatus happened and yes did eventually reform with Benoit David on lead vocals.
So, the rules for creating an album that the above lineup were simple using what was released/written around that time could I come up with an Album that flows together as if it was one album. The results were surprisingly good. To the point where the below songs will likely get relabeled yes. I did break my own rule slightly and include Halfway which the lyrics were written in 2009 but it works, and you will soon see why. Hopefully you will enjoy this trip down the rabbit hole as it were. Anyways here is the review
1. Breaking Down Walls (originally from Syndestructable) I wanted to start the album off with Chris Squire's voice and taking this cue from Syndestructable works well when going into
2. New Day (originally off White) I was shocked at how well the 2 songs segued together hearing breaking down walls fade out into Alan White’s drum track is cool. Chris as a rule always enjoyed letting the new member write the album. I choose only the white songs by Currie White and Stockwell because if anything from the 2006 album by White would be used it would likely be songs primarily written by Currie/White. In this alternate timeline I can imagine this song doing well as the lead off single in 2005.
3. Halfway (off Homebrew 7) I felt I had to include this song as it’s basically about the Hiatus period and about the member who left yes under shall we say controversial terms. Honestly the song was too perfect not to include and works surprisingly well with track 4
4. Loyal (off of white) back on the White side of things but when paired with Half way a song about getting over addiction kind of turns into a similar rant about that same member who left especially lines like “I will be loyal till the end where is my friend” so far on this album the songs are segueing together so nicely I forget that the tracks are from separate albums.
5. Reach outro (from syndestructable) We come back to Squire for track 5 the final song from syndestructable (as only 2 songs exist without Nardelli singing).. the keyboards are nice here and again coming on the heals of the last 2 songs it almost takes on a concept album vibe about Squire Howe and White dealing with a certain member who left yes in 2004. Howe being angry, White being upset, and Squire wishing he would just reach out. Again, if I wasn’t familiar with the back stories of where I got these songs…
6. Dreamaway (from White) Another from the 2006 album that upsets me that it wasn’t on a Yes album as many just haven’t listened to it. I don’t know if its Alan’s playing and arranging or Geoff’s keyboard work but my god this sounds like a lost yes song. It is here where I wonder if I have the track listing wrong as this could easily be a great closer on the fan made album and in 3 months, I likely will move it to the end.
7. From another Day (from Homebrew): I will be honest tracks 7-12 feel hodge podgey for lack of a better term. It annoys me because up until here the album flows together amazingly well its when we get to this song that the album goes back to feeling well fan made. Although this going into Second initial has a weird Long distance run around/the fish vibe
8. Second initial(from not necessarily acoustic) of course, I put in a Howe solo guitar piece Second initial is as good as any piece and it feels like the second half of From another Day. Again, if you ask me in 6 months from now, I might have tracks 7-9 changed for something else but as it stands it works in a Long Distance runaround/the fish way
9. A lady She Is (from homebrew) another Demo from Homebrew ends the Howe Additions to the album it’s a lovely piece that feels like the kind of love song Yes would complete in the mid 2000’s
10. Lonesome Trail( from conspiracy): one of two Conspiracy tracks I am borrowing for this album largely because the album seemed a little well short and a little lacking Squire’s voice and since sadly the squire estate has never released demos he may have stored away from this period I make do with what I can find. Muscially it’s not to dissimilar to the White songs and it has a fun rock and roll feel that had this album existed I could see being a sleeper hit with fans.
11. Fate (from white): the Finale White track a rocker that like other songs is credited to Currie white and Stockwell. Chris always enjoyed letting new song writers work within yes and I can almost picture Chris enjoying letting Alan White and Kevin Currie shine on this yes album had it happened. It’s a strong song and like the other 3 songs by White I find myself wishing it was Yes.
12. Red light Ahead (from conspiracy): ending on this song from conspiracy is a bit like adding Abilene in tormato as the closer after On the silent wings of freedom.. did I put a tormato reference so Kevin will talk about this in the next episode of YMP .. possibly. however, ending on this quiet underrated conspiracy song
Overall while the fan made album is fun sadly as we all know the more drama tour stalled and yes didn’t reform until 2008… If we did get this album we likely would of lost the wonderful Circa album… In a perfect world we would get both as that full album is labeled as Yes on my itunes. So my fellow yesfans what do you all think?
