New YES studio album- Mirror to the Sky

[arturs]

I quite enjoyed The Quest for what it is. Avoiding to compare it to their past glory helped on that matter.

I think this is the key to approaching any new album of an established act. The question should be, as Ronmac and Wilcox suggest about Tormato and Quest, "would I enjoy this music if it was by a new band?"

For me the answer regarding Quest is "yes". It's not Fragile or GFTO and I wouldn't necessarily want that anyway... It represents something new for the band, particularly Davison's incorporating a lot of 60s and 70s California pop sounds into the music. I understand and respect that YMMV.

[Rulo]

If The Quest was an album by a new prog band it'd be praised to the mountains high. Because it is under the Yes banner, it is immediately compared & reviled.

Right on!

[helixhelix]

I think this is the key to approaching any new album of an established act. The question should be, as Ronmac and Wilcox suggest about Tormato and Quest, "would I enjoy this music if it was by a new band?"

For me the answer regarding Quest is "yes". It's not Fragile or GFTO and I wouldn't necessarily want that anyway... It represents something new for the band, particularly Davison's incorporating a lot of 60s and 70s California pop sounds into the music. I understand and respect that YMMV.

it is absolutely incredible that here, on a page dedicated to "progressive rock" no less, that the posters herein still do not understand musicians and creative people and their need/want/will to actually CREATE


wtf!!

[battema]

Sometimes it feels like these threads are just roll call for everyone to step in and make sure we haven't forgotten how they feel regarding Yes (either good or bad). We don't even have a title, much less any actual music to reference.

So hey, I guess it's my turn!

I liked The Quest more than I expected. And FFH remains one of my all-time favorite Yes albums. H&E never really stayed with me, but that's still 2 out of 3 from the post-Hobbit Yes.

I don't need another Yes album in my life, but it costs nothing but a bit o' time to listen to what they have whenever they've got it ready and make a call at that point.

[ronmac]

I think that what's left of the Classic Yes should reform, poll PE members about what THEY want, and then just fucking do it.

I mean, get on with it, already.

[Koreabruce]

Sometimes it feels like these threads are just roll calls for everyone to step in and make sure we haven't forgotten how they feel regarding Yes (either good or bad). We don't even have a title, much less any actual music to reference.

So hey, I guess it's my turn!

I liked The Quest more than I expected. And FFH remains one of my all-time favorite Yes albums. H&E never really stayed with me, but that's still 2 out of 3 from the post-Hobbit Yes.

I don't need another Yes album in my life, but it costs nothing but a bit o' time to listen to what they have whenever they've got it ready and make a call at that point.

STOP MAKING SENSE!

[Firth]

You'll never stop Yes...

Yes will never be No:;

[Sean]

I'm not opposed to a new Yes album, though the last two did little for me, save for a couple tracks. Heaven and Earth gets it's share of disdain, and justifiably so. It was tired and the tunes were pretty boring. It wound up being an odd hodge-podge of disparate styles, little of which was prog. The Quest managed to be a cohesive album, but I feel like the best writers of Yes music are no longer in the band. Geoff seems really underutilized as a writer too. He manages to write some decent stuff in other contexts. Why so little of his music gets used on modern Yes albums is a mystery. The Monkman cribbed tune not withstanding. FFH seemed a bit tired when it was new, but it seems downright energetic and determined compared to the last two albums. I keep finding myself going back to Magnification. If they could do something as good now I'd be happy. But it's pretty much a different cast of characters, save for one. As time passes I feel less enamored (was I ever, though?) with Jon Davision's vocals and his choice of odd, sometimes clumsy sounding melodies. He's a really nice guy, but comes off a pretty limp on the two Yes albums he's been on so far. Like I used to say about PE, expect nothing and you'll never leave here disappointed. I guess that holds true for new Yes.

[Mister Triscuits]

expect nothing

[battema]

STOP MAKING SENSE!

[Piskie]

I assume Geoff Downes has found a few more old tapes from the 70s....😁

[Koreabruce]

I assume Geoff Downes has found a few more old tapes from the 70s....��

... with other people's music on them that he can use...

[aith01]

... with other people's music on them that he can use...

To be fair, it seems like an honest mistake. Monkman's tune was tacked onto the end of a tape that was otherwise all Downes' library music work.

[Koreabruce]

To be fair, it seems like an honest mistake. Monkman's tune was tacked onto the end of a tape that was otherwise all Downes' library music work.

Yes, I know all about that. I was being facetious.

[aith01]

Yes, I know all about that. I was being facetious.

I know you know, Bruce. I was just commenting on it before someone (e.g. Frumious) took that and ran with it.

[Hitmonchong]

Same here; nice presentation and box. But the music is just too sterile and sanitized. Too clean and not interesting. It's easy listening and far from what made the band great. Jon Davison is a great guy but his singing is too twee or cringey for me. I'm sorry Yes fans. I think the best thing about the new album will be its artwork.

[timmy]

Same here; nice presentation and box. But the music is just too sterile and sanitized. Too clean and not interesting. It's easy listening and far from what made the band great. Jon Davison is a great guy but his singing is too twee or cringey for me. I'm sorry Yes fans. I think the best thing about the new album will be its artwork.

That sums it up for me.

When I listen to albums like Fragile, CTTE, GFTO, and even Drama, I get a sense that the music and their careers are at stake. "If we make a shit record, we're done!" type of urgency-with-care. You can almost hear the band arguments over the inclusion of member's contributions, or the arrangements, in the music!

None of the Yes albums past Talk has that sound and vibe for me. It's as if the band believes they have an audience that will buy whatever they release, so they release material that should, at best, remain as private demos. They're probably selecting the music that sounds most "appropriate" for Yes. Some of it sounds like project studio personal demos, too. Rant over.

(Edit: changed "It's as if the band knows..." to "It's as if the band believes...", thx to Henry for catching my mistake )

[Hitmonchong]

I think they were on to something with The Ladder, Magnification, and Keys 2. But they kept changing directions and personnel.

[bondegezou]

None of the Yes albums past Talk has that sound and vibe for me. It's as if the band knows they have an audience that will buy whatever they release, so they release material that should, at best, remain as private demos.

If they're reading threads like this one, they can't possibly believe that!

[Firth]

Same here; nice presentation and box. But the music is just too sterile and sanitized. Too clean and not interesting. It's easy listening and far from what made the band great. Jon Davison is a great guy but his singing is too twee or cringey for me. I'm sorry Yes fans. I think the best thing about the new album will be its artwork.

I’d just like to see Anderson with the Band Geeks NOT

[Frumious B]

I know you know, Bruce. I was just commenting on it before someone (e.g. Frumious) took that and ran with it.

Geoff Downes made an honest mistake and took ownership of it. No harm. No foul. However, there were some YesThug and band leech/hanger on types out there, especially on FB, who were adamantly insistent that it was impossible the track was Monkman’s work to the the point of making threats against anyone who dared to imply otherwise. Those folks have my eternal contempt and I couldn’t be happier that they ended up with egg on their faces.

[Frumious B]

I’d just like to see Anderson with the Band Geeks NOT

I mean, it seems like it could be a fun show, but also boring because it’s not like you are going to hear anything that hasn’t been done better and you certainly aren’t going to hear anything new and different.

[Firth]

I mean, it seems like it could be a fun show, but also boring because it’s not like you are going to hear anything that hasn’t been done better and you certainly aren’t going to hear anything new and different.

Sure, however Jon and the Rock Academy performance at ROSfest was likely more entertaining than that show, a band that just copies the record.

[Frumious B]

I don’t think it’s impossible that they could fix the vocals by turning down Howe’s microphone and adding more unprocessed Sherwood to the mix while also writing better, snappier tunes with some hooks and some joie de vivre, but I think it’s likely that only an outside producer could push for that to happen.

[Aggie87]

I mean, it seems like it could be a fun show, but also boring because it’s not like you are going to hear anything that hasn’t been done better and you certainly aren’t going to hear anything new and different.

On the other hand, you aren't likely to hear this material performed this well and with this conviction anywhere else these days. And with Jon Anderson's voice.