b o b

Flash was one of the first branches off the Yes family tree, with Peter Banks and Tony Kaye banding together after getting the axe from Squire and Anderson (who apparently wasn't all peace, love and brotherhood in his younger days). Unsurprisingly, Flash's first album sounds a lot like Yes from around the same time. In fact, with its extended composition, thick bass, flashy guitar and swirling organ work, "Small Beginnings" sounds like it could be a lost track from The Yes Album. "Morning Haze" has a more laid-back acoustic guitar and percussion sound and focuses heavily on the vocals. "Children of the Universe" returns to the early Yes sound, but unfortunately has lyrics that are so goofy ("Ya hoo cha hoo cha!") that they make Jon Anderson sound downright rational. After a chaotic opening section, "Dreams of Heaven" also settles down into a fairly Yessy song. "The Time it Takes" is a quiet, somewhat ambient song that washes away the end of the album on simulated ocean waves. The only real downside to this album is Colin Carter's nasal and nondescript vocals - they just grate on me for some reason. Fortunately, there are a lot of lengthy instrumental sections. After this disc, the band would lose Kaye, and their sound would drift a little further from the Yes sound on their second and particularly their third album. Those who think Banks and Kaye were "throwaway" members of Yes should give this disc a listen. It might have been interesting to see where the band would have gone had the original line-up remained intact. review by Bob Eichler — undated —

j o e

Flash approximates what a more overtly proggy release from the very first line-up of Yes might have sounded like. Released in 1972 with ex-Yes members Peter Banks on guitar and Tony Kaye on keyboards, this is a decent, under-recognized prog album. Every extended piece, "Small Beginnings" and "Children of the Universe" have some great playing (especially by Banks, who definitely makes his presence felt), energetic hooks, and enthusiastic harmonies. "Dreams of Heaven" is a bit more unbalanced, relying primarily on its harmonic-laden, anthemic chorus. The other two tracks are more laid back efforts. "Morning Haze," the one track with (frail) lead vocals from bassist Ray Bennett, is a short, interlude number that sounds at points like Crosby, Stills & Nash or the Grateful Dead around American Beauty. It has an informal jam-at-a-picnic feel, with Banks inserting playful acoustic guitar passages all along the way. The closer, "The Time It Takes" is soft and fades the album out with a whisper. One drawback of the album is the poor sound (and it definitely sounds of the period), but the material and performances are quite good. review by Joe McGlinchey — 7-30-00 —