Track Listing

1. New State of Mind
2. Open Your Eyes
3. Universal Garden
4. No Way We Can Lose
5. Fortune Seller
6. Man in the Moon
7. Wonderlove
8. From the Balcony
9. Love Shine
10. Somehow, Someday
11. Solution

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #332408 in Music
• Released on: 1998-05-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition

Amazon.com
After some extremely confusing personnel shakeups, the 1997 Yes configuration--including classic members Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Alan White, plus new keyboardist Billy Sherwood--emerged with this surprisingly strong effort that manages to maintain Yes's familiar prog-rock sound without making the band sound like a museum piece. New numbers like "New State of Mind," "Open Your Eyes," and "Fortune Seller" blend the band's progressive inclinations with solidly crafted melodies that place them among the band's catchiest creations. --Scott Schinder

Customer Reviews

NEW STATE OF MIND
This 1997 effort by proggo-giants Yes has got to be the most despised album they have released. Could it be the lack of direction, the absence of keyboard virtuoso Rick Wakeman, the stripped-down simpler aproach, the addition of new members Billy Sherwood and Igor Khoroshev, the lack of some mega-epic 20 minute rock symphony ala 'Close To The Edge', Jon's new-age cosmic jive lyrics? The above characteristics only partly define this album.

Here's what happened: Yes were to release 'Keys To Ascension 2' as the next official album back in 1997. Workoholic Wakeman was reluctant to tour due to prior commitments. Since the tour was up in the air, the label decided to postpone the release of 'Keys' as well. Rick then left. Itching to tour, and with new management, Yes decided to wash their hands of the whole 'Keys' debacle and whip out a new album quickly to take on the road with them. And what quicker way than to raid the backlog of solo material Chris Squire was working on with longtime Yes associate Billy Sherwood. So what you have here mimics what happened with the 90125 album- in that it was a Trevor Rabin solo album which morphed into a Yes album. Kudos must be given to Yes for making good of a bad situation, and as lazy and slapped-together easy way out albums go, this isn't as bad as has been made out to be. It was a Squire/Sherwood 'Conspiracy' album and the other members had to wedge their bits in, and it often shows. Problem is, two weeks before OYE was released, the old record company opportunistically released the retro-prog rock 'Keys To Ascension 2' to capitalise on the 1997 tour. The two albums released just weeks apart were like night and day: 'Keys' being a blatant return to epic material of old- a new 'Relayer'- and OYE being something the complete opposite. Fans were confused.

In total contrast to the 6 to 20 minute prog-rock of 'Keys', OYE is a stripped-down affair. The material is simpler, quirkier, and the production is more powerful. Some say this album is 'pop', but unlike albums like 1983's '90125', the songs here aren't really that terribly accesible either as some claim. Too weird, no stand-out 'single' as such. If 'Keys' was using 'Relayer' or 'Going For The One' as a lauching pad, OPEN YOUR EYES draws its plans from not 90125 or any Trevor Rabin era album, but more so like the first album YES(1969) or Time & A Word(1970). There is a Beatles-ish vibe and quirkiness here, and the emphasis here seems to be more on vocal harmonies than instrumental overkill. The addition of Billy Sherwood(keyboards and 2nd guitar) brings an urgency to Yes and a more guitar presence, but still there is a feel of a band in transition, and the album appears to be partly going in a new direction and partly going through the motions. The trax:

NEW STATE OF MIND - a plodding rocker with big choruses. Kinda Yes meets Led Zep in a way. A bit repetitious but drives along.

OPEN YOUR EYES - the title track was supposed to be the 'hit' single from the album but I never once heard it on radio. It's a rocking guitar-based track which could have been a minor hit like GTR or ABWH 'Brother Of Mine'. Steve Howe's solos were probably slopped on without him getting to know the track well, but they fit so you can't tell. A good modern Yes track.

UNIVERSAL GARDEN - is a more traditional Yes-sounding track with plenty of cosmic synths, percussion and harmonies. The opening sounds like Howe and Sherwood trading licks on acoustic guitars which I'm suprised has escaped mention by Yes enthusiasts. In fact the two guitars sound like what Howe and Rabin would have sounded like together in some imaginary post-UNION version of Yes.

NO WAY WE CAN LOSE - is a more simpler and upbeat track similar to 'Saving My Heart' from 1991's UNION album. Again, emphasis on vocal harmonies continues the Beatles comparisons.

FORTUNE SELLER - another rocker track which features Rick's replacement, Russian keyboardist Igor Khoroshev, providing a 'Roundabout'-like organ solo. Don't get the lyrics at the end though(1-800-??).

MAN IN THE MOON - a repetitious Squire/Sherwood Conspiracy track with Jon and Steve half-hearted performances kinda stello-taped on. Most fans hate this track, but it is rather catchy.

WONDERLOVE - this one is rather weird, it has a mystical feel to it but it's not your usual cosmic Yes. It's simpler but it's not 'pop' either. It works on some primal level, I don't really understand what the band were going for on this track but I rather like it.

FROM THE BALCONY - a folky contrast to the rest of the album, it's just Steve on acoustic and Jon providing vocals. A nice, simple, naked song.

LOVE SHINE - this is filler, obviously. Kinda funky, not unpleasant but not particularly necessary either.

SOMEHOW, SOMEDAY - more filler, this is actually a Jon Anderson solo song 'Boundaries' which is meshed with a 'City Of Love'-type rhythm. The song sounds like it doesn't fit together too well, like half the song can't keep up with the other.

THE SOLUTION - the album ends with a rocker not too unlike 'Tempus Fugit'. How this escaped the Yes enthusiasts is also puzzling. A good rock track, Steve's guitars do recall some of his playing on Drama.

UNCREDITED TRACK - the rest of the disc has one of those secret hidden bonus tracks. Nothing much here, just a pleasant ambient/nature background with some vocal harmony bursts scattered around(all disembodied choruses from the album's songs).

Really, not a terrible album at all. Not up to YES' usual standards either. Some of Yes' half-baked moments have produced interesting results, and this album is one such moment. Remember, this was originally recorded as a Conspiracy album, and Yes took a shortcut by adding enough material to make it an official Yes album while securing a new member in Billy Sherwood as well. A lot could have been better had the band had more time. The circumstances gave us a rushed effort that is strange, forced and confused. But there are a few gems here, you just have to dig a little to find them. The sound quality is very good too. Best tracks for me were the title track, UNIVERSAL GARDEN, WONDERLOVE, SOLUTION and NO WAY WE CAN LOSE. I give it 3 and a half stars, you should give it a chance.

Open Your Eyes & Ears To This Fine Yes Disc!
There seems to be a school of thought somewhere in Yes' fanbase that *only* the band's long, extended pieces of music matter. Whenever the band simplify things a bit and do a whole album of shorter pieces, some Yes fans actually cry foul. Personally, I think this is just plain silly. Although I love "Close To The Edge," "Gates Of Delerium," "The Revealing Science Of God" and other Yes epics, I can greatly appreciate the band's shorter tunes as well. There's plenty of great songs to be had on Yes' very first pair of albums, as well as 1978's "Tormato" (I remain defiant that that's a great album), 1980's "Drama," all of the Trevor Rabin-era albums (even the much-maligned "Union" has a few gems on it), and this album, 1997's "Open Your Eyes," which I think is one of the group's very best albums."Open Your Eyes" started out life as a solo album for bassist Chris Squire, but it quickly evolved into a full-fledged Yes album, with all the other members getting into the act & contributing parts. Keyboard wiz Rick Wakeman had left the group AGAIN, so the band brought newcomer Billy Sherwood into the fold. The end result is a joyous, upbeat Yes album that sounds uncannily like a Trevor Rabin production, only without Trevor Rabin. ALL of the songs, from "New State Of Mind" to "The Solution," are catchy, uplifting, and memorable. Jon Anderson & the gang's heavenly choir vocals are all perfectly intact, as well as their expert musical chops. The production on "Eyes" is clean & polished, the sound is big and booming. "Open Your Eyes" is also a GREAT Yes album to cruise in your car to. I dare you not to hum along & tap your feet with this music as you head down the highway!"Open Your Eyes" is a very underrated Yes album. The band no longer play anything from it in concert, and the disc hardly ever gets a mention when fans talk about their favorite Yes music. But *I* think that this is an awesome disc, and one of the band's finest accomplishments. "Open Your Eyes" is a Yes album that's always a pleasure for me to listen to, and a great disc to play when you need a good, solid, spiritual boost. Please open YOUR eyes & ears to this one.

Open Your Eyes, Close Your Ears
I've been about as big a Yes fan as there has ever been. I don't know the member's middle names or birthdates but I have always appreciated their music. Open Your Eyes is not "Yes" music. It is Yes with the very talented Billie Sherwood. Anderson, Squire, Howe, Wakeman, Bruford and/or White is Yes. Ten and twenty minute compositions are Yes although the short pieces are great too. There was synergy there not created with other line-ups or during attemps at more mainstream rock oriented albums like Open. It's good, it can't help but be good with this talent but it isn't great, which is what I always hope for and usually get with Yes. If you like Union or Talk you will probably like this album. If you think Fragile, Tales and Close To The Edge were the best rock albums ever made you'll be very disappointed.