Yes
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1969-70) - Jon Anderson -- vocals, guitar, percussion - Peter Banks (RIP) - lead guitar backing vocals - Bill Bruford -- drums, percussion - Tony Kaye -- keyboards - Chris Squire (RIP) -- bass, backing vocasl
supporting musicians (1970) - David Foster -- vocals
line up 1 (1970) - Jon Anderson -- vocals, guitar, percussion - Bill Bruford -- drums, percussion NEW - Steve Howe -- guitar (replaced Peter Banks) - Tony Kaye -- keyboards - Chris Squire -- bass, backing vocasl
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Genre: progressive Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Time and a Word Company: Atlantic Catalog: AT
240 085 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: German pressing Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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Produced by former
Heads Hands
& Feet vocalist Tony Colton, "Time and a Word" marked the end of
the original Yes line-up and start of a never ending tradition of personnel
chang
Unhappy with producer Colton (whom he thought was unqualified for the job and took a major disliking to) and unhappy with the addition of Tony Cox's orchestration, Banks quickly found himself on the losing end of the artistic argument and in the middle of a British tour, was unceremoniously kicked out of the band. By the time the album was released in the States, guitarist Steve Howe had been recruited and his image appeared on the American version of the album cover (even though he hadn't played a single lick on the set) and on several "promotional" videos released in support of the album. A quick look at the Laurence Sackman designed and photographed UK cover will make it clear why an alternative cover was used for the US release.
For his part Banks quickly reappeared with the band Flash and a solo career. Recorded between touring dates in support of the debut album, the collection featured a mixture of new original material (largely penned by vocalist Jon Anderson) and outside covers.
"Time and
a Word" track listing: 1.) No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Ritchie Havens - Jerome Moross) - 4:45 rating: *** stars I'm not a big Ritchie Havens fan which put the opener at a disadvantage. Cox's orchestration didn't do much to improve my opinion. Tony Kaye's Hammond B-3 helped a little, but to my ears Chris Squire's bellowing bass lines provided the song's most interesting characteristic - well until Cox's string and horn arrangement drown the the band. Jerome Moross was given co-writing credits since the opening orchestral theme was borrowed from his soundtrack to the 1958 Western film The Big Country. It's in black and white, but YouTube has a 1969 performance of the song on the German Beat Club television. Original guitarist Banks is featured in the clip, YES - No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (youtube.com) Filmed for Belgian television and featured Howe, YouTube has a hysterical promotional video for the song: YES - No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (youtube.com) Amazing they weren't all killed filming the dune buggy scenes - Anderson's doing spins on the engine cover probably wasn't the smartest move he's ever made. 2.) Then (Jon Anderson) - 5:42 rating: *** stars Fans fawn over the song's mixture of pop, jazz, rock and symphonic moves. Personally I find the orchestration to be distracting since 'Then' had a great melody under all the unnecessary strings and horns. The track was also interesting for giving each member a quick shot at the spotlight. No idea when (clearly after Bank' departure since Howe was shown on guitar), or where it was filmed (though it looked really cold), but YouTube has another promotional video for the song; Get $50+ In Welcome Coupons (youtube.com) 3.) Everydays (Stephen Stills) - 6:05 rating: **** stars I'm a big Buffalo Springfield fan and have to admit it took me a couple of spins to figure out this was the same tune. Once I made the connection I kind of got it. The Stills original was jazzy, but nowhere near so as the cover. The mid-section instrumental segment found Banks' fighting it out with Cox's orchestration and he ultimately won the fight turning in one of his standout performances. And the funny thing is this one has grown on me over the years, ultimately becoming my favorite performance on the set. "Well, well, well another day ..." Recorded after Banks departure, YouTube has another promotional clip filmed for Belgian television: YES - Everydays (youtube.com) Not sure why a nun was chasing the band through the streets ... Perhaps she wanted autographs? 4.) Sweet Dreams (Jon Anderson - David Foster) - 3:46 rating: **** stars Co-written by Anderson and his former Warriors band mate David Foster, 'Sweet Dreams' has always struck me as one of their most commercial offerings. Reflecting a relatively conventional melody, upbeat lyrics and powered by Squire's rib-shaking bass and Banks' folk-rock guitar, I guess that explains why it was released as the album's second single in the UK and Holland. Interestingly after all these years the song remains in their live repertoire.
- 1970's 'Sweet Dreams' b/w 'Dear Father' (Atlantic catalog number 291 004)
(side
2) Co-written by Anderson and future Yes guitarist Chris Squire 'The Prophet' was supposedly inspired in part by Gustav Holst's 'The Planets.' Musically it served as a spotlight piece for keyboardist Tony Kaye, though Banks contributed some nice jazzy guitar moves. Lyrically the plotline seemingly told folks to avoid being lemmings. I guess I can identify with that concept. This is certainly one of the songs where I agree with Banks criticisms of Cox's orchestration. 2.) Clear Days (Jon Anderson) - 2:03 rating: *** stars Anderson was a classical music fan and that came through on the chamber music inspired ballad 'Clear Days.' Very pretty melody, but didn't sound much like a Yes track to me. The song also appeared as the "B" side to the title track single. 3.) Astral Traveller (Jon Anderson) - 5:47 rating: *** stars Not sure I'd ever slap the adjective "funky" on a Yes song, but Banks' opening guitar licks were certainly a move in that direction. Actually the spotlight on 'Astral Traveller' came in the form of the band's rhythm section. Drummer Bruford who demonstrated he could handle virtually any musical niche and bassist Squire was ... well he was Chris Squire. In spite of the goofy lyrics the track built up quite a bit of energy. YouTube has another Belgian televison promotional video clip for the song: YES - Astral Traveller (youtube.com) Not quite sure what the "apple" conclusion was all about. Someone out there will have the answer. 4.) Time And A Word (Jon Anderson - David Foster) - 2:49 rating: *** stars Another pretty ballad, for a band that I never associated with sweet harmony vocals I have to admit the title track was quite pleasant. Once again Anderson's lyrics were uplifting, if a bit naive. The second song co-written with former Warrior David Foster, Foster also provided acoustic guitar. It was also another track that would have been even stronger without Cox's horns and strings. The title track was also released as the lead-off single:
- 1970's 'Time and a Word' b/w 'The Prophet' (Atlantic catalog number 584323)
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es.
Musically the album didn't stay all that far from the debut
collection. Featuring largely original material penned by singer Jon
Anderson, the album was rounded out by a pair of covers given a Yes-styled
adaptation - Ritchie Havens' 'No
Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed' and The Buffalo Springfield's 'Everydays.'
Lots of hardcore fans rave about this one reflecting the "classic"
Yes line-up and sound. Frankly, I've always found the decision
to incorporate Tony Cox's horn and string orchestration into the material to
be irritating and distracting. To the album's credit this is the collection
where I started to get acclimated to Anderson's high-pitched and somewhat
shrill voice. Nah, he still isn't my favorite singer, but on tracks
like the atypically commercial 'Sweet Dreams', the pretty chamber music
influenced ballad 'Clear Days'
and the jazzy
interpretation of Teh Buffalo Springfield's 'Everydays' I could deal with
it. The same issues presented themselves with his lyrical content,
though even tracks like 'The Prophet' and 'Astral Traveller' have grown on
me over the years. Is it a great progressive album? Nah.
It clearly finds the band trying to figure out who and what they want to
be. The eight tracks are a bit short in terms of memorable melodies
and time after time Cox's arrangements clutter the results. Still,
it's way better than some of the latter period catalog.
