HEAVEN & EARTH

It pains me to write this review. I really, really want a Yes that album that I can love, or even like. This new album isn't that. Instead my favorite band of all time has delivered an album that quietly plods along, fails to inspire, and then politely ends. Lady's and gentleman, this is the worst studio album Yes has ever released (IMHO).

Here are some of my thoughts on previous albums just so you know where I'm coming from. Fly From Here - I really liked it and I still listen to it. Bumpy Road didn't inspire me though. I think Benoit's voice is beautiful and suits the Drama era material. Magnification - I loved it except for "Soft As A Dove". Yes I loved it The live recording was great fun too. The Ladder - Yep, another one I loved. A few weak moments, but overall I though it was great. OYE - Good with some very good moments. I really like Fortune Teller, OYE, Love Shine, The Solution are my faves. Talk - Yep, I loved a lot of that too. Walls was a little mushy but still good. Silent Spring was awesome. now let's go way back Big Generator - Just OK. 90125 - Very good, but not great from beginning to end. Union - (feel free to flame me, I can take it) I loved it. I loved the concert - Awaken was transcendental. I saw them the day Trevor Rabin became a US citizen. I don't really care how little Steve Howe was on the album. Jimmy Huan did a great job. ABWH - Loved it. OK, Let's Pretend was a bit soft for me. Tormato - Pretty good but a bit sappy. Candyfloss anyone? The bonus tracks are awful though. Drama - Loved it except it was too short. I like Trevor Horn's voice because it sounded urgent. GFTO - I love this album except for the title track, which I though was too shrill and soulless. TFTO - lot's of chops, not a lot of soul, listened to if a few times Relayer - Loved it. TYA, Fragile, CTTE - masterpieces of course

I own them all the Yes albums, even YesShows as badly as it was recorded. (I still need the remastered Yessongs)

Other current fave bands: Big Big Train, Porcupine Tree & SW, Cosmograf, Steve Hackett, Mystery, Hogarth+Barbieri, and on and on. I don't like Dream Theater, post Wetton King Crimson, and Gentle Giant. And finally, no, I don't like Glass Hammer (I've tried, but I just don't.).

Clearly I'm overcompensating here to prove my prog and Yes love.

I am not part of the camp that says Jon Anderson is required for a proper Yes album (although it certainly helps). I saw Jon Davidson live with Yes and thought he was very good. I also thoroughly enjoyed Benoit David in concert on the Drama and Fly From Here songs.

I try to take every Yes album as a separate entity and just enjoy them for what they are.

I've listened to the new album several times and nothing seems to move me. I hear bits of the Beatles, maybe some Bread (yes, that old Bread), and even some hints of the Yes song Sweetness. It's all very nice like kissing your sister. Safe, perfunctory, and passionless. It's just too pleasant, and I mean that in a bad way.

Now I pick on the musicians individually: I must admit that I'm growing tired of Steve Howe's riffs just spicing up a song without being the song's backbone. To my ears the guitar on this album seems one dimensional compared to the tones used on Fly From Here. I don't know how to describe it other than saying it's stale.

Geoff did a fine job that any studio keyboard player could have done. I don't hear Geoff invested in the music. It seems he's doing his best to fill in the moments that would have been otherwise awkwardly quiet. This album could have used a bit more drama (pun intended) from the Asia's song Countdown To Zero.

Jon's voice is good. Maybe it's too much like Jon Anderson's, because I keep thinking how smooth and sweet it is but without that North England rasp and accent. All the other lead singers of Yes (Trevor H, Benoit, and Chris too) are more unique and identifiable. I encourage Jon to gargle with whisky on the rocks with a splash of eau de Joe Cocker. Less Josh Groban, more Kurt Cobain; Less Pat Boone, more Little Richard. Less ..... You get the idea.

Chris, oh Chris. I know he's got monster chops and great musical ideas, but the only thing I hear of him on this album is his tone. Also, since Chris is the leader of Yes, I have to hold him responsible for mediocrity of this latest album. Chris, I'm disappointed.

Finally there's Alan, the gentleman and spine of Yes. His work on this album is about as exciting as a Buick without Tiger Woods or Payton Manning (Yep, I'm American). I love Levin, White, Torn (especially Cheese It, The Corpse). I know Alan has the chops and the creativity. But I don't know what happened on this album. Who's idea was it for Alan to play more like Ringo Starr than Alan White? Has time finally taken it's toll? Does Alan still care? I seriously hate to be critical of Mr. White. Of all current and former Yes members I think he has the most integrity.

The song writing seems to be completely dominated by Jon, which for me isn't really a good thing. "Cookin' at home" catches my ear every time is passes by. I'm afraid the song writing is what undoes this Yes album the most. I believe that Yes has heaped all the writing duties on Jon, but Jon just doesn't write Yes songs. They're pretty, their cosmic, but they're toothless.

Bottom Line (and it's a bit harsh): Stick a fork in Yes, they're done. I don't like to give negative reviews. I want to be encouraging. But this is an album that should have never been released. There's not a single song I want to sing along with, and not a single song that would get me off my bum and dancing in the aisles.

I'm giving this album a lone star. If this album was released by a band with lesser talents I might have given it two, but under no circumstances more.