It doesn’t take long talking to me about music before I’ll spill out about the genius of “Yes”, the progressive rock band formed in 1968. It’s safe to say that I’m a little bit obsessed…
What’s not to love about Chris Squires Rickenbacker iconic bass tones, Jon Anderson’s other-worldly vocals, Steve Howe’s epic slide guitar, Rick Wakeman’s magical keyboard counterpoints, Bill Bruford’s crispy snare fills, and not to mention every other Yes lineup that has existed in more than fifty years of vibrant composition and performance? Oh, and apart from Steve Howe, there is a new lineup today with Jon Davison on vocals, Geoff Downes on Keyboard, Billy Sherwood on bass, and Jay Schellen replacing the late Alan White on drums. Yes is a band that is an ever evolving immortal entity, still releasing original and cutting edge music in 2023.
As a younger generation fan, it’s easy to be swept up in the notion that I missed “the golden years” of Yes music. But I am so glad that I’m alive today to witness the release of their newest album, “Mirror to the Sky”. Tabi gave it to me for my birthday, and we listened to the whole thing together in one sitting.
There’s always a bit of anxiety I feel when listening to a Yes album for the first time, because each one has such a different sound that I’m worried I won’t like it as much as the rest. Mirror to the Sky is a beautiful album, with beautiful cover art by the talented Roger Dean.
I felt goosebumps in the intro of “All Connected”, with Howe’s soaring guitar melody, and when Davison entered singing “deedeedip” with his glistening voice, it finally felt like Yes to me. I get it, I get it. It’s-not-Jon-Anderson-so-how-can-it-be-as-good blah blah. So what? He’s a great vocalist, and Tabi even prefers him over Anderson. They are big shoes to fill, but Davison’s lyrics are just as pseudo-spiritually dorky and wholesome as Anderson’s. I mean, does anyone know what an “international dark sky park” is?
The new album is funky and spacey – a great sonic combination if you ask me. I’ve had it playing on loop in my car for a while. I’m really digging it, and the initial anxiety I felt is gone. Yes aren’t so insecure that they have to keep chasing after their old sound just to maintain an identity. It’s challenging to accept that their sound is always changing, but affirming that it is always original, interdimensional, and transportive.
It annoys me when people say that Yes peaked with their album, Close to the Edge (1972). It sounds like a pretentious echo of boomers united. Close to the Edge is a brilliant work of art, but have you even listened to The Gates of Delirium on Relayer (1974)? I mean really listened. It’s compositional structure is arguably more sophisticated and creative. Or have you taken the time to appreciate the soundscapes of Big Generator (1987), or the virtuosity of Drama (1980), or the delicate intricacies of Going for the One (1977)? The magnificent orchestra of Magnification (2001)? And Talk (1994)! 90125 anybody? The list goes on.
And now we can officially add “Mirror to the Sky”, the best album of 2023!
Caspian Scott 