Lime and a Bird

Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M STILL REVIEWING YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, this follow-up to their near-rock debut is ... um ... Well ... there is no doubt that this album, full of pompous stuff for nerds, is progressive rock. You see, their debut was rather closely related to rock. I will be the first to tell you that I like rock. Rock, or as some like to call it, "confounded screaming music," is what drives my soul. MY SOUL!!!!!!!!!!! So why a bunch of pimpley teenagers in the late 60s wanted to go and turn beloved rock into classical music is beyond reason.

Okay, so I already said I liked progressive rock all over my Internet reviews and I haven't changed my mind. (I only wanted to write that to see if I could make your head explode, oh pimpley teenager who is reading this site.) Unfortunately, as far as pompous progressive rock music, this album isn't really the way to go.

Time and a Word, while a perfectly decent album as far as albums go, is lacking one major thing when it comes to making pompous progressive rock albums: Awesomeness. There aren't very many beautiful moments ("Then" is a fantastic exception), there aren't many majestic moments ... there even isn't a 12-minute keyboard solo that reeks of "whoah... I'm pretending to be awed" from pimpley teenagers. ... So what is this?

Yup, I'm sure this is where Yes is looking for their style. As I said in my review of Yes, I haven't actually sat through an entire Yes album until reviewing these, but I can say with some degree of confidence (and if I think I'm wrong later, I'll change it) that this is where they were looking for their style. It's all very rough around the edges. Some of the instrumentation on here is so sloppy that it's painful (see: "Clear Days). Many of the melodies still needed work. And they could have used a fantastic producer or arranger or something ...

But one thing this album does have is energy. A lot of progressive rock is so boring that listening to the kettle boil is more interesting. Yes, at least, has the audacity to think that their music is great, and they are performing this to, what I perceive, the best of their abilities. Of course, Rick Wakeman isn't in the band yet, and I do happen to know that he rules. (...Isn't it weird of me to have intimate knowledge of some Rick Wakeman solo albums and not having heard Yes very much? ... This stunning realization just made me think I'm weirder than I originally thought I was. ... CCCCCCCCCC.)

Anyway, Yes fans surely must own this album if they don't already. And, normal people don't need this album. But chances are, if you are reading this page, you aren't normal.

Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10 (Yes's's''s's''s's's's's''s'sss'''''''''s's''s's''s sophomore album is high on the pomposity and low on compelling artistic ideas.)

Average Song Score: 8.2 (There's some good stuff here ... some of the songs are great and others are kind of fun ... even if there's nothing really fantastic about them.)

Album Tilt: 8.0 (Hmmmmm... This isn't so impressive an album. I could be told I may never listen to it again, and I won't care.)

Artist Rating: 8.0 (There are some interesting ideas. Not *a lot* of interesting idea, but some. This is art-rock, after all.)

Track Reviews

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed 8/10

...Oh, yes. This is Yes. I don't know what the freak that last album was. Judging from that album, I would've thought Yes was cool or something. Surely enough, this song starts off as pompous as can be. It begins with some organ notes and then these violin synths start playing as if they were the opening credit music for the greatest western movie ever made. (And this theme returns in the song.) But then, there's some rocking stuff and that Jon Anderson guy starts singing. This melody is only mildly intriguing, though. It's fast and energetic, so it's likable, but ... dudes. Even the electric guitar solo in here is BORING. If it wasn't for that pompous classical music bit, this song would be ... lost ... in time and space ... and word, too. I do think this was kind of an ambitious effort. Yeah, the Moody Blues already tried the whole movie-soundtrack-rock in 1967, but ... they weren't quite sounding like this. This is a fun song. Don't get me wrong.

Then 9.5/10

Well, hey! If Yes can come up with a good melody, then I'm right there rocking with them. The added orchestration, therefore, is icing on the cake. And the instrumentation is just done so well here. It's very crisp and sweet. A little crazy violin here, a little ochestral build up there. ... Okay, the lengthy jam in the middle of it is about as interesting as watching traffic, but ... I like watching traffic sometimes. But the melody in the lyrical part of the song ... you can't touch it. It's great.

Everydays 8.5/10

Geez, Yes sure does think they are MOVIE SOUNDTRACK people! ... This song starts out to be quite moody and jazzy ... and it works here. It's dark, it's kind of sinister ... and that's exactly what they were going for. The instrumentation was done quite well here. Jon Anderson has *no* business singing as if he actually could sing well and were a jazz night club singer, but ... I can take it. After about two minutes of this, a quick beat from the cymbal pipes up and some proggy orchestral hits come up. Oh yes. Yes is a prog band. Lest you forget. And they do one of their old instrumental jams that ... ahem ... aren't much more interesting than watching traffic. (Hopefully, it's not *all* going to be like this.) They are pretty good instrumentalists, and I like that they have some jammy old electric guitar in here. If you're not sure how to make an instrumental interlude in a song, it can't hurt to have a lot of electric guitar. That's what I always say.

Sweet Dreams 7/10

So, Yes definitely penned this song, but they forgot one pivitol thing: Making it interesting. There's nothing particularly intriguing here. The melody isn't catchy. The instrumentation, while energetic, doesn't have much other than its upbeatness to enjoy. This has the feel of rock jam except without the innovation. Ho hum. (But in its defense, I can tell you that "Sweet Dreams" are made of theeeeeeeiieieiisss.)

The Prophet 8/10

What's with this song intro? It's just someone piddling around at the organ! I mean, if you must play around with an organ at the beginning of your song, couldn't you at least be doing something evil and sinister with it ... or something slightly more interesting than just, seemingly, playing random notes. DANG YOU, YES!!! Then some violins start playing ... something that's also not too interesting. And then a drum gives a drum roll ... and a very uninteresting one. But then the drum at least lends a little bit to the proceeding as the electric organ starts playing real chords. ... But still. What's with this song? It has this elaborate two-minute instrumental and it lent nothing to the song. ... See how many words I wasted trying to describe it? If you put the effort in it, at least bloody make it interesting. That's not so much to ask. When the lyrics start, the song gets better but not a whole heck of a lot. I like the way a violin synth is playing some nice harmony in the background. The melody is fairly compelling but not an extreme amount ... There are other sections of this song, but I've already wasted too many words in this track review. I don't know how anyone can pen such an elaborate song and it can just sound so dang ho hum. I'm one person who, I think, commonly gets caught up in pomposity and pretentiousness. What is wrong with these guys???

Clear Days 7/10

A two minute song??? This ain't prog!!! ... Oh wait, prog people are allowed to write two minute songs, but not without this, even, sounding overblown. Man! This is a ballad, but it ... CRAP! WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THESE GUYS??? Your lovely ballads in Yes were at least melodic and lovely. Your violins in the background just seem too crazy and bloody misfired. To your credit, at least you only made this two minutes long. It couldn't have stood to be a second longer.

Astral Traveller 8/10

I like the guitar chords that start this song ... it makes me think that this is going to be some weird spacey song. Well ... as far as weird spacey songs go, however, this one isn't that phenomenal! The melody is alright, though ... it's not particuarly hooky, though. The instrumentation is technically well done at least, but ... this doesn't 'transport' me into space like it seems like it should have. Again ... the traffic thing. Do you like watching traffic, or would you rather watch something more meaningful? I mean, I'm enjoying listening to the instruments and stuff, so ... this is perfectly fine. Just not great.

Time and a Word 9.5/10

Hey, what do you know? It's the last song, and it's not more than five minutes long and parts of it have a very catchy melody. Catchy melodies are good, I say. The pomposity of this bloody overblown love song is done in a way that actually *adds* to the goodness of the song. Of course, I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't like the melody, but ... seriously, I don't think some people realize the significance of a good melody. The end of this song, featuring (probably) a sythnesized orchestra makes me happy to be in love ... with this can of Diet Coke. Mmmmmmmmm, I love Diet Coke. Most people think it's piss, but ... we were made for each other.

BONUS TRACKS

If you're itching to hear Yes bonus tracks, then you probably should seek medical attention. "Dear Father" is the only bonus track that didn't appear in the normal album. This would've gotten a 6.5 if it appeared in the album, but I won't count it, because these things are added for fan curiosity ... and maybe to force fans to buy the album again. The melody isn't catchy and the instrumentation (which is fairly rocking) is sloppy and misfired. Don't worry if you never hear this song. Seriously. Well... if you subscribe to an Internet music service, then you can hear it. That's where I'm hearing. Also included are different versions of "No Opportunity Necessary," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of DVDs)" and "The Prophet." I don't care enough to analyze them.

Do the disco here.

davidandino@msn.com (david andino) received March 8, 2007

well, ignacio you have your hits and you have your duds sorry for the flame on the rush 2112 page i am a defender of prog rock music but will you just hear me for once. i like abba and kate bush and yes and styx and kiss and earth wind and fire and more. if you like please review going for the one. it is a beautiful album. turn of the century and awaken are ethereal tunes. going for the one is like a beautiful woman. so pure yet so mature. tomato sucked! like an immature child. why the hell do you bash barry white? he is a great deep voiced soul singer. next time pick marvin gaye and please be kind huh? ok i rambled on and on maybe songs in the key of life must have killed you but it is a beautiful album like going for the one. peace in the middle east my brother!.