MIRROR TO THE SKY

A new Yes album! It is always nice to see one of your favourite bands creating new music, and since the pandemic Yes and all related bands (Arc of life, DBA, The Prog Collective) have been in a great prolific stream. So, what does this new album brings in? In summary: Jon Davison sounding better than ever, killer bass lines keeping up the spirit of Squire and a great Howe, as always. Not everything is good though, for me this album lacks consistency, with many ups and downs. Let's analyze the tracks:

1. Cut from the Stars (7.5/10) - A great way to start the album, full of energy with a superb rythm section. However, it feels a bit disjoined in places, like two songs sticked together. This happens to me with many songs composed by Sherwood.

2. All Connected (8/10) - A highlight. Very dynamic, starting slowly but gaining momentum with every time change and containing some of the best melodies of the album.

3. Luminosity (6/10) - Starts very promising combining tension and melody, but before the first minute it morphs into something much more, lets say, luminous, up to the point that it sounds like a christmas song. The tension returns lead by Howe's guitar with a nice interplay with the orchestra, but it does not develop much more.

4. Living Out Their Dream (5.5/10) - (very) classy sound here. I dont like especially the little guitar interludes scattered throughout the track.

5. Mirror to the Sky (9/10) - (Did I just hear Machine messiah part 2?) The absolute best in the album, starting on a heavy basis that transforms into an emotional piece reminding us that the classic Yes sound is still here. Jon Davison voice is magnificient, and Howes guitar floating over the violins is awesome. The second half may be a bit over long with the orchestra, but the ending is so good. One of the best epics ever composed by this band.

6. Circles of Time (4/10) - Sadly, the main album finishes with the lowest note. A nice ballad, but nothing more, like a B-side for Future memories from the previous album.

7. Unknown Place (7/10) - Actually, I prefer this to tracks 4 and 6 of the main album. This time a more classic rock sound with a very cool interplay between Howe and Downes, whom I certainly miss more in this album. The ending is great, reminds me of That, that is from Keystudio.

8. One Second Is Enough (5.5) - Nice song. Again, there are some changes that ruin it for me.

9. Magic Potion (6/10) - Another little piece mixing classic rock with a great funky bass. Enjoyable enough and a nice way to close the album.

Overall, the album deserves a 7 only for the epic track, but there are more downs than ups, which (to me) did not happen in the previous album. Three solid stars. I heard they are composing a new album already, let's hope they maintain this level at least.

I'm listening to this album as I write the review. I listened to 'Cut from the Stars' last night. A good song, Steve Howe is just as good as ever, however, I must mention one downfall of the album, and it is a MAJOR pitfall. The lyrics. Now, Jon Davidson does a good enough job with singing his best Jon Anderson impression. I've heard it said that Yes is like an art gallery, going from one room to the other with lineup changes. I believe that that is true. 'All Connected' opens with some nice guitar, which I think is a slide, but I could be mistaken, I'd have to go back and look again. I'll have to do a deep listen again sometime. 'Luminosity' is one of those songs that when it ends, you say 'oh that's over? sad' and then never really listening to it again. Great guitar though, and I do enjoy the song, very nice guitar solo. I have yet to hear a Yes song that's over 9 minutes that is bad. Great ending solo by Howe, his playing hasn't aged a day. Next up we have 'Living out Their Dream' this album so far reminds me of Colin Masson's 'Isle of Eight' which is in a way good, since that is a good album. So if you've ever heard that, you'll like this album a lot. The instrumentation reminds me a lot of that, but on here there's less distortion on the guitar. The song is good, mostly instrumental, one of the shorter songs on the album, long guitar solo in the middle, again, very nice. This album does feel kind of celestial in a sense, very good so far. It does the job of bridging the gap between the last few albums and classic works. It's a modernized version of Yes. They're progressive rock, so, while those who wish Yes were more like the classic era, I sympathize, but also, bands are allowed to evolve. That's what a major part of Yes is, evolving. Next up we've got the 13+ minute 'Mirror to the Sky'. I know i'm going to be talking a lot about Colin Masson here, and it may just be me, but if you told me that this was a Colin Masson album, I'd believe you. I love the guitar throughout, percussion/drumming is very solid. Downes is no Rick Wakeman, but he does a solid job with soundscapes and such during instrumental breaks. The orchestral section is very well done. I realize that the more recent Yes albums have these longer songs on them, but I still wish some had those side-long suites, those epics every now and again. I suppose the last one would be on 'Fly From Here', with the 5-part suite, great song. 'Circles of Time' is a nice shorter ballad, more of a pop-song, suites Davidson's voice well enough, but strays from the album's sound a bit much in my opinion, still a nice song. Not as nice lyrics, pretty enough however. 'Unknown Place' is another 8+ minute track, which opens up on a very lovely Howe acoustic intro. The bass on this song is strong, and the track continues into a vocal section after some chanting. I remember the pretty instrumental sections more than the vocals sections. 'Once Second is Enough' is another shorter song on the album. It passes by, filler, which I'm hesitant to say about a Yes album, but this song is filler. 'Magic Potion' the album closer, repeating guitar line from Howe provides this song with a sense of motion, moving towards the end of the album.

Overall, does this compare to many of Yes's earlier works, no, however, it is still a HUGE step up from many of their previous works, so, I was on the fence about 4-5 stars. If this was a random artist's album, I might be more leniant towards a 4. I debated, and finally decided to give it four stars. Despite some of this album's noodling in some places, it's relatively structured, and besides, that album cover.

It comes as almost unavoidable to say a word about the controversy on the legitimacy of the use of the brand YES by a group of musicians entirely different from the initial line-up (the "they are not really Yes" theory). That's because right after comes the rant: "this is nothing like they used to be in the golden seventies". But..., wait a second, if I concede that they are NOT YES (pun unintented) to begin with, then we won't have to compare them with their 70's alter egos anymore, and so we can now proceed with the review in a less schizophrenic mode.

This Not Yes certainly is a far less muscular animal than the others were in their prime. The first two tracks open proceedings featuring fresh interplay and pop sound. The minimal synth figures in the beginning immediately remind of the pop stylings imported by Geoff Downes from the Buggles sonic palette, and the great bass line by Billy Sherwood runs through the piece as the backbone of its inner rythmic complexity. There are also those three-part vocal harmonies articulating the many sections, that remind me the sweet roundness of their pop period. We can hear more of Steve Howe's guitars on the second track, All Connected, a good but maybe unnecessarily prolonged affair. Track three Luminosity adds almost nothing to my enjoyment so far. It detracts nothing either, just sounds a bit pointless. So much as this track is rather lost for the cause of dynamics, the next one (Living Out Their Dream) needed to compensate, and it does so with moderately faster tempo, guitar riffs & great solo , propulsive drums, and good vocals soaked in harmonies. I think I can hear a clear progression in the production of the voices, evolving from a solid but still pretty predictable treatment in the first three tracks, to a more creative approach in the fourth, rich in nuances yet not fully developed. And the apex of that process comes in full splendor with the title track.

Mirror To The Sky, the epic, is the real treasure to be found, with the virtuosity of Howe, the fantastic orchestral score, the clear understanding of the dynamics engineering shown by the rhythm section, and above all, an ambiance-defining mixing of the vocals, with great participation of Howe's particular kind of bass-baritone setting the initial tone of a choral arrangement for the ages. Pure beauty in a nocturnal mood, to the point that I barely care for the rest of the album. The closer is good, and the second disc just comes to fruition if somebody asks "Hey, what's for dessert?"

Time to get excited about Yes again!

In a nutshell, Mirror to the Sky is a very intelligent composition. The whole album that is. Frankly it's better than it ought to be.

As a unit, Yes are challenging themselves more here than on The Quest and certainly more than Heaven and Earth. It's almost like the band as a unit were biding their time releasing some of these ideas to the public. It is hard to argue they sound most cohesive here.

With Mirror to the Sky there are Yes tropes activated once again, but that's not a bad thing. The band sound particularly inspired, like they have something to prove. In a sense perhaps they do. But when you're heralding one of the most, if not THE most important progressive rock bands of any generation, the pressure is on.

To start, get the deluxe edition. You would be doing yourself a favor and will honor it more. And let's be honest, if you are a Yes fan, you want a good album. Well here it is. Side one is immaculate, and the title track, well, you need to find out for yourself. Believe me I want to talk more about it, but it's something you need to experience first hand.

Comparisons to Magnification and Going for the One have been tossed about, and are well fitting. But honestly this is one of the more original Yes recordings I've heard in a while. The closest match would be the splendid Oliver Wakeman recordings ("From a Page") that were released as outtakes from Fly From Here.

The whole album is upbeat and downright catchy. One track even has an AOR feeling to it, which is most welcome on a band that produces material that is as serious as it is. Howe is more subdued, but also a lot more intelligent in what he's placing on this album. Sure, hearing a ripping solo ala Siberian Khatru live would be most welcome, but let's be honest he's older than most of us. I'm cutting him some slack. Not unlike an aging major league pitcher on the mound, one cannot throw the fastball they once had, so they get more creative and still maintain their relevancy in the game.

Particular attention was made by me to the drummer Jay Schellen for obvious reasons. He's very good, tasteful, and suits the mood of the album. Personally, this reviewer did not hear much on the order of time signature changes, but the tempo changes were most welcome. Some very creative chord progressions can also be found.

For my money, Sherwood never sounded better on the bass. On a Yes album at least. And again being honest: Davison may be the most scrutinized, but he has improved demonstrably here. There are times where he sounds like he's really putting in the effort, which is welcome for any frontman singer in a rock outfit. Accusations as an Anderson rip-off abound, but there are more comparisons to be made that he sounds more like he did on Glass Hammer. And there's a real treat in one of the songs where he sings lower than his usual tenor throughout.

Concerns that this outing was going to be the Steve Howe show cannot be entirely dismissed. That said Howe should get props for the production quality, right down to mic placement. And if you pay attention to Geoff Downes he has selectively chosen some wonderful textures and voices from his keyboards, something that even our good friend Rick Wakeman was sometimes amiss in doing with real consistency. Downes really does provide a good backdrop for everyone's contributions.

The orchestrations are very well placed, very smart, particularly the title track. At times it feels like the listener is being treated to a Wobbler exposition. Realizing that is a strange compliment, Cut From the Stars is reminiscent of Starcastle. Again, not a bad thing.

Honestly, this release has something for most everyone. It is better than The Quest and much better than Heaven and Earth. A very close cousin to Fly From Here.

Criticisms? Some of the lyrics are banal, but that's not the first thing this reviewer looks for in prog rock holistically. In addition, Billy Sherwood could have been employed more with backing vocals. Yes started off as a vocal operation, they would revisit that. With that, the bonus tracks have Howe singing at the fore which, most would admit as dubious, makes for a nice contrast.

With this release Yes has truly mastered the transition from one idea to another. Yes is known for doing this; clearly they haven't lost the touch. And of course the entire listening experience is an optimistic one. At times delightful without ever being vapid. We all could use a little bit more of this nowadays...

And even the bonus tracks are good! At the very least interesting and stronger than those from The Quest.

So as a whole: Mirror to the Sky, certainly the title track, is downright emotional. Go get it. This reviewer is urged to express this is their best release since Going for the One... such commitment won't be made until it is heard several times. But Mirror to the Sky is certainly strong enough to attract long time fans and maybe even generate some new ones.

As an addon, the deluxe edition is a gorgeous ensemble. It is worth the extra money. The interview book is an interesting read, and the sketches are beautiful. The Rolling Stone quality photo-portraits make even Steve Howe look handsome.

The 5.1 surround is a nice touch and sounded very... personal, if that makes sense. Almost intimate. Howe did a nice job producing it but I'll always feel the guitars deserve to be turned down a little. I would have enjoyed hearing more Downes (when he's up front he sounds great) and even Davison's vocals were surprisingly in the back at times. That said when he is in the spotlight he does not disappoint. And the vinyl playback is superb.

Overall a four star release for the most important prog rock dynasty we have.

About a year-and-a-half after their dull-as-dirt twenty-second studio album, The Quest, Yes has returned with a new release. At times, I question whether or not this band really is "Yes," though. They're a bit like the Ship of Theseus at this point. Jon Anderson was booted from the band in 2008, following a severe asthma attack. Chris Squire was the last remaining of the original members in the band, and he passed away in 2015. Then last year, Alan White, the band's drummer since 1973, also passed away. Steve Howe's still with the band, though he did have a 16-year absence from the band from 1981-1997. Keyboardist Geoff Downes was briefly in Yes in the early '80s before returning in 2011. And Bassist Billy Sherwood was a longtime friend of Squire's who has collaborated with the band since the mid-90s. My distaste for vocalist Jon Davison should be evident from my last Yes review.

Philosophical conundrums aside, I haven't been shy about dragging big-name acts through the mud when they put out a bad record. The Quest was terrible, and I mentioned that I liked Heaven and Earth even less in that review. I'm not a fan of The Zealot Gene, and I gave RökFlöte a lukewarm rating. (And that RökFlöte review prompted someone to send me a downright apoplectic email full of typos and shoddy reasoning. It really was funny how bent out of shape that person got.) I'm both looking forward to and dreading my eventual Dream Theater Deep Dive; if you think I went hard on The Wall's sophomoric storytelling, just wait 'til I talk about The Astonishing!

I went into this record with low expectations. The members of Yes seem to have simply gotten kinda lame in their old age. I was not particularly impressed with the first single, and the fact that this is another of those stupid disc-and-a-half money-grab releases also didn't do much to give me hope. Despite all that, I wound up being pleasantly surprised. Mirror to the Sky is Yes's best album since Magnification, and I'm willing to unambiguously call this album good. Not great, but good.

Mirror to the Sky opens with its lead single, "Cut from the Stars". It's a decent, high-energy opener. In a change from The Quest, Geoff Downes's synth tones are actually pretty good here. I also like the effects Steve Howe deploys here. The production is fantastic, too, though one glaring weakness is vocalist Jon Davison. His voice falls into an uncanny valley of Jon Anderson impersonation. It's very close but just off enough to be quite unsatisfying. It also feels somewhat weak and thin. Anderson, for as pretty as his voice can be, can also put some muscle into it.

Following this is "All Connected". The synth tones are good here, too; it's a marked improvement over The Quest's dated sounds. That's two songs in a row; good job, Geoff! Good synth tones aside, the intro is kind of dull. Steve Howe plays the same short pattern over and over and over, just shifted up or down a few notes. When the verse starts, Davison's vocals are again distractingly, unsatisfyingly fluffy. The instrumental backing has its moments, but the overly light vocal arrangements detract from the body of this song. The melody shifts around the four-minute mark to something with a little bit of grit to it, and it's a big improvement over the saccharine first part. Unfortunately, this is followed by an acoustic passage that gives me a lot of worship music vibes. The closing minute reminds me a bit too much of the "Soon" section of "The Gates of Delirium", but it's fine.

"Luminosity" has a slow but impactful opening, featuring pizzicato strings and long, languid guitar lines. The autoharp and acoustic guitar embellishments aren't great, making this intro a bit of a mixed bag. Davison's voice is again too sweet here (I'd rather not develop diabetes.) What drives me really crazy, though, is his pronunciation of "luminous." He says [lu:mənɛs], as opposed to the standard pronunciation of [lumɪnəs]. Replacing the schwa with the "eh" sound hits my ear catastrophically wrong. That said, the backing vocals are pretty good here and sound like classic Yes. Howe's guitar solo around the six-minute mark is pretty decent, though it again reminds me of "Soon" and runs for too long.

Up next, "Living Out Their Dream" opens with a riff that is (dare I say it?) fun. It's high-energy, groovy, and features enough cowbell to cure any fever. Howe's pedal steel guitar gives me flashbacks to "Going for the One". The verse doesn't quite match the energy of the opening, and Davison sounds a bit too subdued here. At least he sounds like himself and not a Jon Anderson impersonator (mostly). I could easily imagine a cut like this fitting in well on Talk or The Ladder.

The title track comes next, and it's the longest song they've written since "Mind Drive" and "That, That Is" in the mid-90s. ("Fly From Here", released in 2011 and broken up into smaller pieces, is technically a longer song. However, it was written in the early 1980s.) The opening guitar is very un-Yes-like. It evokes a barren, dusty desert, and it sounds like something I'd expect from a stoner metal act. Once the acoustic guitar and piano enter though, that comparison falls apart, and it soon turns into a great, driving piece. Sherwood's bass playing is flashy, and Howe's soloing is speedy, technical, and engaging in a way it hasn't been in a long, long time. The acoustic passage that follows actually sounds like Yes?and not worship music. It specifically reminds me of certain passages off of Tales from Topographic Oceans, with its unusual arpeggios and multilayered vocals. Orchestral elements show up here, and they're fine, I guess, but I don't think they add very much. They're subtle enough to not distract from the rest of the piece.

There's a Morse-code like pattern that crops up around the song's midpoint, and it's a nice complement to this album's repeated themes of outer space. The last four minutes or so are instrumental and can be broken down into three parts. The first is a slow, languorous passage with stretched-out guitar notes. It runs a bit long but is pleasant, overall. Following this part is a decent but unnecessary orchestral section. The song's final minute, though, is the best music Yes has written in a decades. Steve Howe finally gets to play a really good, memorable solo that is flashy, smart, and not just a rip-off of one of his earlier compositions.

Disc one of Mirror to the Sky ends on its weakest song. It's a solo Davison composition, and it's an overly-sentimental acoustic piece called "Circles of Time". It's the worst song on the album, but it's more bland than offensively bad.

The bonus disc consists of three solo Howe compositions. First is "Unknown Place". The main riff is jagged and has some great oomph to it. Davison's voice is, as elsewhere on this album, too soft, but the instrumental parts are pretty good. Some of the soloing is a bit extraneous. The underlying construction is strong enough to save the song, though. The last three minutes have some neat ideas that contrast grand-sounding organ with gentler acoustic guitar passages.

"One Second Is Enough" is unimpressive folk-pop-rock. It's not awful, but it doesn't do anything to stand out. "Magic Potion" has a nice, jangly main guitar line, but it suffers from the same ills as the preceding cut. Sherwood's bass playing is good, but it can't really save a song that is otherwise-unspectacular.

Mirror to the Sky was a pleasant surprise. It's a pretty decent overall album that sees Yes sound like Yes for the first time in quite a while. I'd put it about on par with Talk, in that it's a return to form for the band that also features a fair amount of pop influence. Davison's vocals might dampen the impact of many songs, but it's good to hear they're actually writing solid songs again.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2023/05/22/album-review-yes-mirror-to-the-sky/

Yes! We can do it!

When Jon Anderson, the voice of Yes, left the band for health reasons (throat problems) after the magnificent Magnification (and its tour) in the early 21st century, fans feared that Yes would never recover from such a loss. But that had already happened at the end of the 70's and the result was a very good album (Drama, 1980) with Trevor Horn taking over the vocals.

And so Yes followed a similar path, bringing a new vocalist (Benoît David) and the duo of the aforementioned Drama album, Trevor Horn (production and composition) and Geoff Downes, (keyboards and composition) to released another good album (Fly From Here, 2011). But The witches are out and Benoît also had health problems (also in the throat) and left the band. Yes then goes 2 years without recording anything new. But the vocalist Jon Davison (ex Glass Hammer and Sky Cries Mary) had already joined the band for tours.

So in 2014 Yes records Heaven & Earth, their first album with Davison on vocals. The album is not well received, there are good compositions but the biggest problem is in the production, mixing and execution without energy. It felt like a farewell album for the band, a melancholy ending with a mediocre album by a band considered to be one of prog rock's greatest.

Shortly after the last original member of Yes dies, the genius bassist Cris Squire, everything indicated that the end of the band was coming. So, does Yes's second longest stretch without recording a new studio album (6 years) plus Alan White pretty sick, fans didn't expect much more from Yes, other than a few tours with their old classics.

But in 2021 comes a beautiful surprise; a very good album, elegant, with new ideas, beautiful harmonies, melodies and arrangements, The Quest is generally well received by the critics. This album is vastly better than Heaven & Earth in every way; compositions, production, arrangement and performance. If the band retired with this album, it would be a dignified end in line with the band's history.

But again fans are taken by surprise when Yes announces, just 2 years later, another new studio album: Mirror to the Sky.

Mirror to the Sky is a tremendous evolution of Heaven & Earth and The Quest. This time we don't have the great Alan White, who past away a few months after the release of The Quest, but Jay Schellen (who had already been with Yes on their tours for some time) comes in playing very well and according to the Yes music. This was a very positive change, as White was already very weak with his health problems and that for a drummer can represent a drop in the physical power to play the instrument. And for a rock band, this drop in income can be very representative. In Mirror to te Sky it is noticeable how the band returns to its excellent form, powerful, dynamic, full of energy, life, and how fresh, modern and young it sounds. (The entry of Billy Sherwood already in the previous album had given something of this new freshness, since in the album Heaven & Earth we also had a Cris Squire already with health problems).

Mirror to the Sky is one of the best Yes albums in decades, I like all the songs, including the ones on disc 2. I still think this division of cds is unnecessary, having cd 1 with the main album and cd 2 as a bonus . It was exactly like this on The Quest album. It's unnecessary because the songs are on the same level and fit well into the album as a whole, their production is the same as the main album (i.e. they are not demos) and the cd would be approximately 70 min long, which is very natural of many albums since the Compact disc came to light.

In Mirror we find an album that is more progressive than the previous ones, with the instrumentalists playing in top form, also better interplay. More confident in everything, in their instruments, production, compositions, lyrics, concepts, arrangements.

Yes has finally found its way, a new path of so many wonderful paths that this unique band has trodden in its rich history.

Addendum 26/05/23:

About the authenticity of the Yes name.

I don't understand the general comments on the internet questioning the authenticity of the new Yes lineup, with the claim that there are no original members. Well, the classic formation of Yes consists of Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman and Bruford (or White). It is with this formation that the world knows Yes. The Yes with Banks is not the true Yes that was consecrated and everyone knows. It was with Howe that the band profoundly changed its sound and created its true identity. So Howe is an essential part of Yes's identity, not Banks. Therefore he has every right to continue with the band legitimately using the name Yes. Furthermore, all the new members joined the band in a natural and gradual way, like children being born into a family. Downes had already recorded the Drama album in 1980 and returned to the band with the 2011 Fly from Here album, and has been with the band ever since. Sherwood has been with the band since the 90's playing, composing and producing in several albums. Schellen has been accompanying Yes on tour for several years, also played percussion on the album The Quest. And Davison has been in the band since 2012. Sherwood and Schellen were "sponsored" by Squire and White who wanted them to replace them. That is, this formation was made gradually and naturally, where each member brings the essence of Yes into their way of playing/composing.

Countless bands go through countless different formations, it's something common and natural in the world of music. Yes has gone through countless formations, more than 15 musicians have already been part of the Yes family tree and no one has ever complained, so why all this questioning now?

Resisting the passing of the years and with Howe as the lone banner of the golden age of the most emblematic Yes, the British managed to articulate probably their most remarkable production of the last 2 decades. Neither the energy nor the intricate developments of their most glorious moments are gone, but despite this, they extract from the depths of their essence and from their remains illustrious sounds and elements that are more than salvageable, especially identifiable in the unquestionably most remarkable and that gives its name to the album, Mirror to the Sky, an excellent epic of almost 14 minutes, and that stands out from the rest of the songs. Well matched by All Connected and Luminosity, despite being a bit longer than both songs probably called for. And Circles of Time, a very well- structured, digestible and peaceful ballad, where Anderson's shadow inevitably hovers over.

To also highlight Unknown Place from the bonus disc, which has some interesting last minutes, and where, as in the entire album, the guitar of the eternal and impeccable Steve Howe stands out, who continues to maintain a superlative level, accompanied by the best version of Davison on vocals and with the rest of the musicians at a correct level, but without going out of line, including newcomer percussionist Jay Schellen. The other songs are related to the style and structures of the Heaven & Heart and Fly From Here albums.

Not being what we've known them not to be for a long time, Yes deliver us the best album since 2001's Magnification, which is good news and well worth a listen.

After listening to the first 2 tracks I was not too excited. On those tracks, I enjoy Billy's bass and Steve's guitar. It has some influences from the band World Trade which is not a good thing for me. But the album kicks off on another level with the beautiful song "Luminosity" embellished with orchestral arrangements. There is some 70's vibe here and it's when things are quieter that Jon Davison's voice sounds like Jon Anderson. "Living Out Their Dreams" brings things down after the excitement that gives me the previous track. But the "Mirror to The Sky" track things pick up nicely with the most complex song of the album. There are many tempo changes, especially in the second half where the bass and guitars are shining while Geoff Downes's keys are still in the background. I can hear some influences from the albums "Drama" and Fly From Here". Nice peaceful and dreamy passages with orchestral arrangments before the end. "Circles of Time" is a ballad, a vocal song where Jon shows his voice. "Unknown Place" has an unusual intro for Yes that is sounding more like a Peter Gabriel song. For the first time, we can hear a brief keyboard part reminiscent of Rick Wakeman. The album ends with 2 not memorable songs. So it's funny that the first and last 2 tracks are the weakest of the album. The songs in the middle of the album have enough quality to make it a pleasant experience. It's not completely the Yes of the past, but there are still some spiritual connections with some eras of the band. I wish we can hear more in the mix of Geoff Downes's keyboards. Nevertheless, it's a good album.

Well I have to say, after the last two let downs (i.e. "The Quest" and "Heaven and Earth"), I'm really liking this new Yes album. I've listened to it through and through a few times now and it just feels better with each listen. There are some weak moments, with Circle of Time being the weakest (could have been left off all together), but otherwise it's a pretty good listen with some interesting surprises. I think I would have given it 3.5 stars, but since I can't rate it in fractions, I chose to give them the benefit and rate it 4 stars. I believe it is the best effort yet with the current lineup.

I'll end simply with this thought...there are lot of people out there, myself included, who really miss the classic Yes lineup of the mid 70s. Unfortunately, those days are gone. The NEW Yes will likely never come close to the grandeur that was the OLD Yes. But I think the NEW Yes deserves a chance. Maybe their next effort will be what we've all been waiting for. One can hope!

I would class this as their best effort since Magnification in 2001. Of the 9 tracks,I would rate 3 as Good + ,1 as Good,and 5 not up to much. Track 1 is Radio friendly in a kind of Owner of a Lonely Heart Way,and I'd rate as good 6.5/10 Track 2 is one of my top 3 tracks.Great guitar from Steve at the beginning and close,and I enjoy Jon's vocals here -8/10 Track 3 is more or less the same time as track 2,but I found disjointed and not appealing 5/10 Track 4 is a stinker.Maybe a filler,but if this was one disc,it shouldn't be on 3.5/10 Track 5 is the tile track and is really enjoyable,though it meanders a bit in the 9th minute to the 12th when nothing much goes on.The orchestra joins in at the end.2nd of my top 3. 8/10 Track 6 the final one on the first CD - is just pleasant but a dud ending -could have been relegated to CD2 4.5/10 Track 7 on the bonus disc is my 3rd favourite and really should be on CD1 in place of tracks 4 and 6.Very upbeat,and Geoff Downes eventually shows up,having been redundant most of the album 8/10 Track 8 One Second IS enough ! Another stinker 3/10 Track 9 A pleasant ending,no more,no less 4.5/10

So if the main CD excludes tracks 4 and 6 and includes 8 - we are talking a decent return to form - nowhere near the 'golden years' or The Ladder and Magnification,,but acceptable.Production is good.Steve Howe's guitar is forefront,precise,maybe lacks that 70s power.I enjoy Davison's vocals -some tracks he sings at a lower register and sounds good.Bass and drums are fine.Keyboards ? Pretty useless except on Track 7 -maybe he just wasn't around. Would ant tracks get into YES's top 20 -nope. Worth a listen maybe before you buy *** Good,non essential

Well what a surprise this one turned to be. Quest it definitely isn't. Everything about original Yes including polyrhythm, changes of tempo and instrumental virtuosity is there. Ok, Jon Anderson is missing. He is irreplaceable. However this is easily their best album since Magnification and the title track is easily their best song since "In the Presence of". Jay Schellen is actually a much drummer than Alan White in his latter years and maybe that's why this album appeals so much to me. The previous two albums simply don't do this great band justice. I would have preferred a little less filler with the music crammed into a single CD rather than spread out onto two CD's. An example of this is the track "Luminosity" which starts innocuously, then at around the 5 minute mark Steve Howe comes in with some beautiful slide guitar playing with Jay Schellen going off in his own direction. Sherwood is to be congratulated for his bass work keeping in the style of Chris Squire. And the orchestral arrangements are perfect, particularly on the title track. Mirror To The Sky is a brilliant return to form. Pity it took 20 years for the band Yes to find their voice again.

YES , yes YES has just released a 22nd studio album with just the veteran HOWE of the 1st hour. Billy and Geoff faithful to the position as well as Jon whose voice can have an effect for who does not know the stories of line-up changes. Let's see what it's all about.

1. Cut from the Stars Rondo violin intro, good why not, just to score; the riff is YES, that of the 80's OK but also mid-70; Jon gives voice, it looks like...Jon; the bass same observation; much better than the CIRCA, YOSO or other de facto projects; the voice mixes nicely with the instruments, good point it then goes on a swirling Yessian declination and guitar-synth solos still just as fresh 2. All Connected languorous intro, borderline spleen, symphonic, not pompous, musical; a search to give a bit of new blood to a group that remains faithful to its 'sound', no matter what people say; 90's era with old reminiscences and the will or not to do prog since they are part of the basic dinos; well it drifts on a consensual tune with an instrumental mix to which it will take several listenings to find the musical thread, isn't that the goal in fact? Final with this melting slide solo that does not leave insensitive, short excellent Yessian title 3. Luminosity and a second 9 minutes with the soft rock prog intro; quickly disappointed by the fact of a Christmas nursery rhyme ballad as Jon Anderson did; consensual, lacking in pep and it's not the beautiful melodic, orchestral declination, always in slide effect, which will transcend the title. 4. Living Out Their Dream tumbles on a tune à la Collins, à ASIA with a country sound interspersed with Howiens arpeggios; the more monotonous voice is reminiscent of an ersatz of YES, which I review; well that's good but nothing more, the creation is not appropriate except the guitar fight between Howe and Howe; title that is used more. 5. Mirror to the Sky with the eponymous piece, the one we expect given the duration; it starts strong, beautiful fruity, energetic riff, Billy showing his paw; the intro continues on a modern Yessian space worthy of the 80s at a time when prog was dying and had to reinvent itself; the slap in any case; 3 minutes and a chorus 'Machine Messiah' then a nice bucolic couplet, melodic above all; mid-term break I hope for the group something great, yes even a fan I know how to stay neutral and not expect too much as I read too often; Steve shows that he has a good touch and that it is important in a group; the break goes on, symphonic, latent, wait-and-see, yessian, that suits me; he insists on a spleen vibratory sound of very beautiful effect, the drum rolls in the distance increase this feeling even more; soft, intimate, progressive, very good with a bit of 'Drama', Awakeen' in the background and symphonic violins which mark the bucolic finale, a cinematic genre of a revisited 'Lord of the Rings', in short excellent. 6. Circles of Time ends the album with a soft acoustic nursery rhyme, like its marshmallow; pleasant without more but where the guitar is well highlighted. In short, the time to tell yourself that there are big nuggets in this album and very consensual pieces too.

A CD bonus exists and offers 1. Unknown Make way for the enigmatic title, I listen quickly for fun (5 mini listenings anyway); the intro which takes time after the choirs is meant to be soft pop rock and disturbs a little with the lively choir; 2 voices here ok without more, ah the break from the 3 minutes with enjoyable synth solo yes it's not just Steve, that causes there; a little bluesy, a tad energetic western-jazzy; 5 minutes and a second Yessian break which immediately makes the hair stand on end protruding, of the church organ which heats up, Steve which arrives behind and one of the most beautiful Yessian pieces for decades; the slap that will silence the grumpy grump 2. One Second Is Enough intro organ for a typical title putting Jon and Steve forward for a rhythmic ballad with banjo solo; well it's on the bonus it can be explained, reminiscences of Yessian melodic titles and the last solo for the pleasure of passing time 3. Magic Potion for a title of 'The cruise has fun', a title where Steve still puts himself in front of the stage, a consensual title that is beautiful but without too much real soul, especially given the titles

YES would have made a superb album with the 'Unknown Place' in addition and a 'Living' in less for example, it is said; otherwise we hear the musical quality and the snippets of majestic compositions on certain tracks, too good and which hide and lower the level of the others; but it's not bad at all though and my time was magnified during this column. (3.5)

Let's be honest: the classic prog band Yes is no more. The last genuine Yes album was Fly From Here, and the last real masterpiece by Yes was Magnification. Fly From Here was mostly composed by Downes, guess that's why it worked out almost as good as Drama, moreover it reminds The Yes Album in some passages. Magnification was the last Yes studio album with Anderson. Let's be accurate, the band Yes was mostly Jon Anderson's affair since its birth. I admit, other members' contributions were essential, but most of musical ideas and concepts came from Anderson. (That's why his solo albums, especially Olias Of Sunhillow, are musically closer to Yes than any solo effort by Howe or Squire, not to mention Wakeman or Moraz.) Now, Anderson is missing, and Downes stopped doing the writing after Fly From Here, so the band turned from Yes into Davison and Co. Surely Davison did an excellent job as a vocalist in Glass Hammer, and now he does a great job as a vocalist in Yes. However, his domination as a composer brings a very dubious result. His musical thinking is deeply poppy, looks like he unwittingly contaminates with pop every musical matter he touches. (In Glass Hammer all the music was written by Shikoh, Schendel and Babb, Davison only sang.) Heaven & Earth is (I'd say) shameful. The Quest is IMHO better but still unworthy of Yes. And now, their new album... I agree, it's somewhat better than The Quest, but that's all. There're a few brilliant moments in Luminosity and the title epic, and the three songs by Howe on the bonus disc are very nice. The rest is mediocre. Of course I understand the enthusiasm about Mirror To The Sky expressed by many listeners after being disappointed by Heaven & Earth and The Quest, I even started to be slightly enthusiastic myself... but after listening to Mirror To The Sky, the devil pulled me to put the Union LP on my turntable, and... Well, in brief, I gave up. Nothing to discuss. Union is widely considered a weak Yes album, but after Mirror To The Sky it was like a breath of fresh air and a sheaf of fresh ideas. Of 30-year- old ideas, now sounding more fresh than new ideas from Mirror To The Sky! No, the new Yes album is in fact not Yes. Far from that.

Okay, just going to say up front, I am going to digress for a while before I say a word about this album. If it's not your thing, and you want to get straight to the review, then skip down a paragraph or eight. I don't tend to do too many reviews, but when I do it is for albums I like and think deserve to be heard. On the flip side, I don't tend to do negative reviews as there is simply enough negativity in the world already. That's not to say valid criticism doesn't have its place when it is constructive. However, for the most part, I like to look at reviews as an opportunity to tell my friends about something they might enjoy musically even if it isn't perfect.

As such, I am certainly remiss that I have not reviewed any YES albums before now. YES was my gateway introduction to progressive rock back in the early 70s. I have been a big fan ever since and a lot of my younger memories swirl around their music and concerts. I have considered reviewing for me what are watershed albums, namely Yesterdays which was a compilation of their first two albums, The YES Album, CTTE, GFTO, Relayer, TFTO, 90125, and Magnification, but whenever I set my mind to it, I end up pondering what can be said that has not already been said in the existing reviews, and have talked myself out of it. Probably the only thing that would be of interest, at least to me, would be not so much the music itself, which has been analyzed to death, but more my personal experiences associated with it. Reviews for a future time perhaps.

So, the last thoughts are a digression within a digression. Getting back to the thought in the first paragraph about constructive criticism, I must throw it out there that this band, in my humble opinion, gets by far the harshest criticism that any band on this site receives. I understand that YES in the late 60s and early 70s was one of the founding pillars of the progressive genre and set a very high standard, for others to follow, and for they themselves to continually try to surpass. But, let's get real folks, nobody can accomplish this. There was bound to be highs and lows, and certainly there have been both, one stinker that readily comes to mind was Open Your Eyes.

I suppose my biggest issue is that some of the harshest criticism seems to come from reviewers wanting to freeze the band in time. But realistically, this a band that has been around for over 50 years, has had a revolving door of members, each with their own musical styles and focus. Yes, without question, we all have our favorite lineups, but the real bottom line is that we should be grateful that the torch is still being carried after all this time, even if the evolution of the band isn't always what we personally want or expect.

In fact, it seems rather ridiculous that anyone would expect them to be the same band that they were in the beginning so far down the line. Can we really expect 60-70 years olds to be making the same type of music they made in their twenties? I can only hope not! And to be candid here, If they were still churning out basically what they did in the early days, they would certainly be chastised for that. It begs the question, can the masses ever be satisfied, especially critics? For sure I'm not the same person I was in my twenties. If I was, people would rightly have some serious concerns for me. Likewise, my musical tastes have evolved, mellowing out a bit. While I still love progressive music, it doesn't necessarily need to have the bombast that I preferred when I was younger. Thereby, Isn't it reasonable that these matured artists may be calming down in their musical style as well? If so, it's hardly unreasonable, is it? Dare anyone mercilessly criticize them for this?

In fact, if they didn't evolve with age, it would lend serious credence to a quote I remember from Grace Slick, a former member of another 'progressive' band in their own right, wherein she said, "All rock and rollers over the age of fifty look stupid and should retire. It's embarrassing". I can't say I agree with her entirely, but she makes a valid point. 60 and 70 year old rockers singing songs they wrote in their twenties about 17 year old girls just isn't a particularly good look. Fortunately, progressive rock for the most part has much more heady lyrics and themes, so that type of conundrum is not generally the issue.

Nonetheless, her point does drive home that expecting artists to do what they were doing 30 or 40 years ago is nonsensical, unfair, and likely even a bit inappropriate. That being said, I do not agree with Grace that artists, especially if they love what they are doing, should retire when they are fifty. I for one am very pleased that they continue to provide us with new music, and I am okay with them doing so with age-appropriate dignity. I have to wonder sometimes, if the harshest critics would say the same things that they write if they were talking to the artists face to face? I would hope not. Okay. Rant, tirade, soap box speech, and massive digression completed. I really needed to get that out of my system! I hope at least some out there can relate to these observations. If anyone out there wants to comment on this, please do. I would hate to think I'm all alone in the world?

So, enough of that. Let's get to the new album. As I said at the outset, I tend to review albums that I like and want to share, so that is obviously going to be the case this time too. I have listened to the album about ten times now, several times in the background while doing other work, but also several times fully engaged with headphones on. So, I have listened to it while in different head spaces and have given it a fair amount of thought. To be sure, I will be bringing the perspective of my digression along for the ride in my musings. So, let's get started.

First off, let's consider the album art. It's hard to imagine album covers for YES not done by Roger Dean, although there are obviously a few. With out a doubt, at this point, they have a symbiotic relationship which creates a certain atmosphere and anticipation for the music within, and the music in turn affects how we perceive the art. This one is indeed very nice and successful in that regard. The star filled sky along with futuristic landscape, and the human taking it all in (people seem to be quite rare in Dean's work!) ties in very nicely with the overarching musical theme, especially the title song. I would not go so far as to call this a concept album per se, but the material does seem to have loosely bound the idea of stars, space, and the heavens type of theme throughout much of the work as a whole. We are off to a great start here. Got to go with a 10/10 for the art.

Secondly, let's consider a couple things I don't generally isolate independently in my reviews, vocals and lyrics. I guess it is almost impossible to avoid the vocals discussion. Being up front here, I am a long time Jon Anderson fan as many are, but the reality is that he too, is a mere mortal, and far from perfect. While he influenced YES in irreplaceable ways, not everything he has ever touched has turned to gold. Case in point, much of his world music type solo work in particular doesn't do much for me. In addition, whether you like how he exited the band or not, he has not been with the band for some fifteen years now. He will probably at this point never return, although we have been fooled before in respect to this.

I venture to guess that many became fans of YES after his departure. As such, it seems even more so, reasonable that the vocalists need to be assessed for their own abilities, not in comparison with Jon Anderson. Why has that proved to be such a big problem? Not necessarily the singers themselves, but I believe it to be more of the band's corporate decision to align themselves with vocalists that tend to sound very much like Jon Anderson. YES, did have a specific sound vocally, a quite successful sound, for two or three decades, and it's understandable that they want to preserve that, if not exactly, at least in essence. To be honest it took me some time, but I have become okay with this, can accept it for what it is, avoid unnecessary and messy comparisons, and simply allow myself to enjoy the talent that has been brought on board. Let's call the vocals 8/10. May share some specific thoughts in the song reviews.

So next, the lyrics of the new album. It seems some of the current appraisals have been pretty unfavorable regarding the lyrical content. I just don't see it. There are some great lyrics here. For example, 'when I need some perspective, I find my place in the jewel collective', 'if ever there was a sun to dream upon we are as one', 'pause and reflect the cause and effect with mindful mind sail timeless time', 'I'm lost to your sight on a never ending flight only nearer to one more yesterday', and there are plenty more. Whimsical? Poetic? Semi nonsensical? Open to interpretation? For sure. This is the norm for YES, and to be expected and treasured.

Lest we forget, do we remember some of Jon Anderson's lines? Do shining purple wolf hounds, not surrounding yourself with yourself, mountains come out of the sky, rearrange your liver with the solid mental grace, hot color melting the anger to stone, here you stand no taller than the grass sees, ring any bells? Extracts from wonderful songs. I love them all. But you get the idea. Don't look for 'normal' lyrics in YES songs. The new lyrics may not be perfect, but rate at least 8/10.

And at last, some brief thoughts on the songs themselves:

Cut From the Stars: Nice bright opening track. Starts with violins, or synths perhaps, quickly ascends into an up tempo piece that is lyrically driven. Vocals are engaging. Nice guitar work, bass, drumming, and keys. All of the instruments are on point, crisp, and distinguishable. Very accessible yet has creative guitar work and changes in tempo that keeps it from being totally pop prog. This song displays both pop and prog sensibility, which begs the question which way is the album going to lean? (8/10)

All Connected: Given the first track, it was unclear what to expect next. Would it be more straight forward accessible short songs in the path of recent offerings? No! Starts off with a fairly slow almost western-like sound. Steve's slide guitar perhaps? Then drops off into more conventional prog fare gradually building up to a mid- tempo pace, again with nice guitar work. The song has a number of tempo changes but not huge ones, but effective enough. The hint of prog western reprises towards the end to bring it full circle. Again, strongly vocally driven, but with sufficient allowance for exercising some restrained instrumental prowess. While still pretty accessible, one of the better proggy pieces YES has provided of late. (8/10)

Luminosity: Another lengthy piece, similar in tempo to the previous track, but more complex in nature. Well structured, builds up slowly with instrumental section. Steve's guitar work starts coming to the front leading into a vocalization section of ah ah ahs, very reminiscent of classic YES. The following vocals also elicit a strong feeling of deja vu of their earlier works, very nice. While Steve's guitar work perhaps feels somewhat restrained, it is really well done and he extracts some nice emotion from his playing. The last few minutes feature a pleasant instrumental outro to the song that gradually builds up, but again remains controlled, with kind of a 'space' vibe, quite enjoyable, Another top notch proggy track that is hinting at a major positive change in focus for the band (9/10)

Living Out the Dream: And then comes this one. The song is not bad, it just doesn't belong here in this spot on the album. The fast direct punch of this breaks the mood that has just been carefully developed over the first three tracks. It is pleasant enough for what it is, a direct, readily accessible, only marginally prog, rock song. Only Steve's creative guitar work with descending chords saves this from being totally main stream. (6/10) Might rate it higher as a pure rock song, but we're talking prog here, yes?

Mirror to the Sky: And all is forgiven. This one is a monster, a beast, arguably the best track YES has laid down in many years. This is the type of song that made YES the masters of symphonic progressive rock. It is the crown jewel of the album, the one that makes for the price of admission, and clearly deserves to be the title track. Undoubtedly the band was proud of this one and rightly so. Yes, I love this track! From the first guitar notes to the big build up when the drums sign in, then the guitar work becomes powerful side by side with crunchy bass propelled by powerful drumming. Sublime start! The band is sounding youthful again! Drops off for vocals by several members of the group. Definitely has a machine messiah flavor. Steve hits some beautiful chords that are just sweet. Lead and backing vocals are very nice in this one. After the second vocal section, the mirror to the Sky section, which is simply delightful, an orchestral strings section that feels very locomotive like runs for a good while building in intensity while Steve plays over it. Mid tempo vocal section follows, again with the machine messiah feel, with more new creative guitar work, nice backing vocals. Finally dies down for a spacious more ambient section with synths. Geoff shines here creating a spacey carpet for light acoustic guitar work over the top. This plays out for a good while and then, shades of magnification, classical orchestration starts to weave into it. The locomotive strings reappear but in a more grand way with the orchestration slowly growing into a crescendo. And then Steve's guitar lead explodes out of it to finish it all off in style. Powerful finish! Probably just my imagination, but the very last orchestral notes seem to have a Star Wars vibe, which seems appropriate enough given the general stars and space theme of the song and the album. A convincing new epic that I can only imagine is going to be a concert standard for a long time to come! (11/10) Yes, I know the rating numbers don't work like that, but I get to make my own rules!

Circles of Time: As I have said many times in my reviews, I have a weakness for ballads, especially well-placed ones. And this one is very well placed following the power and complexity of the previous track. I openly admit it isn't exceedingly progressive in tempo and chords and such, but it certainly isn't out of the wheelhouse of classic Yes ballad styling. Think 'Onward' from Tormato or 'Soft as a Dove' from Magnification. While the lyrics are somewhat repetitive, I still like them. My only real critique of this track is that it would have benefited from a nice instrumental bridge development towards the end to create some tension in the song and elevate it by changing it up a bit. (7/10)

Unknown Place: Starts with acoustic guitar, some up front vocal chanting, and picks up from there. Nice guitar work with the synths being considerably more up front then on most of the tracks. The interplay between them persists throughout the track with moderate intensity, having a jazz prog feel at points. A little past the half way point there is a nice bass & drum interaction that also plays out well. There is great vocal interplay between Steve and Jon Davison throughout. Good energy, an original, fresh, lively and enjoyable track. It could have made a great album closer. (8/10)

One Second is Enough: Popish, barely progressive. Again, pleasant enough as a nice mainstream type song, but doesn't really fit the album mood or the progressive category so much. (6/10)

Magic Potion: Kind of an interesting song. The guitar work seems to hint at 1960's spy show music riffs. Sort of fun actually, but again, barely progressive. Steve's guitar keeps it just inside the boundary. (6/10)

Final thoughts. This is a very good album, certainly the best that the newer lineup has produced, a true return to form. Is it perfect, a masterpiece of progressive music? No, but it is heading in the right direction. While I appreciate the generosity of the artists, the abundance of material here actually proves to be a hindrance. This is a case of less being more. Had the album been held to about 50 minutes by deleting Living Out Their Dream, One Second is Enough, and Magic Potion, the album would have been much more consistent, much more progressive, and much closer to being a new classic YES release. That being said, I don't dislike those songs, they simply don't fit in well here. For sure, all in all, this album is an exciting leap forward and creates much anticipation of what the band may be able to accomplish if they keep building on this.

As an interesting footnote, the band's website says that the recordings for Mirror to the Sky were done at the same time as The Quest, essentially as an extension of the recording sessions for The Quest because they were on a bit of a roll creatively. It strikes me as curious that this is the case, as in my mind, they are two very different albums. For the most part I found The Quest, except for the first couple tracks, to be pretty mainstream and not particularly progressive oriented, as such something of a disappointment for my taste. However, Mirror to the Sky is totally different, hitting all the prog oriented buttons that we expect from YES. It's as if they finally had an epiphany as to what the fans, especially long time fans want to hear and made a concerted effort to make it happen. Even the three more mainstream songs on Mirror to the Sky are arguably a step up from those on the Quest. Perhaps, now that the group's lineup seems to be stabilizing, they are starting to really get in sync with each other and it feels like the whole is once again becoming better than its individual players. A very exciting prospect indeed!

As for my rating, my overall scoring came out (95/120) = (7.9/10) Definite 4 star territory. Had the album been shorter without those three songs the score would be (77/90) = (8.5/10) and would have been getting close to round it up masterpiece level, but that may be coming soon. Being as I must rate on what was released and not what could have been if it had been a bit shorter, I am still pleased to give it 4 very bright mirror finished shiny stars. Well worth adding to your YES catalog and prog collection!

For any who actually got through this clear to the end, I apologize for this turning into a review of epic proportions. Needless to say, I am passionate about this band in all its many manifestations, and now that I did decide to review them I got just a bit carried away.

With this, the 23rd studio album from prog legends Yes, and following on the heels of their somewhat underwhelming 2021 album, The Quest (which didn't sound much like Yes at all), there was some cause for concern. However, this album follows more closely to the traditional Yes style and sound, has some great songs, and delivers their best album in many years. Of course, the band composition is quite a bit different from their earlier days, with both Chris Squire and Alan White having passed away, and Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman not a part of the band anymore, leaving guitarist Steve Howe in charge, leading singer Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood (bass), Geoff Downes (keybpards), and Jay Schellen (drums) as the current Yes incarnation. Howe, once again, dominates the album (with his guitar, as well as primary songwriter and producer), but with better results than the previous album. The highlight of the album is the wonderful and beautiful title track, also being the longest song, at nearly 14 minutes, and featuring multiple sections, beautiful melodies, an orchestra, and classic Yes songwriting and performance. There are a couple lesser, more pop-oriented songs, such as the straight-forward pop-rock of Living Out Their Dream and the closing Davison ballad Circles of Time, but the bulk of the album follows in the classic Yes style. There is also a bonus disc containing 3 additional songs that is included with some forms of the album, which also veers more towards a lighter, poppier sound, but is nonetheless pleasant, although perhaps a bit too cutesie. Overall, a fine album, and although still cannot measure up to the greatness of their classic days, is nonetheless their best album in probably 20 year. Best Tracks: Mirror to the Sky, Luminosity, Cut From the Stars. Rating: 3.5 stars

I am sure I am not the only one who groaned when I realised there was a new Yes album being released. There is no doubt that 'The Quest' was fairly dire and unworthy of the name 'Yes', with its only saving grace being it was slightly better than 'Heaven & Earth' (not hard), and now we have another line-up of the band with the death of Alan White. This means that only Steve Howe is left of the group we all know and love so much, with Jon Davison (vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Billy Sherwood (bass, vocals), and new boy Jay Schellen (drums). Interestingly, this means that everyone apart from Davison has also been a member of Asia. Even during the Seventies, Yes were not as consistently great as we all like to remember (although progheads on PA have 'Close to the Edge' listed as the greatest progressive album of all times), with 1977's 'Going For The One' the last truly stunning album from the band (in my opinion), with just two of the ones since then being truly indispensable, namely 'Drama' (I know this was Yeggles but I love it) and 2011's 'Fly From Here'. Only Steve and Geoff are here from that last release, and interestingly also from 'Drama', and the band have been through some turbulent times over the years.

Consequently, I am not sure what I expected from the latest release, but the bar was set incredibly low, and I was sure they would not be able to reach even that so when they surpassed it I must admit to being quite surprised. Bringing Sherwood into the band to replace Squire was always going to be the way to go given his style, and he has certainly upped the clunkiness to ensure he fits in perfectly. I was at Davison's first ever gig with Yes, here in Auckland, and it may have taken him quite some time, but he is now singing with some authority and sounds as if he now belongs there as opposed to just warming a seat until someone else returns again. Downes also appears to have looked back to previous albums and is no longer attempting to drive the band in a direction which was not right for them, while Steve Howe also seems more settled.

Does this make 'Mirror to the Sky' an essential Yes release? No, but it is certainly the best since Davison became involved and given the lack of White and Squire that is possibly not expected. I found I could listen to this all the way to the end without cringing, and there are some high points here and there, which is certainly a step in the right direction. I have been playing this more than I expected, and while I will always mourn the lack of Wakeman and Anderson due to what they bring to the group, this is a nice middle of the road release which for the most part I found I enjoyed, not something I thought I would ever say again about a new Yes album.

I've enjoyed most of Yes' modern day albums up to and including The Ladder (1999), Magnification (2001) and Fly from Here (2011). However when Heaven and Earth came out (2014), I didn't race to buy it (for whatever reason) but waited to hear the word on the street- which turned out to be an almost unanimous 'nothing to see here' (I'll be digging in to review it this year though).

Then The Quest came along (2021) with it's interesting first single that caught my ear. Reviews on YouTube seemed fairly positive, if reservedly so. Seeing how beautiful the Roger Dean artwork design was, I was tempted to buy the vinyl (I haven't yet, but I'll review the full album this year).

Which brings us to today in 2023 and the release of Mirror to the Stars. It marks the first Yes studio album in 50 years without mainstay Alan White on the drum throne due to his passing, and the second album without the late and great Chris Squire on bass, replaced by Billy Sherwood.

Praises for this album seem fairly universal across YouTube. I also did a reaction video to the first intriguing 'single' Cut From the Stars (click here for the video reaction). Now, as I dive into the full disc, the main question on my mind is: will the rest of the album be as good? Will it be an upbeat affair?

Overall it's very 'new' sounding material for modern Yes, and by that I mean there is a distinct unfamiliarity about it. They've successfully carved out some new paths here, to my delight. It will, I believe, earn itself a unique place in the Yes discography of about 22 studio albums.

Does it match Yes in it's prime with classic albums like Close to the Edge? Come on! Can anyone match that, never mind the modern Yes? Many have tried, and frankly that's an unrealistic expectation. Does it bring something distinct and fresh to the table? Actually yes, it does. It is compositionally unique, varied and progressive. Is it super edgy? I couldn't honestly just blurt out 'no' to that. I have to think about it. It is edgy as far a progressive music is concerned, but not edgy literally. It's got a soft edge compared to the world of modern prog and it's many new extremes.

What's different from a majority of the Yes discography on this album is the missing vocals of Jon Anderson, by many considered the authentic voice of Yes. I tend to differ on that position. After all, Yes is expected to be around in various incarnations hopefully for decades or centuries, if the original vision for the band pans out. This requires some humility and open mindedness for all Yes fans- even me, I admit.

Jon Davison has a softer, gentler voice than Anderson- even if they have a similar timbre, which is a huge consideration since Yes are expected to perform many of the old classics live- and they are a busy touring band still. On songs like Luminosity Davison's vocals are quite appropriate (great synth work as well), but on All Connected for example, I can't help but miss Jon Anderson belting it out.

I can only touch on lyrics briefly as I don't focus on them like I do on composition as a writer myself... Hmm... Yup, they're fine. Oh, wait. Circles of Time is exceptional as a reprieve from our current attention-demanding culture..."I'm caught in a circle of time..." Howe plays beautiful acoustic guitar as well as ambient pedal steel reminiscent of To Be Over (Relayer). I really think this song, soulfully sung by Davison is going to garner attention from outside the Yes circle.

Someone in the band sounds hauntingly similar to Chris Squire, by the way, and I have to admit I like that. It's really hard even for me to adapt to the changing faces of Yes, despite all my pontificating.

Mirror to the Sky, the 13 minute track and namesake of the album deserves special attention. It's solid and generally in the Yes tradition, but a much softer-edged affair. It doesn't have the intensity and bite of the Gates of Delirium or the gravity of Awaken, but it is a thoughtful and gently inspiring piece incorporating symphonic strings. It keeps interesting throughout with a great variety in the dynamics- Howe's solo work being consistently a pleasure to the senses and the tune finishes on a strong note- perhaps hinting more long Yes songs are to come?

The new drummer Jay Schellen is great. Since a majority of the album is upbeat we get to enjoy his work on all tracks except Circles of Time which is a quiet song at the end of the album. (By the way, I'm not reviewing the 3 bonus tracks- just the main album itself).

The production is great. Everything sits well together and sounds alive. Still, I have long-wished Yes would bring back retired producer Eddy Offord. Better yet, I wish they would return to an analog tape-based studio, as I consider it to be part of the classic Yes sound. There are plenty of lush sections, even some very elegant parts featuring actual symphonic musicians performing as with the Magnification album.

The album is full of compositional surprises -one can't absorb it all in one listen. There is a tendency to be unpredictable and newfangled, even if in a retro-rock way such as Living Out their Dream which shows some influences from surf-rock to my ear, taking into account Howe's playful leads on guitar. A breath of innovation has encircled the Yes camp. There's lots of harmonies on the album- another characteristic of the classic Yes vibe.

Steve Howe's work on the album is great too. He sure loves his fuzzy slide guitar. Personally, I've always yearned for him to don some heavier guitar tones now and then- even a bit of a more metal sound, but that's never going to happen- and doesn't seem part of his DNA. No harm done though- Howe is one of the greatest benefactors to rock guitar ever.

I have to wonder, what triggered the band's new greatness? Did Steve Howe have an epiphany? Howe is not slowing down in output despite his age. He's as prolific as ever- owing in part to his life-long healthy vegetarian diet and lifestyle. He would look cool if he smoked a pipe like JRR Tolkien though. He's on that wise-wizard level (maybe Rick Wakeman can loan him a cape or two from his closet?).

Living out the dream seemed a bit 'different' to me on first listen, but with repeat listening I'm digging it- along with the rest of this album. The bass has some cool goings-on: great guitar solo, and I like the conga slaps.

Overall my expectations have been exceeded, though they weren't too high I'll admit. Onward and upward, I say.

(Again to be clear, I am not listening to the bonus tracks for this review as I want to focus on the main work of the album alone and will save them for listening to somewhere down the road. I'm interested to see how well the main disc can stand on its own).

YES carved out a very respectable and unique album that compliments and enriches an already expansive discography. It's might just earn back some straying Yes fans as well as garnering some new respect and appreciation.

Here's a review that I did not think I could arrive upon until very recently. About a month ago, I went onto Apple Music and downloaded the most recent Yes album, Mirror to the Sky. I must say that I've been pleasantly surprised by this offering from Howe, Downes, Davison, Sherwood, and Schellen. Previously, I've studiously avoided any Yes albums released since Fly from Here. In fact, on one level, I feel that I'm a "traitor" to Jon Anderson. The very regrettable fashion in which Howe, Squire, and White used the 2008 occasion of Jon Anderson's respiratory illness to jettison him from the band remains, to me, suspect. In 1980, I grew to like Drama not only based on the quality of the music, but also because Anderson and Wakeman voluntarily "recused" themselves from the band.

In March of 2013, Squire, Howe, White, Downes, and Davison performed at the Hard Rock Live venue in Biloxi, MS. At the last minute, I resolved that, although I strongly disagreed with the less than "gentlemanly" fashion in which Squire, Howe, and White parted ways with Anderson, my daughter and I would drive from New Orleans to attend the show. Especially in the wake of Squire and White's deaths, I'm glad we did. We arrived at the juncture in which the band began the vocal section of "Close to the Edge," continuing through the balance of the album. Then, Squire and "company" played "The Yes Album" in its entirety. Although I found Geoff Downes keyboards, overall, low in the mix, Downes emerged in the forefront as he "nailed" Tony Kaye's piano parts from a "Venture." Due to time constraints imposed by the Hard Rock live venue, we were denied the third section of this album tour, "Going for the One." Fortunately, I was later able to watch a performance of "Going for the One" from this tour on YouTube.".

"Fast forward" to 2016 . . . . We now have another incarnation of Yes: Anderson, Rabin, and Wakeman (with bassist Lee Pomeroy and drummer Louis Molino III). Courtesy of my oldest son, he and I attended the ARW concert in November of 2016 at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans. Simply put, these five gentlemen delivered a truly poignant Yes concert. (Also noteworthy in my recollections ? this concert occurred in the wake of the election of a certain, dubious personage to the American Presidency). 2Mercifully, 2017 brought with it the extremely, long overdue induction of Yes into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Part of me, in the spirit of Marlon Brando's refusal of the Oscar for Best Actor for the Godfather, has held the notion that the eight members of the band inducted that night would have been justified in refusing this honor . . . ! Regardless, Anderson, Howe, Rabin, Wakeman & White with Geddy Lee as bassist delivered the obligatory, but largely welcome rendition of "Roundabout." Perhaps even more welcome was the performance of "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman & White with Howe supplying the bass line on a Rickenbacker. Ah, yes, "Stand on the Hills of Long Forgotten Yesterdays."

As of this present time, I have yet to listen to any of The Quest; no matter, the strength of Mirror to the Sky will lead me back to The Quest. Mirror to the Sky exemplifies many of the qualities one would expect "worthy" of a Yes album . . . . Previously, I referred to Jon Davison as "pseudo" Jon Anderson. The weight of the band's performance on this, their latest album has helped me remove the designation of "pseudo." I believe I can speak for all "Yes freaks" in my ever present grief regarding the losses of Chris Squire and Alan White. Through their performances, Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen help us deal with this sadness with their evocative presence of their mentors . . . . Geoff Downes is dominant in Uncommon Place, One Second is Enough, the ending of Cut from the Stars and the opening of Luminosity. Otherwise, the keyboardist adopts a more "supportive" role throughout, deferring to crisp orchestrations of Paul K. Joyce and the performance of the FAMES Orchestra in Skopje, North Macedonia.

As producer and master "of all things with strings," Steve Howe guarantees continuity with the fifty-five year tradition of Yes.

So, perhaps in the future, this Mirror to the Sky incarnation of Yes might just pay the Crescent City a visit.

Legendary British band Yes is back in 2023 with their 23rd studio album 'Mirror to the Sky'. Obviously with no original members left in the band, many like to argue to what extent this band could really can itself Yes, but such debates are too often, if not always, counterproductive, pointless, and utterly crass. The fact is that Mr Steve Howe, legendary guitar player is willing to keep the band alive and going strong, as this is their second release into the 2020s, some two years after 'The Quest', a record that was received positively enough.

What matters here is that this is finally a Yes album that could deserve enough attention to be considered a return to form. The band had boldly proclaimed themselves masters of the album craft, and I could by no means oppose such a statement, as 'Mirror to the Sky' is a well-written, finely composed and recorded album, working pretty well as one, too. Band members Billy Sherwood, Geoff Downes, Jay Schellen, and Jon Davison, who has co-written most of the record all contribute and play gracefully, adding a pretty fine album to the majestic Yes universe. This one is by no means able to foreshadow the band's all-time classics from the 70s and the 80s, but is a great exercise in trying to recapture that joyful and affirming spark of creativity that has always been associated with the name of Yes.

Opener 'Cut from the Stars' is an upbeat Davison composition that does a pretty good job of introducing this new album with some fine melodies and playing. 'All Connected' is for sure a nod to the years when Jon Anderson was the creative force behind many of the compositions of the band, not a bad track either. 'Luminosity' is fine, just a tiny bit overstretched in time. 'Living Out Their Dream' is a pretty nice highlight, sounds like something that has slipped away from the 'Going for the One' sessions. The 14-minute title track is perhaps the best event on the album, as Yes perform a longer track that works quite well as one, the playing is fantastic, the ideas on here sound fresh and modern, and every minute of this great epic is thoroughly enjoyable. Closing track 'Circles of Time' is one I found particularly corny, could have been left out as a bonus track, depending on who you ask. Speaking of bonus tracks, the second disk (featuring just three more songs) does not contribute all too much to the overall experience of the album, the songs there are in the same vein as the ones on the main disk, just more forgettable and repetitive.

Overall a very positive reception for this new Yes album, the band is trying to stay relevant and creatively focused, which is a great thing. The legacy of Yes surely lives on, and 'Mirror to the Sky' is a good album that aims to point out exactly this!

Although I do consider Yes to be my all time favorite band, I haven't been very pleased with the albums they have released following Jon Anderson's departure in 2008. And it's not because I am against the idea of Yes without Anderson (I gave "Drama" a 5 Star rating), I just don't think the songs have been as strong since "Magnification" in 2001 (The last full studio album with Anderson). I did say, however, in my first review of this album, that I thought that this is the finest one since then, and called it "good but not great." So, let me give it another deep listen, and see if my opinion has changed.

The lineup of Yes on this album is:

Steve Howe- Guitars/Vocals/Album Producer Jon Davison- Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitars Geoff Downes- Keyboards Billy Sherwood - Bass/Vocals Jay Schellen-Drums (His first album as official drummer after Alan White's passing in 2022)

Track 1 - Cut From the Stars

This was the lead-off single from the album, and I remember having a cautiously good impression of it when I first heard it. Cautiously, because I was impressed with "The Ice Bridge" from the previous album, "The Quest" in 2021, but then being let down by much of the rest of the album.

The song begins with what I'll describe as a solo synth string sound from Downes, then Schellen hits a snare fill and the band kicks in, with Sherwood laying down a nice bass line. Vocals kick in at 24 seconds. I like the instrumental accents between phrases. At 46 seconds the beat is suspended after Davison sings the title of the song. Various instrument and processed vocal sounds kind of float around then the next vocal section begins, this part has more of a call & response between the voice and instruments. Following that, there is a verse similar to the opening one. Next up is a slightly funky riff starting around 1:50 with a new vocal melody. There is a quieter section at around 2:25, then the music picks back up again. There is a Howe-led instrumental break that Downes harmonizes on keyboards. There is a bridge following at around 3:15. They get funky again following that. Howe and Downes trade riffs starting around 4:30, but it doesn't seem very inspired. This leads to the close of the song. It has its moments, but it's missing the energy I am wanting.

Track 2 - All Connected A keyboard riff starts this one off, then the band comes in at a moderately slow tempo. Howe takes the melody on his steel guitar. The rhythm changes around around 1:20 with vocal parts and staccato guitar & keys. A syncopated rhythm starts off the first verse. There is a turnaround around the 2 minute mark. Nice drumming from Schellen around 2:35. They sing "harmony" in-harmony, of course. Then there is a nice bridge section in a half-time feel. Davison sings a cappella at around 3:30, leading into a new rhythmic section. Howe is really enjoying his flanger pedal on this one. Sherwood & Schellen have a nice rhythm going here. Davison hits some high notes and Howe plays a guitar solo. At around 4:40, Howe sings a few lines with heavy effects on it, then Davison answers with the song title. They go into a 6-8 rhythm here with acoustic strumming. Howe returns to steel guitar next at 5:08, with accents from the others. The tempo slows back down following that. They sing harmony ahhs, then the tempo picks back up. Syncopated rhythms return and there is a bit more energy, but it's still not giving me the "thrust" I'm looking for. The feel changes again around 7:37. Then around 8 minutes, it slows back down with another Howe steel-solo, interspersed with licks on a six-string to close out the track. Again, it's not bad, but some of the slower parts had me fighting sleep.

Track 3 - Luminosity

As this one begins, the keyboards play an arpeggiated pattern while Howe takes the lead and Schellen plays big drum fills. I'll call the meter, once it becomes steady, a slow 6-4. At around 1 minute though, Howe plays some eighth note chords, then the beat goes into 4-4. At around 1:30, the beat changes again and they sing harmony Ahhs with the music. I like the Howe fill at 1:45. They are locking into a groove here, with a slight crescendo. The beat changes again around 2:15, then the vocals enter with Davison singing a very light, high-pitched, classical style melody. Davison does have a nice voice, indeed, but he lacks some of the fullness & grit that Anderson has. The beat kicks back just before the 3 minute mark. Excellent harmonies around 4 minutes. Davison sings the melody again, with Howe (I believe) doubling him an octave lower, and Sherwood (I think) singing a counter-melody somewhat distantly. The vocal arranging is well done here. The instrumental parts are light and airy with Downes hitting some electric piano chords here and there. Nice chord change at 5:46! But things get softer again and keyboards sustain chords while Howe plays steel guitar over it. The beat returns at 7 minutes, while Howe keeps soloing on the steel guitar. This is feeling slightly like the closing section of "Ritual" from "Tales from Topographic Oceans," but with less "oomph". The synth sounds are very much like an actual string section. It's like orchestral music with a rock drumbeat. My favorite track so far. It doesn't rock very hard, but it was musically interesting.

Track 4 - Living Out Their Dream

A shorter track at 4:47, this one starts out with an upbeat, rock riff, with nice turnarounds. It has kind of a 60s rock feel, not too heavy. The vocals are in a lower register, and this one indicates that it's a vocal duet with Howe in the credits, but I believe it's Davison's voice primarily. This one is giving me a head-bob. Nice guitar runs from Howe around 2:15. OK, that's Howe's voice following that. Howe takes a solo around 3:10. Downes plays some cool keyboard bits here and there, but I'd love a big-fat Hammond solo on this groove; it's screaming for it. The beat changes just after 4 minutes to an almost drunken 6-8 groove that closes out the track. Fun song. Again, I wish that Downes had been given an organ solo and that they kept up the groove a bit longer.

Track 5 - Mirror to the Sky

The title track is also the epic of the album at just under 14 minutes. Howe's solo opening riff has a bit of Neil Young "Ohio" feel to my ears. Piano parts join in then the band kicks in big-time at just before the 1 minute mark. NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT! Schellen and Sherwood get a smokin' groove going here. Howe keeps the spotlight, and there are cool proggy things happening. For the first time on the album, I feel like Schellen and Sherwood are channeling Alan White and Chris Squire energy! As every Yes fan knows, Squire was a big mentor to Sherwood for many years, and I knew he had it in him. Bravo! Now let's see if it carries into the rest of the song. This groove is giving me stink-face (yes, that's a good thing) while Howe is playing his most inspired solo on the album, thus far. Then they made me go "whoah!" at around 2:25 when Schellen gets a brief drum solo. The descending run at around 2:44 reminds me of "Mind Drive" from "Keys to Ascension." That was a GREAT Yes intro. An acoustic guitar riff takes us into the next section of the epic. Howe takes lead vocals then Davison joins in with him. The synth begins doubling the guitar melody between vocal phrases. The rhythm section kicks back in at just before 4 minutes. Howe takes another solo between verses, then Davison takes over on vocals. At around 5:20 Davison goes sky high. I believe that he is finding his OWN way of being a Yes-singer here. While his voice has a similar range to Anderson's which is helpful when singing classic Yes material live, he is finding ways to make his lighter tone work in a Yes setting. He has sung on 2 previous Yes albums and it never quite worked for me until now. The instrumental break at around 5:50 is interesting, I can't quite tell if it's all keyboards, or if there is acoustic guitar mixed in. Howe solos over the top and there are acoustic guitars in the background with the rhythm section. Nice drum fill just before 7:00 Davison returns on vocals at around 7:10 with an effect on his voice. There is a dramatic bridge when that happens. Then guitar reminiscent of the opening returns at 7:55, with the others playing various intertwining parts. Excellent harmonized vocals follow that. Howe has a nice guitar bit at 8:just before 8:30, and there are cool synth accents between. The beat slows way down at around 9:30 and Downes takes over with some synth lines with some interesting background bits. Some of this album, and this track in particular feel like what "Tales from Topographic Oceans" might have sounded like with modern technology. The acoustic melody returns at around 11:50, and the synth-string sounds join in. CORRECTION! There is actual orchestration on this. I thought the strings sounded too real to be synths. The orchestra takes over for a minute or so, then the band kicks back in at 12:45, with a middle eastern flavor. At 13:20 they start heading for a big finish! They do the "Mind Drive" style descending riff again, then there is a final big major chord to close things out. FANTASTIC TRACK! The orchestration makes me think of "Magnification," and it's on par with the songs there. I would almost hold that song up to some of the 70s classics. Best Yes track in years.

Track 6 - Circles of Time

This song closes out the main part of the album, with 3 "bonus tracks" following. Davison sings a catchy phrase: "Time circles in circles of ti-ime" a Capella to start this on out. Howe plays mellow guitar to echo the phrase, and Davison begins the verse with acoustic accompaniment. This one is kind of mellow and folky. It has a nice melody with good harmonies. It's a good song but not much for me to write about.

NOTE: The three final songs are on a separate disc in the CD version, and are called bonus tracks. Howe has explained that they are called that because they somehow didn't fit with the vibe of the rest of the album, but thought they were still worthy of release. So, even though I don't normally include "bonus tracks," in my reviews, they are truly a part of the album to begin with, so here we go.

Track 7 - Unknown Place

This one begins with a cool acoustic riff that reminds me of something Greg Lake might have played on an ELP album. They then sing wordless vocal sounds with an instrumental accent between phrases; almost like a tribal chant. At around 40 seconds they put the chant and guitar part together with a nice groove. Howe and Davison sing in duet as the first verse unfolds. The tribal groove thing happens again between verses. Howe takes the lead vocal a bit here, but he has never been the world's greatest singer (although in his prime, he might have been the world's greatest guitar player). At around 3:20, there was a taste of the Hammond organ I wanted on track 4! The tribal groove returns, but this time, Downes plays an organ countermelody over the top, before playing some nice Hammond licks. He and Howe trade off a bit, but then? COWBELL! Howe plays a very cool syncopated riff over the cowbell. The band actually stretches out instrumentally and they improv a bit; it's nice! At 5:27 though, they slow the beat down and sing some 'doot do doo" things with instrumentation in between. At 6 minutes, Howe gives a masterclass in classical guitar. The band comes in with a groove along with it and build up some instrumental parts. At 6:50 Downes plays some pipe organ. By 7:15 we are in 6-8 for a vocal section. The song ends on a sustained chord. Nice PROG!

Track 8 - One Second Is Enough

This one begins with organ parts, and then the band comes in with an upbeat groove. Howe and Davison sing in octaves again. At 1:05 there is a transitional bit, then they hit the chorus. Another verse follows. This one seems like it was meant to be a single aimed at radio play. At around 2:40, Howe plays harmonized guitar parts reminiscent of Brian May. At around 3:20, following another chorus, Howe plays a guitar solo, leading up to a closing segment. A pretty good song, but far from my favorite on the album.

Track 9 - Magic Potion

The album closer begins with a clean-electric strummed guitar pattern. The rhythm section johns in after a few seconds then Howe lays down clean lead lines that he adds harmonies to as they go along. The vocals come in using the octave thing that Howe and Davison seem to be into on this album. The rhythm section is grooving underneath while the vocals and guitar do a call and response. After an ascending vocal line, there is an instrumental bit that reminds me of the type of thing they played on "Fly From Here" in 2011. (Although only Howe and Downes remain from that line-up, as Squire and White both passed on and Benoit David was the first singer on that one, then they were re-recorded by Trevor Horn for an alternate version of the album). Howe plays a catchy lick here. This one is almost 80s style jazzy pop, with some prog touches. I like the harmonies and synth swells around 2:50. Then at just after 3:00, the beat stops and Howe plays harmony guitar parts with sustained keyboard backing. The beat returns at 3:35 with a half-time feel before the song winds-down to a close. A fun track.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I was a bit concerned on the first few tracks that I wasn't liking it as much as I remembered. They seemed to lack energy, and felt very much like the majority of tracks on "Heaven and Earth," and "The Quest"; just too mellow and easy going to be what I want from Yes. But then, things pick-up. Track 3 is still kind of mellow, but gets more interesting, musically, for me. Track 4 rocked up a bit. But it was track 5, the title track, BLEW ME AWAY! I don't remember liking it this much the first time around. They showed me what this lineup is capable of! Track six was nice and folky, but track 7 pulled me back in. 8 was OK, but I enjoyed #9. A bit of a mixed bag, but when it's good, it's great! I'll give it a 4 out of 5 Stars!