Yes Mirror to the Sky released

Mirror to the Sky Yes

Released: May 19, 2023 Peak: -- US, 30 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: classic progressive rock veteran

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. Cut from the Stars [5:25] All Connected [9:02] Luminosity [9:04] Living Out Their Dream [4:45] Mirror to the Sky [13:53] Circles of Time [4:59] Unknown Place [8:15] * One Second Is Enough [4:04] * Magic Potion [4:08] * * tracks on bonus disc Total Running Time: 47:08, 63:35 with bonus tracks The Players: Jon Davison (vocals) Steve Howe (guitar, backing vocals) Geoff Downes (keyboards, synths) Billy Sherwood (bass, backing vocals) Jay Schellen (drums, percussion)

Rating: 2.451 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Passing of Alan White This album marks the first appearance of Jay Schellen as an official full-time member of the band. He replaced Alan White, who’d been with the band and passed away in 2022. Schellen had filled in at times for White since 2016. The album was dedicated to White. WK Steve Howe, the band’s guitarist off-and-on since 1970, served as producer, as he had on 2021’s The Quest. Reviews Ultimate Classic Rock’s Gary Graff said this was better than previous album, The Quest, noting a more muscular” sound. He said, the album “gives us every reason to hope this is the beginning of a prolific new era for the band.” WK Riff magazine’s David Gill saw the album as a return to Yes’ golden era, calling it a “remarkable piece of nostalgia” that was still “fresh and vibrant.” WK Spill magazine called it “a strong, uplifting, and very positive album accompanied by some exceptional musicianship.” WK Artwork Roger Dean did the cover art, as he had done on many previous Yes albums. He based the work on a story told to him by video designer Henk Rogers. He’d paddled to the middle of the lake during a camping trip. When the ripples settled, the lake was a perfect mirror for the night sky. WK The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Cut from the Stars Yes

Writer(s): Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood Released: 3/10/2023 (single), Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: 32 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.72 streaming About the Song: Singer Jon Davison was inspired by visiting Joshua Tree National Park’s dark-sky preserve. He praised Billy Sherwood for the “twinkling” sound he added to the song with his instrumentation. He rearranged Sherwood’s parts with audio editing software and then the band built on that. Steve Howe made an instrumental outro from the song’s bridge. He said this is the album’s most unique track in terms of guitar style. WK

All Connected Yes

Writer(s): Jon Davison, Steve Howe, Billy Sherwood Released: 4/26/2023 (single), Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.92 streaming About the Song: Jon Davison credited Steve Howe with ideas that were used for the introduction and ending. Sherwood offered some vocal and lyrical contributions. Davison said he looked at the lyrics from a more metaphysical angle while Sherwood looked at them through a more “technological and physical” lens. WK

Luminosity Yes

Writer(s): Jon Davison, Steve Howe, Billy Sherwood Released: Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.20 streaming About the Song: After the band recorded this song, they tackled it a second time with a new arrangement. The song was initially called “Luminous” but changed after the band reworked it into what Steve Howe described as “a bigger tune.” Howe plays autoharp on the song. WK

Living Out Their Dream Yes

Writer(s): Steve Howe, Geoff Downes Released: Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.16 streaming About the Song: Steve Howe thought the introduction was reminiscent of the Rolling Stones. He also said the song features a slight tongue-in-cheek lyric but everything described actually happened. One specific example was his visit to a steak and seafood restaurant where there was a wedding. WK

Mirror to the Sky Yes

Writer(s): Jon Davison, Steve Howe Released: single (2/23/2024), Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.23 streaming About the Song: The 14-minute title track and centerpiece for Yes’ 23rd album has been described as “sweeping and cinematic” and a return to the band’s progressive rock roots with the song’s “arpeggios and multilayered vocals” compared to material from Yes’ Tales from Topographic Oceans. Music writer Howard Whitman called it a “prog epic” and writer David Pearson said it was “atmospheric and sonically superb.” WK

Circles of Time Yes

Writer(s): Jon Davison Released: 5/24/2023 (single), Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.24 streaming About the Song: Howe insisted this song, which originated from a musical idea from Jon Davison, had to be on the album. The group made several stabs at arranging the song, one which featured a church organ, but ultimately decided on a more minimal, stripped-down version. WK

Unknown Place Yes

Writer(s): Steve Howe Released: Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.12 streaming

One Second Is Enough Yes

Writer(s): Steve Howe Released: Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.11 streaming

Magic Potion Yes

Writer(s): Steve Howe Released: Mirror to the Sky (2023) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.11 streaming About the Song: This song was called “It’s a Good Day to Be Had by All” in its early form but Howe changed the title so it wouldn’t be so similar to “It Will Be a Good Day” from the band’s 1999 album The Ladder. WK

Resources/References: WK Wikipedia page for Mirror to the Sky album WK Wikipedia page for “Mirror to the Sky” song Related DMDB Pages: First posted 9/20/2025.

Yes The Quest released

The Quest Yes

Released: October 1, 2021 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: progressive rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. The Ice Bridge (Davison, Downes, Francis Monkman) [7:01] (7/23/21, --) a. Eyes East b. Race Against Time c. Interaction Dare to Know (Howe) [6:00] (9/1/21, --) Minus the Man (Davison, Sherwood) [5:35] Leave Well Alone (Howe) [8:06] The Western Edge (Davison, Sherwood) [4:26] Future Memories (Davison) [5:08] (10/15/21, --) Music to My Ears (Howe) [4:41] A Living Island (Davison, Downes) [6:52] (2/10/22, --) Total Running Time: 47:49 The Players: Jon Davison (vocals) Steve Howe (guitar, backing vocals) Geoff Downes (keyboards, synths) Billy Sherwood (bass, backing vocals) Alan White (drums, percussion)

Rating: 2.503 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

About the Album: Since Yes formed in 1968, the only member who appeared on every studio album had been bassist Chris Squire. Sadly, he died in 2015 making The Quest the first album without him. Billy Sherwood, who’d worked with the band off and on for more than 20 years, stepped in as his official replacement. None of the other members of the 2021 lineup were with the band at its debut either, although guitarist Steve Howe first came on board in 1970 and drummer Alan White in 1972. Geoff Downes made his first appearance with the band in 1980 for the Drama and returned to the fold in 2011. Singer Jon Davison joined in 2012, replacing Jon Anderson. The Quest marks his second studio album with Yes. Most of the music for The Quest was written in 2019 and then the band worked on it during the pandemic in 2020. Howe explained that the process was generally one of the members presenting an instrumental section for a track and then Davison adding vocal and lyric ideas. WK The group then commissioned orchestral augmentations to, as Howe says, “enhance the overall sound…hoping that our emphasis on melody, coupled with some expansive instrumental solo breaks, keeps up the momentum for our listeners.” LS Album opener and lead single The Ice Bridge grew out of an idea presented by Downes. He said it originated in 1977 when he was composing jingles and library music for a West End music production company. It was on a showreel along with a track by Francis Monkman. Downes initially thought the song was his own, but gave Monkman a songwriting credit after realizing the original was by him. WK The lyrics, by Davison, address climate change. The second single, Dare to Know, “presents a guitar theme played within many different arrangements, with different chord structures, and altered textures,” says Howe. LS He says the song is about “an awakening to the subtle goings on within our bodies and minds, all geared to nature’s scheme of things, all fluctuating wand rearranging according to the principles of life, as we know it.” LS Notes: A bonus disc adds the songs “Sister Sleeping Soul,” “Mystery Tour,” and “Damaged World.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Yes LS LouderSound.com (9/1/2021). “Yes release video for new single ‘Dare to Know’” by Jeremy Ewing WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 10/1/2021; last updated 2/22/2022.

 

Yes Heaven & Earth released

Heaven & Earth Yes

Released: July 16, 2014 Peak: 26 US, 20 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: progressive rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Believe Again (Davison, Howe) [8:01] (6/13/14, --) The Game (Squire, Davison, Gerard Johnson) [6:49] (6/23/14, --) Step Beyond (Howe, Davison) [5:34] (6/25/14, --) To Ascend (Davison, White) [4:40] (7/2/14, --) In a World of Our Own (Davison, Squire) [5:19] (7/16/14, --) Light of the Ages (Davison) [7:37] (7/3/14, --) It Was All We Knew (Howe) [4:11] Subway Walls (Davison, Downes) [9:02] Total Running Time: 51:29 The Players: Jon Davison (vocals) Chris Squire (bass, backing vocals) Steve Howe (guitar, backing vocals) Geoff Downes (keyboards, synths) Alan White (drums, percussion)

Rating: 2.415 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

About the Album: The 21st studio album by Yes was their first to feature Jon Davison as the lead singer, a role which had been occupied by Jon Anderson on every other studio album except 1980’s Drama and 2011’s Fly from Here. Benoit David had stepped into the role in 2011, but left after a respiratory illness caused the group to cancel shows in 2012. Davison was recommended to Squire by their mutual friend, Taylor Hawkins, the drummer of Foo Fighters. WK The Quietus called Davison “absolutely the right choice for the band.” WK Davison initially filled in on the tour, but then took a strong role in shaping the Heaven & Earth studio album by writing or co-writing 7 of the 8 cuts. He traveled to each of the band members’ homes to work on ideas with them. He credited that time with improving his relationships with the band. WK Guitarist Steve Howe, who was reluctant to record another studio album, said the resulting album had “a freshness and different stance” from previous Yes albums. WK The Financial Times said of the album: “Here come prog rock relics Yes to show the youth what proper boredom is, the kind of boredom that comes with bland guitar solos, chugging drums, lumbering time changes and otiose lyrics.” WK By contrast, The Guardian said the album had “a rich, 70s sound, and the material is solid enough, flavoured with Steve Howe’s distinctive, rippling guitar and Geoff Downes’ retro keyboard.” WK However, that review also noted, “What’s missing is the ambitious scope of their heyday, and the vitality of the younger generation of progressive rock bands.” WK The album was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, who has worked with David Bowie, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Foreigner, Journey, Queen, The Rolling Stones, The Who. AZ Among the most notable albums he has produced are Queen’s A Night at the Opera (1975), The Cars’ The Cars (1978), Journey’s Infinity (1978), Foreigner’s Head Games, and Cheap Trick’s One on One. Notes: The Japanese version of the album added an acoustic version of “To Ascend.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Yes AZ Amazon WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 7/24/2021; last updated 10/5/2021.