π§ YES, "Relayer". Is it their most confounding record? Probably. Does it showcase everything that punk hated about prog? Check. It seems so directionless at times, yet it is their most challenging record. Patrick Moraz' only album with the band puts their jazz-rock chops to the test. It's delicate and violent all at once. By the time you suss out one meter, another one takes its place. "The pen won't stay the demon's wings".
Punks were absolutely the last people anyone in Yes ever gave even an instant's thought to when they were making music.
This is kind of like saying Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" showcased everything that progressive rock fans hated about punk.
I'm snickering imagining Steve Howe commenting that he doesn't think he's made Steve Jones mad enough yet.
@mcfate
Right - when in reality YES, Pink Floyd, Genesis, etc never even gave punk a thought while they were selling out football stadiums and the Pistols were getting banned across America, which made both punk and prog very appealing to me at the time, when I was growing out of my short-lived KISS phase. Reading CREEM in the 70's and seeing articles about the Damned and YES and thinking "how can these bands co-exist in my record collection?" I sure found out!
@mcfate
While I would walk by and think "someday...." By the time I was old enough to get in that place it was almost strictly hardcore punk and I wasn't on board.
@MPCavalier
I went to Yes, Genesis, and Gentle Giant concerts at the same time I was enough of a regular at CBGB that I subbed for the sound guy when he flaked on them occasionally.