YES: Heaven & Earth
Yes
Heaven & Earth
Frontiers Records
Yes has been reborn â as Starcastle.
Heaven & Earth marks the debut of another Jon (Davison) who takes over for Benoit David, who took over for the original Jon (Anderson). Got it? Davisonâs singing style resembles Andersonâs, but if youâre waiting for the original Jonâs return, youâre missing out on some interesting music.
Yes doesnât rock as much as they sway now, often resembling the groups they inspired, such as Asia, Druid and the aforementioned Starcastle. The fascinating but sometimes incongruous riffs and confounding cosmic poetry are gone, replaced by balanced melodies and more accessible lyrics.
The groupâs strength now lies in the vocal interplay between Davison, bassist Chris Squire and guitarist Steve Howe. âStep Beyondâ is a prime example, with giddy, poppy vocals, and quirky syncopated synths provided by keyboardist Geoff Downes. The triple harmonies buoy the breezy âIt Was All We Knew,â and provide a leisurely counterpoint to Downesâ eddying keys in âBelieve Again.â
Howe solos with surprising restraint throughout, playing fluid passages instead of riffing in his usual attack dog style. His background work and Squireâs buoyant bass balance Downesâ light-fingered soloing on âLight of Ages.â
Yes fans discouraged by bands play-it-safe approach can look to the lengthy âSubway Walls,â which bounces along like a tube train and owes its Bolshoi ballet flavor to Downesâ elegant keyboard playing.
The biggest problem is Roy Thomas Bakerâs indifferent production. Two of the most essential parts of the groupâs sound â Squireâs booming bass and Alan White’s didactic drumming â are often muffled to the point of extinction.
Yesâ latest will never be confused with classics like Close to the Edge or Fragile, but itâs not as elephantine as Tales From Topographic Oceans. Itâs alternately amazing, average or awful â somewhere between heaven and earth.
YES: Heaven & Earth http://t.co/wsfTasNmsf