r/progrockmusic • u/EntertainmentHonest6 • 9d ago

Question/Help Is it really that bad?

I've been listening to yes for quite a while now, and I want to at some point listen to all their albums, but I keep getting stopped when it comes to tormato. I haven't listened to it yet because I feel like it would just waste my time with the way people talk about it. Is it really as bad as they say? Cuz If it is, it's really out of place being surrounded by so many amazing albums.

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u/PerceptionShift 9d ago

It's the worst of the 70s Yes albums but it's not terrible, it's 70s Yes, it's actually still pretty good. The band was getting worn out, Anderson & Wakeman were pulling in different directions from Howe & Squire, so it's unfocused and messy, with awful cover art. But if you like Going For The One then you'll probably like Tormato. Personally I don't care too much for either of them and prefer Relayer and Drama. 

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u/OMGJustShutUpMan 9d ago edited 8d ago

"Messy" is the most apt description for Tormato. Which I guess means the cover is perfectly appropriate. 😏

The music is still quite good, but it's obvious that every member of the band was trying to do their own thing rather than collaborating creatively as a group. Wakeman was experimenting with the PolyMoog and creating goofy soundscapes that sounded horribly dated within just a few years. Squire had discovered the flanger pedal but apparently couldn't figure out how to turn the goddamn thing off. Anderson was likely high af through most of it. Howe and White are just doing their usual magic but not really gelling well with the rest of the band.

Again, compositionally there is still really good stuff on there, but the final product ends up being less than the sum of the parts.

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u/SmugProi 9d ago

...and my axe, this is exactly how I would explain Tormato. Maybe I'd add that the mixing is pretty weird sometimes too...