The Contrarians Panel: Dark Horse Album #34 - Yes Tales from Topographic Oceans

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These prog fans discuss Yes and the album Tales from Topographic Oceans!
The Contrarians is a show where one of us jumps in the hot seat picks a dark horse album from a band as that band's best album. The guest host will argue against them with facts, stats and all around truth, subjective and objective!
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Опубликовано:

10 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 76

@quintbromley2112 Год назад

As a prog-kid in 1978, I didn't get it at all. I listened to it one time and it was straight back to Going for the One and Close to the Edge. Now, in my 50's, I consider it a classic, a journey through musical landscapes that mirror the psychedelic artwork of Roger Dean. The vistas are extraordinary, replete with alien beauty and wonder; the valleys long, slow, and treacherous, but stand in stark relief against the starry, gunmetal sky. I agree with Rand, 9.5 all day.

@billschuster6680 Год назад

That was an excellent, vivid assessment and I agree. Well stated!

@Jamie.Laszlo Год назад

I do like this album. It's not afraid to be full of itself and ridiculous...and I respect it for that reason. Some albums are so bloated the they make a 180 from the state of mind I'm in. Meaning, they're as far from my liking as possible. This album, however, makes a 359 angle. Yeah, it turns away from me. But it almost comes all the way back around to the point where I'm pretty much actually liking it. I don't know if that makes sense. But every time I put it on I feel like I'm about to go on an epic journey. There will be a few bumps along the way, but doesn't every long journey have its share of bumps? I will say it's my most listened to Yes album.

@joshcreasey Год назад

It is an epic journey! A lovely treat for the ears.

@DavysFlicks Год назад

This was...an experience. As this album always is.

@brucybabyy7355 Год назад

ya when i 1st heard it i thought it was tripe. but i went to a concert on that tour. blew me away went back to it and it has been one of my faves since. cheers!

@damienfoyer3293 Год назад

Your questioning of Rand was top notch. Good probing and follow ups, you should be a host on the channel sometimes.

@hpatss4966 7 месяцев назад

You made many hasty generalizations and read many Wikipedia articles with too little care. “It was a commercial success, becoming the first UK album to be certified Gold based solely on pre-orders, and spent two weeks at number one. In the US it peaked at number 6, where it was certified gold in 1974 for surpassing 500,000 copies.” It wasn’t platinum, but it was deemed a commercial success.

@hpatss4966 7 месяцев назад

Also I would love to know the exact moments when he’s “playing something completely different to what the band are” him and Chris are locked together in the isolated mix.

@TheProgCorner Год назад

My favorite album of all time!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@bachmibm Год назад

It’s great to find you here bringing sense to all the ignorant reviews surrounding us! We needed you on that awful panel, good sir!

@billschuster6680 Год назад

I really appreciated the story from Rand about his girlfriend at that time and their special relationship with Tales. While I don't have the long personal connection that Rand has with this album, I do entirely agree with him that there should be no edits. There are plenty of single Yes albums available. This one is, and should remain, an epic journey. Interestingly, I view this album, much as I do The Fountain of Lamneth. It's interesting because Rand and I were on different sides of that debate in our Caress of Steel chat. Like with The Fountain, the lyrics matter. The whole journey matters. The beginning of The Ancient is a bit like a lengthy precursor to Didacts and Narpets and I rather enjoy it. Now to be the Contrarian among Contrarians: I would sooner edit Close to the Edge rather than Tales. I rate all four Tales tracks higher than Siberian Khatru. Would have been better to drop SK and replace it with their cover of America. Now that I have destroyed my credibility, I'll see myself out... 😜. My Personal Rating: 9/10.

@quintbromley2112 Год назад

Lol. Agree with everything until the Siberian Khatru reference. That is bold. Contrarian of contrarians, indeed!

@billschuster6680 Год назад

@@quintbromley2112 I'm definitely in the minority on Siberian Khatru. 😄 I love the other two songs on the album, though.

@quintbromley2112 Год назад

@Bill Schuster Siberian K is one of my favorite YES songs. Music is intrinsically subjective; no harm, no foul. We agree Topographic is amazing. Unity! Lol. 🍻

@billschuster6680 Год назад

@@quintbromley2112 I couldn't agree more. I'll keep playing Siberian Khatru. I certainly never skip it when playing Close To The Edge or Yessongs. I absolutely appreciate your positive attitude and commentary. You helped lift my spirits at an ideal moment. Cheers!

@quintbromley2112 Год назад

@Bill Schuster Cheers to you, my friend. 🍻

@Ray-M59 Год назад

Masterpiece album.

@ryansvinyldestination9271 Год назад

I love this album! I really appreciate the avant garde nature of it, and how virtuous the playing is. It’s a super creepy album and it takes you on a haunting and mystical journey like no other. 9/10

@davidbotasII Год назад

Ditto, Ryan. When I first heard this 20 years ago, I couldn't get through the first 5 minutes. It took ten years until it grew on me. I think upon listening to it recently, it's grown into a 9/10 as well.

@vondeckbar72 Год назад

6.5 out of 10. This is one release that I have to be "in the mood" for rather than off the cuff. Great job on this panel. Thank you!

@tookmyjob Год назад

I love this album. If I listen to it, it has to be the whole thing in one sitting, but it'll be stuck in my head for a month. I always looked at the album as the story of the time and/or the universe, especially with the restored edit of Revealing Science of God some years ago. That being said, I've love to see a creative edit with it to see if could have been a tighter album.

@thomaswery3087 Год назад

I'm a little older than Rand I picked this album up the day it came out played it for 5 days straight and I've loved it since

@brucybabyy7355 Год назад

i gave you a like for being older than rand.

@SuperStrik9 Год назад

A great pick for a dark horse album. Tales From Topographic Oceans is Yes at their most ambitious. When it comes to ranking Yes albums, it's in my top 5.

@thecontrarians2438 Год назад

What is your rating and assessment of Tales from Topographic Oceans ?? Let us know! Support us on Patreon or Ko-Fi: www.patreon.com/contrarians ko-fi.com/thecontrarians

@ciciusss Год назад

A flawed Masterpiece. The band either needed more time in the studio to flesh out the ideas or it needed to be edited. There is about 55-60 minutes of good music and about 20-25 minutes of "padding" to use Wakeman's word. Too much material for a single album but not enough for a double. The Revealing is fine as it is. I like the version with the extended intro found on later editions. The Remembering. This is a 14-16 minute track. The first 8-9 minutes could be edited down a fair bit. The back half ( Relayer section) is fine as is. The Ancient. Yes could make it's point with the avant garde section in half the time. The acoustic Leaves of Green is fine. Brings it to about 12 minutes or so. The Ritual needs to be edited down, particularly the percussion section. It's 16-18 minutes vs the 21 plus minutes as is. That makes side 2 and side 3 on the short side as far as the length of music. But, pre CD it is the only way it works. It's an ambitious album and Yes deserves credit for that.

@joshcreasey Год назад

9.5/10

@damienfoyer3293 Год назад

Great conversation by all involved. Very entertaining.

@wendellwiggins3776 Месяц назад

I REBUKE ALL NAYSAYERS and hack Critics! Upon release TALES was already GOLD and is still one of their bestselling releases. If you were seeking a purely Rock orientated YES album, then that's your problem. I LOVED ALL of IT immediately in 73 at 17 years of age! Saw it LIVE and cried Tripping the entire show! As a fan since 71, by the time TALES arrived I knew that each new YES album was going to be a totally new experience yet still I was unprepared for this unprecedented masterpiece. TALES' epics stories begin & unfold perfectly with THE REVEALING from its slow ocean building prayer/chant that burst into the gorgeous opening theme to the last note of RITUAL. As Existence is revealed lyrically & sonically you are taken through the journey of life, then spirituality into THE REMEMBERING of nostalgic childlike memories into our deeper mysterious and mystical ANCIENT ancestral past which all leads us toward gratitude for it all expressed through the ceremonial celebration of RITUAL. This is the context "within" all visceral ideas & structure of the music is conceived which is felt within the writing & arrangements vividly. EACH movement is a VISCERAL cinematic adventure with NO FILLER, NO LINGERINNG! Every section and note has depth, meaning and deep emotion that flows SEAMLESSLY. I have always loved TALES from day one and Rick who performed some of his greatest moments or anyone else who can't appreciate its brilliants FULLY are simply MISSING chromosome that allows others to. TALES is a journey into the Soul and "apart from any reality that you've ever seen or known" "We must have waited all my life for this...moment...moment...Moment...MOMENT!!! (Where's The Prog Corner on this panel? Listen to his review of TALES)

@joshcreasey Год назад

This is one of my favorite Yes albums. It used to be my #1, but Close To The Edge is just too perfect! I can see and hear why fans are divided by this, but it’s just such a pleasurable listening experience. One of the best concept albums ever made. Great discussion, guys!

@ChromeDestiny Год назад

Same here. Tales has only dropped from the first to the second spot for me though.

@daicullinane7746 Год назад

I really like this album, but have to be in the mood.

@bmboldt Год назад

Todd should do an edited version that we can listen to. That would be awesome.

@billjones8503 10 дней назад

Listened to RSofG on radio when first came out. They actually played the whole side! I was awestruck with it's beauty. When got album I couldn't get into TA, or NSduS. For decades pretty well didn't listen to Sides 3 or 4. But about 10 yrs ago I decided to give them the old college try again, as they say. Slowly, I came to actually love both tracks for their hidden secrets. Ancient: The discordancy finally saw it fit the concept to a tee. The primitive tribes were horribly brutal, & felt that's what they were getting at. Ritual is just beautiful. Now, I give it a 9/10.

@ciciusss Год назад

About RIAA certification, people need to be careful about whether album is Gold or Platinum. First either the band or label has apply ( pay) to RIAA to research the number of records sold. For example, Kansas Leftoverture and Point of Know Return went 4x Platinum in the US according to the RIAA. According to Kansas, both these albums sold in excess of 6 million copies in the US which, would make them 6x Platinum. Now, what the true sales figures are for Yes, who knows. Worldwide it is beyond 50 million. I would think that the Yes Album and Close to the Edge would be 2x Platinum if Yes ask RIAA to look into this.

@DavysFlicks Год назад

It's the format the channel has always used - if we accept all the platinum Yes releases before and after, no reason to doubt this gold one. Don't see why there would be one total miscount in the middle.

@dw.dunphy Год назад

Regarding the Elektra thing, WEA was ruthless with its labels in the 90s and 2000s. Atco merged wuth East West, which was swallowed by Elektra, which was merged with Rhino. All of the Rhino releases at that time were given this treatment. THAT SAID, I have been extremely vocal about WEA's mishandling of its legacy. (Actually, all the labels have done a miserable job of this.) How do I feel about the album? It's fine in doses, it's fine if you're severely in the mood for it. But if the choice is between this and Relayer, it is Relayer every time. Make of that what you will.

@Z-eb Год назад

Very Intresting ! I did make a 45 minute version of this album, im even thinking of doing a slight redo of it ! (Its on my channel !!)

@atlasking6110 Год назад

I love all of it exept the pre-"Leaves of Green" section of The Ancient, which sucks ass and was a wasted opportunity to do something cool and percussive-related instead of the random banging on things and Steve Howe practicing scales for 9 minutes. But the rest of Tales rules! The Steven Wilson 5.1 mix is a revelation and I highly recommend it.

@djmcgranary714 Год назад

I find it very annoying when anyone giving a critic of a song, and state their opinion as though EVERYONE felt the Same way. Those people need to learn and use the term..."in my opinion"

@JonS-jn5wy 8 месяцев назад

It’s an album you can’t edit. It’s meandering, but that’s the point.

@dangaucher2245 Год назад

The album cover is Awesome if there is one thing to take away!

@bobsbigboy_ 3 месяца назад

a masterpiece. simple as. saw Yes do a medley of this earlier this month and wow, i was mezmerized

@Southbound63 3 месяца назад

I saw the Classic Yes lineup do this album when it came out. The best gig ever.

@davidbagnall335 Год назад

Great Fun Video ! The Revealing Science Of God (Jungle of Trips) - nobody knows why long standing ovations were part of the UK Tour - Open Your Eyes 1998 - for the Tales Song - move on a few years - and see the crowd welk down in their seats at the Manchester Apollo DVD when (ARW) play Classic Yessongs ! 1994 Steve Howe, brings out a well recorded CD with live versions from The Yes Album, Fragile, Union and a 10 minute version of Tales. 1978 Does The Ancient show up brefly on The Big Medley ? Tales as the first Album (in 1973) to record on a 24 Channel Mixing Desk, Yes being ground breaking again ! In the History of Music ! Great Fun Video !

@gibby6904 11 месяцев назад

I love Tales and I bought it when it was still relatively new........Close To The Edge is obviously my favorite Yes album but this is still classic Yes....

@douggottlieb Год назад

LOL. My edit: I’d keep everything and add back what they had to cut to fit tracks on the vinyl.

@stone8man 10 месяцев назад

I like all of it, its a masterpiece, but i love the sort of tropical ocean tone, more then the more jungle like feeling tone of Close to the edge the song, still think gates of delirium is the best of the six epics

@hpatss4966 7 месяцев назад

I honestly hated everyone’s opinion until Armando piped up. He was well educated on the topic, didn’t make broad generalizations as some of the others had, and he didn’t spend the entire time he had complaining about what he would edit 😂 His criticisms were all objective and valid! (As compared to some of the others which all come down to subjectivity) And we’ve heard enough of Rick wakemans criticisms. I will concede that Rand could’ve been much more accurate being the only TFTO ‘supporter’ on the board. But jeez it was like generalization, generalization, generalization, good opinion, generalization, solid stories but shaky ground.

@frankstanovic4401 Год назад

I like alot of Yes, but to me this is the kind of album that makes me not love prog. I dont mind long songs. But, to me this is way too self indulgent for my taste. I just dont get this album that much. Ill give it a 2 . Close to the edge and going for the one are better, in my opinion

@DavysFlicks Год назад

I'm not sure many will disagree that Close To The Edge is better, but then that's better than almost every prog album, Yes or not.

@martythemusicmonster6772 Год назад

3rd favourite after close to the edge and relayer

@hpatss4966 7 месяцев назад

Davy is making many hasty generalizations based on the many Wikipedia pages he’s skimmed but not read thoroughly. If he checked he would know that the album had recently had the most presales of any album released at that point. People clearly bought the album. “It was a commercial success, becoming the first UK album to be certified Gold based solely on pre-orders, and spent two weeks at number one. In the US it peaked at number 6, where it was certified gold in 1974 for surpassing 500,000 copies.” From the same Wikipedia article he must’ve missed this.

@sspbrazil Год назад

It’s overblown, pretentious and long, but I love this album and I agree with Bicycle Legs about the cover, it’s one of Roger Dean’s best cover artwork.

@themusicden4696 Год назад

This was a fun show to participate in. The panel was great. I will say this. I think that Yes (Jon Anderson) took themselves WAY too seriously at this stage. Anderson has said that he read an article that stated Yes were next going to rewrite the Bible. He was going to prove it can be done. That to me, is a mistake. Thank you Marco for allowing me to participate.

@ciciusss Год назад

Armando, Lot of artists are guilty of taking themselves to seriously. And they can be found in all genres of music, be it classical, jazz, country, rock or whatever. It's an ambitious, daring album, probably overly so. But, I like that Yes didn't play it safe. Putting out an album with 4 side single long pieces is not a way to ensure commercial success.

@thecontrarians2438 Год назад

Thanks for participating!!!

@themusicden4696 Год назад

@@JamesTurner-bd2yk I obviously have ticked you off for whatever reason. I don't know who you think you are. You follow me from Rock Daydream Nation to The Contrarians. Get a life. And BACK OFF!

@billschuster6680 Год назад

Nice job, Armando! Even if you were wrong. 😜😂

@themusicden4696 Год назад

@@billschuster6680 There are no right or wrong answers Bill. Just opinions. LOL

@franciskocher200 Год назад

😄👍

@bmboldt Год назад

This is my least favorite 70's Yes album with Steve Howe other than maybe Tormato. It is way too long in my opinion.

@aidenswords5809 Год назад

Great album, although wud b better as a single album with the filler part thrown out

@patriotpizzaman Год назад

They should have titled it "Over The Edge"! I can't rate an album that forces you to try to endure it over a 5. Had they released it as a single album with the Steven Wilson edited versions being the only thing I'd have heard from it, I'd go 7 or 8 but, in it's original form, it's too dense to allow for a higher rating. You guys are too generous!

@colinburroughs9871 Год назад

A really boring, bloated record. Hard to believe they'd just done TYA, Fragile and CTTE and then would do Relayer. How this one is so dull and pompous is the only interesting thing about it.

@MudFlanagan Год назад

It is crap. nuff said....