For this one album, ex-
Buggles Geoffrey Downes and
Trevor Horn were drafted in to replace
Jon Anderson and
Rick Wakeman. It rocks harder than other
Yes albums, and for classically inclined fans, it was a jarring departure; but it was a harbinger of
Yes and
Asia albums to come. A newly emboldened
Chris Squire lays down aggressive rhythms with
Alan White, and
Steve Howe eschews his usual acoustic rags and flamenco licks for a more metallic approach, opting for sheets of electric sound. Prime cuts include the doom-laden "Machine Messiah" and the manic ska inflections of "Tempus Fugit." Despite the promise of this new material, the band soon fell apart;
Horn went into production,
Howe and
Downes joined
Asia, and
Squire and
White toyed and then gave up on a pair-up with
Robert Plant and
Jimmy Page, which was to be titled XYZ (i.e., Ex-
Yes and
Zeppelin). ~ Paul Collins