Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Yes: Open Your Eyes

Yes: Open Your Eyes

By Glenn Astarita
August 11, 2012
View read count

Not well-received among diehard Yes fans, Open Your Eyes was originally released in 1997, and reissued here, in LP format, in 2012. Nowhere as prominent or striking as the band's classic '70s outings, here keyboardist Rick Wakeman is absent and replaced by keyboardist/guitarist Billy Sherwood, who lines up with eminent guitarist and longtime member

Steve Howe

guitar, electric
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Howe. The bulk of this material lies between progressive rock and pop-rock, with most of it largely forgettable romps, sans memorable hooks or intriguing song forms. They're diametrically opposed to Yes' classic pieces, often modeled with complex time signatures, ambient/symphonic dreamscapes and British folk music.

In 1982, when guitarist

Trevor Rabin

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Trevor Rabin joined the band, Yes morphed into a high-end pop-rock unit, and enjoyed extensive radio airplay with the hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart." Personnel shifts once again followed, leading to this outing, primarily designed on solid backbeats and a few odd-metered diversions. However, the prog factor faintly underscores the majority of the program.

"Fortune Seller and "Man in the Moon" are noteworthy compositions, borrowing from pop and featuring vocalist Jon Anderson's tuneful overtones and catchy lyricism. But filler material such as the 23-minute "The Solution" is little more than an electronic backwash, treated with the sounds of nature and vocal choruses that weave in and out every five minutes or so.

The only saving grace pertains to the musicians' superior chops amid Howe, bassist Chris Squire and drummer

Tony Levin / David Torn / Alan White

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Levin / David Torn / Alan White's enviable technical faculties and signature stylizations. Unfortunately, this isn't enough to keep the album from sinking into murky waters.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

New State of Mind; Open :Your Eyes; Universal Garden; No Way We Can Lose; Fortune Seller; Man In The Moon; Wonderlove; From the Balcony; Love Shine; Somehow��Someday; The Solution.

Personnel

Yes

band / ensemble / orchestra

Jon Anderson: lead vocals; Chris Squire: bass, harmonica, vocals; Billy Sherwood: guitars, keyboards, vocals; Alan White: drums, percussion, vocals; Steve Howe: guitars, steel, mandolin, banjo, vocals.

Album information

Title: Open Your Eyes | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Sireena Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Vans Warped Tour: Uniondale, NY, Jul...
< Previous

Push
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.