SEARCHING FOR INSPIRATION // YES - Sound Chaser // Composer Reaction & Analysis

[@majorgruber5925]

Yes! I've been hoping you'd react to and analyze this sometime. Honestly wasn't sure if you'd like it or not, but really wanted to know why. I do appreciate your analysis. A 24 track reel to reel was what the album was recorded on. My take: It really is there in the title, but my interpretation is a bit different. This album directly follows Tales from Topographic Oceans which drips with Eastern influence, and is very structured. Sound Chaser is pretty much a non-stop nod to various traditions, even starting with a heavy nod to jazz percussion. You've pointed out several. I've always assumed (but I heard the album about 4 years after being in Bali) that the "Cha-Cha" break was a direct reference to the Kecak (Ramayana Monkey Chant), and with that as a reference and seeing the structure of the track as itself a nod to gamelan, then it actually makes a lot of sense. But it's possible that just like people speaking a patois of 3 or 4 languages, it only makes sense if you've got the same reference points. I think the "sound chasing" is that thing you can do as a musician when you're pushing yourself right to the very edge of your capabilities, and only really happens when your playing with other musicians. So many traps and pitfalls, and one tiny error and recovery is probably out of the question. I think they pretty well pull it off here. I heard Relayer for the first time at 16. My first listen of Sound Chaser, I really didn't like it but felt like it was because I wasn't getting it. It took a few listens before it clicked, and all these years later remains in my top 10 Yes songs.

[@jstock2317]

this is their craziest song, but also most intense and with a lot of replayability. over the years I don't get tired of it.

[@jameswarner5809]

I agree that the guitar playing seems a bit 'loose' at times and, along with the keyboard solo, is rather harsh, but I love the fact that they really went for it here. It's the most jazzy Yes got, even going borderline disco towards the end.

[@wendellwiggins3776]

TASTE is the key. For me this Prog-Fusion-Classical Rock mashup hits every perfect bullseye of excellence! I don't take much stock in FIRST TIME Reactions to this album because it often takes some fans several listens to grasp the cohesiveness of this mad gem! I was AMAZED to tears in 76 at age 20 when I first blasted this album on my BOSE speakers. Keep trying you'll see how it all works together excellently! IT'S FIRE !!!! It's YES taking Jazz Fusion and saying "HAHA Take that! This is how WE envision it." Also the entire album feels like a statement to all those CLOSE TO THE EDGE Fans who couldn't comprehend TALES. Revisiting that 3 Epic format but this time on STEROIDS and even with more balls & confidence to break rules! This is YES' last GREATEST full EPIC ALBUM overall, of them all.

[@roygaiot8105]

if they wouldn't have taken a 2 year hiatus AND if they wouldn't have sacked Moraz the follow up to Relayer would have been another great one -- judging by Awaken which Moraz helped initiate.

[@ShiverHinge]

My favorite band. They even pull this off live! This had everything most Yes songs have: multiple styles, their own style(s), jams, synthetic space, natural space, and abstract lyrics that are pregnant with meaning. Positive. More than many other songs by Yes, this is indeed raucous and very dense. I wish some of the funkier parts were longer for better dancing. Chasing sound. Modern Prog is too mathematical and often lacks heart and soul. Derivative.

[@Lee-p6w]

I had to force myself to listen again and again to this track because it is a lot to take in ,but when I embraced the chaos it made more sense, still jangles the ear sometimes but love dipping into it now and then , it’s yes shaking it up and hanging 10 so glad they did it .

[@lmk001]

It has a very cool theme throughout the song and I like how they mess around with it. They can play so many genres and they tried to put it all into this track. It is a little busy but I think it's a great song that showcases their skills.

[@rijntje73]

I was waiting for the cha moment and it was all I hoped for. You were starting to share an observation about the music and then the cha cha section rammed the door and startled you! 🤣

[@unknownsoldier452]

You should check Gentle Giant. They were truly the masters of prog and multi instrumentalists and music theorists as well. Live performances of Funny Ways or On Reflection (very good quality recordings on KZbin) are mindblowing.

[@thomasmcgill7229]

The title of the song explains everything

[@perigee1275]

Alan White's solo at the beginning is amazing. Also Patrick Moraz's synth solo is epic. I also don't give much credence to "First Listens". This kind of music takes getting familiar with to really appreciate. Why blab over something you haven't heard before?

[@yes_head]

Another classic-era Yes piece I wouldn't necessarily recommend to the uninitiated, or at least not fully committed Yes fan. It's very much a 'kitchen sink' piece, built mostly on instrumental ideas rather than one of Jon Anderson's songs. If you want something with stronger architecture try the other two tracks on the album. But they pretty much telegraph who came up with which part. Chris had the 5/4 riff, Steve had the flamenco interlude, Jon Anderson with his chanting, and Patrick Moraz brought his love for Jan Hammer to the end solo (the ARP Pro Soloist for the most part). FYI, bassist Brian Beller played this with a group of other students from Berklee as a senior performance piece (YT had the video at one time). There's also a video of pianist Stephen Prutsman performing his own solo classical interpretation. Re: Steve Howe, in the 70's he was always an "on the edge" player, which is a big part of his appeal to me. Re: the recording quality, this isn't Yes' best. Engineer Eddie Offord wasn't always in a straight frame of mind, plus they were working from a mobile studio at Chris Squire's house. Anyways, thanks for giving this one some attention.

[@roygaiot8105]

Creatively speaking this is YES at their experimental peak. I love this album and this track in particular. It kind of surprised me that you thought that the engineer (Eddie Offord) did a really good job on the production. Actually, if you compare this to his work on the previous four Yes albums, you'd see that he really dropped the ball on this magnificent album. It's hard to distinguish the instrumentation on Relayer while there is wonderful clarity and separation on the previous four. (I'm definitely not the only one that feels this way about the production, many others have commented the same) The electronic element to the keyboards is so ahead of its time - kudos to Patrick Moraz. This track is definitely not a one time listen piece of music - the more one listens the more they extract from it and the greater the appreciation develops. As an example: another couple that does reaction videos decided to do full album reviews after the fact. While considering themselves new Yes fans they never thought much of Relayer. But for each album review they would re-listen to the album SEVERAL times to really get to know the content, and with Relayer it ended up that now they consider it to be Yes' greatest achievement. Anyway, even at 9 min in length Sound Chaser would have benefited being even longer to give more breathing space for each idea/section. I must say that you are one of the most critical reactioner I've come across -- which is not a negative per say. Thanks for the detailed analysis!

[@wendellwiggins3776]

I must assume people hear clarity differently because I've never had a problem separating each member's artistry within their beautiful, organized chaotic virtuosity.

[@perigee1275]

@@wendellwiggins3776 It was recorded at Chris Squire's home studio so it wasn't the best audio quality, unfortunately. Not Eddie's fault.

[@lesblatnyak5947]

YES, the greatest show on earth. On July 19, 1975, Sound Chaser, Close To The Edge, and Gates Of Delirium were the first three songs YES opened the show with. I was so impressed that I saw YES another 35 times until Squire passed ✨️🎶✨️

[@StringHead92]

Nothing to add that other comments didn't mention honestly, but this is a wild album in general. Possibly the most jazz-inspired album from Yes. I'm generally a fan of Relayer even if I don't revisit it as much as my personal top 3 (The Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge) or even their turn to prog-pop with 90125, but its manic and experimental nature has its own charm imo.

[@alanmccartney3922]

Its a Marmite song. You either do or don't like it. I don't like Marmite but I like this track. Really good Review.😀

[@surestrike4893]

The title of the song gives you the identity of the song. Think of it as chasing sound around. The context of this song in the album can't be ignored either.

[@wendellwiggins3776]

Oh! & in 74, I was introduced to traditional Balinese Music & Dance at Art Univ. It was surprisingly serendipitous that YES was inspired by their "Monkey Chant" singing. Many aren't familiar with this vocal ceremonial performance evolving 100's so some people might not appreciate it but I've always felt it was BRILLIANT & so Jon!

[@majorgruber5925]

In '72 as a kid, I got to see it live in Bali. So many amazing sonic experiences there that still stick with me.

[@spongo]

Never made that connection, but it makes sense

[@frankh9600]

Knowing this track now for more than 40 years, I fully endorse your statements and share similar feelings listening to it. It speaks volumes that they went on a hiatus for 2 years after Releayer. Steve's guitar playing became sorta hectic, which I recognise on Awaken on their next album Going for the One. Appreciate your analysis. Maybe the last time I listened to Sound Chaser.

[@raymondreynolds5898]

I would be interested to see the kind of music you could have produced with the recording and instrumental limitations they were working with in the 70's

[@germantoenglish898]

I think that you have to view the guitar in the time and context in which it was played and recorded. These were innovators. It's easy to be judgemental looking through a modern lens.

[@progperljungman8218]

It's pretty wild... There was probably some inspiration from the intake of certain substances.. . The intro is mainly a jazzy (inter)play between Alan White's drums and Patrick Moraz' keybards. I love the pairing of chaos and beauty on this album - sometimes simultaneously... Sound Chaser feels very much a jam product, but the band did jam a lot overall to find their songs, even if the result more often comes off as meticulously composed.

[@wendellwiggins3776]

amazing how something so meticulously composed can feel so spontaneously complex and improv'd

[@progperljungman8218]

@wendellwiggins3776 From interviews (the latest being Wakeman's with Beato) I learnt that the band did lots of jamming to come up with material. I wouldn't think Moraz changed that, having a jazzier background than Wakeman.

[@MrLime528]

It took so long for this song to click with me. I'm glad it finally did, but this whole album just kinda weirded me out the first time I heard it.

[@shub9211]

I'm not a big fan of remastered editions, but the 2003 version really fixes a lot of troubles in the sound volume of the instruments. You should check it out.

[@MisterWondrous]

With this combobulation, The Yes had Donnie & Marie's "Fancy Rugburns" in mind, heart and duodenum. One surmises. Weakest song on the album, for me. I hear they were trying to ape Mahavishnu.

[@tobepps]

I really like Yes. Specially their first five albums. Bog influence on me as a musician. But this is just too messy for my taste. Interesting parts, but too choppy and messy.

[@eximusic]

Steve Howe is the reason I hate perfect, sterile, boring guitar parts. His playing has passion and fire, much like flamenco players or Django Reinhardt. BTW, when reviewing Yes, it's not Yes that's on trial (it's you). This song is balanced out by the other tracks on the album. 70s prog rock was meant to be listened to as complete albums, not isolated on reaction videos 50 years later.

[@TrevRockOne]

True. It's too bad Howe plays with such a boring tone nowadays though. He lost that edge somewhere.

[@eximusic]

@@TrevRockOne All greatness is in people's twenties. (with a few exceptions)

[@rijntje73]

If you don't appreciate Yes, you have poo in your ears. There, I said it! 😏 Admittedly, this is their most challenging album. 😂

[@greggerypeccary]

Or maybe it means you just don't buy into their juvenalia? Yes is a band that tends to impress teenage boys, for a reason (and I bet the kind of boys who liked Yes when I was young are the kind who these days like Polyphia...). And most people who buy into Yes as teens tend to grow out of it as they mature. So it's not about "poo in your ears", but about having the perspective to realize that "complex" does not equal "good".

[@rijntje73]

​@@greggerypeccary I was merely being silly with my comment, but I'll give you an honest reply. I want to firstly emphasise that you actually do not have poo in your ears and everyone is entitled to their own musical tastes and opinions. I hope that's a relief for you, Greggery! 😉Also I agree that complex ≠ good. In a juvenile way, I wanted to point out with my comment that most if not all people, like Bryan did, can objectively say that Yes' music is an achievement one can appreciate, even though it might not be your preferred style or even very meh, jarring or ugly (at points). I must have been in my very early twenties when I discovered Yes and I was in awe, I have to admit. Back then I was already someone that appreciated metal (so the more abrasive side of music) and more complex or experimental arrangements, because it gives you something to digest. Yes brought an element of beauty and upliftment with it though. Although I am someone that can be uplifted by a very dissonant technical song for example. So yeah, I think an album like Relayer connects with my juvenile or youthful side as the intensity really energises me, but it stimulates you multi-dimensionally. Listening to it activates me on a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and visceral level. Coupled with the Angelic voice of Jon, it's like musical crack for me and I don't feel I ever will or need to grow out of enjoying it. And I have grown out of a lot of music I listened to back when I discovered Yes, for sure, but the quality of Yes' music, even though you may feel it's too try hard to be good, makes it that I feel I'll never grow tired of it. It's such a journey! But who knows: our taste, preferences, perspectives on life and beauty, they will keep changing and evolving throughout life, so I can't be sure.

[@beck645]

Stop talking over the music!

[@GeoffTrowbridge]

I am a lifelong Yes fan, and I truly love the Relayer album. This song is often held up as a definitive example of jazz/prog fusion, but I have a few hot takes on this song: 1) The mix honestly is terrible. Everything in the midrange is a muddy mess. 2) Steve Howe's solo is really just a bunch of meandering bullshit that should have been edited down, preferably with bits from other takes. 3) The musicianship of course is stellar, but the actual structure of the song is not really that interesting from a music theory standpoint. It's mostly, "Here's a riff on the open G-string... here's the same riff on the open D-string... Now here it is on the low E-string!" Yeah... okay. That's... nice. Again, I still love the album and the ambitiousness and "fun" of this particular song, but it's not really worth all the accolades it gets (IMHO).

[@jpirard]

"Steve Howe's solo is really just a bunch of meandering bullshit that should have been edited down, preferably with bits from other takes." Probably the funniest ridiculous comment I have read all day.

[@GeoffTrowbridge]

@@jpirard I am pleased to have amused you. Look, Steve Howe has done absolutely brilliant work throughout his career, but that solo in "Soundchaser" is just pointless noodling that goes on way too long. You're welcome to disagree, but you'll be wrong.