I’ve heard a live version of this with Wakeman in the band. Instead of fading out at the end, Wakeman did a fast bombastic Wakeman-style keyboard solo on the synths. It was over the top, ridiculous, it didn’t fit the song at all, it had a million too many notes in it, it was an almost embarrassing parody of why people hate prog musicians…and I loved every second of it! 😂
@@aprilstewart5929 I've seen Amadeus so many times when I was a kid, it's in my blood. It was actually the emperor who said there's "too many notes," and the emperor doesn't know ANYTHING about good music. Maybe my point was a little muddled ---- I was saying that Wakeman's solo is the kind of thing that many people HATE about prog music, but not me - I loved every minute of it. :)
Love 'Big Generator'. My favorite two songs are "Shoot High Aim Low" and "I'm Running". The name of my bowling team is named after the song, Shoot high aim low.
A Yes song that tends to get overlooked is "Lift Me Up" - it's from an era of Yes that a lot of fans don't really like, but IMO the track is excellent, a partial return to their proggier sound while remaining pop, and with one of the catchiest hooks you'll ever hear.
"Union" was actually an album of demos. The production quality, for the most part, is a mess, but a lot of the songs are very well written. 4 of the songs are done by the Rabin-based Yes band, and the rest are by ABWH. The Rabin songs have decent production, but none of them are really ready for actual release.
@@TheRKae Never noticed the production quality issues. I agree there doesn't seem to be a consistent theme. Putting Union and ABWH together, then adding a lot of older things; the result was the Reunion tour. I saw it live in KC. I'd never been to a show where I was exhausted at the end (never saw Springsteen). It was incredibly special, but there was so much that it almost hurt.
Hey Justin ~ Rhythm of Love is a good song, and it is as you recognize, a pop tune that will be a continuation of 90125. That said, WAIT until you hear Aim High, Shoot Low. Jon sings one story and Trevor a different story, and they trade off every sentence. It's very powerful and even more so live. It's my favorite on the album. =)
I love the fact that when this album was released one of the band members said it was too commercial and they were going to avoid that going forward. Songs like this and the awesome I’m Running are far from commercial. The single that got released here in Oz was Love Will Find A Way, and I’ll give them that that track was more radio friendly than lots of others.
Big generator in my opinion is quite underrated to 90125. It maybe a weaker album but I like the title track. Shoot High Aim Low is probably the best song on the album. It’s a decent album but not as good as 90125. Rhythm of Love is a great pop song should have been more popular.
There are a few GREAT tracks on BG, and I think their pop songs are pretty good with Rabin's more aggressive guitar playing. "I'm Running" sounds like a Squire creation, and it's one of my favorite Yes tracks.
@@manualboyca I’m running is a prog masterpiece. Absolutely no denying it. The title track is also a Squire/White song I believe. Final Eyes also great prog. Overall it’s a band album, and as such it’s brilliant IMO 😎
I see it like you: Big Generator is a "sequel" to 90125. Except that Yes for Big Generator received significantly less success and recognition. I think the album is quite good (and will continue listening to it afterwards) and would be very happy if you listen to it song by song here on your channel.
...your comments and the below ones nail it all well... + I think that the harmonies here are as beachboy-esque as it gets, a very nice touch... Jon's voice is just a delight, and a solid (pop-rock-ish) performance of everyone else... enjoyed the re-listening after decades... 😎
Another song with the word love by Yes is called “Real Love” off of their 1994 album, “Talk”, A highly underrated album of their later period. Where Machine Messiah is if Yes did progressive metal, Real live is to that of Doom metal. The ever so punchy mix to the drums is immediate in its presence and provides a very different sound to Yes than any other album. I highly implore you to listen to this album. It’s “Talk” from 1994. Another standout song is “Endless Dream”.
Great reaction and very timely JP! Trevor Rabin is releasing his new album Rio very soon…there are two excellent songs that have been released, Big Mistakes and Push. Both are superb and have sprinkles of Yes all over. I think you’ll love both, Trevor Rabin is so talented. Thx for this one, Big Generator is a fantastic Yes album!
This track and the closer, Holy Lamb, are the standouts for me on BG. There's nothing like the Jon Chris harmonies here, and they really shine on this track. The rest is what you're expecting, 90125 part two, but not quite as good. I've warmed to this album a bit over time, just because it's Yes with Jon - I couldn't listen to this or 90125 at all when they first came out. Rabin is an extraordinary player, and pumped new blood into Yes, but I always felt it was a force-fit with him. AWBH is wonderful, and I felt they returned to stride as Yes with Open Your Eyes, which I think is highly underrated and a great album. As are Union, Talk, and The Ladder. Keys had some great high points, and Magnification their last great height of greatness - after that, for me, it was a slide into a pale shadow of the Yes that blew us away so stunningly. All things must pass and fade I suppose. Yes is still historic music for the ages, and will be celebrated for centuries hence. You should try some of Jon's solo work - it's pretty consistently great in my book, and very varied.
I really like the Big Generator album. A worthy successor to the hard-to-followup 90125. This era of Yes was extremely creative, and I loved that the fat was trimmed. Shorter songs worked. The polished production was a plus.
Totally agree about Mirror to the Sky, but I do like the title track. That one impressed me, and surprised me, actually. The YES album I hope you listen to next is their first album, because it has one of my favorite YES songs, Yesterday and Today, and also my favorite Beatles Cover, Every Little Thing. Just those 2 tracks alone make the album worth listening to.
Holy Lamb is the B side of the single Love Will Find A Way. Holy Lamb is the best closing song of all Yes albums, especially for Big Generator. No other Yes song in their entire catalog could close this album better than Holy Lamb.
This song, and this album, has a secret ingredient: a classy and creative sythh and keyboards by Tony Kaye. Its there all over, those creative chords in the hammond here and there. It took me years to notice, but maybe this is the Kayest Yes album of all.
This is one of a few songs where Chris used a 5-string bass. Nice bass line. This is a straightforward pop-rock song, it was a hit for them in the 80s and I´m sure it helped them to keep it together and continue to maintain the success. It´s a nice song, sounds and feels good, it grooves, it has a nice melody...nothing wrong with that. This was around the same time when Genesis had their Invisible Touch album and they were extremely successful. Music has changed a lot since the 70s at that point and the bands had to adapt somehow.
So here we are again Justin. My favorite band. One of many of my favorite Yes songs and I can see you are liking it. Knew you would. And in just the same way that I listened to Yes after Going For the One. Expectations lowered. So I appreciate your honest assessment of the newest “Yes” album. (The name lives on but the soul has moved on) Good catch song with just enough old school Yes to keep your attention.
Just like Pipeman1958 said, "Shoot High Aim Low" and "I'm Running" are the two standouts from this album. They're two of my favorites from the Yes catalog. But I do love the whole album
I saw this concert. I don't think I've listened to this since I saw them. I moved to other bands. But maybe I'll relive this with you now. Ah yes, I remember this. I played it a bit back then. So Beach Boys.
I loved your take on this. Big Generator gets a lot of shit from the prog ‘snobs’, but I love it as sort of an easier more accessible listen. Not too complex but thoroughly enjoyable. I do have two suggestions for other tracks. If you haven’t heard it Shoot High, Aim Low is THE stand out track on this album IMHO. Fantastic! But for something later, try Homeworld off of The Ladder. This is one I just love. Happy listening!
To me, the last 3 tracks on this album are classic Yes. Final Eyes, I’m Running, and Holy Lamb are some of my favorite Yes songs, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
90125 and BG were my gateway albums to Yes. Both are still my favorites from the band. After listening to this album, I’d suggest Talk, The Ladder, Keys to Ascension Studio.
I hope you do a track-by-track of this album. There are some good gems in the mix. "I am Waiting" and "Shoot High, Aim Low" are two tracks from this album that always get added to my YES Playlists.
Very exciting when this came out! Chris Squire used a custom Michael Tobias bass that was tuned wayyyy down below a standard bass and that comes across a bit in this song.
Hi Justin. Dave from London, a bit Hot And Bothered. I think you called it correctly about Yes trying to recreate the winning formula of 90125. A very 80s rock feel to this track, which was a minor hit single in the US. I like it, but my favourite Rabin era Yes album is Talk, which is more prog than rock. P.S. my song ref Hot And Bothered (it's over 90 here in September - bonkers!) is by Duke Ellington.
Ok let me be the first then in a long time to request some YES. I started listening to YEs in 1973 been a fan since. Out of the Treavor era I really liked the song Endless Dreams its really progressive a true super great YES song I liked the whole TALK album. I hope you give it a Go. Thanks JP I always like your Reactions they have more than " oh that Was great or WOW"
I love Big Generator! It's a great summertime album and since its a sunny day and over 80 degrees fahrenheit, I've already had this album on. There are three or four tracks that I'd say are as good as it gets from Yes... Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes, I'm Running, and possibly Big Generator. It might be a bit less even compared to 90125, but it reached higher altitudes. 😊
@@mattleppard1970 To tell you the truth, I hated the album when it came out at first. It took me a couple of months to get into it. My only criticism is that the bass could be a bit louder. 🤣
@@davidyoung7418 A common criticism. I agree of course. The bass lines are really good but unless you have a good system and not a phone with cheap headphones you can’t crank it up. At least the Squire bass is front up on I’m Running. I’ve often thought that it was perhaps a jealous Trevor Horn who somewhat muted it 😂
I think this album is just Ok, too, not great. If I am not wrong you did not yet reactions on their first album what in my regardless opinion is much more worth listening. Harold Land f. e. is one of their incredible early songs that is a must know imho. One of my alltime favorite Yessongs btw.
Big Generator is a good album. Rhythm of Love is a good opener and the title track is an excellent follow up. There are times in the recording when you can hear the old Prog muscles flexing. Give the whole album a spin. It’s worth it! I’d also point out that the albums “Talk,” “Open Your Eyes,” and especially “The Ladder” have some truly magical YES moments.
I believe I could listen to Jon sing the names out of a phone book and enjoy. It. the vocals have a neat arrangement here and Brian Wilson would think so too . Even with an occasional pop sound Trevor was fresh air in this lineup.
Bro you gotta check out Talk or Fly from Here, imo the 2 most underrated yes albums. for fly from hear you can go with either the original or the the orignal or return trip. Endless dream or State of Play are my favs. Fly from here or Solitair would be fantastic if you do that album
Love this album, even more than 90125, is fantastic, no bad songs, big arrangements, big sound, a pity that they have not continued releasing albums in this vein... I know is NOT the 70's Yes (I love too), but this is really great for me, "Shoot High Aim Low", "Love Will Find a Way", "I'm Running", great songs... The only thing I thing is that they took many years to release it since 90125, maybe this is the cause that many people did not give it the attention it deserved
Jon could sing the Communist Manifesto, and make it sound heavenly! Yes, with the addition of Trevor Rabin, leads to a more radio friendly side of Yes. But evolution and time marches on, whether we like it or not! It's the "Rhythm of Love" , that keeps our civilization going. Peace & Love.
This record does contain a couple experiments in new sounds that pay off beautifully in my humble opinion. Shoot High Aim Low is one, I'm Running is the other. Chances are taken and pay off. As for other Yes tracks to recommend from the latter day period, allow me to suggest "Homeworld (The Ladder)", "Open Your Eyes", "New State Of Mind", "I Would Have Waited Forever", "Shock To The System", "The Calling", "I Am Waiting", "State Of Play", "Endless Dream", "Mind Drive" - is that enough of a list?
Union has to be Heard really , just for Jon 's voice if nothin else...but I also enjoyed Rhythm of Life, The More We Move/Love? and the slower one from Talk, um what's it called?
@@HippoYnYrEira Either "I Am Waiting" or "Real Love". By Rhythm Of Life I assume you mean The Miracle Of Life? I like that one too, I just liked it better the first time I heard it in 1974 as Four Holes In The Ground by PFM.
Justin, you've got a ton (>2600) of reactions to all kind of good music (I've especially enjoyed your Kate Bush journey), but you are still lacking the very best Heavy Metal band around. Just hijacking a Yes reaction to send you an overview of their songs. Pick any of them, and you won't be disappointed. The first one "Holy War" is just an average song, but it's a good introduction... General suggestions for LOVEBITES... - Holy War - Edge Of The World - A Frozen Serenade - Swan Song (with Chopin intro) - When Destinies Align - Set The World On Fire - Break The Wall - Shadowmaker - Raise Some Hell - Epilogue (another "E" song, next to "Edge Of The World" and "Empty Daydream") - Glory To The World - Rising - Winds Of Transylvania (VLADLOVE version) - Thunder Vengeance - Don't Bite The Dust - Dancing With The Devil - We The United New stuff (LOVEBITES 2.0, with new bassist Fami) - The Hammer Of Wrath (2023) (most recent live concert from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray) - Nameless Warrior (2023) (second live concert snippet from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray) - Judgement Day (2023) (third live concert snippet from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray) - Judgement Day [OMV] - Stand And Deliver (Shoot 'Em Down) [OMV] New stuff (audio only) - Soldier Stands Solitarily - We Are The Resurrection - Lost In The Garden - Dissonance - My Orion - The Spirit Goes On - Wicked Witch More unusual (but good) stuff - The Apocalypse - Under The Red Sky - Above The Black Sea - Empty Daydream - Scream For Me - Signs Of Deliverance - Spellbound - Liar - Dystopia Symphony - Bravehearted - Burden Of Time (must see with a special gimmick by Miyako!) - Today Is The Day Audio only - Puppet On Strings - The Final Collision Covers - Eagle Fly Free (Helloween) - Painkiller (Judas Priest) - Love Bites (So Do I) (Halestorm) Miyako piano covers (Etude Op.23) - Eagle Fly Free (Helloween) - Burn (Deep Purple) - Battery (Metallica) - The Loner (Gary Moore) - Far Beyond The Sun (Yngwie Malmsteen) - Addicted (LOVEBITES)
I've always been a huge fan of the long form proggy Gates Of Delirium , Topographic Ocean stuff, but these albums with Trevor Rabin were just so fun to listen to. He's a fantastic guitarist and added a really great heavier sound than we got from Steve (not better or worse...just his own different style) that worked great with this version of Yes. The harmonies were the best they ever had and Trevor is one of very few musicians that pretty much can't write a non-catchy song. I hope you get to check out the rest of this album... It has great and not so great songs on it, but it's just as fun a listen as 90125. IMO the best off it are "Shoot High Aim Low", "Final Eyes" and "Holy Lamb". BTW, Trevor Rabin just released a 7 minute single called "Push" from a solo album coming out soon... It's honestly the best stuff I've heard from any of these guys and/or Yes in any form since this version of Yes broke up in the mid 90s.
Here's a good one you haven't done "That, That Is". From the Keys to Ascension album which is a great album with mostly live versions. I especially like the live version of "The Revealing Science of God" on that album.
Not going to lie I was always big hater of Yes music after the 1970s until I saw "Yes Featuring ARW" back in 2016 in Orlando, FL! They did Rhythm of Love and it was my first time ever hearing that song EVER. I was blown away by how good it was. Been a fan of their 80s discography ever since.
I like both (primary) incarnations of Yes. I like the early style, and I like the Trevor Rabin-infused version of 90125 and Big Generator. This version of Yes still has the musicianship, but is definitely more 'pop' oriented. Not dissimilar to Genesis of a similar time period. I like it. It sounds good cranked up. What else is there to say?
Listen to Shock to the System, Lift Me Up, I Would Have Waited Forever, Without Hope (You Cannot Start the Day), Silent Talking, Miracle of Life, The More We Live - Let Go…all off of the UNION album by YES!!
This is Yes. Tony Kaye: first 3 albums, Alan White: joined the band in 1973, Jon Anderson: all albums except Drama, Chris Squire: ALL albums, Trevor Rabin: still sort of the "new kid". Genesis went through the same thing: Phil sang vocals, so it had to be his fault they went to pop, which was completely untrue. Trevor rocked and was truly the only reason why their 80s music changed, which wasn't true. They all (King Crimson, ELP, etc.) went through that period. Oh, well.
JP, the video for this song is a story in itself, with a back story to its deep meaning. A robot with a dozen cleaning tools attached is a main character in the video. I see it as the "STRANGE DEVICE" mentioned in the title track Big Generator. Only two other times has the strange device is mentioned. In 1976 on 2112 by Rush, and first in 1973 on The Revealing Science Of God by Yes. The deeper I dive into this, I only found one "thing" that is similar to this strange device. A "creature" that Saint Paul describes in the middle of Romans chapter 8. I am convinced that the strange device in Topographic Oceans is that creature Paul tries to describe without a frame of reference. And Rush and Yes tries anologies to describe what Paul writes about to the church at Rome.
Hey Justin! Well it's about time you did some more YES❗️Lol❗️Big Generator is a good album. Should of came out at least a year sooner but once again bad management by the band. Still another good tour with the boys in fine form. FOREVER YES ❗️❗️❗️🔈🔉🔊😎
@@JustJP Must have forgot. But really liked the Ladder. Had a blast at that particular concert/tour so I think that plays into my opinion. Big Generator was the first tour I saw for Yes and then went to all the rest until 2018. (Plus Jon A side things--inc. with Jean Luc Ponty.)
Nice reaction. Straight up banger. A suggestion of newer Hour Of Need the 3 minute version with Canadian Benoit David on lead vocals who in IMO was the best alternate. Live, Squire would sing upper harmonies with Benoit in the middle just lovely and Steve in the outer space key.
I listened to Mirror in the Sky once. It was ok. I would probably be more receptive of it if they didn't use the Yes brand name, but with them using the Yes brand name I can't help but miss Jon and Chris. I'm sure it is the same thing with Big Generator for some Yes fans. They can't help but miss Steve. It is what it is. As for me, I love Big Generator album. I think it is a bit underrated in the Yes catalog as not everybody wants to eat at chez nous. I love vocal arrangements of Jon, Chris, & Trevor. That's where I think this lineup excels. Looking forward to Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes, I'm Running, & Holy Lamb.
I think you have this period nailed fairly accurately - the word that stuck out was 'adequate' and that's what Rhythm of Love is. A modern sounding (for the time) art-pop sound with entirely competent musicianship but lacking that certain spark to make it truly stand out. This was Yes for the next few years - they remained 'adequate' until the Keys to Ascension albums and I can recommend the studio tracks (helpfully gathered as 'Keystudio') as the next (and arguably last) time they produced anything really special.
I've been saying all along to listen to the keys to ascension studio stuff and, of course, the live stuff. That being said, big generator, union, talk, open your eyes, the ladder, magnification and fly from here are all excellent, IMO. Consider them recommended, now listen 😂
Been a minute since I heard this album but I’m happy to hear it again. As far as this tune, what’s not to like, a sex song by Yes, emmm ok, I guess. Trevor you dog… but the 80s was all about it. Well, a lot of it.
I'd like more of it, preferably the whole album. You said something about Davison. I have to get off my chest on that one: I don't understand why Yes chose Davison as the singer. The only thing Anderson's and Davison's voices have in common is that they can sing high. Davison sounds - sorry - like a castrated monk. Unctuous but squeaky. As a replacement for Anderson's voice, it doesn't fit at all. I don't want to badmouth Davison. On "The Quest" and "Mirror to the Sky" his voice suits the songs, but when I hear him sing older Yes songs, where I'm used to Anderson's voice, I get the shivers....
After the Union album, I lost interest in hearing new music from my favorite bands (Rush, Yes, ELP). Recently, I've started listening to the albums I missed. I would suggest "Keys To Ascension 1&2" as a great Yes album to review - it has live tracks and studio tracks. The live tracks are great (classic Yes songs), and the studio tracks show us a band that is excited about creating/playing interesting new music, rather than just "writing songs.". It really took me by surprise on my first listen. I would also suggest "Talk" - the third album from the "Rabin" era of Yes. I hope you keep listening to Big Generator. I think there are a few songs with "cringe" moments, but there are a few songs I LOVE - I'm Running, Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes. "Holy Lamb" feels like it's the end of a longer epic Yes song - almost as if they released "Soon" without the rest of Gates of Delirium. (you will understand when you hear it) CHEERS!
I agree with you about Holy Lamb. And I feel that the preceding track on the album, I'm Running, is what you're describing: the longer epic Yes song that leads up to Holy Lamb. If you're not listening to Yes albums at least one side (of the original vinyl lp) at a time, I highly recommend that you do so. They always flow very nicely.
You should listen to Shoot high Aim low. Or Holy lamb although I still think that song is way too short. I’m running, is also great. Overall, Big Generator is a very good album.
I really love Yes, but as wonderful as singer as Jon Davison is, nobody can compare to Jon Anderson. Since Jon was forced out of the band, the newer tracks have lost most of their "magic" for me. I know that I'll take some hate for this, but I really still love Tormato, to me it's a great album, and my favorite song on it is "Onward," which was written by Chris, and during the first Yes tour after his death, the shows opened with an empty stage, except for his Rickenbacker sporlighted, and photos shown, playing to Onward. I still tear up thinking about that. Another terrific album is "The Ladder," and "Homeworld" is my favorite song on that album. There's a terrific live version of that song on TH-cam.
Nice, this is my era of Yes. Not as good as 90125, but I always liked it. And never felt like it was just a sequel. Love Will Find A Way was the bigger hit, and it's actually pretty progressive.
Tales from Topographic Oceans, Relayer, and Big Generator are my top 3 YES albums, in that order (TFTO #1). I love it. I think it is better than 90215, but I recognize that I'm in the minority.
another "MTV" album with radio friendly tracks. It is what it is :) Everyone couldn't leave their Fairlight CMI alone for a few years lol Ironically, it now dates all these tracks.
I like Big Generator. Overall, I prefer it to 90125, though it doesn't quite reach the high points of Leave It, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, City Of Love or the intro to Changes, it is more consistently good. If you are going to listen to the whole Big Generator album, the title track is one of the heaviest Yes tracks in their catalogue (along with Machine Messiah) and has a great stereo moment, but the stand out, for me, is I'm Running.
Yes! Please keep going right through their catalog! You have SIX more albums of "Jon Anderson-singing-Yes" to go through: Big Generator, Union, Talk, KeyStudio, Open Your Eyes, and The Ladder. I think the recommendations/requests for Yes may have dropped off because so many fans don't like this later stuff as much as the classics. But you have a more forgiving taste and you love to listen to Jon, so I'm sure you will enjoy these six albums a lot. Especially don't miss KeyStudio because it is the classic lineup of Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman, and White! It is fantastic music that gets criminally underrated. As for Big Generator and this song: I feel this is the weakest track on the album. The rest, while still quite 90125-like, leans more toward the proggy side of Yes. Great stuff!
Yes you pegged it. That’s what they were doing. Pop Yes is not my favorite. I still give it a re- try here and there but…. No. It breaks my heart there is nothing more to recommend but once they hit this period and after I can’t. But what a great band and so many albums that I love. And would not hear music the same without.
Full confession: I really struggle with post 90125 Yes. 90125 should have been called Cinema because it was mostly Trevor Rabin's sound. But these are rudderless IMO.
I'd appreciate you going thru it just in case I've missed out big time. I'd be able to say I've listened to it then! Song of Seven and Animation are waiting 4us2 though! @@JustJP
@@JustJP Oh definitely. Not my favorite Yes album, but really no bad songs. And although Trevor Rabin (pronounced Ray-bin I believe) is not Steve Howe, he’s still a great guitarist.
How's this for stretching something to force it to create relevance: Just like you sometimes just need to hear Jon sing, so I sometimes have to hear *Najat Aataabou* ... (stretchy, stretchy! but topologically equivalent according to some views of this). th-cam.com/video/7B3_6Nz4T_4/w-d-xo.html *Ach Dert Ana* . I think she might be talking Ge'ez in the beginning, but maybe it's just Arabic. Either way it's a music all of its own. (It sounds a bit like a made-up language I used to talk to my dogs long ago. Just sounds I found they seemed to enjoy, that's all. Puzzle them a bit. Make them wonder, "Why he not speak English today?" )
Maybe it’s just me but current Yes (if I must call it that) is much like Asia from the 3rd album onward). Tragic to say the least. Not because of no Jon. Just because of this same feel. It’s meh.
JP nails it when he says this is an obviously 90125-styled single, but IMO it's one of the least successful songs on the album (along with "Love Will Find a Way"). The rest of the album has a lot going for it, especially given the internal strife and drama (there's that word again!) surrounding its production. On the whole Big Generator is a slightly better collection of songs compared to 90125 IMO. It's just a pity that whomever currently has the rights hasn't seen any value in reissuing it, given it would benefit from a sonic overhaul plus there's loads of bonus tracks and other goodies that would make for a nice reissue package.
Funny that my 3rd favorite Yes album (12th all music album) is the one where my least favorite song on it is Shoot High Aim Low. And everybody else loves that song. In spite of that, I love Big Generator better than all Yes albums except Magnification and the finest music in all human history, Tales From Topographic Oceans.
@@Owlstretchingtime78 Haha. Maybe due to the fact that it was the second album I listened from them. First being Close to the Edge. But I prefer TFTO, can't explain why…
Not the best Yes album by any stretch of the imagination but I don't think it deserves the flak it gets. "Shoot High Aim Low" is a really good song, plus I have a soft spot for "Love Will Find A Way".
I’ve heard a live version of this with Wakeman in the band. Instead of fading out at the end, Wakeman did a fast bombastic Wakeman-style keyboard solo on the synths. It was over the top, ridiculous, it didn’t fit the song at all, it had a million too many notes in it, it was an almost embarrassing parody of why people hate prog musicians…and I loved every second of it! 😂
LOLOLOL too many notes!!! Isn't that what Solieri said to Mozart?
@@aprilstewart5929 exactly! 😂
Maybe you should see "Amadeus" before you eagerly applaud anybody who presumed to criticize Mozart....or Yes.
@@aprilstewart5929 I've seen Amadeus so many times when I was a kid, it's in my blood. It was actually the emperor who said there's "too many notes," and the emperor doesn't know ANYTHING about good music. Maybe my point was a little muddled ---- I was saying that Wakeman's solo is the kind of thing that many people HATE about prog music, but not me - I loved every minute of it. :)
@@manualboyca Ah. Pardon my density. And yeah....Rick loves to overdo it. He's one of the few who actually has the skills for that.
Finally some more yes! The back half of this album is insanely strong imo. Very proggy
Love 'Big Generator'. My favorite two songs are "Shoot High Aim Low" and "I'm Running". The name of my bowling team is named after the song, Shoot high aim low.
Agreed. Two fantastic songs on a really good album
A Yes song that tends to get overlooked is "Lift Me Up" - it's from an era of Yes that a lot of fans don't really like, but IMO the track is excellent, a partial return to their proggier sound while remaining pop, and with one of the catchiest hooks you'll ever hear.
I love Lift Me Up. It's a "Rabin-era" track, but I love Rabin's stuff. I can't remember if Jon sings at all on Lift Me Up. He might.
"Union" was actually an album of demos. The production quality, for the most part, is a mess, but a lot of the songs are very well written. 4 of the songs are done by the Rabin-based Yes band, and the rest are by ABWH. The Rabin songs have decent production, but none of them are really ready for actual release.
@@TheRKae Never noticed the production quality issues. I agree there doesn't seem to be a consistent theme. Putting Union and ABWH together, then adding a lot of older things; the result was the Reunion tour. I saw it live in KC. I'd never been to a show where I was exhausted at the end (never saw Springsteen). It was incredibly special, but there was so much that it almost hurt.
@@mlinderictYeah, that Union tour was spectacular.
I felt like this was a good album and this track a strong opener. Jon Anderson's vocals carry the track for me, one of his nicest performances IMO.
Hey Justin ~ Rhythm of Love is a good song, and it is as you recognize, a pop tune that will be a continuation of 90125. That said, WAIT until you hear Aim High, Shoot Low. Jon sings one story and Trevor a different story, and they trade off every sentence. It's very powerful and even more so live. It's my favorite on the album. =)
I love the fact that when this album was released one of the band members said it was too commercial and they were going to avoid that going forward.
Songs like this and the awesome I’m Running are far from commercial.
The single that got released here in Oz was Love Will Find A Way, and I’ll give them that that track was more radio friendly than lots of others.
I love this song and not only for the nostalgia, and they do it justice live too.
Big generator in my opinion is quite underrated to 90125. It maybe a weaker album but I like the title track. Shoot High Aim Low is probably the best song on the album. It’s a decent album but not as good as 90125. Rhythm of Love is a great pop song should have been more popular.
I totally love BG ❤
There are a few GREAT tracks on BG, and I think their pop songs are pretty good with Rabin's more aggressive guitar playing. "I'm Running" sounds like a Squire creation, and it's one of my favorite Yes tracks.
@@manualboyca I’m running is a prog masterpiece. Absolutely no denying it. The title track is also a Squire/White song I believe. Final Eyes also great prog. Overall it’s a band album, and as such it’s brilliant IMO 😎
Have to agree with "Shoot High Aim Low" being this albums ace!
I respect the OPs opinion, and 90125 has had more impact, but personally, I love Big Generator more. It is in my top 3 YES albums.
I see it like you: Big Generator is a "sequel" to 90125. Except that Yes for Big Generator received significantly less success and recognition. I think the album is quite good (and will continue listening to it afterwards) and would be very happy if you listen to it song by song here on your channel.
I keep hoping for a Steven Wilson remix. Love this album
Good track. "I'm Running" and "Shoot High Aim Low" are pretty damn good too.
An ex got me into Yes, with 90215 and Big Generator... still love Yes.
...your comments and the below ones nail it all well... + I think that the harmonies here are as beachboy-esque as it gets, a very nice touch... Jon's voice is just a delight, and a solid (pop-rock-ish) performance of everyone else... enjoyed the re-listening after decades... 😎
Remember the band’s big influence when they started? You car hear The Beach Boys here so clearly ❤
Truth.
Another song with the word love by Yes is called “Real Love” off of their 1994 album, “Talk”, A highly underrated album of their later period. Where Machine Messiah is if Yes did progressive metal, Real live is to that of Doom metal. The ever so punchy mix to the drums is immediate in its presence and provides a very different sound to Yes than any other album. I highly implore you to listen to this album. It’s “Talk” from 1994. Another standout song is “Endless Dream”.
Great reaction and very timely JP! Trevor Rabin is releasing his new album Rio very soon…there are two excellent songs that have been released, Big Mistakes and Push. Both are superb and have sprinkles of Yes all over. I think you’ll love both, Trevor Rabin is so talented. Thx for this one, Big Generator is a fantastic Yes album!
This track and the closer, Holy Lamb, are the standouts for me on BG. There's nothing like the Jon Chris harmonies here, and they really shine on this track. The rest is what you're expecting, 90125 part two, but not quite as good. I've warmed to this album a bit over time, just because it's Yes with Jon - I couldn't listen to this or 90125 at all when they first came out. Rabin is an extraordinary player, and pumped new blood into Yes, but I always felt it was a force-fit with him. AWBH is wonderful, and I felt they returned to stride as Yes with Open Your Eyes, which I think is highly underrated and a great album. As are Union, Talk, and The Ladder. Keys had some great high points, and Magnification their last great height of greatness - after that, for me, it was a slide into a pale shadow of the Yes that blew us away so stunningly. All things must pass and fade I suppose. Yes is still historic music for the ages, and will be celebrated for centuries hence. You should try some of Jon's solo work - it's pretty consistently great in my book, and very varied.
I really like the Big Generator album. A worthy successor to the hard-to-followup 90125. This era of Yes was extremely creative, and I loved that the fat was trimmed. Shorter songs worked. The polished production was a plus.
Absolutely love this album ❤❤
Totally agree about Mirror to the Sky, but I do like the title track. That one impressed me, and surprised me, actually. The YES album I hope you listen to next is their first album, because it has one of my favorite YES songs, Yesterday and Today, and also my favorite Beatles Cover, Every Little Thing. Just those 2 tracks alone make the album worth listening to.
"Love Will Find a Way" is fantastic and ""Holy Lamb" is a beautiful anthem that closes the album.
Holy Lamb is the B side of the single Love Will Find A Way. Holy Lamb is the best closing song of all Yes albums, especially for Big Generator. No other Yes song in their entire catalog could close this album better than Holy Lamb.
This song, and this album, has a secret ingredient: a classy and creative sythh and keyboards by Tony Kaye. Its there all over, those creative chords in the hammond here and there. It took me years to notice, but maybe this is the Kayest Yes album of all.
This is one of a few songs where Chris used a 5-string bass. Nice bass line. This is a straightforward pop-rock song, it was a hit for them in the 80s and I´m sure it helped them to keep it together and continue to maintain the success. It´s a nice song, sounds and feels good, it grooves, it has a nice melody...nothing wrong with that. This was around the same time when Genesis had their Invisible Touch album and they were extremely successful. Music has changed a lot since the 70s at that point and the bands had to adapt somehow.
So here we are again Justin. My favorite band. One of many of my favorite Yes songs and I can see you are liking it. Knew you would.
And in just the same way that I listened to Yes after Going For the One. Expectations lowered. So I appreciate your honest assessment of the newest “Yes” album. (The name lives on but the soul has moved on)
Good catch song with just enough old school Yes to keep your attention.
This is one of their top 5 albums IMHO…start to finish!
Just like Pipeman1958 said, "Shoot High Aim Low" and "I'm Running" are the two standouts from this album. They're two of my favorites from the Yes catalog. But I do love the whole album
Yes were a lot like Rush sound wise at this time, and I love both.
I saw this concert. I don't think I've listened to this since I saw them. I moved to other bands. But maybe I'll relive this with you now. Ah yes, I remember this. I played it a bit back then. So Beach Boys.
I loved your take on this. Big Generator gets a lot of shit from the prog ‘snobs’, but I love it as sort of an easier more accessible listen. Not too complex but thoroughly enjoyable. I do have two suggestions for other tracks. If you haven’t heard it Shoot High, Aim Low is THE stand out track on this album IMHO. Fantastic! But for something later, try Homeworld off of The Ladder. This is one I just love. Happy listening!
To me, the last 3 tracks on this album are classic Yes. Final Eyes, I’m Running, and Holy Lamb are some of my favorite Yes songs, and I’m not afraid to admit it.
90125 and BG were my gateway albums to Yes. Both are still my favorites from the band. After listening to this album, I’d suggest Talk, The Ladder, Keys to Ascension Studio.
Most Yes fans consider these two albums barely Yes.
I hope you do a track-by-track of this album. There are some good gems in the mix. "I am Waiting" and "Shoot High, Aim Low" are two tracks from this album that always get added to my YES Playlists.
"I Am Waiting" is from Talk, from '94. Same lineup, but not this album.
Very exciting when this came out! Chris Squire used a custom Michael Tobias bass that was tuned wayyyy down below a standard bass and that comes across a bit in this song.
I have the same feeling about Paddy McAloon. He can sing the telephone directory and I’d be in heaven.
Talking of which, with the longer nights drawing in , I'm sure "I Trawl the Megahertz" could keep us cosy on Just JP yeah?
I like this song. "I'm Running" is the best song on the album. The live version of this song on the Union tour is very good.
Hi Justin. Dave from London, a bit Hot And Bothered. I think you called it correctly about Yes trying to recreate the winning formula of 90125. A very 80s rock feel to this track, which was a minor hit single in the US. I like it, but my favourite Rabin era Yes album is Talk, which is more prog than rock.
P.S. my song ref Hot And Bothered (it's over 90 here in September - bonkers!) is by Duke Ellington.
This song brings me back to the 80s when Djs played this song in bars next to the beach...
Ok let me be the first then in a long time to request some YES. I started listening to YEs in 1973 been a fan since. Out of the Treavor era I really liked the song Endless Dreams its really progressive a true super great YES song I liked the whole TALK album. I hope you give it a Go. Thanks JP I always like your Reactions they have more than " oh that Was great or WOW"
I love Big Generator! It's a great summertime album and since its a sunny day and over 80 degrees fahrenheit, I've already had this album on. There are three or four tracks that I'd say are as good as it gets from Yes... Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes, I'm Running, and possibly Big Generator. It might be a bit less even compared to 90125, but it reached higher altitudes. 😊
Totally agree ❤
@@mattleppard1970 To tell you the truth, I hated the album when it came out at first. It took me a couple of months to get into it. My only criticism is that the bass could be a bit louder. 🤣
@@davidyoung7418 A common criticism. I agree of course. The bass lines are really good but unless you have a good system and not a phone with cheap headphones you can’t crank it up. At least the Squire bass is front up on I’m Running. I’ve often thought that it was perhaps a jealous Trevor Horn who somewhat muted it 😂
I think this album is just Ok, too, not great. If I am not wrong you did not yet reactions on their first album what in my regardless opinion is much more worth listening. Harold Land f. e. is one of their incredible early songs that is a must know imho. One of my alltime favorite Yessongs btw.
Big Generator is a good album. Rhythm of Love is a good opener and the title track is an excellent follow up. There are times in the recording when you can hear the old Prog muscles flexing. Give the whole album a spin. It’s worth it! I’d also point out that the albums “Talk,” “Open Your Eyes,” and especially “The Ladder” have some truly magical YES moments.
I believe I could listen to Jon sing the names out of a phone book and enjoy. It. the vocals have a neat arrangement here and Brian Wilson would think so too . Even with an occasional pop sound Trevor was fresh air in this lineup.
Bro you gotta check out Talk or Fly from Here, imo the 2 most underrated yes albums. for fly from hear you can go with either the original or the the orignal or return trip. Endless dream or State of Play are my favs. Fly from here or Solitair would be fantastic if you do that album
YES, no matter what decade!🤩
Love this album, even more than 90125, is fantastic, no bad songs, big arrangements, big sound, a pity that they have not continued releasing albums in this vein... I know is NOT the 70's Yes (I love too), but this is really great for me, "Shoot High Aim Low", "Love Will Find a Way", "I'm Running", great songs... The only thing I thing is that they took many years to release it since 90125, maybe this is the cause that many people did not give it the attention it deserved
Jon could sing the Communist Manifesto, and make it sound heavenly! Yes, with the addition of Trevor Rabin, leads to a more radio friendly side of Yes. But evolution and time marches on, whether we like it or not! It's the "Rhythm of Love" , that keeps our civilization going. Peace & Love.
☮️🤗
Rabin Yes is my favorite Yes. But I only started listening to them with “Owner” when I was 14.
This record does contain a couple experiments in new sounds that pay off beautifully in my humble opinion. Shoot High Aim Low is one, I'm Running is the other. Chances are taken and pay off. As for other Yes tracks to recommend from the latter day period, allow me to suggest "Homeworld (The Ladder)", "Open Your Eyes", "New State Of Mind", "I Would Have Waited Forever", "Shock To The System", "The Calling", "I Am Waiting", "State Of Play", "Endless Dream", "Mind Drive" - is that enough of a list?
Union has to be Heard really , just for Jon 's voice if nothin else...but I also enjoyed Rhythm of Life, The More We Move/Love? and the slower one from Talk, um what's it called?
My opinion is that's not enough of a list. Justin, you seem to me like you will like to listen completely through all their albums. You're a fan!
@@HippoYnYrEira Either "I Am Waiting" or "Real Love". By Rhythm Of Life I assume you mean The Miracle Of Life? I like that one too, I just liked it better the first time I heard it in 1974 as Four Holes In The Ground by PFM.
@@gregjones861 yes thanks. SBeen a busy week.
Real Love. I think. I'll dig out the cassette now. (bought about 3years* ago for 50p!)
Justin, you've got a ton (>2600) of reactions to all kind of good music (I've especially enjoyed your Kate Bush journey), but you are still lacking the very best Heavy Metal band around. Just hijacking a Yes reaction to send you an overview of their songs. Pick any of them, and you won't be disappointed. The first one "Holy War" is just an average song, but it's a good introduction...
General suggestions for LOVEBITES...
- Holy War
- Edge Of The World
- A Frozen Serenade
- Swan Song (with Chopin intro)
- When Destinies Align
- Set The World On Fire
- Break The Wall
- Shadowmaker
- Raise Some Hell
- Epilogue (another "E" song, next to "Edge Of The World" and "Empty Daydream")
- Glory To The World
- Rising
- Winds Of Transylvania (VLADLOVE version)
- Thunder Vengeance
- Don't Bite The Dust
- Dancing With The Devil
- We The United
New stuff (LOVEBITES 2.0, with new bassist Fami)
- The Hammer Of Wrath (2023) (most recent live concert from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray)
- Nameless Warrior (2023) (second live concert snippet from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray)
- Judgement Day (2023) (third live concert snippet from August 2023 DVD/Blu-ray)
- Judgement Day [OMV]
- Stand And Deliver (Shoot 'Em Down) [OMV]
New stuff (audio only)
- Soldier Stands Solitarily
- We Are The Resurrection
- Lost In The Garden
- Dissonance
- My Orion
- The Spirit Goes On
- Wicked Witch
More unusual (but good) stuff
- The Apocalypse
- Under The Red Sky
- Above The Black Sea
- Empty Daydream
- Scream For Me
- Signs Of Deliverance
- Spellbound
- Liar
- Dystopia Symphony
- Bravehearted
- Burden Of Time (must see with a special gimmick by Miyako!)
- Today Is The Day
Audio only
- Puppet On Strings
- The Final Collision
Covers
- Eagle Fly Free (Helloween)
- Painkiller (Judas Priest)
- Love Bites (So Do I) (Halestorm)
Miyako piano covers (Etude Op.23)
- Eagle Fly Free (Helloween)
- Burn (Deep Purple)
- Battery (Metallica)
- The Loner (Gary Moore)
- Far Beyond The Sun (Yngwie Malmsteen)
- Addicted (LOVEBITES)
I've always been a huge fan of the long form proggy Gates Of Delirium , Topographic Ocean stuff, but these albums with Trevor Rabin were just so fun to listen to. He's a fantastic guitarist and added a really great heavier sound than we got from Steve (not better or worse...just his own different style) that worked great with this version of Yes. The harmonies were the best they ever had and Trevor is one of very few musicians that pretty much can't write a non-catchy song. I hope you get to check out the rest of this album... It has great and not so great songs on it, but it's just as fun a listen as 90125. IMO the best off it are "Shoot High Aim Low", "Final Eyes" and "Holy Lamb".
BTW, Trevor Rabin just released a 7 minute single called "Push" from a solo album coming out soon... It's honestly the best stuff I've heard from any of these guys and/or Yes in any form since this version of Yes broke up in the mid 90s.
Here's a good one you haven't done "That, That Is". From the Keys to Ascension album which is a great album with mostly live versions. I especially like the live version of "The Revealing Science of God" on that album.
Not going to lie I was always big hater of Yes music after the 1970s until I saw "Yes Featuring ARW" back in 2016 in Orlando, FL! They did Rhythm of Love and it was my first time ever hearing that song EVER. I was blown away by how good it was. Been a fan of their 80s discography ever since.
"T'm running" is a must on this album.
I like both (primary) incarnations of Yes. I like the early style, and I like the Trevor Rabin-infused version of 90125 and Big Generator. This version of Yes still has the musicianship, but is definitely more 'pop' oriented. Not dissimilar to Genesis of a similar time period. I like it. It sounds good cranked up. What else is there to say?
Listen to Shock to the System, Lift Me Up, I Would Have Waited Forever, Without Hope (You Cannot Start the Day), Silent Talking, Miracle of Life, The More We Live - Let Go…all off of the UNION album by YES!!
This is Yes. Tony Kaye: first 3 albums, Alan White: joined the band in 1973, Jon Anderson: all albums except Drama, Chris Squire: ALL albums, Trevor Rabin: still sort of the "new kid". Genesis went through the same thing: Phil sang vocals, so it had to be his fault they went to pop, which was completely untrue. Trevor rocked and was truly the only reason why their 80s music changed, which wasn't true. They all (King Crimson, ELP, etc.) went through that period. Oh, well.
love will find the way.... that's one of the best.... it is on that album... highly recommended,
1987 was 20yo with this album and AMLOR of Pink Floyd
JP, the video for this song is a story in itself, with a back story to its deep meaning. A robot with a dozen cleaning tools attached is a main character in the video. I see it as the "STRANGE DEVICE" mentioned in the title track Big Generator. Only two other times has the strange device is mentioned. In 1976 on 2112 by Rush, and first in 1973 on The Revealing Science Of God by Yes. The deeper I dive into this, I only found one "thing" that is similar to this strange device. A "creature" that Saint Paul describes in the middle of Romans chapter 8. I am convinced that the strange device in Topographic Oceans is that creature Paul tries to describe without a frame of reference. And Rush and Yes tries anologies to describe what Paul writes about to the church at Rome.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts. I'm going to explore that creature in Romans 8 some more. Very interesting!
Big Generator is still a pretty decent album..... I really love this song .... listen to the chugging bass.... great guitar solo too....
Hey Justin! Well it's about time you did some more YES❗️Lol❗️Big Generator is a good album. Should of came out at least a year sooner but once again bad management by the band. Still another good tour with the boys in fine form. FOREVER YES ❗️❗️❗️🔈🔉🔊😎
How about "Homeworld?" from the Ladder? "In the Presence of" from Magnification? Something from Talk?
Appreciate the suggestions Susan! I've actually covered all of Magnification :)
@@JustJP Must have forgot. But really liked the Ladder. Had a blast at that particular concert/tour so I think that plays into my opinion. Big Generator was the first tour I saw for Yes and then went to all the rest until 2018. (Plus Jon A side things--inc. with Jean Luc Ponty.)
Nice reaction. Straight up banger. A suggestion of newer Hour Of Need the 3 minute version with Canadian Benoit David on lead vocals who in IMO was the best alternate. Live, Squire would sing upper harmonies with Benoit in the middle just lovely and Steve in the outer space key.
I like this track, especially the vocals. If I assembled a Yes playlist for myself, this one would be on it. Like you, I much prefer 70’s Yes.
Despite it being "pop-y", I always enjoyed the entire Big Generator album - the whole thing is worth a listen, if you care to give it a try!
I listened to Mirror in the Sky once. It was ok. I would probably be more receptive of it if they didn't use the Yes brand name, but with them using the Yes brand name I can't help but miss Jon and Chris. I'm sure it is the same thing with Big Generator for some Yes fans. They can't help but miss Steve. It is what it is. As for me, I love Big Generator album. I think it is a bit underrated in the Yes catalog as not everybody wants to eat at chez nous. I love vocal arrangements of Jon, Chris, & Trevor. That's where I think this lineup excels. Looking forward to Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes, I'm Running, & Holy Lamb.
I think you have this period nailed fairly accurately - the word that stuck out was 'adequate' and that's what Rhythm of Love is. A modern sounding (for the time) art-pop sound with entirely competent musicianship but lacking that certain spark to make it truly stand out. This was Yes for the next few years - they remained 'adequate' until the Keys to Ascension albums and I can recommend the studio tracks (helpfully gathered as 'Keystudio') as the next (and arguably last) time they produced anything really special.
I've been saying all along to listen to the keys to ascension studio stuff and, of course, the live stuff. That being said, big generator, union, talk, open your eyes, the ladder, magnification and fly from here are all excellent, IMO. Consider them recommended, now listen 😂
ty ty🤣
Been a minute since I heard this album but I’m happy to hear it again. As far as this tune, what’s not to like, a sex song by Yes, emmm ok, I guess. Trevor you dog… but the 80s was all about it. Well, a lot of it.
Very nice! 😃 Hadn't heard this in ages either! 🙂 You'd most likely also enjoy 'Love Will Find A Way' , from the same album 😀👍
also check the new 2 songs from the new album about to be released from Trevor Rabin.
I love this song. This is the best version.
I'd like more of it, preferably the whole album. You said something about Davison. I have to get off my chest on that one: I don't understand why Yes chose Davison as the singer. The only thing Anderson's and Davison's voices have in common is that they can sing high. Davison sounds - sorry - like a castrated monk. Unctuous but squeaky. As a replacement for Anderson's voice, it doesn't fit at all. I don't want to badmouth Davison. On "The Quest" and "Mirror to the Sky" his voice suits the songs, but when I hear him sing older Yes songs, where I'm used to Anderson's voice, I get the shivers....
After the Union album, I lost interest in hearing new music from my favorite bands (Rush, Yes, ELP). Recently, I've started listening to the albums I missed. I would suggest "Keys To Ascension 1&2" as a great Yes album to review - it has live tracks and studio tracks. The live tracks are great (classic Yes songs), and the studio tracks show us a band that is excited about creating/playing interesting new music, rather than just "writing songs.". It really took me by surprise on my first listen.
I would also suggest "Talk" - the third album from the "Rabin" era of Yes.
I hope you keep listening to Big Generator. I think there are a few songs with "cringe" moments, but there are a few songs I LOVE - I'm Running, Shoot High Aim Low, Final Eyes. "Holy Lamb" feels like it's the end of a longer epic Yes song - almost as if they released "Soon" without the rest of Gates of Delirium. (you will understand when you hear it) CHEERS!
The Keys to Ascension discs are great start to finish.
I agree with you about Holy Lamb. And I feel that the preceding track on the album, I'm Running, is what you're describing: the longer epic Yes song that leads up to Holy Lamb. If you're not listening to Yes albums at least one side (of the original vinyl lp) at a time, I highly recommend that you do so. They always flow very nicely.
@@dhfenske wow - I never thought of it that way
Jon is The Rhythm Of Love.
You should listen to Shoot high Aim low.
Or Holy lamb although I still think that song is way too short.
I’m running, is also great.
Overall, Big Generator is a very good album.
I enjoy this album a lot. Can find it in the $1 bins
Best song on a rather average album!I love hearing Jon Anderson sing as well.
I really love Yes, but as wonderful as singer as Jon Davison is, nobody can compare to Jon Anderson. Since Jon was forced out of the band, the newer tracks have lost most of their "magic" for me. I know that I'll take some hate for this, but I really still love Tormato, to me it's a great album, and my favorite song on it is "Onward," which was written by Chris, and during the first Yes tour after his death, the shows opened with an empty stage, except for his Rickenbacker sporlighted, and photos shown, playing to Onward. I still tear up thinking about that. Another terrific album is "The Ladder," and "Homeworld" is my favorite song on that album. There's a terrific live version of that song on TH-cam.
Nice, this is my era of Yes. Not as good as 90125, but I always liked it. And never felt like it was just a sequel. Love Will Find A Way was the bigger hit, and it's actually pretty progressive.
Tales from Topographic Oceans, Relayer, and Big Generator are my top 3 YES albums, in that order (TFTO #1). I love it. I think it is better than 90215, but I recognize that I'm in the minority.
another "MTV" album with radio friendly tracks. It is what it is :) Everyone couldn't leave their Fairlight CMI alone for a few years lol Ironically, it now dates all these tracks.
I like Big Generator. Overall, I prefer it to 90125, though it doesn't quite reach the high points of Leave It, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, City Of Love or the intro to Changes, it is more consistently good. If you are going to listen to the whole Big Generator album, the title track is one of the heaviest Yes tracks in their catalogue (along with Machine Messiah) and has a great stereo moment, but the stand out, for me, is I'm Running.
Ty James; I think I'll tinker around the album a bit :)
Yes! Please keep going right through their catalog! You have SIX more albums of "Jon Anderson-singing-Yes" to go through: Big Generator, Union, Talk, KeyStudio, Open Your Eyes, and The Ladder. I think the recommendations/requests for Yes may have dropped off because so many fans don't like this later stuff as much as the classics. But you have a more forgiving taste and you love to listen to Jon, so I'm sure you will enjoy these six albums a lot. Especially don't miss KeyStudio because it is the classic lineup of Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman, and White! It is fantastic music that gets criminally underrated. As for Big Generator and this song: I feel this is the weakest track on the album. The rest, while still quite 90125-like, leans more toward the proggy side of Yes. Great stuff!
And their first album makes a total of 7 for you to listen to.
Thanks D :)
Huge Beach Boys influence in them there vocal harmonies!
Ooooohweeeeeeaaaahhhhhhwwwweeeeeeooooooo…
@@-davidolivares Yeah. Exactly like that. 😄
Yes you pegged it. That’s what they were doing. Pop Yes is not my favorite. I still give it a re- try here and there but…. No. It breaks my heart there is nothing more to recommend but once they hit this period and after I can’t. But what a great band and so many albums that I love. And would not hear music the same without.
Have you tried the KeyStudio songs? Same lineup as Going for the One. Great stuff. I hope you can enjoy them.
Full confession: I really struggle with post 90125 Yes. 90125 should have been called Cinema because it was mostly Trevor Rabin's sound. But these are rudderless IMO.
Relistening to this after Shoot High… Did you ever tackle Drama? The album after Tormato?
I was wondering when you were going to get to this album. I’m Running is my favorite track followed closely by the title track.
How do you feel about the album as a whole? Worth continuing?
I'd appreciate you going thru it just in case I've missed out big time. I'd be able to say I've listened to it then! Song of Seven and Animation are waiting 4us2 though! @@JustJP
@@HippoYnYrEira Song of Seven and Animation are fantastic!!
@@JustJP Oh definitely. Not my favorite Yes album, but really no bad songs. And although Trevor Rabin (pronounced Ray-bin I believe) is not Steve Howe, he’s still a great guitarist.
I like this album more than 90125.
How's this for stretching something to force it to create relevance: Just like you sometimes just need to hear Jon sing, so I sometimes have to hear *Najat Aataabou* ... (stretchy, stretchy! but topologically equivalent according to some views of this).
th-cam.com/video/7B3_6Nz4T_4/w-d-xo.html *Ach Dert Ana* .
I think she might be talking Ge'ez in the beginning, but maybe it's just Arabic. Either way it's a music all of its own.
(It sounds a bit like a made-up language I used to talk to my dogs long ago. Just sounds I found they seemed to enjoy, that's all. Puzzle them a bit. Make them wonder, "Why he not speak English today?" )
90125 and this one go together. At least for me.
Thx. Yes 👍🤙
you ever get a chance listen to walls on yes's talk album
wait until you get to "Shoot High Aim Low" it's stellar
TALK from yes I'm not sure you have listened to
That's a really good album.
Maybe it’s just me but current Yes (if I must call it that) is much like Asia from the 3rd album onward). Tragic to say the least. Not because of no Jon. Just because of this same feel. It’s meh.
I'm Running is very prog off of Big Generator
JP nails it when he says this is an obviously 90125-styled single, but IMO it's one of the least successful songs on the album (along with "Love Will Find a Way"). The rest of the album has a lot going for it, especially given the internal strife and drama (there's that word again!) surrounding its production. On the whole Big Generator is a slightly better collection of songs compared to 90125 IMO. It's just a pity that whomever currently has the rights hasn't seen any value in reissuing it, given it would benefit from a sonic overhaul plus there's loads of bonus tracks and other goodies that would make for a nice reissue package.
A very good album, even if it's far from their best. But, as said by someone else below, Shoot High Aim Low is a great tune, underrated.
Probably the strongest song on the album!
Funny that my 3rd favorite Yes album (12th all music album) is the one where my least favorite song on it is Shoot High Aim Low. And everybody else loves that song. In spite of that, I love Big Generator better than all Yes albums except Magnification and the finest music in all human history, Tales From Topographic Oceans.
@user-pl8ez3mm8b TFTO at the top of your all time list? Proof positive that music is a subjective phenomenon!
The best song of this album and the best Yes' song for this period, along "Hearts", Trevor KILLS here and there.
@@Owlstretchingtime78 Haha. Maybe due to the fact that it was the second album I listened from them. First being Close to the Edge. But I prefer TFTO, can't explain why…
Not the best Yes album by any stretch of the imagination but I don't think it deserves the flak it gets. "Shoot High Aim Low" is a really good song, plus I have a soft spot for "Love Will Find A Way".