Another Yes Review: Today I'll be reviewing Open Your Eyes. Or as it was called by Scott Anderson Shut Your Ears. But I won't be that harsh. Right now, it's on track 4, No Way We Can Lose. Decent, eh? I will now start out with a few explanatory notes. This album was supposed to originally be released on Nov. 25 but I swear I saw it in Musicland on Nov. 22. Unfortunately, I didn't have my coupon w/me so I waited til the next Sat. when we were at Bestbuy and they had about a bdillion copies and it was a fairly decent price too. I stood in the Bestbuy entryway reading the lyrics, waiting for my mom & brother. I liked the cover ever since I had seen it on inter net and also liked the different color thing on the words. Now for a track-by-track summary.
1. "New State of Mind" Good way to start out the album. Good "rock" tune. The ending I like, sounds kind of like the intro to Men in Black. Can't think of anything very profound to say.
2. "Open Your Eyes." Had heard on radio some time ago and naturally liked it. Well let me take that back, I naturally gave it a chance since it was Yes but liked it cuz it is good. I even found myself singing the refrain at a recent wrestling meet {open your eyes and discover you're not the only one} somewhat to myself, but then a friend who overheard me said, "No, I am the only one." I thought that was funny. This is the same friend who I played "Survival" for in World Lit., liked it a lot, and then asked to borrow the *whole CD* of The Very Best of so she could make a tape of it! Yeah! So we've come full circle ("Survival" to "Open Your Eyes" y'see, oh, well, never mind). Any way a good song. Intro very trippy. So that's all. G'day.
3. "Universal Garden" Heard this was one of the working titles for OYE. Glad they didn't pick it, though. Nothing about this song that really sticks in your brain, well not for me yet, maybe later. Has more of the abstract stuff not present in the T.R. material, good that they finally have a song that sounds like them again. Well something like that. Woo, go Steve, guitar intro very nice.
4. "No Way We Can Lose" Here's a song with a hook that works. It's very happy. It's obviously a 'message' song of peace, understanding, etc. but you don't walk away feeling brainwashed. So what's not to like?
5. "Fortune Seller" This song is cool. The sounds and music remind me of "Leave It" (that's a good thing). Oh, I just got the 1-800 thing at the end. I like how there's different tempos or at least the feel of this. A good song to listen to on headphones, it's very layered.
6. "Man in the Moon" The first time I listened to this song was in a practice room at the H.S. when it was the day after honor band tryouts and Allison, Kristin, Amanda and I got a study hall. Anyway I listened to it and liked it. (You're probably getting sick of me liking everything. Well, just wait). I like that you can hear different voices in the harmony parts, what i mean is it's a good blend or what-ev.
7. "Wonderlove" Have I ever listened to this song enough to form an opinion? No, I haven't. So I will. Hmm. little delicate intro, singing, some big drum hits, harmonizing, yadda yadda yadda. Ok. I'm going to say it. I don't like this song. I don't dislike it (oh quit being so wishy-washy) Its just too cutesy pretty. kno what I mean vern? Maybe give it a lil' time.
8. "From the Balcony" Ok, I said I read the lyrics b.4. I heard the cd. Well was I disappointed w/ the music compared to the words on this tune, which I thought were really cool. The music just does nothing for me. It sounds like some dweeby guy who would like you and say he writes songs for you and then sing them and you'd just have to pity him. Well, I guess its not that bad since its short, but Jon's normally soothing voice gets a wee bit grating. (not right adj but I can't think of a correctly descriptive one)
9. "Love Shine" Now here's a song that runs the risk of being sappy but manages to avoid this by having music that moves. Self-referencing ("all good people") generally annoys me ("Glass Onion" much!) but my Yes boys manage to get away w/ it. This song is good because it starts out with energy. This is OYE's "Leave It" [song that would make me listen to side 2]. Hey if Scott Anderson can give out "A Venture" awards then I can have "Leave It" comparisons.
10. "Somehow, Someday" Oh great, another boring song she said. Its got a bird in it. Great. Well, wait a min. so did "Starship Trooper" and "Survival." So let's give it a chance. I do like the words. Music is varied and interesting.
11. "The Solution" I'm trying to remember if I've ever made it all the way through the CD yet. I don't think I have. Bad me. I like the middle "giving in giving out" part. The style of the words doesn't strike me as very Yes. Wait am I supposed to put YES in all caps. I think that looks dumb. Definitely an interesting song that I will--hey wait there's a bunch of extra space...I smell hidden track! Ooh, bugs and nature sounds. I like, I like. I always think of Green Day when I hear hidden tracks on CD's ("I was alone. I was all by myself. No one was looking..."). This is cool. Has Yes ever done a hidden track before? Did they steal those chirping birds from "Close to the Edge?" Whenever they sing again it scares me. It reminds me of people standing over a valley and trying to think of cool things to say and get a neat echoey effect.
Etc. Cover: Why no Roger Dean painting? Boo hoo. I do like the cover though, it looks very slick. I've always liked that Yes logo...when I first started buying their CD's I got the feeling that I had seen that logo before in my past. A pleasant deja` vu feeling. I like how they did the words to the songs in the booklet; it reminds me of lite-brites.
Ok this endy part is getting a little boring! Is there a point or am I just a
cynical non-appreciative listener. Ok, well now it's over.
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