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YES: ‘Big Generator’ – is it really that bad?

Classic Album Review | January 22, 2026



The album Big Generator by Yes is an album that is much maligned by Yes fans, often seeing it as a disjointed and souless record. I ask in this video, is it really that bad?

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Written by Classic Album Review

Comments

This post currently has 39 comments.

  1. @learnmusic488

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    I remember vividly when it came out.
    Saw them on tour a few months later, (bought the tour T-shirt lol) etc

    I thought it was a fantastic album. (indeed-not as “impactful” as 90125, but nevertheless)

    Not understanding why there are videos out these days semi-trashing this album. I’m in total disagreement with that.

    Was there something wrong with the Mastering? Is that why people are bashing it?

  7. @Treviscoe

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    "Like a Brexit voter at a Skunk Anansie concert" – LOL.

    Does this reviewer have an English degree? Not only is he very articulate but he keeps on coming out with these literary quotations (Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde etc.).

  9. @BrickfallOfficial

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    The low end is a bit weak due to the mixing, I think if they remastered it and just boosted the bottom it'd probably be considered much better. I mean I just cheat at home and bypass spotify through an EQ and do an on the fly mix, just calm the top end sizzle and boost the low but I shouldn't really have to do that to enjoy an album and nor should anyone else.

    Other than that great album

  14. @shakarocks

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    I love revisiting Big Gen. Love Will find a Way was an absolute earworm. Great arrangement, harmonies, and vocal interplay between Rabin and Anderson. Rhythm of Love is also poppy but clever. The rest of the songs were less accessable but grow on me they did. The biggest reason I think it's a great album is it brought in so many who would otherwise be left out of Yes' orbit. Those that insist on comparing it to classic Yes will always be disappointed. For everyone else there is a lot there to like.

  15. @rebelalien5523

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    I really like Rhythm of Love; Shoot High, Aim Low; Final Eyes; and I'm Running from this album. I wish the overall production was better. While 90125 is very much of its time, it still sounds fantastic to me. But I think Big Generator suffers a bit of 80s production fatigue.

  18. @WillowRedDog

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    I feel that had this album had come out a year earlier, it likely would have performed much better. For one, the music soundscape was changing, and secondly, they just took too long between albums to get it out. I quite like Big Generator, and the highs are really high. I’d still choose to listen to this over albums like Relayer, Going For The One, Tormato, or even most of the records which came after it.

  20. @thespots

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    There’s some tracks I’m not crazy about, but I think BG overall is a highly listenable, muscular, cinematic record. Rabin’s talent is incomparable.

  23. @weitzen

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    Great take on a controversial album!
    Now what about a look at my favourite album with this lineup….Talk! Again , Rabin took the reigns but in a good way because he finally seems to "get" Yes!

  24. @mariovuksanovic5077

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    These opinion videos are meaningless…Yes has established themselves as a great band.

    Those that criticize them are either jealous, or have bad taste in music.

    In my opinion, Jon Anderson is Yes.

    As you can see, there have been many line ups.

    Trevor Horn ( the Drama album) did a great job as long as ihe sang his compositions..

    Other lead singers tried their very best…but Jon Anderson cannot be topped.

    Big generator has Jon Anderson, therefore it is great.

    It seems that almost anything Jon Anderson does is great. His solo albums are great.

    His albums with Vangelis are great…. even today ( almost 2025) Jon Anderson's band called the Band Geeks…are great

    Yes fans love the Band Geeks…In my opinion.

    If you close your eyes and turn up the volume, you can't help but recall Yessongs from 1972…..yes it's that good…..and Jon Anderson is still going strong…. his voice has not changed since the 1970s…it is amazing.

    We love Steve Howe's and Jeff Down 's Yes….but sorry to say lads, Jon Anderson's Band Geeks sound more like the traditional Yes than your version of Yes.

    Yes Steve still has what it takes but no Jon Anderson…. close but no cigar.

    That's my opinion and I welcome yours 😊

  27. @johndouglas1957

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    It's shit. You are bang on (excuse pun!) regarding Alan White's drums……..Every subsequent album, same thing, repetitive banging on a tin lid, too high up in the mix stuff. Definately tarnished White's repuntation for me. Big Generator is not an album that gets much, if any air time from me.

  28. @dennisbrown4219

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    This album should of been released in 1985, the album came out too late and up against A Momentary Lapse of Reason (pink floyd) and it was not orchestrated flow within the production. Some good moments but falls short of could of been

  30. @mikereiss4216

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    No matter how many low ratings or bad reviews this album receives these days my ears will always hear this as a very good album. My opinion isn't going to change over time just because the old Yes fans from the 70s don't like it or the younger cool kids don't. I had been into the band for 2-3 years when it came out and was really excited to finally hear a new release by Yes. I saw the tour twice. The first time was my first time seeing them live. Even without the nostalgia I find it to be a very good album.

  31. @nz1229

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    Whatever you think about this album you cant ignore the lack of a clear vision throughout which is why it almost took four years to cobble together. There were some bright spots on the album for sure but too many competing visions and cooks in the kitchen spelled the doom of 80's Yes.

  32. @joerich1629

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    The flip side of this coin is, what about the people who discovered the band during this period that gave f):k all about “The Gates of Delirium?” Pop vs Prog Yes will always stir up conversation, but it’s definitely a worthy entry into the bands catalog. Whether the prog snobs like it or not, this Yes is THEIR heyday.

  34. @colinburroughs9871

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    It's not a good album ultimately. Even if there's solid parts, interesting bits at times, the only song that kind of feels like Yes is the start of I'm Running. 90125, Talk and Trevors Union tracks all feel less like "AOR chases a hit for MTV in 1988 (this really generally wasn't cool)" and more on brand.

  35. @dbaytug

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    And WTF was Adrian Belew wearing in KC? The double standards. As for "flamenco" in Shoot High Aim Low? Try Al di Meola. Final Eyes is a dreadful track

  37. @davidbirdsong4750

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    I never got the negative reviews for this one. We waited a LONG time since 90125 and then… well, gosh, Shoot High, Aim Low and I'm Running are very wonderful. I rather enjoyed it then and now and oh my, I'd take it over Heaven And Earth, Open Your Eyes or Union any day of the week.

  38. @Robster-1970

    January 22, 2026 at 3:52 pm

    It drives me nuts at the beginning of "Rhythm of Love" on the beginning a capella part when it just drops off, like they lost inspiration. It's beautiful but I feel like it could have been more. I feel like they were burnt out when they did this album. "90125" has much more "oomph" to it.

Comments are closed.

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