POP MUSIC REVIEW : Yes: Bountiful Serving of Astro Pop and Love ‘Talk’

In the wake of Pink Floyd’s Gargantuan stadium tour earlier this summer, Yes, another cosmically oriented classic-rock warhorse, has hit the road with its own smaller-scale, high-tech, quadraphonic production in tow.

For about 2 1/2 hours on Sunday at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion here, the band dished out a bountiful serving of its astro pop, sprinkling a handful of chestnuts throughout a show built primarily on its new album, “Talk,” and 1983’s “90125.”

At its best, on songs such as “Changes” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” when guitarist Trevor Rabin takes charge and sends alternately crunching and swirling flourishes cutting through the strong, angelic harmonies, the band can still deliver an invigorating, uplifting escape from reality--kind of like rock ‘n’ roll mood chimes.

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At its worst, when the band’s Toto-ish tendencies grab hold and lead singer Jon Anderson’s free spirit goes over the edge with talk of galactic love, one could only take solace in the fact that he stopped before asking the audience its collective astrological sign. And for those seated in a section of the audience where a special stereo mix could be received on portable radio headphones, there was always the option of switching to another channel.