UAWIL #244: Yes - Drama

Most casual Yes fans aren't familiar with their 1980 release Drama. After 8 years of gold and platinum releases, Drama failed to sell as well as its 70s prog counterparts like Close To The Edge or Fragile. When they went to the south of France to record in late 1979, it was the most celebrated Yes lineup of Jon Anderson (vocals), Chris Squire (Bass), Steve Howe (guitars), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Alan White (drums), Coming off two solid efforts in Going For The One and Tormato, there was strong interest in the band, especially in America where they'd prebooked a tour including 3 sold out shows at Madison Square Garden.

However, factions took over and cracks were exposed in the harmony of the band. Howe, White and Squire would come later and bring producer Roy Thomas Baker with them. Those four would dismiss the airy and ethereal efforts of Wakeman and Anderson in favor of their own heavy and proggy riffs. After Alan White injured himself roller skating with Richard Branson (as one does), the retreated back to England but Anderson and Wakeman had had enough and they left the band.

Under the same management of Brian Lane and using the same studios were The Buggles, Geoff Downes (Keyboards) and Trevor Horn (vocals) vehicle for their worldwide hit Video Killed The Radio Star. Chris Squire invited them in to help write some songs but really, he wanted them in the band. Though Trevor Horn was reluctant to try to replicate Jon Anderson's high pitched vocals, they eventually joined and recorded Drama.

Critics said it sounded remarkably like Yes, maybe more than they expected. But while Trevor's vocals aren't an exact match of Anderson's, they do hit that high register and the work by the musicians of Yes is off the charts strong. Tempus Fugit is a quintessential Yes song and Run Through The Light gives Trevor something closer to his own range while Geoff modernizes Yes' sound. Many Yes fans decided that no Anderson and No Wakeman meant No Thanks. But Drama has aged well and even the Roger Dean cover, which was never a big favorite of The Wolf compared to most all he did with Yes and Asia, is something that grows on you.

This is a hidden gem in the Yes catalog, one that The Wolf includes among his favorite Yes albums. Give it a chance, see if you agree.

* And if you can get the 2004 remaster do so - it sounds great and has lots of bonus tracks including some from the Anderson/Wakeman sessions.

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