Keys to Ascension, Vol. 2

Keys to Ascension, Vol. 2 Artist: Yes
Label: Cleopatra
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 741157015928
EAN: 0741157015928
ASIN: B000001JLV


Release Date: 1997-11-18

Keys to Ascension, Vol. 2


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Tracks:

  1. I've Seen All Good People/Your Move/All Good People
  2. Going For The One
  3. Time And A Word
  4. Close To The Edge/The Solid Time Of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up, I Get Down/Seasons Of A Man
  5. Turn Of the Century
  6. And You And I/Cord Of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse

Tracks:

  1. Mind Drive
  2. Foot Prints
  3. Bring Me To The Power
  4. Children Of Light/Lifeline
  5. Sign Language

Similar Items:

  1. Keys to Ascension
  2. The Ladder
  3. Going for the One
  4. Yesshows
  5. Union

Album Details

Includes New Solo Material & Classic Live Hits. Features the Classic Yes Line-up of Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, & Alan White.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Incredible !.......2007-03-11

The first disk contains the most amazing version of "Close to the edge" and "And you and I" that I ever heard. The sound is amazing with deep bass on my home theatre system. "Turn of the century" is a jewel. Cristal guitar sound from Steve Howe. "All good people" and "Going for the one" are beautiful also.
The cd 2 is a studio album containing one beautiful new epic "Mind Drive"
The other songs are good but no more than this.
Overall, just for the live cd, this is a must have.
Close to the Edge is the greatest creation of the band and this version is simply the best you can have.

3 out of 5 stars mostly bland and inoffensive.......2007-02-12

I bought this to listen to the latter days Yes studio tracks. While I find them a step or two above Big Generator, they are not as good as the classic stuff, nor as good as the surprising Magnification album. The live tracks are well known classics, just better recorded and produced than past versions. If you're like me and don't mind buying used cds, you might find interesting the fact that it's cheaper to get the two "Keys to Ascenscion" double cds than the single "Keystudio". I've read that the mix is a little different, but honestly, does that matter to most of us?

5 out of 5 stars YES reached for the keys and are unlocking Heaven's door!.......2005-06-02

Keys 2 (spec. ed. with the Roger Dean poster) is quite a package! I am a long-time YES fan but only recently got this...what a shame I waited! I find the whole first disk live show to be revelatory in the slowed down refined energy of the (over 50) band members. They are spot on in 95% of the CA show, despite an occasional harmony falter or whatever the boys are shining their brilliant light again to YES fans obvious pleasure (live audience sounds orgasmic). Instrumentally the show is in the sublime category with Squire leading the way with his incredible melodic bass playing and harmonic sensibility. Squire missing on the Evening of YES music made it clear that YES is incomplete and lacking w/o Squire's additions on many levels! Jon Anderson inspires with his very uplifting peaceful attitude and inspired delivery (of the classics w/o too much alteration). Howe's moments of enlightened fretting trip over eachother with pure musical energy (very creative approaches abound). Still going strong many years after this - check out Natural Timbre to see the continuing brilliance! Welcome back Rick Wakeman! The keyboards are really back on the mother ship and taking the songs higher again. I was concerned during the early nineties that the magic was never to be regained (ABWH was missing something more than just Squire). And, as always, Alan White has shown himself to be the YES drummer that goes where the bands spiritual energy takes him without resisting...Many bands haven't relaxed into their identity - YES has!

The slowed pace and extra attention to nuance is what these later concerts are all about. The versions of these songs are just gorgeous! Time and a word is the best I've heard! CTTE on here is powerful! And You And I is incredible with its mystical beauty as is Turn of the Century - melodic heaven has been reached! YES clearly believes in this long-time project called YES and cares deeply for its fans as is very evident on this fine live performance. I won't get into a lengthy discussion of each songs juicy details, but all of the songs are performed beautifully in my opinion.

This is not 70's YES, which I love, but a progression of the bands strengths taken to new but familiar places. Now, on to the studio disk...a bit harder to comment at this early stage since I have only listened to disk 2 a few times. I need to absorb new songs for a longer period but my initial impressions are very favorable. For now I will say that they are a very welcome addition to this great package, I'll update later.

One has to wonder why the Keys live shows from 1 & 2 weren't put together and had the studio tracks only on Keystudio? I guess the one comment was right that the record co. didn't feel confident in our old buddies to be able to sell new songs w/o adding nostalgia. I do kind of like this approach though since the package has more interest - getting some old and new (there seems to be a combined package that includes it all on 4 disks if you can find it). The gatefold case with the great Roger Dean artwork is some of the best album art in awhile. Highly recommended to YES fans who don't expect everything to be just like it was. Thank you YES for the great gift of your music!

5 out of 5 stars Best of Yes - Classic and Contemporary.......2005-01-26

Of Disc #1 - The cool thing about Yes is that they are all business when playing live. Although these are live recordings, they might as well be studio cuts for their musicianship and precision in the details. The mix captures the punch in Alan White's rock drumming and showcases the elegance of Jon Anderson's still-strong voice. Classic Yes fans will appreciate these new recordings of the better songs from their 1970's period. The bridge between "Your Move" and "All Good People" just roars. "Close to the Edge" is just amazing and the recording admirably captures the power of its live performance. "Going for the One" can be a bit twangy on the original recording, but this performance fattens the rock edge. "Time and a Word," "Turn of the Century," & "And You and I" shine for all their beauty. I liked "Yessongs" as well as the previous reviewer, but the recording technology is so much better here that "Keys" eclipses that classic effort.

Of Disc #2 - Anything that Yes has put out since 90125 has always been a bit controversial for fans of the older stuff. Personally, I love the "West Coast" incarnation with Trevor Rabin as well as the ABWH et.al. crew. That said, however, even I will admit to the glaring inconsistencies when they have tried to duplicate their epics (15+ minute songs). Not so here. The "Mind Drive-Footprints-Bring Me the Power" epic falls slightly short of "Close to the Edge," "Starship Trooper," and the marathon "Tales from Topographic Oceans," but it still is worth the price of the recording all by itself. The rest is very good as well.

Highly Recommended for Fans and Neophytes Alike!

5 out of 5 stars These Dinosaurs Rule.......2003-08-24

Keys 2 is one of the rare occasions when the classic lineup produces new music that both rocks and has the depth of nuance to be called art. Too often Yes songs of the past 20 years have veered too close to soft rock and modern jazz(aka muzak without the strings.) Perhaps these guys were just afraid of sounding like the band that was labeled as pretensious dinosaurs in the 70's. But dinosaurs aren't just old. Dinosaurs are also awesome.

Music Album:

  1. 88 Elmira St. ~ Danny Gatton
  2. Frontier Index ~ Frontier Index
  3. Rock 'N' Roll Napalm ~ The Resistoleros
  4. Article ~ Eastern Lane
  5. What Were We Getting Into, Before We Got Into This? ~ Homemade
  6. Carnival of Souls ~ Miranda Sex Garden
  7. Optiganally Yours Presents: Exclusively Talentmaker ~ Optiganally Yours
  8. Dance Me In ~ Sons and Daughters
  9. Look Up ~ The Skirts
  10. Introducing the Sonics ~ The Sonics

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook ~ John Hicks

Complete Dial Sessions Master Takes ~ Charlie Parker

The Birdland Sessions ~ Miles Davis

Vinicius ~ Vinicius Cantuaria

Journey to Romance ~ North Star Jazz Ensemble

Jump Up and Boogie: The New Swing Collection ~ Various Artists

Vaquejadas Brasileiras ~ Alcymar Monteiro

Acoustic World 42 ~ Sojiro

Adagio: Music for Yoga ~ Peter Davison

Millennium: Emilio Santiago ~ Emilio Santiago