YES

Five-LP box set is no disgrace.

For some prog fans, even the thought of Steven Wilson coming along to prise open the soundworld they’ve inhabited for decades is enough to prompt cries of sacrilege and accusations of sonic vandalism. However, in the real world where, lest we forget, those hallowed original mixes remain intact and readily available, Wilson’s work brings us an alternative perspective that doesn’t claim any superiority but is simply fresh and different. It’s a chance to see an old classic in a new light.

GREATER DEPTH, CLARITY AND CLOUT – AND OFTEN A FEW SURPRISES.

As with King Crimson, Jethro Tull and others, Wilson’s reimagining of Yes’ output from 1971’s The Yes Album through to 1974’s Relayer coaxes and teases out hitherto obscured details from the murk of the master tapes, giving new life to what is arguably the consistently strongest sequential run of albums by any artist in the 1970s.

While Wilson’s surround sound mixes take greater risks due to the format’s spatial considerations, he tends to stay reasonably loyal to the spirit of the originals in stereo presentations. What this lends these Yes albums is a greater depth, clarity and clout – and often a few surprises.

A guitar part is brought forward; an instrumental pass previously unheard; an improved lucidity around the drums; an enhanced presence within certain vocal sections. Such small additions build a momentum that sounds outstanding on The Yes Album, …Topographic Oceans and especially Relayer.

Housed in a sturdy slipcase boasting Roger Dean’s signature artwork, if hardcore fans get frothy around the mouth about the sound being tinkered with, Dean’s redesign of some of the sleeves isn’t likely to improve their mood.

The most radical alteration is found on Close To The Edge. Now transformed from its original verdant green into a deep oceanic blue, the depiction of a wave-weathered shoreline viewed from space is a smart foreshadowing of the journey Yes would embark upon next.

Bizarrely, it lacks the lyric-inscribed inner bag, a frankly baffling omission given that Relayer’s insert is included. That The Yes Album’s cover remains untouched by Dean is another odd decision that awkwardly separates it out from the rest of the pack, spoiling the carefully considered visual continuity.

Overall, though, the combined package is undoubtedly a thing of beauty, not only to look at but to listen to – it must be said, the pressings throughout are all very impressive. If you already own Wilson’s stereo remixes previously released on Blu-ray, CD and DVD-A then you might well ask yourself whether you really need this set. If vinyl is the object of your desire, then the answer’s an emphatic yes.