Yes – The Yes Album (Numbered Gold CD)

For Yes, the third time was indeed the charm. After a pair of under-performing albums – Yes (1969) and Time and a Word (1970), the burgeoning British prog-rock outfit was in danger of being dropped by their record label. The pressure inspired the band to make some wholesale changes for LP number three. They’d already replaced guitarist Peter Banks with virtuoso player, Steve Howe. The band made the business decision to go with all original compositions, forgoing the cover tunes that marked the first two albums. Breaking the chains of their sound and throwing caution to the wind, Yes crafted six new songs, half of which boasted run times of well over eight minutes. Featuring the “Starship Trooper” and “I’ve Seen All Good People” suites, along with other anchors of the band’s live show, The Yes Album would prove to be exactly the breakthrough Yes needed, particularly in America.