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Tales from Topographic Oceans by Yes: a four-suite, progressive, poetic tapestry depicting the human perception of time and memory

Updated: Jul 6



With Understanding Comes Appreciation


This is Yes, and perhaps even prog-rock, at its finest. I truly appreciate this album for what it is: a prog-symphony in four movements. It is very much classical in design and composition. For those expecting more of Fragile or even Close to the Edge, you will be disappointed. For those who appreciate great classical music, be prepared to be blown away by perhaps one of the greatest masterpieces of music of our time. From the opening notes of "Revealing Science of God" to the final notes of "Ritual," the music is made up of themes that are stated, explored, and restated in a similar manner those great symphonies of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and the other masters. In order to understand the genius and fully appreciate the real beauty of this album, it must be listened to from start to finish. It may actually be the best musical composition of the twentieth century.

Although Tales from Topographic Oceans received an absolutely horrendous reception from critics, and is often defended by prog fans as a result, I can on the one hand see where the bad reviews came from —and it's got nothing to do with the actual music. The fact is that that Tales from Topographic Oceans is one of the most incredibly uncommercial albums that Yes had produced at the time —not just in the format, although any double album comprising four side-long tracks is a daunting prospect, but in terms of the music presented therein.

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