Tales from Topographic Oceans

Artist: Yes
Label: Atlantic / Wea
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 2

UPC: 075678268328
EAN: 0075678268328
ASIN: B000002J20

Release Date: 1994-10-04

Tales from Topographic Oceans

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Tracks:

The Revealing Science of God: The Dance Of The Dawn
The Remembering: High The Memory

Tracks:

The Ancient: Giants Under The Sun
Ritual: Now Sommes Du Soleil

Similar Items:

Relayer
The Yes Album
Close to the Edge
Close to the Edge
Fragile

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Quite Like It.......2006-07-10

I would say that this is the least of Yes's absolute masterpieces (_The Yes Album_, _Close to the Edge_, _Relayer_, _90125_, and maybe _Fragile_), but that wouldn't quite catch what this piece is all about. This unfolds almost glacially like a Sibelius symphony with a few schizoid stretches thrown in for good measure. This is Yes's most ambitious album and if you take it for what it is, the truest thing you might be able to say is that it is their most mind-expanding album. It's extreme length led Rick Wakeman to disavow it as a misguided project, but he was always the one with the most questionable judgment in the "classic line-up." If you have a few hours to sit back and let your mind drift, there might not be any better album in the history of rock. The only rivals in genres related to what Yes is doing here have names like Stravinsky and Bartok, not ELP or King Crimson, neither of whom were able to make a work of quite this breadth, scope, and intriguing execution.

The whole suite starts out meditatively with the whispering tones of "The Revealing Science of God/ Dance of the Dawn." Again, no rock album I can think of builds this slowly short of some of the stuff coming out in post-rock lately (and it's arguable if that's rock). This isn't the kind of album I'd play on the way to work--you wouldn't even get past the build-up. And that's another thing that makes this album such a treat. If you are able to clear your agenda to be able to digest all of this, well, I would certainly call it an enriching experience. One that only comes at special times for most of us in this hustling, bustling world.

Things pick up a little with "The Remembering/ High the Memory." The band starts to "rock" around the ten-minute mark of this with a trademark Steve Howe workout to help the band soar. The stops aren't completely loosed until "The Ancient/ Giants Under the Sun" with a kitchen-sink jam that has Alan White hitting sheet metal (!!!), among many other thrilling turns this song takes after the unforgettable gong and bells intro. Actually, this song has Alan White's best drumming short of "Hold On" on _90125_, amongst a storied career. Eddie Offord was pretty much at his producing best here encouraging risky moves like these, his touch setting Yes apart as well as he had on previous classics.

The whole thing goes back to shimmering evocations on "Ritual/ Nous Sommes de Soleil" and ends the entire suite with our minds contemplating hearts of sunrises and other such transcendent signifieds that Yes is unparalleled in interrogating musically. They only had a few releases that measured up to this one afterwards, so this is pretty much Yes at its peak.

Another review elsewhere says that this isn't for every Yes fan, but I have to disagree. It's not for every MUSIC fan, as thick as the world is with AC/DC and Britney Spears devotees. But as far as a Yes fan goes, you really haven't heard Yes until you sit with this one and let it work its magic on you. Actually, I think this one may very well be the "gauntlet" of Yesdom and progdom. While it may not be jam-packed with extreme scintillation from second-one to second-last like _Close to the Edge_, this is the kind of composition that builds up to the chills. When they come, the musical moments are absolutely unparalleled and they transport you in ways like none other that you have ever felt. Just say Yes!

Time to travel, baby.......2006-02-27

Boy, this album feels like that special moment when you finally reach the top of a mountain. Everything you ever wanted in an overblown progressive rock album can be found here, and more. See that? I used the word "overblown" and meant it in a good way! This band was excellent in the early to mid 70's, and I don't consider the exaggerated musical ideas a bad thing, in this case.

One thing I think is extremely special about this album is how the entire thing does a wonderful job putting pictures in your head. It succeeds BIG time doing that. For me, those pictures are of exploring the universe. I was always fascinated with the planets in our solar system, and watching the moon in the sky and all the stars twinkling out there, ever since I was a child. Also, I enjoyed thinking about what it would be like if human life was able to exist on places other than Earth.

I used to love going home from school and begging my mom to take me to the library, in the hope that they added more books about the universe. Boy that MUST have been years ago. I began to hate school when 7th grade rolled around. But all the mysteries of the things that might be out there in the universe really are fascinating, and good music can help make the images and thoughts in my head more rewarding.

As a child, I also used to love thinking about what it would be like to discover things that other humans haven't discovered yet. Just the thought of being on another planet and looking under rocks and finding life, or looking at craters and jumping around in them, or the idea of having an entire planet to myself! These are some of the thoughts that kept my mind occupied as a child. And you know, I'm not ashamed to say I still think about these things today, though not as often, since as an adult you have other, more realistic things to think about. Don't worry, I don't do drugs or drink any kind of beer or alcohol- I just like music that allows me to think.

I don't know if I'd call myself a Yes fan but I'm certainly a fan of this album, and I can say with complete certainty that I've never heard anything like this before. This album has been waiting for me since I was 8 years old and I just didn't know it, and now at the age of 25, I'm finally hearing it (well, I downloaded it two years ago and heard it then, but I wasn't fascinated with it like I am now). Hearing the album on compact disc is the correct way to listen to it.

I also should state that I don't consider the music on this album, or the music on ANY album, to hold the answer to life's greatest mysteries. I don't know what happens when I die, so my enthusiasm for this album is based on the music and the images it puts in my head (and childhood memories). I don't consider Yes musical Gods, or whatever. Just a talented band with their very own sound. I don't think anyone can dispute that.

What you have on Tales from Topographic Oceans is a grand total of four songs. Probably thinking it must be a short album, huh? Nope. Each of the four songs is nearly 20 minutes in length, and each song is filled with some of the most fascinating far-out space rock psychedelic WEIRDNESS ever put on tape. It's important to note that what may appear as noise at first, will turn into many many rewarding musical ideas over time. Remember this, if you happen to have trouble getting into it.

I think these guys do a slightly better job of the "picturing yourself traveling through outer space" thing than Pink Floyd. Then again, Floyd is more about drifting gently through space and admiring the beauty of the planets below, whereas the music of Yes can be known as "observing and studying the planet landscapes".

I really don't know which of the four songs I like the most. By the way, doesn't it suck how this album is 81 minutes long? That means it's a double album. If it was only a couple minutes shorter it would have fit on a single CD. They probably could have shortened a couple minutes somewhere and I wouldn't even have noticed (but I bet hardcore Yes fans would have picked up on that and would have immediately came here to mention it, hehe). I guess it's not a big deal. I'm just a picky guy when it comes to these things.

The always-interesting music on this double, delightful album does a fine job helping me think about something I'd like to do when the weather warms up. That is, go to my bathroom closet, grab a towel, run to the field right next to my house, lay the towel down and lay on it, and watch the stars above while listening to this album on headphones. I have to wear glasses now, so I better bring those, too. I agree it's a silly thought, but as a human being I can have my fantasies no matter how silly they may be. It would be even sillier to walk out there tonight in the freezing cold and try this experiment. No music is worth freezing your ass off!

Well, I can't continue talking about nonsense throughout my review- I have to mention the main course- the music. Is it good? Yes, it's better than good, it's Tony the Tiger great. I have to worn you, though. If you have no experience with progressive rock music or any kind of complex music, you may be in for a very difficult listen. This is Yes taking a genre of rock as far as it can go, and some people have a problem with the complexity. It's important that you understand "anything can happen at any time" when you listen to this album. It's not simple verse, chorus, verse, chorus, it's more like sitting back and watching a town carnival take place and taking notice of all the activity. If you buy this album and don't like it, it would probably be a good idea to keep it anyway. You never know when it might finally click.

I also recommend you buy it even if you AREN'T a Yes fan, because these guys are doing something special here. Really, the only part of the album that rubs me the wrong way is right at the beginning of "The Revealing Science of God" when Jon Anderson seems to carelessly ramble what seems to be one note smashing your head for a couple minutes, but then he stops and the music changes into something much better and more noticeably, into something VERY unusual. The album is loaded with pretty and distinct guitar playing and I like how many times the guitar twirls around, making it feel like you're doing somersaults in outer space (let me remind you, I don't do drugs!) When Jon Anderson returns on vocals after that rough beginning, he does a pretty darn good job, and he continues to do a good job for the rest of the album. So please don't write the album off if you can't get into the first couple minutes of track one. One moment on the album I want to mention that really pleases me is a part a few minutes into "The Ancient". The music temporarily switches into something weird, and it sounds like pretty ballerina music with sound effects of washing machines doing jumping jacks in the background. In case you needed any more proof I'm a weird guy. ha!

Pretty much the story of this album is "expect the unexpected". Frequent musical changes, happening nonstop, challenging your mind for pretty much the entire 81 minutes. I hate when people say you have to be a nerd to appreciate this band, or whatever. No. I'm not a nerd, and I'm not a smart man by any stretch of the imagination- I just like music that challenges me and helps me think about things, and as a progressive rock album you can't get more of a challenge than this (if we ignore Van Der Graaf Generator that is!) But one thing is for sure- you don't have to smoke pot to get into this album. You may need to have a vivid imagination, but that's all you need. Or, if you hate the sound of the electric guitar you might hate it, but let's not be silly!

I know some people can't get into Yes (like EVERYONE in my family) and I have to wonder if maybe the music is just too complex or too strange for them. Sure, Jon Anderson's voice is an acquired taste, but this band is simply too bizarre for many people. But I think Tales offers something different. The music on this album flows beautifully, whereas on other Yes albums the band sometimes wanks and rambles. I can only think of a couple moments where that happens on here, and they are over before you know it.

Buy Tales from Topographic Oceans and find out what it's like to hear something truly fascinating.

Music for Mystics and Seekers alike.......2005-12-01

Easily one of the finest pieces of music ever conceived. Along with Olias of Sunhillow, Awaken, Close to the Edge, Wondrous Stories and Madrigal. This is music for souls who want to go inside and see face to face the source. If you don't get the lyrics, I understand, but as a mystic one can see where Jon has been and where he is going. If you read the writings of the mystic saints, past and present, you will see the same landscape that Jon writes about. Saints like; Kabir, Hafiz, Shams-i-Tabriz, Rumi, Tukaram, Paltu, Sarmad, Mira Bai, Tulsi, Bulleh Shah, Nanak, Arjan, Sawan Singh and many others, that spoke of the internal 'landscape' and it sounds like Yes lyrics. This background will give you a greater appreciation for Jon's lyrics; and when someone says that they are confusing, pompous, silly or worse yet, meaningless one can only fold their hands and wish peace to be upon the heads of our brothers and sisters who 'having eyes do not see'. Please forgive me for sounding pompous myself, sinner that I am, but stranded as I am on an internal desert island this music gives me great comfort. Pound for pound the finest band ever! With Love.

In the days of summer so long,we danced as evening sang their song.......2005-08-01

This album is a masterpiece . The lyrics bring you to a world of wings ,wind, and distant drums . Tales From Topographic Oceans is a perfect title . It would have been nice if the songs were on one cd ,but it's 2 minutes too long. The music is brilliant as it changes paths trough out the twenty minute songs.This is definitly in the top 5 of best Yes albums originally released in 73, following Fragile (another masterpiece).
The four songs awaken your your mind to new musical heights . Chris Squire's bass riffs really bring the songs together, Along with Jon Andersons mind numbing vocals . A must have for any classic rock fan .

Has its moments, but I don't listen to it often.......2005-03-25

Tales From Topographic Oceans to me is like Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here (and particularly Shine On...) in the sense that both have some good musical moments stretched out over too much time given to it. In another way it's like Genesis' Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in that they had four sides to fill, and they were going to fill it come hell or high water.

There are certain passages that are gems in the YES lexicon, but there seems to be a lot of extra, that wasn't intended to be filler I suppose, but it certainly isn't engaging (to me at least - and thanks to the age of the ipod I put YES on shuffle and have it in the background while I work and I was surprised by how many passages on TFTO capture my divided attention, so it's not all bad by any stretch). Though, with a straight through, undivided listen, by the end I feel like I've been around the same block a couple of times with a few mini-loops along the way.

Attention span isn't the issue as I dig many other album-side or double side epics. But this stretches my patience. Putting four 20 minute tracks together seems contrived. If not, and the whole album as an entity in itself, why couldn't the multiple statements be broken up even more? There obviously was an attempt to say "we showed how mighty we were with an album side, this will really show you what we're made of!" It seems to have a lot of form over function in its track layout. Genesis' TLLDOB perhaps is improved by having the 4 sides fractured into more songs.

Perhaps if the material were segmented more logically, the music would have been better than it turned out to be. To keep the 4 song layout intact, it has a great feel that some of the musicians were merely along for the ride instead of adding punctuations of their own to make a combined statement as with the highest points in YES' output.

What Peter Gabriel did to Genesis' with TLLDOB, Anderson and Howe did to YES, make a very self serving double album that perhaps confused the other members and left them outside the box and the overall music suffers.

Still it IS YES and that counts for a lot in maintaining 3 stars.

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