Let me say that I'm a Yes fanatic. I collect everything from the band, and in various formats. If the cover has a different line of text than the version I have, I want that one, too. I collect the music of each person who has ever been in the band the same way. So, this kind of thing is precisely made for people like me. It collects a number of songs from earlier acts that included Yes members. Now, other than that Yes connection, I wouldn't land this under progressive rock. It includes music that falls in genres from 50s rock and roll to psychedelia and 60s pop rock.

There are a number of things here I've never heard before. There are some others that I've reviewed. Generally, the things that fall in that category, I've used or adapted my earlier track review for use here to lend some consistency. For a hardcore collector like me, this is well worth having.

This isn't without its issues, though. The package seems to be thrown together. One of the songs has its title misspelled. It's a two CD set, but with just under 70 minutes of music, it could have fit on a single disc. Additionally, some of this is confusing to me. The track from the Warriors for instance, the vocals don't sound anything like Jon Anderson. I think I can hear him on backing vocals, but I'd bet his brother Tony is singing lead on that track. The Hans Christian Anderson tunes, which I hadn't heard before, sound more like him, but still not completely. That said, I remember reading that he was basically a solo artist on those, so they must be him. Again, from a historical point of view, and a collectible one, this is well worth owning. It's definitely an oddity and one that has both charms and warts on display.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 4 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Percussion gets things going here. Then some happy, almost joyful tribal sounds enter. Yet, there are definitely some bits of psychedelic weirdness in the mix. This is like muzak meets jazz meets trippy zones.

A bit like The Byrds, this is a classy 1960s rock and roller. It should be noted that I've spelled the title on this correctly, but it's listed on the cover as "Why Must They Critize."

There is a bouncy, light-hearted groove to this. The vocals are in German, but you probably gathered that from the title. This is has a cool almost jazzy rocking arrangement. It's very much a product of the 1960s, but it's also very tasty.

I dig this rock and roller quite a bit. Don't expect Jon Anderson to be doing the lead vocals. I can hear him in the background, though.

This doesn't quite sound like the Jon Anderson we've come to expect, either. The vocals are deeper in register than I expect. The cut is a classy, Beatles-like number. It has some intriguing bursts of symphonic power.

The opening on this is pretty weird, but the chorus is quite catchy and the track definitely has its moments. There’s some trademark Howe guitar work on this.

I really dig the guitar riff that opens this. The tune drives out into a meaty psychedelic rocking jam. This is one of my favorites of the whole set. It has some cool twists and turns and a lot of classy style. Tony Kaye;s organ really shines, too.

This is a classic 1960s sounding interpretation of a Chuck Berry standard. The harmonica lends a cool texture to this. There is nothing Earth-shattering about this, but it's a fun rocker.