Another live album? Another live album?! ANOTHER LIVE ALBUM?! Yes, that's right, another live album. And a good one, too. It seems that whenever they come up with some significant new studio material (in this case, their excellent latest album, The Ladder) they feel the need to release some of the better songs from it in a live setting, coupled, of course, with a healthy dose of Yes's old warhorses. Hey, I'm a Yes fan, I'm not complaining. Even if you have all of their previous live albums, this one is still worthwhile because it includes several songs from The Ladder, which are all performed nicely. Also, we get here several 70's classics that haven't been heard live in a while, such as Yours Is No Disgrace and Perpetual Change (both differing substantially from the originals... the former featuring a particularly stunning guitar solo from Howe.) We also get here for the (surpsisingly!) first time a live rendition of Owner of A Lonely Heart, coming after a quick run through Cinema. The album is not quite perfect, however. The sound quality (as many have remarked) is less than stellar. Certainly not as good as on the Keys To Ascension albums. When looked at this way, it is not as good as those two albums. Still, it is a must for any Yes fan. Although it is indeed another live album, House of Yes is far more fresh and evocative than it at first seems.

Oh,no, another live album!! How many live albums has YES issued in its 30+ plus year history? This cd ranks up there with YESSONGS, KEYS TO ASCENSION I and AN EVENING OF YES MUSIC PLUS. The music is awesome. The mix of music is a nice compromise between old, (Yours Is No Disgrace, Perpetual Change, And You and I) new ( Homeworld, Face to Face) and the Rabin period (Cinema, Owner of a Lonely Heart). Steve Howe and Alan White never sounded better. It is hard to believe that these guys are in their 50's. I wish Chris Squire's bass was more up front in the mix.

I do have a comment to the people who don't feel that Yes should have another live album out. How many live albums are out for Dave Matthews Band (4 in 6 years) and Pearl Jam (26 in less than 5 years). Do we need another Yes live album? A resounding YES!!! (pardon the pun). In fact, how about a live album of the Masterworks 2000 tour with all songs performed on the tour. That would be a killer combination.

Excellent album, highly recommended.

Thirty years ago "Roundabout" hit the airwaves with seismic force. Featuring classically tinged elements, cryptic lyrics, a stunning use of counterpoint, and the talents of five genuine virtuoso musicians, Roundabout was less a musical composition than a cataclysmic force of nature unleashed. Yes had arrived, and a series of brilliant and ambitious works soon followed. The fire, intensity, creativity, and passion Yes exhibited at their peak is hardly diminished in Yes's latest effort "The House of Yes." This album includes live versions of songs from their most musically cohesive and artistically satisfying studio recording in nearly twenty years --"The Ladder" -- as well as perennial Yes favorites. That vocalist Jon Anderson sounds better on this album than he does on Yessongs (1973) is simply a wonder. But the real creative propulsion seems to be generated by guitarist Steve Howe. Mr. Howe is a rare musician who can combine an Apollonian sense of technical precision amidst a Dionysian torrent of musical notes. His solo in "Yours Is No Disgrace" seems like an eruption from another world. The rhythm section, anchored by drummer Alan White and bassist Chris Squire, respond in kind with their freshest, most dynamic playing in years. On keyboards newcomer Igor Khoroshev seems to be learning the ropes on the older material, but he makes a good impression, particularly on the newer material. "The House of Yes," then, is the most vibrant and rewarding live material released by Yes in decades. It seems that Yes - with the release of their last two albums -- has returned full circle to a line-up capable of adventurous studio efforts, as well as scintillating live performances. One looks forward to following the course of this unpredictable musical force.

Well, here they go again! Yes has released the majority of these tunes at least 2-3 times over. Don't get me wrong, even though the versions of songs like "Roundabout," "I've Seen All Good People," "Yours Is No Disgrace," and stuff are played very well, it would've been nice for them to play something a little different for this show they played on Halloween of 1999.

First off, there a few errors that need to be pointed out. When you go a record store to buy this, one of the stickers on the case says some of the songs it includes, something like, uh, "CLOSE TO THE EDGE?!" That song was nowhere in sight on this live album, even though it would've been nice to hear it played. Also, on the personnel listing, it goes as follows: Jon Anderson - Lead Vocals (instead of lead vocals, keyboards, and percussion, which he did on the video and dvd of this release); Steve Howe - Lead and acoustic guitars, steel, and vocals; Billy Sherwood - Guitars and vocals; Chris Squire - Bass guitars and vocals (instead of bass guitars, harmonica, and vocals; Alan White - Drums, percussion, vocals (which in fact, he does not sing backup at all at this concert. Hell, this past year's YESSymphonic Tour was the first tour he sang backup on since the 90125 Tour.); Igor Khoroshev - Keyboards and vocals (instead of keyboards, percussion, and vocals, which was the way it was seen on the video/dvd.)

Now, There's another thing that really bugs me about this show. For some odd, insane reason, there was only a one minute-long version of the 22-minute epic, "Ritual," being performed, which was just a brief duet with Jon and Igor, also on a snippet of "Time And A Word." I could just imagine what it would have been like with the extended intro, the vocal parts, the instrumental (Jam) mid-section, the thunderous percussion interlude, and the beautiful song finale. It would have been nice to hear that again, but instead we get a snippet of the finale.

The sound quality of this release, both CD and video/dvd, is horrendous. The mixing was terrible. Chris's bass hardly had any bass to it at all, and the vocal harmonies did not sound that great. Overall, the album sounds pretty undermixed and underproduced.

There were actually some really great moments, though. Like a suprisingly great version of "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" with Billy Sherwood being the lead guitarist for this tune, seeing is how Steve Howe despises anything Trevor Rabin did with Yes. Hell, for the "Symphonic Music of Yes" album, Howe and the orchestra really kicked the song to the curb and played it like they didn't have a care in the world what it would sound like. There also an extended jam session at the end of it for a change. Also, some great moments from "Homeworld," "Perpetual Change," and "Roundabout," even though this song has had to be played at every single show on every single tour since it first came out on "Fragile" back in '72. There's even a jam at the end of this song as well, with a highly climactic finale.

The band really needs to get off of the same old songs that they play on every single tour. This also goes for a live album! Yes really needs to release some different, new or old, live material. Wouldn't it be nice to see a live album consisting of the following: EXCERPT FROM FIREBIRD SUITE; SOUTH SIDE OF THE SKY; ON THE SILENT WINGS OF FREEDOM; THE REMEMBERING; SOUND CHASER; INTO THE LENS; HOLD ON; CHANGES; the two unrecorded but performed songs from "Drama" which are WE CAN FLY FROM HERE and GO THROUGH THIS; RELEASE, RELEASE; COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW; different versions of PARALLELS; WONDEROUS STORIES; LONG DISTANCE ROUNAROUND/THE FISH; and THE GATES OF DELIRIUM? I think that would be a very unusual live album, but at least something worthwhile and different!

Well, I've said my piece about this album. Enjoy!

Well, here I am again, speaking about Yes. It can seem protection or even if I just like (and a lot - that is true) of Yes, but we will analyze that cd. Yes is one of the few bands that maintain the rhythm and the energy of the cd in a show. I had the opportunity to see the show and now to hear the CD. Some of the music are already in another live cds of the band , like Yours is no Disgrace, Time and Word, Ritual and other, however the new ones are also there, like Lightining Strikes, Homeworld (fantastic), It'll be a Good Day (wonderful) and another like Awaken. A great cd, should be part of the collection of any fan of Yes, or same who would like of having some CD of the band. It is a fantastic show, where everybody is well, Anderson's voice is fantastic. The keyboards are excellent, Cris Squire is great, like as always. What more I have to say? Just... long live to Yes.