Yes Singles and thoughts on the vinyl revival

There was a time when vinyl records were expected to be just a memory removed from shops as a new item with just few used ones traded more as mementos of the past in "Olde World" shops.

Equally many of us expected and went through the process of converting our record and tape collections to compact discs as I recall going on Friday afternoons with bags of records to part exchange for new cds or credits for any they held.

By the mid nineties I had just a few left usually where a title hadn't been issued on cd (some early Rolling Stones titles were not) or where I wanted mixes not issued on cd such as the stereo Beatles first four UK albums and the original stereo Help and Rubber Soul.

But in the main all new titles and back catalogue was now bought on the cd thus all my Yes progressive rock lps went for compact discs either regular ones or the audiophile issues on labels such as Mobile Fidelity and Audio Fidelity.

Things as you may of noticed are different today.

Your record shop has a lot of brand new records, not just old classic rock or soul but todays artists too because many have rediscovered over twenty years the vinyl record and buy them.

I haven't been immune from that virus having upgraded my record playing equipment and buying brand new discs and rebuying some favourites from the past, hearing more of the playing than I did back in the day.

That you see is where Yes Singles fits in, a single disc of single edits that capture them from 1969 to 1984 which is really where my interest in this prog rock band stopped as much as I did get Big Generator on vinyl in 1987.

The full track list is here and if you know this music, you can see why I'd want it.

1 Your Move (Single Version)

2 Starship Trooper: Life Seeker (Single Version)

3 Roundabout (Single Version)

4 America (Single Edit)

5 And You and I (Part One) [promo Radio Edit]

6 Soon (Single Edit)

7 Sound Chaser (Single Edit)

8 Wonderous Stories (Single Version)

9 Don't Kill the Whale (Single Version)

10 Into the Lens (Single Version)

11 Owner of a Lonely Heart (Single Version)

12 Leave It (Single Remix)

While some are not whole works - and with Yes some do run to over 20 minutes! - it reminds you of their achievements in their single forms that are otherwise stuck on many pieces of seven inch plastic so I got this on Friday, day of release.

It was cleaned before playing and it does sound great and just hearing Roundabout and Wonderous Stories on vinyl takes me back years.

Recommended  even if you may want Classic Yes for the full length versions of some tracks.