In 74, I was just a freshman away at college hearing fresh new YES music in the dorm room in front of this rich kid's new massive Bose Speakers with other fanatics of the band preparing our heads for this new adventure. From the opening sounds of shimmering keys & tingling harmonics by both Howe and Squire, I KNEW immediately that we were in for a major epic experience & seamless masterpiece. The gradual rise towards battle, war, victory & ascent into remorse & reflection is almost unnoticeable but this time the lyrics clearly reveals the course we are on throughout. Every member is firing on all cylinders. Jon's vocalizing is urgent & determined during the buildup to WAR contrasting his soft gentle melodic approach when at PEACE. Chris is dark & stylishly Funky, Alan is driving & powerfully versatile, Steve is just always insanely multi-textually intense & Moraz was the right Jazz Fusion injection YES needed to pull this off recognized especially after you've heard his Solo album titled "The Story of i" which feels like a sequel to this album at times! Once again YES' concept is brilliantly imagined, produced to perfection IMO, & performed amazingly. THIS SONG SOARS TO HIGH HELL into HEAVEN and back in ways that no other band was doing.
A lot of 70's Yes needs to be listened to numerous times until your brain figures out what is what. I have listened to this song thousands of times over the decades an it still is fresh and wonderful every time..............................
For me the version from Yesshows is the go to version for this song. What a steamy performance. The energy of that performance is unmatched. Yesshows was my gateway into 70ies Yes and I remember how my jaw dropped the first time I listened to that version. I didn't know that musicians were able to do this kind of stuff. That was really life changing for me. One of my favourite songs by Yes and maybe my alltime favourite live recording. The crowd went absolutely nuts at the end of that performance.
Actually, there is no argument. After all the magic that happened in the studio this band took the material out on the road and slayed. They were not always killer. They’re human. But nobody else wrote material like this and then took it out on the road and made it even better. When in full flight onstage, there was nothing like Yes. Before or since. GOAT ❤ Even now, it’s just about incomprehensible. How did they do it?! They believed they could and so they did.
I believe that many times during the cacophonous sections, that certain sounds were intentionally brought through to accentuate moments along the way, and that the entire track was methodically tweaked to muddy, and clarify certain tonal textures purposefully. After so many listens, I know each note, so that the piece becomes part of my musical mind, and I appreciate each nuance that is captured like a musical meal. Love this entire album so much. Patrick shines through at certain select endlessly memorable moments.
Remember Rick Wakeman decided to do his own thing!! Patrick Moraz contributions were outstanding. He didn't have alot of time to blend in as well as Rick. Was his first time recording with Yes . Ive heard Sound Chaser was his first song 🎵 recording with the group. You must admit he was great being the first time with them without any experience. I saw them play this album at live concert in Jersey city New Jersey. Was at Roosevelt stadium 🏟. Yes performed there 3 consecutive years and I attended every performance there . Yes was already my Number one band and I tried not to miss any of there concerts locally
I remember was a promoter named John Kirchner bringing bands to play in Roosevelt stadium. One summer i attended three big name groups there, including Emerson, lake and Palmer- Pink Floyd and Yes . Was called technorock , not progressive rock at the time
@@TheReaperMan275 It's really about bringing the aesthetic of Yes home at the end. You get these big frenetic pieces of music, sometimes with chaotic or violent music happening, and then it comes down to a soft and beautiful absolution, like the troubles and suffering has been cleansed by a compassionate spirituality.
@@BawooklesTo Be Over is the perfect conclusion to Relayer. Yes truly has the best endings to many of their albums. Especially Ritual, Awaken, Hearts, Holy Lamb, and Nine Voices. Phenomenal endings to near perfect albums.
@@charleswagner2984 I really like your mention of "Holy Lamb" there. That songs gets overlooked a lot, and I think it's just a great Jon Anderson tune.
How is Howe not in everyone's top 10? Agree that the lack of distinct, layered parts and seemingly disparate and amalgamated instrumentation makes Gates less accessible. But what a composition! My recall is that I preferred Sound Chaser and that it is more jazz oriented, but I'm interested to see how I react now.
Memories are short. Howe DID win Guitar Player Magazine polls so many times that they had to create a special category for him just to let others have a shot at it.
IF I had known that Howe played a Telecaster on this album, on the third part of Awaken, and on Does It Really Happen on Drama, I very well may have opted for getting one of those in 1987. As it was, I had seen pictures of Howe in 1986 with a red Les Paul when he was in GTR, and saw album liner notes where he'd used a Les Paul on certain other songs. Add that to pictures of Alex Lifeson and Jimmy Page with a Les Paul, and that's what I got for my combination high school graduation and 18th birthday. I still have it.
Loosely based on Tolstoy`s "War And Peace", gathering the armies in the first part, battle is the instrumental mayhem, then you get "Soon" which is the end of the fighting and the peace returns, beautiful ending to any song, this is another Yes masterpiece!
Exactly. I'm huge Yes fan, but I disliked this song for years, "suffering through most of it," to get to _Sound Chaser_ (yay! cassettes!) Now it's in my top three. Yes are not a shallow band. I wish these "First listen" reactors would make another video after, say, 100 listens. *Then* they'd have something deeper to say.
The first time I heard this was stumbling into a mutual friends house as his older brother was blasting it at high volume! It was right after it came out... It was a revelation. I also heard Rush 2112 at the same location for the first time, the following year... Right after it came out!!
The thing about this epic I think they did rather well was create 'moods' with their music + lyrics that would change as the story moves along. One thing YES had loved doing since Close To The Edge was invest a lot of energy in a section to build up tension, all to set up a big _release_ from tension that they had waiting for you just around the corner. The discordant opening of CTTE did that, but Gates sets up 3 distinct 'release' moments that are all very satisfying (even without Wakeman on the keys) the moment when hostilities have ended between the armies (with Alan marching us to the crescendo), the moment when the denouement is complete & the participants have lapsed into sober reflection, & then the last release at the very end of the song when hope is again embraced, almost desperately...
I'm glad you said it deserves another listen, cuz that's something you should definitely do _for us._ Ya know, on a second listen, you could approach your commentary differently from your first take. This time you did a lot of steady listening because there was a lot to pay attention to, but on a second listen you should feel free to stop the song periodically after hearing a passage you liked & even replay it to listen to it one more time. I'm sure your regular fans would be very eager to hear your 2nd impression of such a long, complicated piece of music...
Justin, I remember buying the LP the day it came out back in 1974... After the first listen, I was kinda disappointed, it sounded as you said, too "crowded", it felt like Yes had added every single sound effect that they could think of... but I knew that first listens with Yes were often deceiving and necessarily incomplete (too much information to absorb) and kept trying, until after a few listens it became crystal clear, once I understood what they were doing... Anderson's voice sounds crisp, Moraz' keyboards sound jazzier and well defined, Moraz doesn't go so much for ambiance but his palette is more metallic, if you want. The chaos of the battle section is fantastic, compositionally and sonically. And the final Soon section, probably the most beautiful melody Yes ever came up with... Today I think this is, together with The Ancient, the proggiest Yes has ever been... Probably my favorite Yes work (although as an album Tales is unsurpassed)... So as JJ8KK said before (below), subsequent listens will bring it... Great reaction.
After 100 listens one is blown away. After 1,000 listens one cannot believe how much one loves the music. Yes reward multiple listens more than just about any other band.
Interesting that you feel Wakeman could've been better style wise than Moraz on this. I find Moraz to be a refreshing change towards jazz rock fusion that Wakeman wouldn't play. The only part Rick would play in concert is Soon, and that very seldom. In 2004, Rick did play To Be Over from Relayer, which was a pleasant surprise. I think that live version is on the Montrose live DVD.
Yep! Moraz's crazier, freer, jazzy style is much more suited to Relayer than Wakeman's more ‘classic’, conventional way of playing. One isn't necessarily better than the other, it's just a question of style and musical influences.
"A machine moving together"... Just the right words... The first time I listened this, almost 30 years ago, I only knew 90125, and I bought Close To The Edge and Relayer the same day, only knowing that it was Yes but in its "symphonic-progressive" stage, and I had no idea what I was going to find, it caught my attention that there are 3 songs per album... And when I heard them they blow my mind, I couldn't believe it, it was an incredible experience listening to and discovering these albums, and they still seem great to me today...
This is why I prefer Rush to Yes. It's like a stripped down and cleaner version Yes. Like some efficiency expert walked into a Yes rehersal and said : Yeah sorry we are gonna take 2 of you guys out and optimize the 3 remaining guys to fill in for y'all. Thank you and of you go !!
July 19 1975 Maple Leaf Gardens, I saw this tour. The first three songs were Sound Chaser, Close To The Edge, and Gates Of Delirium. I was so impressed I saw Chris and Alan 35 more times until 2015. The greatest show on earth 🎶🙏🎶
Phew, I can relax now... I didn't expect you to be blown away by it on first listen -- heck, with me,, at first I didn't know what I was listening to, But several listens later and additionally thru the years this album has ascended to top everything. What a marvel. I won't get into the rank again about the sound quality except to say again that Offord dropped the ball big time on this. it's not Moraz's fault that his keyboard were muddling things - that's all on Offord, it was literally his job to make sure everything sounded clear and defined. It just came to mind that if you are going to be doing the Yesshows live album, there is a live version of Gates there. Being that I don't normally like listening to live stuff (except in person of course) I can't remember if the live version addresses the issue. Speaking of live albums, has anyone sent you the vinyl of Yessongs yet? if not, I can...
The album was already written and pretty much recorded when Patrick joined the band. He was asked to add what he could to the already finished album. I feel his parts were done well, but the production failed in the long run. That's on Eddie, not the band. The live performances are stellar and also the versions on live video. Symphonic Live in Amsterdam is awesome with Tom Brislin on keys!!🎹👍😎
@@jeffschielka7845 Another thumbs up for Tom Brislin's performance on Symphonic Live. 👍 I so wish Yes had just hired him, but at least Kansas have him.
Great as Wakeman was he couldn't have contributed to this incredible piece and the album on whole like Patrick moraz did. I can't get to grips with your comments on the keyboards which make this a otally different Yes album. I've noticed you've covered a lot of Yes the greatest band on this or any other planet so kudos to you for that.Methinks you need to relisten to this over and over I've been doing that since 1975. Saw them two nights in a row in Glasgow on the Relayer tour.
I believe that I heard the, what I would call, a muffled sound throughout the song and album when I first listened to it back in the day. But, I had no idea why it sounded that way. Thanx for giving us a couple of explanations for why it may have sounded that way! Definitely one of my favorite Yes songs in spite of the sonic issues!
Anderson: "'The Gates Of Delirium' did not work so well on record, but I think live it was a very exciting thing for people to see. The problem was, for the FM stations it became more and more difficult to play our music. So all we've had to rely upon is Yes's charisma as a band. Luckily, the fans who come to see us don't just come to see a band that's doing well. They have remained loyal to us." Squire: "When we originally recorded in 1974 it was so much in sections... When we came to the studio each day we just did the next new bit, it was never played as a piece of music from beginning to end until it was all edited together... But after we'd played it on stage I was happy to put that version on the 'Yesshows' album, because by then it had taken on an identity. You could tell when we were playing the beginning that we knew where we were going!"
Yes, multiple listens needed., maybe. Great music is like that. I agree that the recording quality/mixing is not the best, but probably one of the best prog tracks ever. The one that feels very long but you don't want it to end. You're really in the eye of the storm, a good one!!
@@fernandotor3266 I wouldn't say Wakeman is a better keyboardist, but I definitely agree this was a better match with Moraz. I've seen some of Moraz's solo piano work and for me he tops Wakeman. He has a greater depth of musical influences from classical to jazz to r&b -- and he's more of an experimentalist. And by the way, Awaken was his brain child - he did a lot of the writing on it before he was unceremoniously ousted from the band.
Fair critiques, Justin. I remember the first time hearing this having pretty much the same reaction: the music and everything going on was amazing, but the sound was oddly compressed, brittle and 'glassy'. Live renditions (the 'Yesshows' version is superb, QPR for live video) confirm that the main culprit is the mix and recording quality. Putting an engineer/producer who was not bringing his A-game into a hastily completed home studio meant, sure -- they could take as much time as they wanted -- but the problem wasn't the details in the arrangements. They did a great job hammering out the transitions and instrumental parts. But all the crashing car parts and layers of pedal steel guitar gave Anderson his desired swirling maelstrom of chaos, but robbed everything of clarity and definition. This Deluxe Edition goes a little ways toward correcting the mix, but it's not until the Steven Wilson mix that things really improve (although some would say Steven Wilson's Yes mixes have *too much* separation.) Still, let this one sit with you like "Close to the Edge". Once you get used to the mix "Gates" reveals itself to be one of Yes' greatest triumphs.
I think they recorded this on a mobile multi-track mixing board and it sounds like they may have 'bounced' alot of ambient incidental tracks together so they could get this sense of density and masses of armies clashing together. It is interesting when you listen to the live version on YESshows, it is much cleaner and in some ways is a much better quality version. But even tbough the drama of the conflict comes through the composition very well and it reaches a devastating ear-splitting threshold at the climax and actually holds us there in this cacaphonous explosive sound-storm for over a minute before decelerating, it seems strange to NOT have those incidental tracks of cannons, bombs and screams on the live version. But the upside to it is that I was able to hear Alan more clearly and was able to actually learn the drum parts. Plus, it IS a stunning performance of this collossal composition, and the live version of SOON is simply YES''s most sublime moment..ever!
Somebody reacting to this made an interesting interpretation of the short passage just before "Soon" begins (about 18 - 19 mins on your video) that it evokes the feeling of one that has died in the battle and is seeing the smoke, carnage and destruction around him before he realises he's dead and then ready to move on to the peace and tranquility of higher plains. The end of "Soon" is reminiscent of a movie score, in this case Lord of the Rings. I agree about the sound recording, I feel it needed more sonic depth and 'boom'.
I have read several accounts which amount to the recording of the album was in Chris Squire’s basement? Garage? Something like this. The entire album is as good as anything else they did, recording quality notwithstanding. This song is probably in the end the epic of all epics. You’re a good listener!
I do know what you mean about the keys - but not having broad synth washes and soundscapes is part of the attraction for me. It’s all less polished. Took me many listens to love it as much as I do though ❤
Regarding your final point about a "muddled mess", although I first heard it when it was released, Wilson's 5.1 mix has brought out stuff that was (otherwise) buried too deep in the stereo mix (not really Eddie's fault, there's just too much going on for two channels). It's the main version I listen to now, and after 50 years, "The Gates of Delirium" is probably my favourite piece of music by anyone, and well worth repeated listens. Cheers for the reaction.
Justin is listening to the 2003 Rhino remaster which noticeably diminished the music's dynamics. Wilson's mix and the Japanese HDCD are certainly superior. Even the 1994 Atlantic remaster was better.
Ha: this is summer 2018 for me - leaving ToTO the last link between the Yes Album & Talk. ToTO is Jan 2019 for me. Drama & Tormato: 1995. 90125: 1983 The Yes Album 1993, with Talk. And due to this channel, I actually purchased Altima & a Word this year. Magnification last year……😅
Yeah you're right about the mix. I know I have listened to this piece with my mind focusing solely on one member at a time, just to hear what they're doing. (only paying close attention to Chris... Ok this time only Steve...) Speaking on Steve, his playing on this album is jaw dropping😮 like what is he an android robot? Holy $h!t How are some of those licks even humanly possible?! I seriously have considered using a cake batter mixer and gluing pics to the egg beater blades and applying it to my strings just to see if I can get close enough 😂 Ive always wanted a tab chart, but very few musicians can decipher and replicate the music on this album 🤷. Sick af Can't wait for Sound Chaser that's my favorite 🔥 ✌️ Diggin whatchu Doin bro ❤
More than an incidence with Moraz's keyboard tones (as the same could be said of Howe's raw sound on occasion), I think it's more a problem with the overall mix. Given the busy playing of the musicians and the prominent chaotic sound effects, it's not surprising that the sound is muddled and not well defined in the busiest moments (especially the rhythm section, which is sometimes drowned out by the other instruments and sound effects). This may be annoying on first listenings, but at the same time it fits the theme perfectly! 😉 It's hard to tell online which edition of Relayer you've been listening to, but I don't think it's Steven Wilson's 2014 remix. The latter sounds way cleaner to me than the original, much more muddled mix, or some of the remastered editions released in the intervening years.
You're 100% correct about the mix. It sounds like shit compared to earlier classic Yes albums. Such a shame too because the music is fantastic. God this is one album I wish I could have mixed without the band being in the control room.
When I was a teenager 70's I couldn't get used to it being too gaotic. Now I love it, they were way ahead of their time, well done Justin👍 P.s. why do you have that old screen running?
i prefer Bill Bruford, but Alan is a fantastic drummer that is too often forgotten in discussions about great rock drummers. He is up there with the best one. His drum intro, on the next song you will listen to, Sound Chaser, is absolutely superb and distinctive.
I've always felt that the rhythm section (drums and bass) is too low in the mix. This was the main reason it took me several listens to fully appreciate all the instrumental parts, as they aren't easy to pick up on the first listen. Steven Wilson's 2014 remix helped by bringing the rhythm section to the forefront. Now, I think it's my favorite Yes song.
Valid points across the board. See if you can find the Steven Wilson re-mix and give it a listen. He stays true to the original feel of the work but provides some audio windex. I like Moraz’s work here but there is some frequency interference and Wilson deftly remedies some of that. Relayer is probably my favorite Yes album. Challenging but worth it.
Wonder if this was early brickwalling where the sound is so saturated it clips frequencies, I know early versions of Going for the One suffered with this issue. It would be interesting to see the sound files, our engineer used to call it 'wearing' where the sound is too dense and the ear finds it uncomfortable to listen to.
Spot on analysis. Compare this to Pink Floyd Dogs. Yes lays down a much to complex fabric, which confuses the ear rather than settling the listener into the theme. And then they drop other equally complex fabrics on and around it. Its a din. Pink Floyd is sooooo much more organic - everything springs forth from a simple fabric with the purpose to compliment and expand that fabric not compete and overwhelm it. So that certain sounds can be wildly divergent in power, tone, harmony etc. but still part of the same life form. blooms on stems. regardless if the stem is a nasty ass weed or a delicate puff of flower. Yes, is just so artificial. hard to retain a willing suspension of disbelief and live in the song because you're constantly forced to LISTEN and assemble the parts for them because they seldom assemble on their own. Like a factory with a bunch machines all doing their own thing. They are not making components that fit into an ultimate design. The Soon part is too rare. Too frequently its a car without wheels being dragged across whatever terrain they can find. The amazing thing is that I enjoy it at all after this long and not doing drugs anymore.
A lot of talk about the keys on GOD. Everyone please google Patrick Moraz and scroll until you find his interview about his time with YES. He explains exactly what he did on RELAYER. He also talks about the final production of the album, and why he was asked to leave the band. The interview explains SO much!!!🎹👍😎
I agree that Moraz' keyboards didn't add much beyond background chords for much of the opening sections where they seemed "lost in the 'muddle." That may have been because Eddy Offord (to please the band) wanted the guitars to be dominant at that point. I mean, for long stretches of CTTE, Steve Howe was basically playing rhythm guitar throughout most of the song, but not so on Gates where he is up front constantly along with Chris. Still, I think Patrick Moraz' contributions were very respectable; I loved his soloing just before the sudden shift to clashing battle sounds & thought he really brought the whole thing home at the end with his mellotron inspirations...
This is an absolute Master work for a few different reasons....... obviously the end Soon section is one of Yes's most beautiful moments.... but also listen to how Steve Howe uses his guitar ...instead of the common chording and even lead playing he uses it instead to create Sonic moods and textures..... it's groundbreaking to my ears...... also.... listen to it again from end to end and concentrate on Chris Squire's totally inventive use of the bass guitar...... he breaks so many rules yet it all works.... always a great listen this track... on the downside it really could have used Better Sound production
This is an album that gets a HUGE benefit from the Steven Wilson remixing (and I’m not generally a fan of his remixes). But despite the muddy sound quality, I’d still place “Gates” in the top 3 overall Yes tracks. Musically it is breathtaking.
Wilson tends to butcher Yes music, bringing stuff up front that isn't meant to be there. And pushing Jon back in the mix when he is supposed to be way out in front (The Remembering comes to mind as an example). I don't think I've heard his Gates remix, though.
Btw I don't think this sounded muddy at all. I don't get why Yes fans jump to agree with reacters on stuff like this so quickly. Like when one well respected reviewer (who I like), half drunk and talking non-stop over the music said that Steve's riff at the end of Awaken didn't belong there. B f'n S! That riff perfectly captures the catharsis of coming down from the exalted spiritual state to the human state which Awaken presents. This music takes more than one listen for all of us. It certainly did back in the day for me.
I first heard Gates on the Yesshows album. When I finally got this album and listened to it, I was actually disappointed. I’ve seen this song performed live multiple times, and heard it on a few different live recordings, all of them have been better than the studio version. The song just seems much more vibrant when it’s played live. It’s a great song brought up a bit short by a very mediocre studio mix, especially being on the heels of Topographic Oceans.
After this album, they took a 3 year hiatus. During that time, there were several solo albums released by the band members. Chris Squire's Fish Out Of Water is probably the best one. Jon Anderson's Olias Of Sunhillow is probably the most "out there" but it's a really good album. It's very unique and original sounding. It's Jon Anderson unrestricted, if you can imagine what that would sound like. Steve Howe's Beginnings didn't do much for me. His singing without the rest of the band sounds pretty awful. His instrumental work is great, but it's hard to listen to because of the vocals. He probably should have made an all instrumental album. It's kinda interesting to hear what each member brings to the band when you hear them separately.
Don't forget Moraz's "The Story of I". That's probably the best work he's done. He also played most of the keys on "Fish Out Of Water". It's criminal how the band treated him at the end (and then he got treated even worse in the Moody Blues).
I guess part of the problem with the keyboard parts is that they are slightly out of synch with the rest due to technical recording issues that neither them or Eddie Offord knew how to deal with at the time.
Agreed. I've always wondered how this song would have been with Rick. The sound is one dimensional, like it was all played on one track. No depth, no separation. Yes, a poor mix. Don't watch the live version of this and Close to the Edge with Patrick. Worse mix ever ,and he destroys it. Though great in the studio, I don't think he can deliver on a live event. As always Alan, Steve , and Chris blow it away. Jon as always kills it with his angelic voice.
Great reaction, brother. I agree that sonically, this is muddy. You can hear all the great music the band was playing but if it was mixed better, it would add a lot to the listening experience. When you get around to the next live album, _Yesshows,_ you will hear "Gates" the way it was really meant to be heard. In fact the whole live album is lightyears ahead of _Yessongs_ in terms of mixing. And the band brings a lot more energy to the song when they perform it live, which is to be expected, playing before a live audience. Cheers.
@@jeffschielka7845 That's another fantastic live version. I have the DVD and Tom Brislin does an awesome job. I love the way he stabs those keys! _Symphonic Live_ also comes with "Ritual" and "Close to the Edge". Those three massive epics are worth the price of the disc alone!
OK, a question. You keep referring to stuff you listened to in college when comparing to Yes. So, give us a list of what you used to listen to! I'm intrigued!
As with all Yes songs, this one was for a while my favorite. Now I almost never listen to this song, as my ear prefers Close to the Edge, Ritual, The Remembering, or especially Awaken (still to come Justin) if I want to listen to a long-form Yes song. Gates has some glorious elements, and I do appreciate Moraz's keys but overall I do find this song to be "taxing".
I second your comments on the keyboards. I’ve always preferred Wakeman’s sound and voicing choices and thought his playing had a distinct style that complemented the rest of the band. When I hear this album I always find myself questioning the choices of keyboard sounds.
A beautiful and wonderful masterpiece…again! You criticize this, you must be envious. There is nothing to criticize on this album in my opinion. Takes a big ego to do that. lol ☮️❤️🎼
Had the honor of watching Yes perform this masterpiece, with Rick Wakeman on keyboards. A masterclass in musicianship !! 🤘🤘
Best band, ever. Period.
In 74, I was just a freshman away at college hearing fresh new YES music in the dorm room in front of this rich kid's new massive Bose Speakers with other fanatics of the band preparing our heads for this new adventure. From the opening sounds of shimmering keys & tingling harmonics by both Howe and Squire, I KNEW immediately that we were in for a major epic experience & seamless masterpiece. The gradual rise towards battle, war, victory & ascent into remorse & reflection is almost unnoticeable but this time the lyrics clearly reveals the course we are on throughout. Every member is firing on all cylinders. Jon's vocalizing is urgent & determined during the buildup to WAR contrasting his soft gentle melodic approach when at PEACE. Chris is dark & stylishly Funky, Alan is driving & powerfully versatile, Steve is just always insanely multi-textually intense & Moraz was the right Jazz Fusion injection YES needed to pull this off recognized especially after you've heard his Solo album titled "The Story of i" which feels like a sequel to this album at times! Once again YES' concept is brilliantly imagined, produced to perfection IMO, & performed amazingly.
THIS SONG SOARS TO HIGH HELL into HEAVEN and back in ways that no other band was doing.
Or ever did. Or has done ever since.
There are so many things about Yes that are unique to them.
GOAT❤
That Album Made me CRY....Especially that Epic song..
SOON.😔😪😔😪🌹🌹🌹🙏🏼🙏🏼💜💜💜
A lot of 70's Yes needs to be listened to numerous times until your brain figures out what is what. I have listened to this song thousands of times over the decades an it still is fresh and wonderful every time..............................
Very true. I remember buying prog albums in the 70s knowing that I probably wouldn't get or appreciate (or even like) them during the first listen.
For me the version from Yesshows is the go to version for this song. What a steamy performance. The energy of that performance is unmatched. Yesshows was my gateway into 70ies Yes and I remember how my jaw dropped the first time I listened to that version. I didn't know that musicians were able to do this kind of stuff. That was really life changing for me. One of my favourite songs by Yes and maybe my alltime favourite live recording. The crowd went absolutely nuts at the end of that performance.
I totally agree!
I could argue that every track on Yesshows is better than it's studio album counterpart.
Actually, there is no argument.
After all the magic that happened in the studio this band took the material out on the road and slayed.
They were not always killer. They’re human.
But nobody else wrote material like this and then took it out on the road and made it even better. When in full flight onstage, there was nothing like Yes. Before or since.
GOAT ❤
Even now, it’s just about incomprehensible. How did they do it?! They believed they could and so they did.
I believe that many times during the cacophonous sections, that certain sounds were intentionally brought through to accentuate moments along the way, and that the entire
track was methodically tweaked to muddy, and clarify certain tonal textures purposefully. After so many listens, I know each note, so that the piece becomes part of my musical mind,
and I appreciate each nuance that is captured like a musical meal. Love this entire album so much. Patrick shines through at certain select endlessly memorable moments.
They are masters of transition and sonic landscapes.
Remember Rick Wakeman decided to do his own thing!! Patrick Moraz contributions were outstanding. He didn't have alot of time to blend in as well as Rick. Was his first time recording with Yes . Ive heard Sound Chaser was his first song 🎵 recording with the group. You must admit he was great being the first time with them without any experience. I saw them play this album at live concert in Jersey city New Jersey. Was at Roosevelt stadium 🏟. Yes performed there 3 consecutive years and I attended every performance there . Yes was already my Number one band and I tried not to miss any of there concerts locally
I remember was a promoter named John Kirchner bringing bands to play in Roosevelt stadium. One summer i attended three big name groups there, including Emerson, lake and Palmer- Pink Floyd and Yes . Was called technorock , not progressive rock at the time
Crazy Howe playing on this. And the ending "Soon" is right up there with "Nous Sommes Du Soleil" as a great ending for a Yes epic tune.
Absolutely agree. I really love the way they end those two epic pieces of music, with softer, celestial music, sung beautifully by Jon Anderson.
@@TheReaperMan275 It's really about bringing the aesthetic of Yes home at the end. You get these big frenetic pieces of music, sometimes with chaotic or violent music happening, and then it comes down to a soft and beautiful absolution, like the troubles and suffering has been cleansed by a compassionate spirituality.
@@Bawookles Well put. 🕶
@@BawooklesTo Be Over is the perfect conclusion to Relayer. Yes truly has the best endings to many of their albums. Especially Ritual, Awaken, Hearts, Holy Lamb, and Nine Voices. Phenomenal endings to near perfect albums.
@@charleswagner2984 I really like your mention of "Holy Lamb" there. That songs gets overlooked a lot, and I think it's just a great Jon Anderson tune.
How is Howe not in everyone's top 10? Agree that the lack of distinct, layered parts and seemingly disparate and amalgamated instrumentation makes Gates less accessible. But what a composition! My recall is that I preferred Sound Chaser and that it is more jazz oriented, but I'm interested to see how I react now.
I love Sound Chaser. And To Be Over is a great closing of Relayer. Great album all the way around.
top 3 more like
Memories are short. Howe DID win Guitar Player Magazine polls so many times that they had to create a special category for him just to let others have a shot at it.
@@yes_head5 straight years beating out Page each time!🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸👍😎
Yes, Top 3 or 5 at least.
Literally gave me chills watching you listen to this masterpiece 😊😊😊😊
Mind blowing good...How the heck did they do it it's EPIC and BEAUTIFUL
Guitar is glorious
Gotta give props. These guys knew how to compose a prog Rock classic. How many killer classics can a band have?
Squires bass hits like artillery.
Chris is immaculate on Relayer.👍😎
A major difference on the sound is that Steve is playing a Telecaster
IF I had known that Howe played a Telecaster on this album, on the third part of Awaken, and on Does It Really Happen on Drama, I very well may have opted for getting one of those in 1987. As it was, I had seen pictures of Howe in 1986 with a red Les Paul when he was in GTR, and saw album liner notes where he'd used a Les Paul on certain other songs. Add that to pictures of Alex Lifeson and Jimmy Page with a Les Paul, and that's what I got for my combination high school graduation and 18th birthday. I still have it.
Loosely based on Tolstoy`s "War And Peace", gathering the armies in the first part, battle is the instrumental mayhem, then you get "Soon" which is the end of the fighting and the peace returns, beautiful ending to any song, this is another Yes masterpiece!
It takes many listens to appreciate music like this.
Exactly. I'm huge Yes fan, but I disliked this song for years, "suffering through most of it," to get to _Sound Chaser_ (yay! cassettes!)
Now it's in my top three.
Yes are not a shallow band.
I wish these "First listen" reactors would make another video after, say, 100 listens. *Then* they'd have something deeper to say.
The first time I heard this was stumbling into a mutual friends house as his older brother was blasting it at high volume! It was right after it came out... It was a revelation. I also heard Rush 2112 at the same location for the first time, the following year... Right after it came out!!
YES! 😊
The thing about this epic I think they did rather well was create 'moods' with their music + lyrics that would change as the story moves along. One thing YES had loved doing since Close To The Edge was invest a lot of energy in a section to build up tension, all to set up a big _release_ from tension that they had waiting for you just around the corner. The discordant opening of CTTE did that, but Gates sets up 3 distinct 'release' moments that are all very satisfying (even without Wakeman on the keys) the moment when hostilities have ended between the armies (with Alan marching us to the crescendo), the moment when the denouement is complete & the participants have lapsed into sober reflection, & then the last release at the very end of the song when hope is again embraced, almost desperately...
I'm glad you said it deserves another listen, cuz that's something you should definitely do _for us._ Ya know, on a second listen, you could approach your commentary differently from your first take. This time you did a lot of steady listening because there was a lot to pay attention to, but on a second listen you should feel free to stop the song periodically after hearing a passage you liked & even replay it to listen to it one more time. I'm sure your regular fans would be very eager to hear your 2nd impression of such a long, complicated piece of music...
Agreed
Justin, I remember buying the LP the day it came out back in 1974... After the first listen, I was kinda disappointed, it sounded as you said, too "crowded", it felt like Yes had added every single sound effect that they could think of... but I knew that first listens with Yes were often deceiving and necessarily incomplete (too much information to absorb) and kept trying, until after a few listens it became crystal clear, once I understood what they were doing... Anderson's voice sounds crisp, Moraz' keyboards sound jazzier and well defined, Moraz doesn't go so much for ambiance but his palette is more metallic, if you want. The chaos of the battle section is fantastic, compositionally and sonically. And the final Soon section, probably the most beautiful melody Yes ever came up with... Today I think this is, together with The Ancient, the proggiest Yes has ever been... Probably my favorite Yes work (although as an album Tales is unsurpassed)... So as JJ8KK said before (below), subsequent listens will bring it... Great reaction.
The transition between the two songs. Chef's kiss. 👨🍳💋
Saw them performing life...perfection
The Steven Wilson mix of this album is way cleaner. Definitely 👍 check it out!
Totally agree...
With the video sync:
ruclips.net/video/-nq2XgpJhd0/видео.html
Thanks Justin..relayer is beatiful..i had to listen carefully several times.. not easy to digest...first time
I LOVE the WAR part. It's controlled chaos. It's funky, it's jazzy , the keyboards are great. I think it needs multiple listens. It's A LOT.
After 100 listens one is blown away. After 1,000 listens one cannot believe how much one loves the music. Yes reward multiple listens more than just about any other band.
Interesting that you feel Wakeman could've been better style wise than Moraz on this. I find Moraz to be a refreshing change towards jazz rock fusion that Wakeman wouldn't play. The only part Rick would play in concert is Soon, and that very seldom. In 2004, Rick did play To Be Over from Relayer, which was a pleasant surprise. I think that live version is on the Montrose live DVD.
Montreux in Switzerland. 👍😎
Yep! Moraz's crazier, freer, jazzy style is much more suited to Relayer than Wakeman's more ‘classic’, conventional way of playing. One isn't necessarily better than the other, it's just a question of style and musical influences.
How plays To Be Over solo on acoustic guitar. And, surprise, it’s beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. ❤
"A machine moving together"... Just the right words... The first time I listened this, almost 30 years ago, I only knew 90125, and I bought Close To The Edge and Relayer the same day, only knowing that it was Yes but in its "symphonic-progressive" stage, and I had no idea what I was going to find, it caught my attention that there are 3 songs per album... And when I heard them they blow my mind, I couldn't believe it, it was an incredible experience listening to and discovering these albums, and they still seem great to me today...
Wonderful ... hugs from Brazil >>>
This is why I prefer Rush to Yes. It's like a stripped down and cleaner version Yes. Like some efficiency expert walked into a Yes rehersal and said : Yeah sorry we are gonna take 2 of you guys out and optimize the 3 remaining guys to fill in for y'all. Thank you and of you go !!
July 19 1975 Maple Leaf Gardens, I saw this tour. The first three songs were Sound Chaser, Close To The Edge, and Gates Of Delirium. I was so impressed I saw Chris and Alan 35 more times until 2015. The greatest show on earth 🎶🙏🎶
Phew, I can relax now... I didn't expect you to be blown away by it on first listen -- heck, with me,, at first I didn't know what I was listening to, But several listens later and additionally thru the years this album has ascended to top everything. What a marvel. I won't get into the rank again about the sound quality except to say again that Offord dropped the ball big time on this. it's not Moraz's fault that his keyboard were muddling things - that's all on Offord, it was literally his job to make sure everything sounded clear and defined. It just came to mind that if you are going to be doing the Yesshows live album, there is a live version of Gates there. Being that I don't normally like listening to live stuff (except in person of course) I can't remember if the live version addresses the issue. Speaking of live albums, has anyone sent you the vinyl of Yessongs yet? if not, I can...
The album was already written and pretty much recorded when Patrick joined the band. He was asked to add what he could to the already finished album. I feel his parts were done well, but the production failed in the long run. That's on Eddie, not the band. The live performances are stellar and also the versions on live video. Symphonic Live in Amsterdam is awesome with Tom Brislin on keys!!🎹👍😎
no Yessongs yet..
@@jeffschielka7845 Another thumbs up for Tom Brislin's performance on Symphonic Live. 👍 I so wish Yes had just hired him, but at least Kansas have him.
@@yes_headAgree. His time with Meatloaf was short lived. He is writing the majority of material for Kansas now. Tom is awesome!!🎹👍😎
I agree with your assessment of this song.
I was fortunate to witness this song played live twice. Sounded just like did on the album.
Great as Wakeman was he couldn't have contributed to this incredible piece and the album on whole like Patrick moraz did. I can't get to grips with your comments on the keyboards which make this a otally different Yes album. I've noticed you've covered a lot of Yes the greatest band on this or any other planet so kudos to you for that.Methinks you need to relisten to this over and over I've been doing that since 1975. Saw them two nights in a row in Glasgow on the Relayer tour.
I believe that I heard the, what I would call, a muffled sound throughout the song and album when I first listened to it back in the day. But, I had no idea why it sounded that way. Thanx for giving us a couple of explanations for why it may have sounded that way!
Definitely one of my favorite Yes songs in spite of the sonic issues!
My favourite version of Gates of Delirium is on Yessymphonic - the orchestra added a lot to it.
Totally true, I was there....people cried....
Anderson: "'The Gates Of Delirium' did not work so well on record, but I think live it was a very exciting thing for people to see. The problem was, for the FM stations it became more and more difficult to play our music. So all we've had to rely upon is Yes's charisma as a band. Luckily, the fans who come to see us don't just come to see a band that's doing well. They have remained loyal to us."
Squire: "When we originally recorded in 1974 it was so much in sections... When we came to the studio each day we just did the next new bit, it was never played as a piece of music from beginning to end until it was all edited together... But after we'd played it on stage I was happy to put that version on the 'Yesshows' album, because by then it had taken on an identity. You could tell when we were playing the beginning that we knew where we were going!"
Yes, multiple listens needed., maybe. Great music is like that. I agree that the recording quality/mixing is not the best, but probably one of the best prog tracks ever. The one that feels very long but you don't want it to end. You're really in the eye of the storm, a good one!!
Love that victory dance solo before Soon. Did you notice where the steel takes over from the synthetic line? Amazing!
Here we go!!!!
Hey Scot!👍😎
I've actually been waiting for you to review this back since the RUSH days!
Masterclass.
Justin. Congrats. Youv'e made it
Rick was s much better pianist for sure..but he did not match with this music
@@fernandotor3266 I wouldn't say Wakeman is a better keyboardist, but I definitely agree this was a better match with Moraz. I've seen some of Moraz's solo piano work and for me he tops Wakeman. He has a greater depth of musical influences from classical to jazz to r&b -- and he's more of an experimentalist. And by the way, Awaken was his brain child - he did a lot of the writing on it before he was unceremoniously ousted from the band.
He's getting there.👍😎
Fair critiques, Justin. I remember the first time hearing this having pretty much the same reaction: the music and everything going on was amazing, but the sound was oddly compressed, brittle and 'glassy'. Live renditions (the 'Yesshows' version is superb, QPR for live video) confirm that the main culprit is the mix and recording quality. Putting an engineer/producer who was not bringing his A-game into a hastily completed home studio meant, sure -- they could take as much time as they wanted -- but the problem wasn't the details in the arrangements. They did a great job hammering out the transitions and instrumental parts. But all the crashing car parts and layers of pedal steel guitar gave Anderson his desired swirling maelstrom of chaos, but robbed everything of clarity and definition. This Deluxe Edition goes a little ways toward correcting the mix, but it's not until the Steven Wilson mix that things really improve (although some would say Steven Wilson's Yes mixes have *too much* separation.) Still, let this one sit with you like "Close to the Edge". Once you get used to the mix "Gates" reveals itself to be one of Yes' greatest triumphs.
I think they recorded this on a mobile multi-track mixing board and it sounds like they may have 'bounced' alot of ambient incidental tracks together so they could get this sense of density and masses of armies clashing together. It is interesting when you listen to the live version on YESshows, it is much cleaner and in some ways is a much better quality version. But even tbough the drama of the conflict comes through the composition very well and it reaches a devastating ear-splitting threshold
at the climax and actually holds us there in this cacaphonous explosive sound-storm for over a minute before decelerating, it seems strange to NOT have those incidental
tracks of cannons, bombs and screams on the live version. But the upside to it is that I was able to hear Alan more clearly and was able to actually learn the drum parts. Plus, it IS a stunning performance of this collossal composition, and the live version of SOON is simply YES''s most sublime moment..ever!
Somebody reacting to this made an interesting interpretation of the short passage just before "Soon" begins (about 18 - 19 mins on your video) that it evokes the feeling of one that has died in the battle and is seeing the smoke, carnage and destruction around him before he realises he's dead and then ready to move on to the peace and tranquility of higher plains. The end of "Soon" is reminiscent of a movie score, in this case Lord of the Rings. I agree about the sound recording, I feel it needed more sonic depth and 'boom'.
I am not the only one with a tube television !
I have read several accounts which amount to the recording of the album was in Chris Squire’s basement? Garage? Something like this.
The entire album is as good as anything else they did, recording quality notwithstanding. This song is probably in the end the epic of all epics.
You’re a good listener!
I do know what you mean about the keys - but not having broad synth washes and soundscapes is part of the attraction for me. It’s all less polished. Took me many listens to love it as much as I do though ❤
Regarding your final point about a "muddled mess", although I first heard it when it was released, Wilson's 5.1 mix has brought out stuff that was (otherwise) buried too deep in the stereo mix (not really Eddie's fault, there's just too much going on for two channels). It's the main version I listen to now, and after 50 years, "The Gates of Delirium" is probably my favourite piece of music by anyone, and well worth repeated listens. Cheers for the reaction.
Justin is listening to the 2003 Rhino remaster which noticeably diminished the music's dynamics. Wilson's mix and the Japanese HDCD are certainly superior. Even the 1994 Atlantic remaster was better.
I’m the opposite. Wilson ruins what he touches. Eddie’s mixes of Tales and Relayer are much better, the way they intended
@@andrewk5710 Thanks, Eddie. Hope you can get back to sailing again soon.
Ha: this is summer 2018 for me - leaving ToTO the last link between the Yes Album & Talk. ToTO is Jan 2019 for me. Drama & Tormato: 1995. 90125: 1983 The Yes Album 1993, with Talk. And due to this channel, I actually purchased Altima & a Word this year. Magnification last year……😅
they played it perfectly live though
Excellent reaction & break down and analysis.
Do yourself a favor, if you like Gates of delirium at all its best on the album Yesshows, live
Anderson played a lot of rythm guitar through this piece when they did it in concerts
fair comment...this was always great live where the playing was outstanding.
I picked Soon for my wedding dance - my wife has passed since it kill me to hear it
Aside from multiple listening I would recommend to try the Steven Wilson remix, especially the 5.1 on a decent set. It draws away the curtain.
This is another song.That takes a lot of listens.
Nice little tune 😀
As good as it gets in prog...by the most talented band ever.
Yeah you're right about the mix. I know I have listened to this piece with my mind focusing solely on one member at a time, just to hear what they're doing.
(only paying close attention to Chris... Ok this time only Steve...)
Speaking on Steve, his playing on this album is jaw dropping😮 like what is he an android robot? Holy $h!t
How are some of those licks even humanly possible?!
I seriously have considered using a cake batter mixer and gluing pics to the egg beater blades and applying it to my strings just to see if I can get close enough 😂
Ive always wanted a tab chart, but very few musicians can decipher and replicate the music on this album 🤷. Sick af
Can't wait for Sound Chaser that's my favorite 🔥 ✌️
Diggin whatchu Doin bro ❤
More than an incidence with Moraz's keyboard tones (as the same could be said of Howe's raw sound on occasion), I think it's more a problem with the overall mix. Given the busy playing of the musicians and the prominent chaotic sound effects, it's not surprising that the sound is muddled and not well defined in the busiest moments (especially the rhythm section, which is sometimes drowned out by the other instruments and sound effects). This may be annoying on first listenings, but at the same time it fits the theme perfectly! 😉
It's hard to tell online which edition of Relayer you've been listening to, but I don't think it's Steven Wilson's 2014 remix. The latter sounds way cleaner to me than the original, much more muddled mix, or some of the remastered editions released in the intervening years.
Hey! Time to play your favorite song......Cinderella man. HaHa
😎
@@jeffschielka7845 🙏👑🙏
@@lesblatnyak5947👍😎
I think your new place is haunted. I'm seeing messages in the TV behind you and they're telling me to buy a Wal bass.
You're 100% correct about the mix. It sounds like shit compared to earlier classic Yes albums. Such a shame too because the music is fantastic. God this is one album I wish I could have mixed without the band being in the control room.
When I was a teenager 70's I couldn't get used to it being too gaotic. Now I love it, they were way ahead of their time, well done Justin👍
P.s. why do you have that old screen running?
i prefer Bill Bruford, but Alan is a fantastic drummer that is too often forgotten in discussions about great rock drummers. He is up there with the best one. His drum intro, on the next song you will listen to, Sound Chaser, is absolutely superb and distinctive.
🤩
Gates of Delirium, Live, from 1980's Yesshows Album, is a strikingly more Dynamic and Clearer Recording.
I've always felt that the rhythm section (drums and bass) is too low in the mix. This was the main reason it took me several listens to fully appreciate all the instrumental parts, as they aren't easy to pick up on the first listen. Steven Wilson's 2014 remix helped by bringing the rhythm section to the forefront. Now, I think it's my favorite Yes song.
Valid points across the board. See if you can find the Steven Wilson re-mix and give it a listen. He stays true to the original feel of the work but provides some audio windex. I like Moraz’s work here but there is some frequency interference and Wilson deftly remedies some of that. Relayer is probably my favorite Yes album. Challenging but worth it.
Wonder if this was early brickwalling where the sound is so saturated it clips frequencies, I know early versions of Going for the One suffered with this issue. It would be interesting to see the sound files, our engineer used to call it 'wearing' where the sound is too dense and the ear finds it uncomfortable to listen to.
Spot on analysis. Compare this to Pink Floyd Dogs. Yes lays down a much to complex fabric, which confuses the ear rather than settling the listener into the theme. And then they drop other equally complex fabrics on and around it. Its a din. Pink Floyd is sooooo much more organic - everything springs forth from a simple fabric with the purpose to compliment and expand that fabric not compete and overwhelm it. So that certain sounds can be wildly divergent in power, tone, harmony etc. but still part of the same life form. blooms on stems. regardless if the stem is a nasty ass weed or a delicate puff of flower. Yes, is just so artificial. hard to retain a willing suspension of disbelief and live in the song because you're constantly forced to LISTEN and assemble the parts for them because they seldom assemble on their own. Like a factory with a bunch machines all doing their own thing. They are not making components that fit into an ultimate design. The Soon part is too rare. Too frequently its a car without wheels being dragged across whatever terrain they can find. The amazing thing is that I enjoy it at all after this long and not doing drugs anymore.
A lot of talk about the keys on GOD. Everyone please google Patrick Moraz and scroll until you find his interview about his time with YES. He explains exactly what he did on RELAYER. He also talks about the final production of the album, and why he was asked to leave the band. The interview explains SO much!!!🎹👍😎
I agree that Moraz' keyboards didn't add much beyond background chords for much of the opening sections where they seemed "lost in the 'muddle." That may have been because Eddy Offord (to please the band) wanted the guitars to be dominant at that point. I mean, for long stretches of CTTE, Steve Howe was basically playing rhythm guitar throughout most of the song, but not so on Gates where he is up front constantly along with Chris. Still, I think Patrick Moraz' contributions were very respectable; I loved his soloing just before the sudden shift to clashing battle sounds & thought he really brought the whole thing home at the end with his mellotron inspirations...
This is an absolute Master work for a few different reasons....... obviously the end Soon section is one of Yes's most beautiful moments.... but also listen to how Steve Howe uses his guitar ...instead of the common chording and even lead playing he uses it instead to create Sonic moods and textures..... it's groundbreaking to my ears...... also.... listen to it again from end to end and concentrate on Chris Squire's totally inventive use of the bass guitar...... he breaks so many rules yet it all works.... always a great listen this track... on the downside it really could have used Better Sound production
Agree that the production isn't great. I hope you get to check out the 1976 live version on Yesshows which I think will address your concerns.
This is an album that gets a HUGE benefit from the Steven Wilson remixing (and I’m not generally a fan of his remixes).
But despite the muddy sound quality, I’d still place “Gates” in the top 3 overall Yes tracks. Musically it is breathtaking.
Wilson tends to butcher Yes music, bringing stuff up front that isn't meant to be there. And pushing Jon back in the mix when he is supposed to be way out in front (The Remembering comes to mind as an example).
I don't think I've heard his Gates remix, though.
Btw I don't think this sounded muddy at all. I don't get why Yes fans jump to agree with reacters on stuff like this so quickly. Like when one well respected reviewer (who I like), half drunk and talking non-stop over the music said that Steve's riff at the end of Awaken didn't belong there. B f'n S! That riff perfectly captures the catharsis of coming down from the exalted spiritual state to the human state which Awaken presents.
This music takes more than one listen for all of us. It certainly did back in the day for me.
I first heard Gates on the Yesshows album. When I finally got this album and listened to it, I was actually disappointed. I’ve seen this song performed live multiple times, and heard it on a few different live recordings, all of them have been better than the studio version. The song just seems much more vibrant when it’s played live. It’s a great song brought up a bit short by a very mediocre studio mix, especially being on the heels of Topographic Oceans.
After this album, they took a 3 year hiatus. During that time, there were several solo albums released by the band members. Chris Squire's Fish Out Of Water is probably the best one. Jon Anderson's Olias Of Sunhillow is probably the most "out there" but it's a really good album. It's very unique and original sounding. It's Jon Anderson unrestricted, if you can imagine what that would sound like. Steve Howe's Beginnings didn't do much for me. His singing without the rest of the band sounds pretty awful. His instrumental work is great, but it's hard to listen to because of the vocals. He probably should have made an all instrumental album. It's kinda interesting to hear what each member brings to the band when you hear them separately.
Don't forget Moraz's "The Story of I". That's probably the best work he's done. He also played most of the keys on "Fish Out Of Water". It's criminal how the band treated him at the end (and then he got treated even worse in the Moody Blues).
It's a beautiful muddy mess, wouldn't have it any other way.
I guess part of the problem with the keyboard parts is that they are slightly out of synch with the rest due to technical recording issues that neither them or Eddie Offord knew how to deal with at the time.
Agreed. I've always wondered how this song would have been with Rick. The sound is one dimensional, like it was all played on one track. No depth, no separation. Yes, a poor mix. Don't watch the live version of this and Close to the Edge with Patrick. Worse mix ever ,and he destroys it. Though great in the studio, I don't think he can deliver on a live event. As always Alan, Steve , and Chris blow it away. Jon as always kills it with his angelic voice.
A masterpiece !!!! The remix done by Steven Wilson is better for the sound and separation.
Dude, you're missing the forest for the trees.
What does that even mean? Can you be specific?
Muddled mess? Wait till you hear Sound Chaser!!!!!!!!!!
Great reaction, brother. I agree that sonically, this is muddy. You can hear all the great music the band was playing but if it was mixed better, it would add a lot to the listening experience. When you get around to the next live album, _Yesshows,_ you will hear "Gates" the way it was really meant to be heard. In fact the whole live album is lightyears ahead of _Yessongs_ in terms of mixing. And the band brings a lot more energy to the song when they perform it live, which is to be expected, playing before a live audience. Cheers.
Agree! Well said. Symphonic Live in Amsterdam is a great way to watch Gates. Tom Brislin fills in nicely on keys!🎹👍😎
@@jeffschielka7845 That's another fantastic live version. I have the DVD and Tom Brislin does an awesome job. I love the way he stabs those keys! _Symphonic Live_ also comes with "Ritual" and "Close to the Edge". Those three massive epics are worth the price of the disc alone!
@@TheReaperMan275ABSOLUTELY!!!!👍😎
OK, a question. You keep referring to stuff you listened to in college when comparing to Yes. So, give us a list of what you used to listen to! I'm intrigued!
A ton of jazz, jazz fusion, and Rnb/Soul music
Steve plays a telecaster..not gibson
As with all Yes songs, this one was for a while my favorite. Now I almost never listen to this song, as my ear prefers Close to the Edge, Ritual, The Remembering, or especially Awaken (still to come Justin) if I want to listen to a long-form Yes song. Gates has some glorious elements, and I do appreciate Moraz's keys but overall I do find this song to be "taxing".
Listen to God live on yesshows.
All valid observations. A musical tour de force but a production fail.
I second your comments on the keyboards. I’ve always preferred Wakeman’s sound and voicing choices and thought his playing had a distinct style that complemented the rest of the band. When I hear this album I always find myself questioning the choices of keyboard sounds.
A beautiful and wonderful masterpiece…again! You criticize this, you must be envious. There is nothing to criticize on this album in my opinion. Takes a big ego to do that. lol ☮️❤️🎼
i have nothing to be envious about