FLY FROM HERE

Is very nice to hear again to Steve Howe at the front row on a fully new prog rock studio album, this album is classic Yes and at the top of their current skills (compositional / interpretational). I really don`t care if Anderson is in or out, Howe is in it and that is what matters, this is a milestone in the recent Yes History (since 1980 onward), Yes no more will be only when, where, and how Anderson wants (how can i forget about the Frankenstein-esque "Union" instead of a proper 2nd album for ABWH, and then the simply average "prog" rock album named "Talk" with that ugly and childish Yes logo as cover?). Howe is the only Yes member that shines through the album. David, Downes, Squire and White are in fine form, but the album production is intended for Howe to shine among the rest, the steel guitar at "Madman At The Screens" is so emotional, the suite is so well acomplished, the instrumental track fits nicely in the framework, the same to be said about the cover artwork.

Two complains: 1º The 6:45 minutes version of "Hour Of Need", would have done better than the 3 minutes of the standar CD / LP edition, the former is as prog as "Fly From Here", "Life On A Film Set" or "Into the Storm". 2º If I can live with "I Know What I Like" in SEBTP, I can live with "The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be" here.

So, considering the 6:45 minutes "Hour Of Need" in it...5 stars