Yes: Time And A Word - 1970
This was Yes's constantly overlooked album, which was a shame, as it has a loose, vibrant appeal to it as the band transitioned from psychedelia to prog rock. It is probably their most classically-influenced album.
No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed is a frantic cover of a Richie Havens song, featuring the organ-drum-bass sound that the group would use so much in the future It also merges with the strings of Elmer Bernstein's Western movie soundtrack The Big Country, exemplifying the group's willingness to integrate many different styles and sounds within one track. That deep bass line and organ riffery is outstanding. There is an accessibility about this that is sometimes absent on the group's later, more pompous compositions.
Then has some captivating bass-cymbals-organ passages, particularly in the introduction, and the strings feature again, matched by Jon Anderson's trebly voice. It also has a funkiness to it, something that was often overlooked in Yes's work. That mid-song organ solo inspired many a progger, I'm sure. Stephen Stills' Everydays was included as a bonus track on the previous album, and is mentioned in detail in my comments on that album.
Sweet Dreams is a robust, chunky rock-ish number with, once again, a nice deep bass sound to it The Prophet is one of those typical, organ-driven, classically-influenced prog numbers. Apparently it utilises a theme from Holst's Jupiter from The Planets Suite. Also with a classical vibe is the string-backed short, plaintive ballad Clear Days.
Astral Traveller is moving well into archetypal prog territory, its organ backing sounding like it was a candidate for inventing the genre. Time And A Word ends on a grandiose, orchestrated choral note, with layered vocals soaring above the strings and brass backing. Dear Father is a pleasant, rocking bonus track too. This was definitely an album worthy of a few listens. Indeed, I probably prefer it to parts of Fragile in that it has more structure and flow.
