Yes - Time And A Word

Time And A Word is the second studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, originally released in July 1970 by Atlantic Records.

In 1970, Yes were still a relatively unknown band with some potent talent. After a somewhat unremarkable first album, Yes returned to the studio with bigger ideas, and a goal of being more sophisticated in their sound. They decided to bring in a mini- orchestra and to let the jamming parts aside. The point was to find commercial territories.

While the success of this approach is argued by many – did Yes have it’s own established sound to work with, did the string arrangements get in the way of their progression?.... Still, a lot of artists did take notice, like Who's guitarist Pete Townshend, who was an avid fan of the group.

This is a good album and a definite progression from their first release, with a lot of energy and joy.

The bold version of the Richie Havens classic, No Opprtunity Neccessairy, No Experience Needed, is a delight, with a good show from the musicians, especially Chris Squire, who shines here. Bill Bruford’s drumming is starting to mature, but his textures are still not there yet. Tony Kaye is great throughout the album, with good duets between him and the orchestra. This is also Peter Banks' last appearance as a member of Yes.

Second track Then is dominated by Tony Kaye’s keyboards and accented a bit with horns. This is another fast-paced borderline psychedelic offering that slowly winds down to silence.

The strings return in a lush arrangement on Everydays, a slow-building number written by Stephen Stills that works up to a ear-bending guitar-and-keyboard extended instrumental that is flat-out incomparable to anything else being recorded at the time.

Sweet Dreams has many trademarks of the classic Yes period, particularly Anderson’s soaring vocals and Bruford’s prominent but unpredictable drums.

A jazzy The Prophet follows, one of the first of Anderson’s mystic, extended story- songs again with the strings and horns, followed by the brief interlude Clear Days.

The much better-known Astral Traveller and title track Time And A Word. Both feature the strident keyboards and Anderson’s staccato vocals that would be so prominent throughout the ‘70s. Time And A Word is a beautiful song with its memorable repetitive refrain and the way the horns and strings seem to lift the vocals atop the music toward the end.

This album has a much more consistent quality to it than the debut, and is a very good album, which gives us the real basis of Yes, such as the lyrics and the epic sound. A transitional and underappreciated piece of work.

The members of Yes who recorded thsi album were:

• Jon Anderson:  Lead Vocals, Percussion
• Peter Banks:  Guitars, Vocals
• Chris Squire:  Bass Guitar, Vocals
• Tony Kaye:  Hammond Organ, Piano
• Bill Bruford  Drums, Percussion

This remastered edition on 180 gram heavyweight audiophile vinyl is pressed in the USA by Friday Music.