Tormato - YES***

Future Times/Rejoice/Don't Kill The Whale/Madrigal/Release Release/Arriving UFO/Circus Of Heaven/Onward/ On The Silent Wings Of Freedom

Yes were one of the most innovative progressive bands during the early 1970s. But their inspiration gradually faded and by the time of Tormato they had become a caricature of their former self. (US:10 UK:8)

“The songs meander and then weakly flop down. It genuinely feels like nothing happens throughout, even while stuff is clearly happening. The songs almost sound like bluffs, like the band threatens you with songs and then doesn't actually produce any.”

“On this album Yes sound so uninspired and bored. Their classic style is there but the songwriting is pretty mediocre.”

“Rick Wakeman is having a field day here with his ridiculous campy synth melodies. Despite a few moments of solid musicianship, which leads to the false assumption that this album really won't be bad at all, there's honestly barely anything else here but the cheese.”

“Virtuoso they may be, but who wants to listen to musicians without inspiration or passion? Listening to Tormato, I get the mental image of a band playing with their backs turned to one another. There's the general impression they're working together towards the same goal, but there's no collusion or chemistry between any of the musicians here.”

“Tormato is just very insignificant sounding and bland by every definition. It's an album you play, than forget what you've been listening after it’s over. That's pretty bad for Yes, who wrote some of the best melodies in prog music. Yes were on the way downhill from this point.”

“Absolutely no wonder they broke up after this. It's a mystery that a band that came up with so many classics would record something as horrible as this.”

“Even a bad album by Yes is better by far than a good album by most groups, due to their superior musicianship. That being said, if you have experienced the jaw-dropping mastery of their classic years, this album is a significant letdown.”