“State of Play,” a Trevor Rabin-Jon Anderson composition from 1994’s Talk, sounds as for away from the main sequence of Yes songs as the band could get. That doesn’t mean that the track isn’t good.
Rabin’s siren-sounding guitar intro and the the almost metal-sounding drums from Alan White serve notice that this is no ordinary Yes song. About half a minute into “State of Play,” Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Trevor Rabin come in as the Yes choir with a clean acoustic guitar. The change dynamically pulls the tune off its axis, yet has an undeniable charm.
Squire’s bass sound is prominent in the mix but he’s given little to do in the song. There are touches of Tony Kaye’s organ mixed low and sprinkles of Rabin’s synthesizers, but “State of Play” is propelled by Anderson’s vocals and Rabin’s guitar. Indeed Rabin’s mid-song solo recalls early work by co-founder Peter Banks, as it threatens to fly off the rails.
Rabin’s attempt to propel Yes forward, incorporating contemporary rock elements with progressive elements, really worked. “State of Play” deserves to be dusted off by Yes Featuring Anderson Rabin Wakeman. This would surely ignite their somewhat-worn set list.
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