MIRROR TO THE SKY

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.

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Posted Wednesday, May 24, 2023 | Review this album | Report (Review #2927626)

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.

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Posted Wednesday, May 24, 2023 | Review this album | Report (Review #2927704)

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.

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Posted Saturday, September 30, 2023 | Review this album | Report (Review #2955948)

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!

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Posted Thursday, December 28, 2023 | Review this album | Report (Review #2977573)

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 Schel ... (read more)

Report this review (#2969271) | Posted by ken_scrbrgh | Wednesday, November 22, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 almo ... (read more)

Report this review (#2968493) | Posted by Prog Dog | Monday, November 13, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 s ... (read more)

Report this review (#2936016) | Posted by BBKron | Tuesday, June 27, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 de ... (read more)

Report this review (#2930341) | Posted by SilverLight59 | Sunday, June 4, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 s ... (read more)

Report this review (#2929115) | Posted by proghaven | Tuesday, May 30, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 Ron ... (read more)

Report this review (#2929009) | Posted by alainPP | Monday, May 29, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#2928117) | Posted by iluvmarillion | Thursday, May 25, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 a ... (read more)

Report this review (#2928018) | Posted by daisy1 | Thursday, May 25, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#2927763) | Posted by Four Corners Guy | Wednesday, May 24, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#2927349) | Posted by desistindo | Tuesday, May 23, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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, fol ... (read more)

Report this review (#2926622) | Posted by TheEliteExtremophile | Monday, May 22, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 al ... (read more)

Report this review (#2926192) | Posted by Dementia5 | Saturday, May 20, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 b ... (read more)

Report this review (#2925926) | Posted by Heart of the Matter | Friday, May 19, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#2925807) | Posted by Frets N Worries | Friday, May 19, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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 th ... (read more)

Report this review (#2919878) | Posted by Soul2Create | Wednesday, April 26, 2023 | Review Permanlink

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