HEAVEN & EARTH

Yes trying to pull a 'spiritual' Jon Anderson album, essentially trying to ay they can do what Jon does without him. I find this album difficult to review for the following reasons; although it's not disasterous it's not what it could have been. The music is pleasant, the tunes are catchy, but it lack drive of Chris Squire's bass, with a little bit of more instrumental interplay a little bit more 'progressiveness' so to speak, I do believe that this album would have equaled the well regarded Magnification album. I think Davison is great, I think he certainly has the songwriting skills his voice sounds great. No I don't think Heaven and Earth is dreadful, it doesn't need to be thrown out in the dump heap. In-fact it is worthy of a few listens, it's more 'meh'. It doesn't offend any of the fans, but merely frustrates you because you know that this album could have been closer to a four star if they made better produciton and arrangment choices, merely by doing some more soundscapes and a little bit of instrumental interplay with Squire and Howe, and it wouldn't be too hard because the songwriting as I mentioned earlier; is fine, the ideas are there, they feel inspired. I have to admit that there is a freshness as Steve Howe has mentioned, as I mentioned earlier it isn't terrible. It's worth a few listens, it is pleasant and uplifting and good on them for doing something different, which is what Yes does do. The only song that annoys me is the chorus in It was all we knew, it sounds a little too Sacharrin for my tastes. I am going to say 2.5 stars round up to 3 stars. Nice, give it a spin but you're not going to come out either loving or hating this album, but slightly frustrated as I mentioned earlier, knowing that this could have been really something good with a few better choices.