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Reviews

Yes — Tales from Topographic Oceans
(Rhino Records R2 73791, 1973/2003, 2CD)

by Jeff Melton, Published 2003-12-01

Tales from Topographic Oceans Cover art

[This review looks specifically at the 2003 Rhino reissue.]

Tales from Topographic Oceans, from the year following Close to the Edge, is another story altogether. It stands as simultaneously the group’s greatest challenge and most misunderstood epic. Inglot has done even further sound improvements especially in the subtleties of “The Remembering” and “Nous Somme du Soleil.” Two early versions of “Revealing Science” and “The Ancient” are added at the end of disc two to give further evidence as to how the quintet worked out the scope of these vast twenty-minute pieces and what differing approaches they would investigate. Jon Anderson’s lone lead vocal is surely a representative of how studio run-throughs worked for long songs that had not been fully rehearsed or developed. This was also Alan White’s first studio proving ground in the band, and he more than adequately fills Bruford’s role by adding his own inventive percussive ideas. Liner notes from Yes webmaster Mike Tiano chronicle the mixed reactions by the press for the “over the edge” swipe used to propel the decline of the progressive genre. Highly recommended to fans and novices alike.

Filed under: Reissues, Issue 28, 2003 releases, 1973 recordings

Related artist(s): Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Yes, Rick Wakeman, Alan White

 

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