The '70s model of
Yes
runs out of gas. Recorded in a morale slump and an impending haze of drink,
Tormato
's decent tunes are sabotaged by
Rick Wakeman
's increasing penchant for cheesy textures and the band's thin overall sound.
"Don't Kill the Whale"
was their last successful single for years; the soaring
"Onward"
almost but not quite redeems the twee silliness of
"Arriving UFO"
and
"Circus of Heaven."
Of special interest is the pounding
"On the Silent Wings of Freedom,"
which pushes
Chris Squire
Alan White
to the front of the mix, establishing the kind of aggressive and straightforward rhythms that would propel the band through the '80s. Bass freaks, take note: this tune also marks one of the few appearances of the Dipthong pedal, accounting for
Squire
's distinctive "bow bow bow" sound. ~ Paul Collins