House of Yes: Live From House of Blues

Performer: Yes
Engineer: Biff Dawes
Distributor: RED Distribution

Notes: Yes: Billy Sherwood (vocals, guitar); Steve Howe (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar); Igor Khoroshev (vocals, keyboards); Chris Squire (vocals, bass guitar); Alan White (vocals, drums, percussion); Jon Anderson (vocals). Released as a companion CD soundtrack to a live DVD/VHS offering, this two-disc set captures the group's Las Vegas show at the House of Blues. Including a nearly complete set from The Ladder tour seems to be a double-edged blade. This creates for a definite completeness as a concert recording. However, many of the tracks on this set have already shown up on other live Yes sets. Followers of the band will find an appeal to this disc that goes beyond the music. The CD represents a live chronicle of The Ladder/Open Your Eyes lineup of the band. By the time House of Yes was released, Billy Sherwood had already become a "former member" and Igor Khoroshev was to follow late in 2000, making this a bit of an end of a chapter. It includes many standout moments, and some that don't shine quite so brightly. Sitting among the great side are Steve Howe's extended guitar solo in the opening track "Yours Is No Disgrace," a rendition of The Ladder's epic "Homeworld," and the inclusion of both "Lightning Strikes" and "Face to Face" from that same album. Probably one of the more subtle but interesting things this disc offers is a short improvised bit whose chorus is "Yes is in the House of Blues." Among the down sides, in many ways it is unfortunate, but probably unavoidable, that the group felt compelled to include the overplayed "Roundabout" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart." That said, the particular rendition of "Owner" is very inspired and includes a fine performance of the "Cinema" instrumental cut as its introduction. The other central complaint is that in many places the CD feels very over-produced, losing much of its live texture. ~ Gary Hill

The longest-running prog-rock group in the business, Yes flew on the strength of Jon Anderson's high, angelic voice and the group's instrumental virtuosity. The band began in England, rising from the ashes of pop-psych outfits like Tomorrow, Bodast, and Mabel Greer's Toyshop. Extending the technical facility of psychedelia and downplaying the trippiness, it helped forge the template for progressive rock and reigned as its most popular practitioners in the '70s. Over the years, Yes has weathered personnel changes, lawsuits, and changing public tastes while holding on to its original vision.

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