Acoustic Sounds
By: Michael Fremer

November 22nd, 2023

Category:

News

"The Yes Album" Gets "Super Deluxe" Treatment Or Not—Your Choice

Sit down! Stand up! See yourself! Turn Around!

You now have a choice of two AAA reissues of The Yes Album, which happens to be my favorite Yes album. Yes, I'm making this one personal. The Yes Album lineup with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, and Bill Bruford plus the then newly added Steve Howe was an epic assemblage of great musicians and that album still packs a sonic and musical punch.

It's going to be released as part of the Analogue Productions Atlantic 75th anniversary series as a single AAA release and today Rhino announced this expanded edition that includes a Bernie Grundman AAA remastered original LP in addition to the many extras listed below. Or as Jon Anderson might lyricize (not sure if that's a word): "Make your choice!", "See yourself!" "Turn Around", "Eat a donut!" etc.

The George Piros mastered original cut "close to the edge" pressed at Presswell is a thing of sonic beauty. It will be interesting to compare that to B.G.'s new cut.

LOS ANGELES – This Friday, Rhino takes a deep dive into Yes' third studio album with an upcoming boxed set that presents a newly remastered version of The Yes Album expanded with rarities, two previously unreleased concerts, and fresh mixes by Steven Wilson, including an immersive Dolby Atmos Mix.

THE YES ALBUM (SUPER DELUXE EDITION) contains 4 CDs, a Blu-ray disc, and an LP arriving on November 24. Pre-order HERE. The music will also be available from digital and streaming platforms on the same day. As a preview, an early take of "I've Seen All Good People" is out digitally today. Listen HERE.

THE YES ALBUM (SUPER DELUXE EDITION) includes a new AAA cut by Bernie Grundman on the LP, Steven Wilson's remastered version of the original album on CD. Two previously unreleased concerts from 1971 will debut in the set as well. The first was recorded just a few weeks before The Yes Album was released, while the second was recorded six months later during the band's U.S. tour. These remarkable performances include live versions of songs from the album, such as "Yours Is No Disgrace" and "Perpetual Change," as well as "Astral Traveller" and "Everydays" from the previous album, Time and a Word (1970).

Wilson features the 2014 remixed The Yes Album and instrumental versions of all six album tracks in the upcoming Super Deluxe Edition. In addition, the Blu-ray disc offers four new mixes of The Yes Album, including two versions in 5.1 Surround Sound, the 2023 Remaster, and the Dolby Atmos Mix.

Wilson shares his insights into the new mixes in the set's liner notes: "For the Atmos Mix, I used my 5.1 as a starting point but found myself taking quite a different approach on some parts of the music, partly by virtue of now having the extra speakers to place the sounds in, but also because I've learned a few things in the nearly ten years since I first remixed the album…I hope you enjoy The Yes Album in its new, fully spatialized form. To me, it still sounds as fresh as the day it was recorded."

The Yes Album marked a new beginning for the band, as founding members Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, and Bill Bruford welcomed new guitarist Steve Howe. Initially released in the U.K. on February 19, 1971, it was the group's first album to feature all-original material and introduced signature epics like "Starship Trooper" and "I've Seen All Good People." The album peaked at No.4 in the U.K. and was the group's first to crack the Top 40 in the U.S., where it would eventually be certified platinum.

Today, Yes is the most enduring, ambitious, and virtuosic progressive band in history, with a discography spanning over five decades. The Grammy® Award-winning band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 and has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

Comments

  • 2023-11-22 06:58:05 PM

    Lemon Curry wrote:

    It will be very interesting to hear your take on the releases. I received the Atlantic 75 Selling England By The Pound a few days back, and it is spectacular. I'm eager now to keep going, and the Atlantic 75 The Yes Album is first in my sights.

  • 2023-11-22 08:25:04 PM

    Steve Edwards wrote:

    Lemon, Do you by chance have the Classic Records reissue from 2001 of SEBTP? I have that one and would love to hear a comparison with the new Atlantic 75 version. Play on

    • 2023-11-22 11:32:06 PM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      I suspect the new Atlantic 75 version uses the Classic metal parts. It would be a good idea since Chad Kassem bought Classic Records and that mastering was excellent.

  • 2023-11-23 04:40:17 AM

    tim davis wrote:

    Sweet! The Leslie cabinet sounding bass on Starship Troopers has long been my main justification for having a pair of subs running in stereo rather than a single summed mono unit.

    • 2023-11-25 05:45:48 AM

      Silk Dome Mid wrote:

      That is a cool effect. The bass players seem to think it was just a tremolo in the expert hands of Chris Squire, not a Leslie cabinet.

  • 2023-11-26 01:37:11 AM

    Daren Wingard wrote:

    There seems to be some confusion about the stereo digital [2023] remaster in this set: Rhinos promo material mentions “THE YES ALBUM (SUPER DELUXE EDITION) includes Steven Wilson’s newly remastered version of the original album on both CD and LP.” Looking at the LP it has the initials BG (Bernie Grundman) in the dead wax, AND the booklet says “remastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road”. Very confused…