Talk (Yes album)

Talk
Studio album by Yes
Released	21 March 1994
Recorded	"The Jacaranda Room", Los Angeles, CA, 1993
Genre	Progressive rock, Rock
Length	55:02
Label	Victory Music
Producer	Trevor Rabin
Yes chronology
Union (1991) Talk (1994) Keys to Ascension (1996)

Talk is the fourteenth studio album by progressive rock band Yes, released in 1994. Their first release with an independent label after having been distributed the length of their career thus far with Atlantic Records and Arista Records, Talk is the last Yes recording with Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye.

Background

Following the mammoth tour for Union in 1991, Bill Bruford, Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman left the eight-member band. Wakeman was originally going to be part of the lineup, but conflicts with management kept this from happening. Remaining was the 1983-88 line-up of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye and Alan White.

With Rabin taking the lead - even producing the project himself, he attempted to re-introduce Yes to the 1990s with a lean, guitar-oriented sound. In taking such a strong role, he ensured he had a hand in writing every song, even overdubbing some of Chris Squire's bass parts (to Squire's minor annoyance).

Roger Hodgson, formerly of fellow progressive rock band Supertramp, wrote "Walls" with Rabin, having been asked to replace Anderson when the latter formed Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe. He declined, and Anderson modified the lyrics to "Walls" upon returning to Yes. A demo of this song was recorded in 1990 and included on the Trevor Rabin demo album 90124.

In a 1993 interview, White mentioned a song called "Scarlet From The Tide". It is unknown whether this song became part of a track on the album or if it wasn't added at all.

Pop artist Peter Max created the artwork for Talk. In a 1993 interview, Alan White joked that the album would be called Crunching Numbers. Another working title was History of the Future.

After the album's release, guitarist Billy Sherwood toured with the band. Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye left the band in 1995, twelve years after teaming up with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Alan White. Sherwood would become an official member of Yes in 1997 after Rick Wakeman had re-joined and departed the band in the interim.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Rolling Stone	link

Released in March 1994, Talk had its warm reviews, as well as detractors. It was the first of the remaining new projects by Yes to fail to reach gold status.

Talk (Victory 828 489-2) reached #20 in the UK and #33 in the US during a chart stay of 8 weeks.

Track listing

All songs by Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin, except where noted.

Original 1994 track listing

1. "The Calling" (Anderson/Rabin/Chris Squire) – 6:56
2. "I Am Waiting" – 7:25
3. "Real Love" (Rabin/Squire/Anderson) – 8:49
4. "State of Play" – 5:00
5. "Walls" (Anderson/Rabin/Roger Hodgson) – 4:57
6. "Where Will You Be" – 6:09
7. "Endless Dream: a. Silent Spring (Instrumental)" - 1:55
8. "Endless Dream: b. Talk" - 11:55
9. "Endless Dream: c. Endless Dream" - 1:53

2002 Re-release track listing

1. "The Calling" - 6:56
2. "I Am Waiting" - 7:25
3. "Real Love" - 8:49
4. "State of Play" - 5:00
5. "Walls" - 4:57
6. "Where Will You Be" - 6:09
7. "Endless Dream" - 15:44
   1. "Silent Spring"
   2. "Talk"
   3. "Endless Dream"
8. "The Calling (Special Version)" - 8:08 (Bonus track)

Personnel

• Jon Anderson - lead and backing vocals
• Trevor Rabin - electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, programming, lead and backing vocals
• Tony Kaye - Hammond organ
• Chris Squire - bass guitar, backing vocals
• Alan White - drums

Production

• Produced by Trevor Rabin
• Engineered & Mixed by Trevor Rabin & Michael Jay
• Mastered By Stephen Marcussen

Yes Active

In late 1994, a CD-ROM called Yes Active was released.

Tracklist Tracks:

1. Multimedia Content
2. "State of Play"
3. "Where Will You Be"

Multimedia Content: Music:

1. "The Calling"
2. "I am Waiting"
3. "Real Love"
4. "State of Play"
5. "Walls"
6. "Where Will You Be"
7. "Endless Dream"

Plus

1. "Walls" (instrumental)
2. "Where Will You Be" (instrumental)
3. "State Of Play" (demo)
4. "Endless Dream" (demo)
5. "Silent Spring" (from "Endless Dream")
6. "Talk" (from "Endless Dream")

Videos:

1. "I Am Waiting"
2. "Walls"