Yes – The Quest (2LP Vinyl + 2CD) Limited Edition
InsideOutMusic / Sony Music (2021)

1 review for Yes – The Quest (2LP Vinyl + 2CD) Limited Edition
InsideOutMusic / Sony Music (2021)

1. 

   4 out of 5

   Geoff – January 26, 2022

   With ’The Quest’, Yes have not only surpassed the last album with Chris Squire, but have pointed a positive new way to the future. It was a little daunting preparing to play ‘The Quest’ for the first time. After all, our beloved bassist / vocalist and only founding member left in Yes, Chris Squire had passed away in June, 2015. With Steve Howe left to steer the ship and only he and drummer Alan White remaining from the classic 70s period of the band, will it even sound like Yes? After hearing lead single “The Ice Bridge” for the first time, I smiled ~ the legacy of Yes was still in safe hands. That song heralds the new beginning and holds enough fanfare and vibrant punch to make even the most sceptical proggers take notice. Geoff Downes is in fine form on keyboards, the song offering a curious combo of Yes and Asia styles. His interplay with Steve Howe reminds me of the call and answer section that Steve played with Rick Wakeman, during the live renditions of “South Side of the Sky”. Great! This is the kind of energy that was lacking from the soft delivery and lacklustre production of ‘Heaven and Earth’, which was released seven years ago and sadly became the final record with Squire. “Dare to Know” is a real grower… contains my favourite bit of the whole record (at 2:22), when it moves from the orchestral section into Howe’s achingly beautiful guitar break (which sounds very much like his Gibson sounds on ’Tales From Topographic Oceans’). “Minus the Man” is the closest sounding song to anything on the previous record, but there is substance here as Billy Sherwood plays some beautiful bass lines (listen closely). Singer Jon Davison is emerging from the shadow of founder singer, Jon Anderson, to put his own stamp on the vocals and harmonies and the chorus is very memorable. “Leave Well Alone” is clearly a Steve Howe composition and a true highlight of the album. Opening with Japanese koto, the piece builds through meticulously structured sections and is an impressive showcase of Howe's guitar skills, who at 74 is still the king of the strings! Back in the golden age of Yes, there were fantastic arrangements for EVERY instrument simultaneously, but in 2021 it is understandable that the main spotlight is on Steve, who also produced the album. “Western Edge” has the unmistakable Billy Sherwood sound to it and resembles a song from 1989, when he and Chris Squire put together “Love Conquers All”, at a time when Anderson / Wakeman / Bruford / Howe were challenging the Yes crown. The beautifully delivered “Future Memories” is written solely by Jon Davison and features some of his best singing with Yes so far. It’s quite remarkable that a guy who was born in the year of ‘Fragile’ (1971) is now an integral part of the band! Howe’s “Music To My Ears” follows and instrumentally it lives up to the title and Jon sings OK on this. However, Steve’s vocals are not effective enough and come across as a bit dreary, when the chorus needs to be uplifting. The last proper song of the album soon takes care of that though! “A Living Island” is Geoff Downes’ greatest contribution to the album (with lyrics from Davison) and features superb piano playing, epic arrangements and a typically Yes majestic finale. The spirit of Chris Squire lives within the songs on ’The Quest’, especially this one. Not so much in the bass playing (as Billy has his own Spector sound), but in the vocal arrangements and harmonies. Christopher is hugely missed, but now he can rest, content that Steve and the guys have followed his wishes, keeping the band alive, on stage and in the studio 2021 and beyond. With ’The Quest’, Yes have not only surpassed the last album with Chris, but have pointed a positive new way to the future. Bonus note: There are a trio of tracks tagged on to the end, which should not really be considered to be part of the album... except the first one! “Sister Sleeping Soul” is easily the best of the three, featuring Steve on Portuguese guitar, therefore resembling two songs from the Yes vaults ~ “Your Move” and “Nine Voices”. A novel ditty to The Beatles follows, a nod to fab four that is clever and a bit of fun. “Damaged World” shows promise, but Steve’s vocals make it less appealing and actually it belongs on a Howe solo album, not as part of this Yes package.