Genesis The Movie Box

Fifty years ago today, Frank Zappa’s inimitable, groundbreaking first solo album, Hot Rats, was released, putting the songwriter and musician on the map as a virtuosic guitarist and changing the course of music forever with its conceptual, compositional and technological innovations. Self-described as a “movie for your ears,” the mostly instrumental 1969 album was a new musical avenue for Zappa following the dissolution of his band The Mothers Of Invention as he melded the sophistication of jazz with the attitude of rock and roll to create a highly influential masterpiece widely hailed today as a pioneering album of jazz-rock fusion.

The album that first gave shape to the established Yes sound, build around science-fiction concepts, folk melodies, and soaring organ, guitar, and vocal showpieces. "Your Move" actually made the U.S. charts as a single, and "Starship Trooper," "Perpetual Change," and "Yours Is No Disgrace" became much-loved parts of the band's concert repertory for many tours to come. ~ Bruce Eder

In 1977, with England still in the throes of the punk explosion, and art-rock becoming a decidedly unfashionable commodity, the longstanding progressive-rock institution Yes was making some of the most inventive and energetic music of its career on Going for the One. The album–which marked the return of star keyboardist Rick Wakeman to the band–features the FM hit "Wondrous Stories," one of frontman Jon Anderson's most limpid acoustic ballads. Elsewhere, the propulsive title track and the hyperactive "Parallels" find the band flirting with dissonance, belying Yes's image as a hidebound dinosaur. Elsewhere, the 16-minute "Awaken" ranks with the band's most ambitious long-form extravaganzas. ~ Scott Schinder

With the release of Fragile, Yes established themselves as one of the most progressive rock bands on the scene. With the recent addition of towering, silver-caped Rick Wakeman on keyboards, they raised their innovative brand of music to even dizzier heights. "Roundabout," which is still a standard on classic rock playlists, is an unusual track, coming in under four minutes, while "Heart of the Sunrise"–with its varied constituents molded together perfectly–goes on for as long as it needs. ~ Paul Clark

Yes singer Jon Anderson has a voice so high it makes Minnie Mouse seem the epitome of machismo and the band's fascination with pompous and dull intergalactic fantasy make it a prime target for Saturday Night Live parody. But there's no arguing with the players' proficiency. Bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Alan White are all tops in their game. Tormato is far from the best Yes album, but the indisputable power of "Release, Release" where the band goofingly state "Rock is the medium of our generation" is worth the price of admission alone. Besides, just figuring out what exactly they mean with song titles such as "Arriving UFO" and "Don't Kill the Whale" is probably almost as cool as staring at the Hipgnosis designed cover. A period piece without question. ~ Rob O'Connor

Either the finest record or the most overblown album in Yes' output. When it was released, critics called it one of the worst examples of progressive rock's overindulgent nature. Jon Anderson's fascination with Eastern religions never manifested itself more clearly or broadly, but one needn't understand any of that to appreciate the many sublimely beautiful moments on this album, some of the most gorgeous passages ever recorded by the band. ~ Bruce Eder

The most important aspect of YESSHOWS is its display of the live interaction between the musicians. While Yes was never accused of being a "jam band," their elaborate, sophisticated arrangements require their own kind of musical telepathy between participants. That connection is apparent throughout the epic "Gates of Delirium" from RELAYER. The pleasure Squire, Anderson, Howe and company still get from playing together is especially apparent on their old chestnut "Time and a Word," a simple but very effective ballad…