15/12/2024
SPIN OF THE DAY - Thanks to a co-worker mentioning them the other day, I’ve been in a bit of a Yes mood of late. One of, if not quite possibly my favorite albums by the group is their tenth studio outing, DRAMA, released in 1980. The long running English band, and pioneers of the Prog Rock scene got their start in 1968, and have seen numerous lineup changes throughout their history. The lead up to this record saw one of the most interesting, as during the rehearsal process, both lead singer Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakemen decided to leave the group. This put bassist/vocalist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White in the precarious position to try and find suitable replacements for them. They came in the unlikely duo of singer/bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes - otherwise known as the New Wave group The Buggles, who had recently found fame via the hit single “Video Killed The Radio Star” the year prior. The pair happened to share the same management as Yes, and were longtime fans. So even though it might have seemed an odd fit, they actually fit in rather nicely.
The resulting album this lineup of Yes made, DRAMA, is imho a near perfect album, with the exception of one lackluster track, which is also it’s shortest, in the song “White Car”. Otherwise the record is a killer, with the epic opener, “Machine Messiah” immediately taking command with one of the heaviest grooves the band ever committed to tape. Side Two of the album IS absolutely flawless, with it’s three track suite of “Into The Lens” (the album’s first single), “Run Through The Light” and “Tempus Fugit” bringing one on a wonderful sonic journey. DRAMA is also a fantastic sounding album. While production is credited to the band with their longtime producer Eddy Offord, the latter actually did very little other than helping to capture its backing tracks. I’ll instead credit the engineering team of Hugh Padgham, Gary Lanegan, Julian Mendelsohn, Ashley Howe and Pete Schwier - most of whom would go on to become noted producers in their own right - with making this album sound so damn good. Every aspect of the mix shines. White’s drum sound is cavernous, making for a thundering rhythm section with Squire’s often lead like bass work. Howe’s guitars rarely sounded so fine, and some of my favorite playing from him appears here. The vocals are also shimmering, with a fine mix between Horn and Squire more than compensating for the absence of Jon Anderson, to the point that you’d often not realize he wasn’t even on the album. Downes also proves himself the equal of the group’s past keyboardists - Tony Kaye, Rick Wakeman and Patrick Moraz. (He’s been in and out of the band since, and is also their current keyboardist.) Sadly, it would be (almost) the only offering from this configuration of Yes, as the band broke up briefly following the completion of the touring behind it. A whole new lineup would reconstitute a new version of the group a few years later, which also saw them hit their highest commercial peak, and with Trevor Horn producing them. It would take another 30 years to see a follow-up from the same lineup, with the album FLY FROM HERE in 2011.
2016 repress on Rhino Records, cut from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.
