Stream Dream: Yes-90125 (1983)

Starting a new series here folk’s called Stream Dream. The deal with this will be since  I have joined Apple Music and as everyone streams music now I thought why the heck not since my vinyl collection has taken off I thought I would smash out some quick to the point reviews nothing in great detail and post about some albums that have come out past and present that for some reason that I haven’t reviewed yet or I never bothered to purchase back in the day. Ok, the day is actually as far back as 1978!

Here we go. Hope you all dig this…

YES, it is! 

After reading about YES in the latest issue of Rock Candy I thought perhaps it was time to do a deep dive into the “90125” record. 

“90125” (which is the band’s catalog number on this album) came out in November 1983. 

The leadoff single “Owner of a Lonely Heart” has one of the best opening riffs of a rock tune ever. Guitarist and principal songwriter Trevor Rabin nails one of the catchiest licks on the six-string ever.

YES for many like myself came onto my radar with this tune as MuchMusic had the video on high rotation and whenever it came on I watched it and as I said that opening Rabin riff just draws you in.

Hook, Line, and Sinker!

YES, and bands like Deep Purple (who would release the brilliant “Perfect Strangers” around the same time as the YES record)) were viewed as ‘old farts’ back in 1984

Kinda funny as both bands are still going in 2021 but back in those days of the early 80s bands that came from the 70s, they had to adapt to the sounds and technology of what the sounds of the 80s were becoming.

YES was one of those bands and this album exemplifies that change.

Change is good and in these guys’ case, it was as it sounds like YES was on life support as original ax guy Steve Howe was in supergroup Asia for a time until that band disintegrated around this time.

1. Owner of a Lonely Heart (4:27)
2. Hold On (5:15)
3. It Can Happen (5:39)
4. Changes (6:16)
5. Cinema (2:09)
6. Leave It (4:10)
7. Our Song (4:16)
8. City of Love (4:48)
9. Hearts (7:34)

Total Time 44:34

– Jon Anderson / lead vocals
– Trevor Rabin / guitars, keyboards, vocals
– Tony Kaye / keyboards
– Chris Squire/bass, vocals
– Alan White/drums, percussion, Fairlight CMI, vocals.

“Owner of a Lonely Heart” is the song that everyone knows but check out “Hold On” as Rabin and White lock-in with some cool like prog blues I guess you could say that they shift gears musically.

 Another surprise to me was the fact that in most of the tunes has Jon Anderson co-sharing the mic with Rabin and Squire. 

“Cinema” is a 2-minute musical prog rock out that earned these guys a Grammy back in 84 whereas “City of Love” I would have to say is one of those End of the Album Gems. Such a great track. Big power riffs, offbeat drums, and a chorus that just lifts off. 

When I would think of this band the first thing that comes to my mind is proggy but if you look at the number of tunes on this album (9) and the length of the album as a whole (44 minutes) YES I suppose they might as well figure to strip back the length of tunes and settle on a more commercial like vibe.

Trevor Rabin is the key to this album as his guitar has an edge to the use of the keyboards and programming going on around him.

It worked. This is a great album. Give it a spin or a stream!

deKe’s Stream A Rater- 7.5/10