Deep-pocketed Yes fans will want to steel their bank accounts for this one: a brand-new box set, to be released this fall in Japan, newly mastering the prog heroes' Atlantic/ATCO albums on hybrid SACD.
High Vibration looks to be a typically lavish import, featuring 16 discs of Yes material from 1969 to 1987. The set will feature all of the band's studio albums from that time period (plus 1973's live Yessongs), all in replica paper-sleeve packaging, plus a bonus disc of non-LP cuts, nearly all of which appeared on Rhino's Yes remaster campaign in the early and mid-2000s. (Exception includes a 1991 remix of megahit "Owner of a Lonely Heart," commissioned to promote the Yesyears box set, and holiday single "Run with the Fox," which appeared on that same box set.)
The mastering on these discs (both 96/24 SACD mixes and the standard CD masters) were newly created by Isao Kikuchi, who mastered the Yes catalogue on HDCD in Japan in the mid-2000s. Japanese producer Shin Katayama oversaw the package. It's out September 4 in Japan and available a week later in the U.S.; full track specs, order links and mastering info are after the jump!
High Vibration SACD Box (Warner Music Japan, 2013)
Disc 1: Yes (Atlantic 588 190 (U.K.), 1969)
- Beyond and Before
- I See You
- Yesterday and Today
- Looking Around
- Harold Land
- Every Little Thing
- Sweetness
- Survival
Disc 2: Time and a Word (Atlantic 2400 006 (U.K.), 1970)
- No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed
- Then
- Everydays
- Sweet Dreams
- The Prophet
- Clear Days
- Astral Traveller
- Time and a Word
Disc 3: The Yes Album (Atlantic 2400 101 (U.K.), 1971)
- Yours is No Disgrace
- Clap
- Starship Trooper
- I’ve Seen All Good People
- A Venture
- Perpetual Change
Disc 4: Fragile (Atlantic 2401 019 (U.K.), 1971)
- Roundabout
- Cans and Brahms
- We Have Heaven
- South Side of the Sky
- Five Per Cent For Nothing
- Long Distance Runaround
- The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
- Mood for a Day
- Heart of the Sunrise
Disc 5: Close to the Edge (Atlantic K 50012 (U.K.), 1972)
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Siberian Khatru
Discs 6-7: Yessongs (Atlantic K 60045 (U.K.), 1973)
- Opening (Except from “Firebird Suite”) (Live)
- Siberian Khatru (Live)
- Heart of the Sunrise (Live)
- Perpetual Change (Live)
- And You and I (Live)
- Mood for a Day (Live)
- Excepts from “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” (Live)
- Roundabout (Live)
- I’ve Seen All Good People (Live)
- Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praemeturus) (Live)
- Close to the Edge (Live)
- Yours I No Disgrace (Live)
- Starship Trooper (Live)
Discs 8-9: Tales from Topographic Oceans (Atlantic K 80001 (U.K.), 1973)
- The Revealing Science of God/Dance of the Dawn
- The Remembering/High the Memory
- The Ancient/Giants Under the Sun
- Ritual/Nous Sommes du Soleil
Disc 10: Relayer (Atlantic K 50096 (U.K.), 1974)
- The Gates of Delirium
- Sound Chaser
- To Be Over
Disc 11: Going for the One (Atlantic K 50379 (U.K.), 1977)
- Going for the One
- Turn of the Century
- Parallels
- Wonderous Stories
- Awaken
Disc 12: Tormato (Atlantic K 50518 (U.K.), 1978)
- Future Times
- Don’t Kill the Whale
- Madrigal
- Release, Release
- Arriving UFO
- Circus of Heaven
- Onward
- On the Silent Wings of Freedom
Disc 13: Drama (Atlantic K 50736 (U.K.), 1980)
- Machine Messiah
- White Car
- Does It Really Happen?
- Into the Lens
- Run Through the Light
- Tempus Fugit
Disc 14: 90125 (ATCO 7 90125-1 (U.K.), 1983)
- Owner of a Lonely Heart
- Hold On
- It Can Happen
- Changes
- Cinema
- Leave It
- Our Song
- City of Love
- Hearts
Disc 15: Big Generator (ATCO 7 90522-1, (U.K.), 1987)
- Rhythm of Love
- Big Generator
- Shoot High Aim Low
- Almost Like Love
- Love Will Find a Way
- Final Eyes
- I’m Running
- Holy Lamb
Disc 16: Bonus Disc
- Something’s Coming (single A-side - Atlantic 2091 199 (U.K.), 1971)
- Dear Father (single B-side - Atlantic 2091 199 (U.K.), 1971)
- Roundabout (Single Version) (single A-side - Atlantic 2091 178 (U.K.), 1972)
- America (from The New Age of Atlantic compilation - Atlantic K 20024 (U.K.), 1972)
- Total Mass Retain (single B-side - Atlantic ATL 10226 (U.K.), 1972)
- Soon (single A-side - Atlanic 45-3242 (U.S.), 1975)
- Abilene (B-side to "Don't Kill the Whale" - Atlantic K 11184 (U.K.), 1978)
- Run Through the Light (Single Version) (single A-side - Atlantic 3081 (U.S.), 1980)
- Run with the Fox - Chris Squire & Alan White (single A-side - Atlantic K 11695 (U.K.), 1981)
- Owner of a Lonely Heart (Move Yourself Mix) (12" A-side - ATCO B 8713 T (U.K.), 1991)
- Leave It (Remix) (single A-side - ATCO 7-99787, 1984)
- Big Generator (Remix) (from The Ultimate Yes: The 35th Anniversary Collection - Warner Strategic Marketing 8122 73702-2 (U.K.), 2003)
SACDs Mastered at 96khz/24bit.
DAW: SADiE PCM2, SADiE PCM8, Avid Protools 9
D/A Converter: dCS952
Analog Compressor Limiter: Neve 33609
Analog Equalizer: Sontec MES-432
A/D Converter : Pacific Microsonic HDCD Model 2
Digital Effector : T.C. Electronic System 6000
PCM/DSD Converter : KORG AudioGate
DSD Editor : SADiE DSD
Jeff says
This should really tick off Yes fans--how long have they been waiting for a remaster of "Big Generator?" Still holding out hope for a single disk remaster....
Philip Cohen says
But, even before the set is released, it has already been rendered partly obsolete. For fans who want High resolution releases of the original stereo "Yes" mixes, "The Yes Album", "Going For The One", "Tormato","Relayer" & "Yesshows" have all been released as 192Khz/24-bit official downloads, "90125" has been released as a 96Khz/24-bit official download, and "Close to The Edge" has been released as a U.S.A. hybrid SACD.
Furthermore, all of those releases will, themselves eventually become obsolete. The Pangyric label(who released the King Crimson CD + DVD-Audio sets) will be starting a "Yes" series(CD + DVD-Audio and CD + Bluray) this fall, starting with "Close to The Edge". This series will offer new stereo & surround mixes and previously unreleased bonus material.
Even if you can afford the Japanese SACD boxed set, you would be best advised to wait.
Bill B says
I was thinking the exact same thing Richard. The only way I'd spring for this Japanese box set is if all the abums were mixed in 5.1 which, according to the information in this article, does not appear to be the case.
Bill B says
Ooops, I meant Philip, not Richard.
Richard says
Thanks, Philip
Smotroff says
The big question remains: what source are they using for the remastering? If they are just using the HD files that are currently available (for many of the albums at least) then the results will arguably only be as good as those sources (and possibly less so depending on what they do with the files). If they are going back to the actual tapes and doing a fresh transfer, well, then that might be interesting. That said, I read that Close to the Edge is being finally mixed into 5.1 by Steven Wilson, which is exciting as that album possibly more than any really needed a remix. BTW, I recently reviewed the SACD of CTTE vs. the HDTracks for Audiophilereview which you can find at this link in case you are interested --> http://bit.ly/12HtSAr
Joe Marchese says
More details on the upcoming reissues helmed by Steven Wilson:
https://theseconddisc.com/2013/06/24/steven-wilson-prepping-surround-mixes-for-yes-and-xtc-more-king-crimson-on-the-way