The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we take a look at Rock Band 3’s Yes Track 01 DLC.
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Developer: Harmonix
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Price: $8.99 (full pack), $1.99 (per song) / £4.39 (full pack), £0.99 (per song)
When Harmonix announced that Rock Band 3 would augment its multi-instrumental line-up with the additional of keyboard, many hoped this would signal the inclusion of one particular genre of music – progressive rock. And, while it’s taken some time to get there, players will finally have a chance to test their musical might by tackling some classic tracks by legendary British rockers, Yes. For those of you scratching your heads, Yes have been trucking since the late 1960s, starting out as Beatles-inspired body boppers before evolving into artsy, prog-rock pioneers by the early 70s and selling out stadiums across the globe.
While many bands are sometimes overshadowed by one member in particular, Yes is a collective through and through, with each member a master of his craft. From the angelic, euphoric wail of vocalist Jon Anderson to the intricate chops of guitarist Steve Howe, the group’s musicianship has seen band members stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s best in their 40+ year career. After all, how many bands can boast they’ve cobbled together four 20 minute, multi-layered tracks based on Shastric scriptures on their resume? Sure, members have come and gone over the years – a total of eight different ‘Yes men’ are represented in this track pack alone – but the group still continues to hit the road to this day, selling more than 35 million albums globally.
Yes Track Pack 01 is a meaty collection of iconic numbers, filled with quintessentially ‘classic’ Yes to the more commercial path the group took in the 1980s. First up is ‘Heart of the Sunrise,’ a lengthy number and fine showcase of Chris Squire’s bombastic bass. The song debuted on the album Fragile and has remained a live favourite to this very day. Next is the more simplistic, upbeat ‘I’ve Seen All Good People,’ which has remained in the bands set list pretty much since its inception on 1971’s The Yes Album. The track is split into two parts and features some of the band’s signature vocal harmonies, as well as some of Tony Kaye’s trademark keyboard work.
80s rocker ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ is up next, a song that gave the band its one and only U.S. no.1 hit. By this stage in the band’s career Howe had departed and formed Asia, while Tony Kaye was brought back into the fray after keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman left the group in the late 70s. Fresh-faced Trevor Rabin took Howe’s place, and his pop sensibilities would ultimately levitate the group to new commercial heights. In strike contrast to their earlier work, OOALH is a classic slice of 80s arena rock – and doesn’t last over 10 minutes.
Rounding out the pack is a pair of classic Yes numbers, namely South Side of the Sky and Starship Trooper. The former, available on the LP Fragile, is a hard-edged rock number based on perilous mountain climbing incident, and brilliant showcase for drummer Bill Bruford’s polished jazz sensibilities. Harmonies are also pushed to the front during a vocal onslaught in the middle of the track, before the track kicks back into a roaring close. SSOTS is a fine example of Yes at their collective best, with prime examples of each member’s talent apparent throughout. Starship Trooper (unrelated to the film, just in case you wondered) remains an all-time fan favourite, beginning with some hefty vocal work from Anderson and ending with a meaty guitar solo by Howe.
That’s all for this week. Join us again next week for another glance Inside PlayStation Network.