Yes

The Yes Album (Super Deluxe) RHINO

Prog cornerstone’s breakthrough album, now effectively re-repackaged.

In 2014, a ‘Definitive’ edition of Yes’s third and breakthrough record The Yes Album was released. It was jampacked with as many bells as there were whistles: the original album, freshly remastered; some unreleased material; recordings from two live shows; and the obligatory Steven Wilson 5.1 Surround Sound mix. Cut to the next scene: it’s 2023, and now we have a Super Deluxe version of the album. It’s been remastered. There’s some unreleased material. There are recordings from two live shows. There’s a Dolby Atmos remix from Steven Wilson.

Quite where all this repackaging and repurposing is headed is anyone’s guess, but we’re surely beyond the point of diminishing returns –and there are a couple of things about this Super Deluxe version where things are truly diminished. The first is the inclusion of the single edit of Starship Trooper, which is a reasonable enough curio, but it’s spineless without the transcendent Würm section of the original, with its gorgeous build-climaxrelease prog-gasm. Then there’s the mono version of the album – originally sent to American AM radio DJs – which succeeds only in comprehensively neutering Yours Is No Disgrace, previously lit up by Steve Howe’s guitar panning maniacally from left to right and back. Acollector’s item, perhaps, but in a package that is so clearly aimed at audiophiles its inclusion seems a little obtuse.

The original album is still unearthly. It marks the point at which Yes stopped flying in formation and soared off on their own trajectory, equal parts dazzling musicianship and wide-eyed ambition. And time has not worn its wonder.