Tales from Topographic Oceans

Infobox Album
Name = Tales from Topographic Oceans
Type = Studio
Artist = Yes


Caption = Front cover of the Roger Dean designed album sleeve
Released = December 14, 1973 (UK)
January 9, 1974 (U.S.)
Recorded = August–October 1973
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 81:15 on original release, 83:42 on 2003 re-release (without bonus tracks), 124:34 (with bonus tracks' length included)
Label = Atlantic
Producer = Yes and Eddie Offord
Reviews =
* Allmusic rating|3|5 [http://wm11.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:apftxqq5ld0e link]
* Robert Christgau (C) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=yes link]
*Pitchfork Media rating|2.2|10 [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/23394-the-yes-album-fragile-close-to-the-edge-tales-from-topographic-oceans-relayer-going-for-the-one-tormato-drama-90125 link]
* "Rolling Stone" (not rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/285284 link]
Last album = "Yessongs" (1973)
This album = "Tales from Topographic Oceans" (1973)
Next album = "Relayer" (1974)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Back cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption =

"Tales from Topographic Oceans" is the sixth studio album by British progressive rock band Yes. It is a double album, released on Atlantic Records in December 1973 in most of the world and in January 1974 in North America.

Concept and history

The album's concept, a two-disc, four-piece work of symphonic length and scope (based on the Shastric scriptures, as found in a footnote within Paramahansa Yogananda's book "Autobiography of a Yogi"), was their most ambitious to date.

On release it received notably hostile reviews. Gordon Fletcher in his review in Rolling Stone described it as "psychedelic noodling". Chris Welch in "Melody Maker" described it as "Brilliant in patches, but often taking far too long to make its various points, and curiously lacking in warmth or personal expression". [ [http://www.forgottenyesterdays.com/date.asp?s=5&tname=5&tdate=135&navb=10Yes - Adrift on the Oceans] , Chris Welch, "Melody Maker", December 1st 1973]

Many Yes fans and casual listeners remain divided over whether or not this is one of the group's stronger works. Some Yes fans claim that it is far too excessive and obscure, while others see it as one of the band's masterpieces.

Despite acquiring a reputation as an example of the worst excesses of "prog rock", "Topographic Oceans" became the band's fourth consecutive gold album. The album reached #1 in the UK album chart and also went into the U.S. Top 10, even going gold in both countries from advance orders, before any fans had ever heard the content.

Discord

One of the band members, Rick Wakeman, was dissatisfied with the album, and, during one performance of a song from the album, showed his distaste by downing tools and eating a curry on stage. This infamous incident was a spur to Wakeman leaving the group, to be replaced by Patrick Moraz, who appeared on the following album, "Relayer."

Part of Wakeman's unfavourable attitude towards the album stems from the fact that vocalist Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe constructed the bulk of the album entirely on their own (as the liner notes suggest), leaving the remaining three members with relatively little to contribute (which the liner notes dispute). The complaints about Anderson and Howe's studio behaviour were not unprecedented: drummer Bill Bruford had left the band for King Crimson a year earlier for similar reasons, and stories abound of Anderson and Howe putting tiles in the studio to simulate the acoustics of a bathroom, while Wakeman, in frustration, spent much of the time playing darts.

Despite Wakeman's reservations about the album, other members disagreed: Howe in particular stated that some of his best guitar work was to be found on "Tales from Topographic Oceans." Even Wakeman, in interviews, mentioned that he enjoyed some of the musical content of "The Ancient", and Wakeman has performed "The Revealing Science of God" and "Ritual" with the band often in the years since.

Track listing

Concept and lyrics by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, except as indicated. Music credited to Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White.

ide one

#"The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)" – 20:25 (original album) (22:22 on 2003 remaster)

ide two

#"The Remembering (High the Memory)" – (Lyrics by Yes) 20:38

ide three

#"'The Ancient' (Giants Under the Sun)" – (Lyrics by Anderson/Howe/Squire) 18:35

ide four

#"Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)" – 21:37

"Tales from Topographic Oceans" (Atlantic 80001) reached #1 in the UK. It also reached #6 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 27 weeks.

A special promotional "banded for airplay" version of the 2 LP set was sent to US radio stations by Atlantic Records in 1974. This was done to try to increase radio exposure as most radio stations did not want to air such long songs. This promo version divided the long tracks into 3 to 5 minute sections which were clearly marked on the record to assist disc jockeys. This promo version is now quite collectible.

The album was remastered and reissued on Rhino Records in 2003 with two bonus tracks:
*"Dance of the Dawn" (studio run-through) - 23:35
*"Giants Under the Sun" (studio run-through) - 17:17In addition, the remaster includes a two minute intro to "The Revealing Science of God" that was edited from the original 1973 release.

Personnel

*Jon Anderson – lead vocals
*Chris Squire – bass, vocals
*Steve Howe – guitars, vocals
*Rick Wakeman – keyboards
*Alan White – drums, percussion

Charts

Album

Certifications

Reissues

1988 – Atlantic – CD
1994 – Atlantic – CD (Remastered)
2003 – Rhino – CD (Remastered with Bonus Tracks)

Influence

* In 2004, hip hop group De La Soul sampled "Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil)" for the title track of their album "The Grind Date" ( [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B0Q18C8-J3Q] ).

References

External links and sources

* "Tales from Topographic Oceans", CD booklet essay, Mike Tiano, c.2003
* AllMusicGuide.com
* "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c.2002
* [http://www.yesworld.com/lyrics/TalesFromTopographicOceans.html Lyrics to "Tales From Topographic Oceans"]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/critic/feature/0,1169,1008705,00.html Jon Anderson speaks to the UK Guardian newspaper on "Topographic oceans"]