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.

Kansas remasters

Following from my liking for structurally simple uncomplicated songs about romance I slowly graduated toward more complex music such as that by Kansas ( I couldn't really get into four sided concept albums) but the majority of their albums I had were on tape so I was mighty glad to get this cd set recently.

Beginning in the 70s from their hometown of Topeka, Kansas, the group produced a wild mix of rock anthems, introspective ballads, and loose jams on their studio albums.

Many of you have heard of "Carry On Wayward Son" on Classic Rock radio stations which was a smash hit for the group back in '76. Well that's from an album called Leftoverture that happens to part of this extremely cheap 5 cd set."Dust in the Wind" (off the featured '77's Point of Know Return album) is hardly indicative of the full-bodied, keyboard-and-violin-fueled anthems that grace most of their albums.

The albums included are:-

Kansas (S/T)

Song For America

Masque

Leftoverture

Point of Know Return

The discs are the Sony Legacy remasters from the 2000's that happen to sound extremely good to my ears coming with bonus live tracks too in card lp style covers.

I have the US 1996 re-master of Monolith from 1979 featuring the hit People of the South Wind as well Audio-Vision which had the hit Hold On.

I first bought Drastic Measures as a lp record in August 1983 shortly after its US release and following a selling off period in the late 80's while I was trying to build up my cd collection, I have been without a copy!

This was a pity as it was a enjoyable album the Prog rockers when John Elefante joined the band taking lead vocals.

It came out briefly on cd in 1996 and I bought a copy although it is long period out of print (England's Rock Candy re-issued this title a few months ago but that not as good sounding)

The song Mainstream takes a pot shot at the label people who stifle artistic development and Fight Fire With fire is a up tempo rocker.

YouTube - Kansas - Fight Fire with Fire

I also got the matching 1996 Legacy cd of  Vinyl Confessions the 1982 album with the hits Play The Game Tonight and Play On both of which shared as did most of tracks the bands strongly felt Christian beliefs.

Marillion

Yes pop pickers it's been a busy year and this overdue part of the vinyl project is complete.
You see I original had these albums initially as I bought them for my brother but only got around to buying one for myself namely Misplaced Childhood back in the day as I had them copied to tape. Needless to say tape isn't in my current stereo system so I had to put matters aright and as they were intended for lp at the time I bought the UK first issue lps.

Formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979 they are a progressive rock band -aka Prog Rock - and as such hark back to style of song writing which scans more like prose with strong imagery and complex musical arrangements.

Script For A Jester's Tear EMI EMC 3429: Issued in1983 and home of He Knows You Know and Garden Party which were hit 45's this was the first album and sounded the most like 70's Genesis.
Fugazi EMC 24 0085-1: issued in early 1984 this was one album that really made me pay attention to what this new band had to offer featuring the hits single Assassing.
Real To Real: Issued late 1984 this is a live album part recorded in Canada and part in the UK that did feature their first single Market Square Heroes that wasn't issued on album.
Misplaced Childhood EMI MRL2 (EJ24 0340-1): One of the best selling albums of 1985 featuring the singles Lavender and Kayleigh that remain popular to the present day. On lp it sound a lot better than the UK cd version I have.
Clutching At Straws EMI EMD 1002: Issued in 1987 the album that is very much about the touring life it was the last studio album to feature vocalist Fish and the home of the singles Incommunicado and Sugar Mice