I don't feel this one really holds together like "The Ancient" and "Ritual" do, and some parts of the lyrics sound completely stoned of course. Yeah, but if you love this band you're able to cut off attention to some of the lyrics, and listen to the drama of the music and the unearthly grooves (like the wonderous flow of piano, mellotron strings, cymbals and slow drums that opens the second section).
There's an ecstatic lift to the opening that's so typical of Yes: the conviction and joy as he intones "Talk to the sunlight caller", over those waves of guitar and mellotron. The bits around the "And thru the rhythm" verses and the speeded-up solos after, that's the stuff that sounds the most out-of-the-way now, but I loved that part when I first heard the album.
I don't feel this one really holds together like "The Ancient" and "Ritual" do, and some parts of the lyrics sound completely stoned of course. Yeah, but if you love this band you're able to cut off attention to some of the lyrics, and listen to the drama of the music and the unearthly grooves (like the wonderous flow of piano, mellotron strings, cymbals and slow drums that opens the second section).
There's an ecstatic lift to the opening that's so typical of Yes: the conviction and joy as he intones "Talk to the sunlight caller", over those waves of guitar and mellotron. The bits around the "And thru the rhythm" verses and the speeded-up solos after, that's the stuff that sounds the most out-of-the-way now, but I loved that part when I first heard the album.