I've recently re-reviewed Close to the Edge by Yes. It has been a running theme through our videos that I think Yes are completely overblown and that Jon Anderson is the anti-Christ.
The reason? There is a question surrounding Yes. Nothing to do with the music, more the subject matter. The question of the pretentiousness buzzes about the air. This album is 'inspired' by Siddartha by Herman Hesse.
To some people, like me, this is an unsurmountable problem especially considering this is the most sixth formery version of pretentiousness. What makes it worse is that Anderson sings/writes in abstract metaphor which only serves to give the impression of hidden depths of vacant ether.
It is perfecty feasible that what is actually going on is that Jon Anderson can't be bothered to write good lyrics that we can all relate to, that the music gives his genuine interest in Eastern stuff a real outlet but that would a personal thing. I like it when musicians pay a passing interest to the listener. A bit like an author thinking about the reader when writing his book. This type of music making is schizophrenic in nature. I'm not suggesting that Anderson is a loon or anything, but it is curiously self interested.
What surprised me was when I forced myself to listen, was the fact that all that stuff that got in the way started to fall away until eventually I could listen to the actual music which is a curious parallel to the supposed source material. Siddartha spends a lot of time listening to the river before he gets it. This is either downright genius, or fluke. I'm going with the latter out of spite more than anything else :) It's still impressive. A lot of inspiring artwork just kind of bubbles up by 'accident', out of the subconscious. Jon Anderson put himself there and achieved something truly interesting. I wonder if I could do the same ...
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