Yes – The Steven Wilson Remixes

WIll this ever been reissued? We all need these on vinyl!

Amazing work by Steven Wilson! I'm not hearing any "blanket" effect at all on my end. "Relayer" is my fave Yes album so was suspicious originally but this is dope! The main difference is how he got rid of the "metallic" sound of the drums on it and that's quite a change that will appeal to some and not to others (I don't know if I prefer one over the other actually!). Maybe CD lovers are used to hotter mixes closer to brickwalling and are feeling let down, I don't know...Love it on my end and would highly recommend!

I just cleaned and listened to my original copy of Relayer and it’s just so noisy and crackly, it made me sad. So I grabbed Relayer from this box and, um, why does it sound like someone threw a blanket over Yes? With a good mix (and I think these are good mixes), why in this day and age would these records be so quiet and muffled? Quite disappointing.

Nice to have clean copies of the classic Yes albums on vinyl, but frankly I’m a little underwhelmed by the Wilson remixing. All sound a little soft with rounded edges to my ears. I’m used to CTTE, Fragile and TYA all sounding super punchy and clear both from my prior vinyl versions and digital media, and this sounds, well, a bit muffled from those. Bruford’s whole kit sounds like it has a blanket over it through And You and I. The battlefield chaos and mayhem of Gates of Delerium sounds like it’s happening a bit down the street. Also the chaotic beginning part of Close to the Edge sounds a little farther from the edge than I’d like. Maybe it’s just me and I’m too used to the hotly cut CD remasters, but eh…. I know Mr. Wilson put a lot of time and work into the remixing, and I appreciate that, but I’m just not getting the kind of improvement here that he brought to say Chicago II or Aqualung. Just my 2 cents.

This is a nice box set, especially for newcomers to Yes.
I would not say that this is as essential for others however, unlike the King Crimson and Aqualung remixes this much like the Octopus remix is not solely a hit across the board.
The Yes album and Fragile are the ones Im most familiar with and for those I cant say that I found the remixes to straight out beat my Kevin Gray Fragile and Capitol 45 Yes Album releases.
There seems to be a bit of unevenness in the volume for example, where I find myself adjusting the levels depending on the song. This has been an issue with older Wilson projects in general but as there is always a mastering step after, in this case by Bellman that could be the real cause.
Otherwise we receive the general Wilson benefits in better separation and clarity overall. I found Close to the Edge to be among the best in the set, perhaps because it benefits from this the most.
In any case all records sound good so that is no issue, but I would have to compare closer, perhaps some day when I get more worthy contenders and listen more to the music in general.
Pressing wise it can be a bit hit or miss. Many experience some flaws it seems and over 6 records thats not too strange I suppose. Most of mine had small warps, which were not an issue, but side A of Fragile crackles a bit and Relayer has some nasty non fill. Luckily Close to the Edge is perfect.
The packaging is a bit disappointing though.
All the sleeves are different sizes and look out of place in the box. Moreover, the artwork, which is a decent selling point initially, feels rushed. Only Close to the Edge is again the one which benefits most with a complete and great looking revamp. The rest only get minor to no changes at all.
So dont feel the need to hurry on your purchase if youre hedging, its no bullseye release sadly. But if youre very curious and find it cheap then its worth most fans a try.

Update:
Having compared Heart of the Sunrise with both the 2016 KG and the Wilson remix I still stand by the KG.
Thats not to say the Wilson isnt good, quite the opposite. Its actually better at separating and highlighting parts of the music. It is a smidge crisper in the EQ but loses some bass and drum lushness in favor of a cleaner sound you could say. Its cut quieter though so youre forced to crank that volume dial extra.
Im just glad that Yes - Fragile now has 5 excellent cuts on vinyl for people to choose their favorite out of.

Update 2:
Comparing my Chris Bellman original mix 2012 cut to the Wilson would be quite the undertaking. There are many a details changed slightly and a lot. Pointing it all out would be an essay worth of material.
But the gist I feel from mainly focusing on the end half of the title track is that the Wilson cut again is more separated and sparkly. The drums are brought back more though, allowing those minute sounds to be heard and it balances very well. Another plus for the Wilson is that the Organ solos seem completely distortion free with his touch ups, given you have a good stylus of course. I believe every analog version will distort a bit on these parts as its a flaw on the tape.
As both are cut by CB it makes for a pretty fair comparison too. I do feel the 2012 cut is brighter in general though, adding the extra focus on vocals and drums makes it a more intimate experience.
I like both equally. The Wilson is the more audiophile sounding approach while the 2012 is more rock n roll feeling in a good way.
Both my copies are perfectly pressed however I have to say the redone cover is more interesting looking.

Equipment Used:
Technics SL-1210GR Turntable
Paratrace tipped Nagaoka MP-200 and ATVM95ML Cartridges
Cyrus 2 Amplifier
System Fidelity SF-3050 Tower Speakers

I know they have the multi tracks for Yes 1969 Time and a Word 1970 probably 8 multi track tapes ..
And 24 tracks Going For The One Tormado ( they have to fix the dolby problem just like the Progeny box set ) and Drama .. They have the multi tracks for these it's Rhino who doesn't think these 5 titles will sell in the remixing market ... How many really listen to Progeny if Bruford was on drums I would ... 7 concerts of Alan White on the Close To The Edge tour the timimg of Bruford leaving for Crimson sucked... If the KC boz band only toured in Sept 1972. Most likely Bill would of played at those shows .... The timing sucks we're talking 3 freaking months.... Yes owes us those 5 multi track remixes... Or like more Bill Bruford 1968-1971 live shows or Alan White Tales and after multi's aka Yes Shows....

I thought Wilson Remixed "America" Maybe not? Anyone know? Thanks

Great sounding box, with great remasters. Interested to compare this edition of Fragile to the Mofi edition coming out later this year.

I have both this version and the "EU" version (https://www.discogs.com/Yes-The-Steven-Wilson-Remixes/release/12231071). They differ ONLY in the rear printing of the outer box (the EU version includes something about 'Made in EU...". I inspected each album and the runouts AND the labels. They are all the same. The labels even indicate on each that they are all made in EU. The runouts for list EU listing is missing the "CB" but should be added to that release info (same info posted there). It is my belief the EU and US pressings all come from the same place. The record sleeves are also identical as are the poly-lined inners. Again, identical in every way except for a variance on the rear of the outer box. It's also true that there is no printed inner sleeve reproduction for Close To The Edge. This is apparent with a bunch of recent reissues (Dio The Last In Line, Rush Hold Your Fire) but my solution to that is to buy a used copy with inner sleeves in the best possible condition and use those and sell off the records as incomplete. As for sound - these are incredible. You have to hear them for yourself.

My box has "Close To The Edge" missing .... anyone having a copy for sale, please drop me a line.