NEW MUSIC CORNER # 44 (YES and EUREKA MACHINES)
YES - FLY FROM HERE
1a. Fly From Here - Overture
1. Fly From Here Pt. 1 - We Can Fly
2. The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be
3. Life On A Film Set
4. Hour Of Need
5. Into The Storm
Fly from Here is the twenty-first studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes. Their first studio album since Magnification (2001), it is also the first to feature Canadian singer Benoît David, who replaced long-time vocalist Jon Anderson in 2008 due to health reasons. David had been a member of Close to the Edge, a Yes tribute band, for over ten years prior to joining the group. The current line-up is formed of David, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Geoff Downes.
The album takes its name from its main track, "Fly from Here", a 25-minute song split up into six parts. The basis of the song was a demo originally recorded by Downes and Trevor Horn of The Buggles prior to joining Yes in 1980. After Yes disbanded in 1981, Horn and Downes recorded a second demo, and both recordings became the foundation of the tracks "We Can Fly" and "Sad Night at the Airfield".
Fly from Here was first released on 22 June 2011 in Japan and France, followed by releases on 1 July in the rest of Europe and Australia and on 12 July in the United States. It peaked at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart, and number 36 on the US Billboard 200.
From Allmusic.com:
A decade after their last studio release, Yes has issued Fly from Here, and it's not only a keeper, but as good as any record to come from the group since 1974. Consisting here of Chris Squire (bass, vocals), Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), and David Benoit (lead vocals), and with Trevor Horn producing, an obvious connection can be made between this album and 1980's Drama. But Fly from Here is a long way from that earlier album, even if the songs do possess a good deal of drama. Downright urgency is closer to it. David Benoit may not have Jon Anderson's range, but he makes up for it with deep expressiveness; and that, coupled with virtuoso-level playing and wonderfully elegant mixing of the vocals, allows this album to stand alongside the group's best work of the last 35 years.
Some of what's here will invite comparisons with their early years: the first six tracks are a six-part suite ("Fly from Here"), but it's not essential to hear them linked. Astonishingly for a 2011 release, the group sounds as though they're a bunch of kids again, inventing progressive rock for the first time, or perhaps perfecting it, complete with romantic ballads and folk-like pieces that stand in sharp contrast to the grander productions on which the album rests. Though nothing is overlong or complex, the songs are all presented with a depth and lushness that makes one think, at first, of a soundtrack to a movie, and then of the movie itself, as though Horn, Downes, and Squire (who, with Howe, dominate the composers' credits) had a long-form, multi-media piece in mind rather than just an album. And they execute it all with a fullness of sound and compelling melodic content that pulls the listener in, almost as surely as any first-rate opera; and with Howe's mostly instrumental contributions to break up the majestic production of Horn's songs, this album does, at times, remind one of the best moments of Tales from Topographic Oceans. Lyrics like "Dreaming, seeing you there" lofting gently over thin, silky sheets of sound, can sweep the listener away, and that's only one of the moments where the group's unique elements take hold. Fans of Howe's playing will also not be disappointed: his electric guitars are represented in complex, intense layers, but his acoustic work isn't shorted, providing quietly gorgeous openings to about a third of the material here. His "Hour of Need" is the most genial acoustic ballad that this group has delivered since "Your Move" on The Yes Album, 40 years ago. It's followed by "Solitaire," possibly the finest solo guitar piece we may ever hear from Howe on a Yes album. And it all closes with the rollicking "Into the Storm," all electric and all cylinders pumping, and, ironically, the least interesting track on the album.
From me:
I love this album!! I had read a few not very good reviews, but I bought it anyway, and I'm very glad, I did. It's my first Yes-album, but it will NOT be my last. There are at least 3 songs from this album, that could end at the top of my top-10 song-list, at the end of the year!!
EUREKA MACHINES - CHAMPION THE UNDERDOG
1. Champion The Underdog
2. (I'm) Wasting My Time (Yet Again)
3. Godot's Arrived
4. Everything's Fine
5. Zero Hero
Eureka Machines are a British pop-rock band based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, who formed in 2007. The band consists of Chris Catalyst (also of The Sisters of Mercy and The God Damn Whores) on lead vocals & guitar, Davros (aka Dave) on guitar & backing vocals, Pete Pseudonym on bass guitar & backing vocals and Wayne Insane on drums. Described as "power pop" by The Sun and Classic Rock magazine, they are something of a cottage industry, putting out their own records and being self-managing and self-promoting while also touring and gaining press coverage and airplay at a national level.
From contactmusic.com:
If you haven't yet heard of Eureka Machines, all I can say is that you simply have to check them out. Since the 2008 release of their debut dose of pop-rock perfection Do or Die, the band have toured fairly relentlessly around the UK toilet circuit, playing songs more befitting arenas. That they remain criminally underrated and largely unheard of is nothing short of confusing, given the quality of their music: Do or Die was up there with my favourite albums of 2008 (if not the whole decade) so topping it with album number 2 was always going to be a tall order. They've done it though. And then some.
The album opens up with its title track, a 4 minute beast packed with riffs and a trademark huge chorus, sounding like a more radio friendly version of The Wildhearts, even throwing in a cheeky nod to The Ramones. These Are The People Who Live In My House and (I'm) Wasting My Time (Yet Again) follow a similar formula. They are brilliant slices of catchy pop rock not dissimilar to what was showcased on their debut album.
But it is at track four, Magnets where things start to get interesting. It would seem the Machines have opened up an epic avenue in their song writing which really trumps the rest of the catalogue. Magnets keeps a catchy verse melody before breaking into a more melancholy chorus. It's more restrained but hardly a ballad. This is followed by Godot's Arrived, another big epic song with a brilliant riff and the introduction of keyboards and a horn section. It brings to mind The Cardiacs, especially the mad outburst of an outro. It's insane; in a good way.
Professional Crastinator then strays even further from their trademark sound before the 9 minute epic riff-a-thon off Zero Hero takes you back to familiar territory. In a past interview, Chris Catalyst (chief machine) mentioned that 'Eureka Machines didn't want to be the biggest band in the world; they wanted to be the best.' On this evidence, I think they might be on the cusp of nailing that particular target.
The album closes with the wittily titled A Ballad to Finish, which does pretty much exactly as it says on the tin. It's packed with tongue in cheek lyrics about heartbreak which make music with a sense of humour sound like an easy thing to create. That's one of the joys of listening to Eureka Machines: it actually sounds like they're having as much fun crafting these huge songs as you are listening to them.
If you loved Do or Die, this could easily be your favourite album of 2011. If Eureka Machines are still off your radar (WHY?!) you need to pick this up. These guys could well be your new favourite band.
You can listen here:http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/448dcfe0378836eee178375f8a855598
1a. Fly From Here - Overture
1. Fly From Here Pt. 1 - We Can Fly
2. The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be
3. Life On A Film Set
4. Hour Of Need
5. Into The Storm
Fly from Here is the twenty-first studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes. Their first studio album since Magnification (2001), it is also the first to feature Canadian singer Benoît David, who replaced long-time vocalist Jon Anderson in 2008 due to health reasons. David had been a member of Close to the Edge, a Yes tribute band, for over ten years prior to joining the group. The current line-up is formed of David, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Geoff Downes.
The album takes its name from its main track, "Fly from Here", a 25-minute song split up into six parts. The basis of the song was a demo originally recorded by Downes and Trevor Horn of The Buggles prior to joining Yes in 1980. After Yes disbanded in 1981, Horn and Downes recorded a second demo, and both recordings became the foundation of the tracks "We Can Fly" and "Sad Night at the Airfield".
Fly from Here was first released on 22 June 2011 in Japan and France, followed by releases on 1 July in the rest of Europe and Australia and on 12 July in the United States. It peaked at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart, and number 36 on the US Billboard 200.
From Allmusic.com:
A decade after their last studio release, Yes has issued Fly from Here, and it's not only a keeper, but as good as any record to come from the group since 1974. Consisting here of Chris Squire (bass, vocals), Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), and David Benoit (lead vocals), and with Trevor Horn producing, an obvious connection can be made between this album and 1980's Drama. But Fly from Here is a long way from that earlier album, even if the songs do possess a good deal of drama. Downright urgency is closer to it. David Benoit may not have Jon Anderson's range, but he makes up for it with deep expressiveness; and that, coupled with virtuoso-level playing and wonderfully elegant mixing of the vocals, allows this album to stand alongside the group's best work of the last 35 years.
Some of what's here will invite comparisons with their early years: the first six tracks are a six-part suite ("Fly from Here"), but it's not essential to hear them linked. Astonishingly for a 2011 release, the group sounds as though they're a bunch of kids again, inventing progressive rock for the first time, or perhaps perfecting it, complete with romantic ballads and folk-like pieces that stand in sharp contrast to the grander productions on which the album rests. Though nothing is overlong or complex, the songs are all presented with a depth and lushness that makes one think, at first, of a soundtrack to a movie, and then of the movie itself, as though Horn, Downes, and Squire (who, with Howe, dominate the composers' credits) had a long-form, multi-media piece in mind rather than just an album. And they execute it all with a fullness of sound and compelling melodic content that pulls the listener in, almost as surely as any first-rate opera; and with Howe's mostly instrumental contributions to break up the majestic production of Horn's songs, this album does, at times, remind one of the best moments of Tales from Topographic Oceans. Lyrics like "Dreaming, seeing you there" lofting gently over thin, silky sheets of sound, can sweep the listener away, and that's only one of the moments where the group's unique elements take hold. Fans of Howe's playing will also not be disappointed: his electric guitars are represented in complex, intense layers, but his acoustic work isn't shorted, providing quietly gorgeous openings to about a third of the material here. His "Hour of Need" is the most genial acoustic ballad that this group has delivered since "Your Move" on The Yes Album, 40 years ago. It's followed by "Solitaire," possibly the finest solo guitar piece we may ever hear from Howe on a Yes album. And it all closes with the rollicking "Into the Storm," all electric and all cylinders pumping, and, ironically, the least interesting track on the album.
From me:
I love this album!! I had read a few not very good reviews, but I bought it anyway, and I'm very glad, I did. It's my first Yes-album, but it will NOT be my last. There are at least 3 songs from this album, that could end at the top of my top-10 song-list, at the end of the year!!
EUREKA MACHINES - CHAMPION THE UNDERDOG
1. Champion The Underdog
2. (I'm) Wasting My Time (Yet Again)
3. Godot's Arrived
4. Everything's Fine
5. Zero Hero
Eureka Machines are a British pop-rock band based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, who formed in 2007. The band consists of Chris Catalyst (also of The Sisters of Mercy and The God Damn Whores) on lead vocals & guitar, Davros (aka Dave) on guitar & backing vocals, Pete Pseudonym on bass guitar & backing vocals and Wayne Insane on drums. Described as "power pop" by The Sun and Classic Rock magazine, they are something of a cottage industry, putting out their own records and being self-managing and self-promoting while also touring and gaining press coverage and airplay at a national level.
From contactmusic.com:
If you haven't yet heard of Eureka Machines, all I can say is that you simply have to check them out. Since the 2008 release of their debut dose of pop-rock perfection Do or Die, the band have toured fairly relentlessly around the UK toilet circuit, playing songs more befitting arenas. That they remain criminally underrated and largely unheard of is nothing short of confusing, given the quality of their music: Do or Die was up there with my favourite albums of 2008 (if not the whole decade) so topping it with album number 2 was always going to be a tall order. They've done it though. And then some.
The album opens up with its title track, a 4 minute beast packed with riffs and a trademark huge chorus, sounding like a more radio friendly version of The Wildhearts, even throwing in a cheeky nod to The Ramones. These Are The People Who Live In My House and (I'm) Wasting My Time (Yet Again) follow a similar formula. They are brilliant slices of catchy pop rock not dissimilar to what was showcased on their debut album.
But it is at track four, Magnets where things start to get interesting. It would seem the Machines have opened up an epic avenue in their song writing which really trumps the rest of the catalogue. Magnets keeps a catchy verse melody before breaking into a more melancholy chorus. It's more restrained but hardly a ballad. This is followed by Godot's Arrived, another big epic song with a brilliant riff and the introduction of keyboards and a horn section. It brings to mind The Cardiacs, especially the mad outburst of an outro. It's insane; in a good way.
Professional Crastinator then strays even further from their trademark sound before the 9 minute epic riff-a-thon off Zero Hero takes you back to familiar territory. In a past interview, Chris Catalyst (chief machine) mentioned that 'Eureka Machines didn't want to be the biggest band in the world; they wanted to be the best.' On this evidence, I think they might be on the cusp of nailing that particular target.
The album closes with the wittily titled A Ballad to Finish, which does pretty much exactly as it says on the tin. It's packed with tongue in cheek lyrics about heartbreak which make music with a sense of humour sound like an easy thing to create. That's one of the joys of listening to Eureka Machines: it actually sounds like they're having as much fun crafting these huge songs as you are listening to them.
If you loved Do or Die, this could easily be your favourite album of 2011. If Eureka Machines are still off your radar (WHY?!) you need to pick this up. These guys could well be your new favourite band.
You can listen here:http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/448dcfe0378836eee178375f8a855598
Views: 73
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Scott on
-
YES ... YES!!!! oh sorry, wrong rating system (Two thumbs up)
Great start! That little 1:54 second overture really set the mood. Loving this so far. It has a really nice feel to the production. not to over done but real clear and well played. I have been thinking about YES lately since Jon's post and some discussion with someon we all know prior to that. I think I will dive in and order a couple albums.
EUREKA MACHINES ... Left Thumb even, Right Thumb Slightly down
Never heard of this band before now. Not sure it was what I had in mind from the description, but its ok, not in the pruchase range, but ok. Might be cool to pop in when hosting a small party, but can think of any other time this would fit a mood.
-
Permalink Reply by Niels (Mod) on
-
I've been thinking about purchasing a YES-box set. There were released one in 2002. I think it's called "Yes we can" or something like that.
-
-
Well, I was wrong: It's called "In a word: YES (1969 -).
-
-
....and I've ordered it now: 5 cd's, 6 hours and 15 minutes of music, 229 DKr. (40$, that's pretty cheap here in Denmark!!)
-
Permalink Reply by Jon on
-
Hey...VACATION BREAK from me!!!
Anyhoo...the Yes album is very good. I've listened to it a couple times and each listen I liket it better.
Now....back to vacation. PEACE OUT!
-
-
Just bought it! May order Drama and one other sometime in the near future. By tthe way, I did like the samples I heard form Drama!
-
Permalink Reply by RJhog (Admin) on
-
Yes (Thumbs Sideways)
I need to hear this again, maybe when I can pay a little more attention. I really liked track 2 (We Can Fly), which I think is the first full song that you played here. The last track was pretty good too. Yes, I need to listen again.
Eureka Machines (Thumbs Sideways)
Sort of the same as above, I need to listen again. I really liked Godot's Arrived. For some reason, I got a bit of a Beatles vibe there. I also liked Zero Hero. It has a cool riff.
I can't say I'll purchase either, but I can't say I won't. I must listen again...
Question Of The Week
CRB Features (Click photo to visit)
Birthdays
Birthdays Today
CRB Staff Members
In Memory Of
Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)
Photos
Videos
Badge
© 2024 Created by RJhog (Admin).
Powered by
