In the 20-something years I’ve had the pleasure of listening to British progressive rock juggernauts YES, they’ve had a habit of creating some pretty great albums, then going off-and-on into hibernation mode. However, after the release of 2021’s “The Quest,” the band – driven by the lack of live shows during the pandemic – kept on writing. The end result was “Mirror to the Sky,” a return to the prog epic format, spurred by label boss Thomas Waber. This outing is slated for release on May 19th, 2023 via InsideOut Music.
I remember concluding my review of “The Quest” with the thought that, while the album showed great potential for this lineup, the best was yet to come. Enter “Mirror to the Sky”: this record illustrates a return to the classic YES era of the mid-’70s to the early ’80s, with several songs that – progheads rejoice! – last way over a millennial’s attention span. The record starts off with the 5-minute-long “Cut from the Stars,” which is seemingly the most YES-sounding song the band has written since the passing of late bass player Chris Squire. Billy Sherwood really shines in this track, performing up to YES standards, in which a bass guitar is more than just a rhythmic instrument. Overall, the track has some intriguing twists and turns and is unpredictable at times, but hey, isn’t that what we like about this band? Drummer Jay Schellen does a great job in encapsulating the late Allan White‘s drumming; however, he also brings something new and utterly refreshing to the table.
“All Connected” starts off really smoothly with Steve Howe‘s trademark guitar steel sweeping softly throughout the whole track, which altogether has a very warm sound on this record. The 9-minute song is a little bit in the style of songs that could belong to “The Ladder,” with an altogether positive vibe. The same style continues with “Luminosity,” yet there is a poppy element connected to this song. While it is complex, it also seems a little bit more approachable and has several very hooky melodies.
The next track, “Living Out Their Dream,” is considerably shorter, but the proggy offering was perhaps necessary to break the atmospheric quest we’ve been served so far. This track showcases how surprisingly wonderfully Jon Davison and Steve Howe‘s vocals blend together, something that wasn’t fully played out in “The Quest.” There’s something THE BEATLES-esque going on in the chorus, surprisingly, but I don’t think anyone will complain.
The most epic thing this album has to offer, however, is its title track, “Mirror to the Sky.” The intro of that song had a section that was very reminiscent of “Machine Messiah” (“Drama”) – around the 2:40-minute mark; it does have that “Drama” vibe when it plays around with different kinds of contrasts and dynamics. This is perhaps the most nostalgia-filled song on the record, and its 14-minute duration feels like an adventure in itself. There is so much to be discovered within this song – so many lush details and layers that become an interesting listening experience, especially towards the end. The B-side of the record ends with the vocally-oriented ballad, “Circles of Time,” which mostly feels like a way for the listener to unwind after the vastness of the record’s orchestrations, layers, and progressiveness. Mission accomplished! There are also three bonus tracks on this record, but I’ll leave those for you to discover.
A band like YES, who have had so many different iterations and lineup changes, will always stir up some debate. Whether this album will quench the thirst of the naysayers who prefer a previous iteration of the band remains to be seen. However, those who want to give this lineup a chance will definitely enjoy these tracks. They are, to-date, the best work the band have released since “Fly From Here,” with a lot of quintessentially YES moments to offer, some subtle nods to earlier work, and a return to former glory days!
Tracklist
- Cut From The Stars
- All Connected
- Luminosity
- Living Out Their Dream
- Mirror to the Sky
- Circles of Time
Lineup
Steve Howe – guitar, vocals
Geoff Downes – keyboards, vocals
Jon Davison – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion
Billy Sherwood – bass, vocals
Jay Schellen – Drums
Label
InsideOut Music
