I think Ken was just referring to their self-parodical band management. Most Yes fans despise Open Your Eyes - which, like John, I've always found pretty baffling since it doesn't seem any more different from the image of "typical Yes" than 90125 - and they hate Talk as well. The other three you mentioned are more well-received, though.

But you're right, other than Union, I don't think Yes ever really released any outright bad albums, unless you count the studio portions of the Keys albums. Oh, and Heaven & Earth, but this whole Chris Squire thing might as well be an extension of that debacle. It's a shame that will almost certainly be the last Yes album he plays on.