XP (USA -CO)
XP (93); Ten Songs (99)
XP is an independent, unabashedly Christian rock band with some rhythmically proggish tendencies on a few of their songs. The best album is their newest, Ten Songs, and it starts off with a bang with their tune Prayin' Man. My favorite of their songs, it sports an odd-time jamming rhythm and some to-the-point lyrics. There is also a unique rendition of the classic hymn Nothing But the Blood on this one (called Nuthin'). Although they bill themselves as progressive rock, they don't quite live up to that. Nevertheless, these guys are better than 90% of what passes for CCM music now days, and their lyrics, while not quite poetic, certainly aren't watered down. If you are looking for classic 70's prog a'la ELP, I wouldn't bother with XP. But if you enjoy older Petra or your basic creative power rock of the late 70's with an evangelistic bent, XP might be for you. These guys are worth checking out just to read the individual musician's bio's on their web page - quite hilarious. http://www.xpband.com/
Yes (UK)
Yes; Time and a Word; The Yes Album; Fragile; Close To The Edge; Tales of
Topographic Oceans; Relayer; Going for the One; Tormato; Drama; 90125;
Big Generator; ABWH, Union, Talk, Open Your Eyes; Keys to
Ascension I, II
Yes is one of the premier progressive rock bands in the world, helping to invent the genre in the ealrly 1970's. Driving bass lines, fiery distorted guitar leads, keyboard virtuosity and tight vocal harmonies have been their trademark through over twenty studio albums and millions of records sold. From the beginning their music has been steeped in spiritual themes, thanks to the creative if obtuse lyrics of their angelic singer, Jon Anderson. With Jon's influences ranging from Christian themes to Eastern philosophies, many a drug-addled seeker has turned heart toward their creator singing along with .."Relayer, all that passion spent on one cross..". Of the members of Yes, Chris Squire was raised singing in church choirs and has recently released a Christmas album of sacred music (Chris Squire's Swiss Choirs), Jon Anderson had a serious fling with Christianity in the late 70's/early 80's before veering off into New Age philosophies, while keyboardist Rick Wakeman remains a professing Christian.
I've talked to a number of people who were led toward belief in God through the lyrics of Yes. Songs like Heart of the Sunrise, And You and I, Siberian Khatru ("Christian..changer..all round..saviour.."), The Revealing Science of God, The Gates of Delirium, Awaken (apparenlty inspired by Calvin Miller's poetic Christian novels, The Singer, The Song, etc.), Parallels, Onward, On the Silent Wings of Freedom, The Meeting, Lift Me Up, etc., all touch on spiritual longings and can even be interpreted as Christian in places. Their best albums are Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales, Relayer, and Going For the One. The Yes-West years, with guitar phenom Trevor Rabin at the helm, produced some decent albums, including the heavily produced 90125 (sans Howe), which sold the most copies of any Yes album and is a good album in its own right. Other highlights from that era were Big Generator, and Talk. Some newer songs with Wakeman on Keys to Ascension II are awesome, especially the song Mind Drive, which is vintage Yes. The later albums took a different spiritual bent, with Jon's philosophies moving to new age and embracing reincarnation and his spiritual guru, Devine Mother. The Ladder, released in 1999, was a disappointment for me, although many Yes fans really liked it. 2001's Magnification was better, and the orchestral parts instead of a keyboard player were surprisingly tasteful. Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson released an album together called The Living Tree in 2010, although it is very laid back and doesn't sound much like Yes. Yes reformed with former Drama mates Downes and Horn to record Fly From Here, a considerable return to form, although Jon Anderson was replaced by Toronto-born tribute band singer Benoit David. {dt}
It’s been a decade since the last Yes studio album, the orchestral Magnification, but the prog rock juggernauts finally have a new album out called Fly From Here. It's a surprisingly solid effort, considering most of the band are now of retirement age. There aren't many bands still around that started releasing albums in the 1960's, let alone one's still releasing fairly solid new material. When is the last time The Who did something creative? It is certainly welcome to hear some new music from Yes after a decade of silence, even if it has some flaws.
To jumpstart the creative process, the band teamed up again with former band members from the Drama album, master producer Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes. Like Drama, this Yes album is without quintessential Yes vocalist Jon Anderson, with the vocals this time manned by former Yes tribute band vocalist Benoit David. While Anderson is missed (and he himself was about as happy about being left out of the mix as the rest of Yes fandom), David does a good job finding his own voice. He sounds enough like Anderson to fool the casual fan, although he actually sounds more like Trevor Horn on a few of the songs. Yes stalwarts Chris Squire (the only member to appear on every Yes album) on bass, Steve Howe on guitars, and Alan White on drums round out the personnel, with some odd keyboard bits by Oliver Wakeman.
There is no question this is a progressive rock album and a Yes album, with the album side length title track, frequent odd-time instrumental breaks, obtuse lyrics, and tight high harmonies. It even includes an instrumental solo guitar piece, Solitaire, by Howe, hearkening back to the 70’s albums Fragile and The Yes Album. Fly From Here is much more cohesive and will probably have more staying power than panned earlier efforts such as Open Your Eyes, The Ladder, and Union. Much of the album sounds like it could have come in the gap between Drama and Going For the One, which is exactly where much of the title track came from. Yes even performed Fly From Here a few times live during the Drama tour, before it was abandoned with the return of Wakeman and Anderson.
The production quality is stellar, of course, as Horn has produced some of the best “sounding” records of all time, including hits for Yes (90125 album), Seal, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and other artists. Comparisons to the Drama album are natural, as that’s the last time this personnel group worked together. Fly From Here is not as solid or rocking as that album, which was an initial disappointment to many fans, but then grew into what can only be considered a classic. Like that album, Howe is in the forefront, although the guitars aren't as menacing, and Downes angular keyboards compliment things nicely while avoiding flashiness. Unlike Drama, Squire's bass is unremarkable although solid. White's drums sound wonderful, even if the actual drumming isn't as technically creative as on past efforts. Again, your have to remind yourself that these fellows are getting older, and while perhaps no longer at the height of their powers, they are still pretty damn good.
The 24-minute title track is a major highlight, although it doesn't really hold a candle to such Yes epics as Close to the Edge, Gates of Delirium or any of the album sides of Tales of Topographic Oceans. While it sounds like some unrelated pieces were glued together in places, the main chorus melody finds its way back into the mix enough to keep it cohesive, and there are enough left turns to keep things interesting. The section called Bumpy Ride stretches out some guitar and keyboard riffing, sounding more like vintage Yes. The song Man You Always Wanted Me to Be has a CSNY feel with the vocal harmonies. Life on a Film Set is a recycled Buggles track, and a bit unremarkable. Oliver Wakeman, who was the keyboardist when they started recording before Horn brought back Downes, can be heard doing some classic Moog riffing like his father Rick on the Howe song Hour of Need. I'd like to hear the Japanese only version of the track, with an extra three minutes of who knows what, as the song feels like its missing something. The finale, Into the Storm, which reminds me a bit of On The Silent Wings of Freedom, is far and away the strongest track and my favorite.
Lyrically, the songs obviously lack Anderson’s quirky way of making what appears to be non-sensical phrases into deep revelations. However, the lyrics are solid, and positive vibes abound. One needs only remind oneself that Anderson's own lyrics of late have been a lot more straight forward than the old days. There is certainly nothing objectionable in the content, and you can even find some neo-Christian sounding phrases in the lyrics, such as “armies of angels are leading me on..” from Into the Storm.
Overall, I give the record a thumbs up. I for one am happy to be listening to something new from Yes, and I’m glad they are using a good producer such as Horn. Sonically, its impeccable. I’m excited I’m not put off by Benoit David as lead vocalist, and I’m happy to hear Steve Howe playing some fiery licks again. I’m not as happy with Chris Squire’s somewhat mundane bass playing (his creative leads used to be my favorite part of Yes), some of Downe’s keyboard work (the piano sounds are clunky), and the lack of a song that really jumps out and kicks my ass. While Yes may have lost the "Wow Factor", meaning a song or two with at least some parts that completely blow me away, (last heard, for me at least, on Talk), they have crafted a decent record that is quite listenable and even enjoyable. 3.5 out of five stars. {DT}
Young Earth (USA -CO)
CPR, Volume 2
Young Earth is a prog band featured on the CPR Volume 2 CD made up of Bill Rebsamen, Chuck Law, David Walliman (now in Glass Hammer) and Kirk Gaither. See more about them at: http://www.youngearth.net
Tasty Thanks; Dufusized; Used To Would've
Leon Goodenough's quirky band, called by some King Crimson meets the B-52's, is a delightful blend of vintage Telecaster guitars, odd time signatures, whacked out organs, Frippian rhythms, and modern alternative vocals about God and His many wonders. Dufusized is the more eclectic of the three (and thus the best), although harder to find than Used To Would've, which is readily available new or used on the Internet. Tasty Thanks, their debut, has more folk rock leanings, a 'la The Violent Femmes. There are a few samples from the band up on http://www.mp3.com if you have a hankering. If you like the Yumsters, you might try out Goodenough's prog-punk band, the Clergy, as well. Leon told me that he has a new Yum Yum album in the works, so expect something cool in the fall of 2002! {dt}
Z
Zomo is a new proggy female-fronted Christian groove-metal band. They are influenced by King's X, Platypus, Tool, etc. Here's their Myspace profile page where you can listen to them: http://www.myspace.com/zomoband