Yes - Relayer
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On November 28, 1974 “Yes” released their seventh studio album “Relayer”.
The year 1974 found “Yes” in a moment of profound transformation. After the vast and challenging “Tales from Topographic Oceans”, “Yes” were under pressure both internally and externally. Rick Wakeman’s departure left a creative gap, and the band faced the question of what direction to take next. Yet the musical paths they carved on albums like “The Yes Album” and “Fragile” proved they were capable of rebuilding themselves through reinvention.
Into this moment stepped the Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz, whose jazz-fusion instincts sparked a radical shift in the band’s sound. Recording took place in the home of Chris Squire, where his living room was transformed into a workshop of ideas. The new chemistry was immediate. Steve Howe embraced more angular, adventurous guitar lines, using a 1955 Fender Telecaster instead of his regular Gibson guitars. Moraz brought an urgent melodic energy, and Squire’s thunderous bass merged with the inventive drumming of Alan White to push the music into bolder territory.
The centerpiece of the album is the twenty two minute epic “The Gates of Delirium”, a sweeping narrative inspired by themes of war, chaos and spiritual release. The opening movements glide between tension and anticipation before the music erupts into one of the most intense battlefield sequences ever captured in progressive rock. Metallic accents, frantic rhythms and swirling instrumental interplay create a sense of turbulence and emotional upheaval. When the storm finally subsides, the music dissolves into the beautiful closing section “Soon”, where Jon Anderson’s voice floats gently above warm, hopeful textures. It remains one of the most moving passages in the band’s entire catalogue.
The second track, “Sound Chaser”, is a blazing fusion-driven piece that showcases the new lineup’s virtuosity. Moraz fires off rapid keyboard phrases, Howe responds with fierce guitar runs, and Squire and White navigate complex rhythmic shifts with astonishing coordination. The result is a wild, energetic and unpredictable piece that captures the band stretching themselves into new musical territory.
The album closes with “To Be Over”, a softer, more introspective work that balances the earlier intensity with calm resolution. Howe’s guitar lines unfold delicately, Moraz shapes luminous textures around them, and the band creates an atmosphere of reflection and serenity. It is a gentle ending to one of the most emotionally turbulent albums in the band’s history.
Upon its release, “Relayer” reached the top five in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Critics were divided at first, but over the years the album’s standing grew immensely. Today it is considered one of the boldest and most imaginative works in the history of progressive rock, a testament to a band willing to reinvent itself in the face of uncertainty.
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