Relayer

Relayer was my first (and so far only, but I intend on getting more) Yes album. There’s an interesting (okay, a tad stupid) story as to how I chose that one first. A friend of mine told me they were really good, and since it was only 3 dollars on iTunes, I decided, “Okay, I’ll try them. If they’re good, then that’s great. If they’re not, then it was only three dollars I wasted.” Turns out it was great!
This album isn’t for everyone, however. It’s got three songs, but they’re really long (the first one is 21 minutes long, and the other two are like 9 minutes). Something tells me I got into this band the wrong way. I believe that, were I a full-blown Yes fan (which I’m not, but hope to become), I wouldn’t recommend this as one’s first Yes album. But I think it’s pretty cool anyway.

Gates of Delirium: It’s the 21 minute song that took up a full side of the record. People tell me that they think a 21-minute song would be boring, but this is anything but. It changes enough times to keep it both interesting and easy to listen to (that is, it’s not changing every half-minute and you forget what happened last). I’ve heard that it’s based on War and Peace (I wouldn’t know as I’ve never read the book, though I’d sure believe it; they’re both super long). I like the part in the middle, starting at 8 minutes, where it sounds like a battle is being fought. For some reason I find the sounds of someone dropping a bunch of something funny (why and how it made its way into the studio is a different question). And the last part, Soon, is so beautiful. It’s so unlike the other parts of the song, and maybe it doesn’t even belong with the other parts. But it works so well.

Sound Chaser: It’s rather cacophonous in places, but it’s definitely intentional cacophony. “Brilliant Cacophony”, I call it. The part where they chant “CHA! CHA! CHA CHA!” is weird to say the least. But it makes me laugh, because it suggests they brought a bunch of monkeys in there. It’s less of a song but a musical experience. It’s also my least favorite song on there, but it’s not bad at all.

To Be Over: I always find myself having a hard time putting this song into words. It’s very beautiful, and it’s a bit like the Soon part of Gates of Delirium. The middle part is so beautiful. Though I must admit, I’m not sure what they’re chanting at the end of the song. At any rate, it’s a terrific closer to a pretty good album.

Best track: Gates of Delirium.

Send all questions and comments to: pippin_sparks@rocketmail.com

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