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The New Yes Album – Mirror to the Sky – 579

Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius

Mark and I listen to the new Yes album Mirror to the Skies this week and share our responses to it. Spoiler alert – it’s really good.

  • Is the rest of the album like Cut From The Stars??
  • How progressive is it?
  • What is the epic title track like?

TormatoBook.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Joseph Cottrell
  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius and
  • Wayne Hall

Patrons:

Aaron Steelman

Dave Owen

Mark James Lang
Paul Tomei
Joost Maglev

David Heyden

Paul Wilson
Martin Kjellberg
Bob Martilotta
Lind
Michael O’Connor
William Hayes
Brian Sullivan

David Pannell

Lobate Scarp
Miguel Falcão
Chris Bandini

David Watkinson

Neal Kaforey
Rachel Hadaway
Craig Estenes
Dem
Mark ‘Zarkol’ Baggs
Paul Hailes
Doug Curran

Robert Nasir

Fergus Cubbage
Scott Colombo
Fred Barringer
David
Geoff Bailie
Simon Barrow
Geoffrey Mason

Stephen Lambe
Guy R DeRome
Steve Dill
Henrik Antonsson
Steve Perry

Hogne Bø Pettersen
Steve Rode
Declan Logue
Steve Scott
Todd Dudley
Jim
Jamie McQuinn

Steven Roehr

John Parry
Keith Hoisington
Alan Begg
Terence Sadler
John Holden
Barry Gorsky
Michael Handerhan
Tim Stannard

Jon Pickles
John Thomson
John Cowan
Tony Handley
Robert
Gary Betts
Jim Morrison

Our (relatively) new Facebook YMP Discussion Group is open to anyone to join but I’ll be adding rules and joining requirements when I have time (one day…). One of the advantages of the new format is that all members of the group have the same ability to post content, so it’s a bit more egalitarian, or somesuch. Please do search for the group and join in.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3216603008606331/




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Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org

10 replies on “The New Yes Album – Mirror to the Sky – 579”

The enthusiastic reviews should get fans excited. I’m confident you’d not mislead us. Fingers crossed as Kevin would say.

Yes are definitely on a creative high and one that keep giving. A happy band with a direction in mind, all the sections seem to fit at the moment. The lineup, producer, Roger Dean’s work, even the track titles and length are so Yessy and in keeping with what the band and fans want.

We are lucky arnt we because it’s sometimes hard to believe that they are not only a legacy band but a fresh vibrant music band, building that trade mark sound up and now absolutely cementing this time is now this Yes.

A new lease of life for the band after really really difficult years losing the bedrock of members and more. Nothing stopping Yes now from having a lot of success (except wars and viruses) it is a joy that in 2023 we get new albums and tours.

The only thing that will get more complicated is the tracks to play live. Just think of the selection to choose from, can we see a longer set maybe? Anniversaries are a good thing as we look back but with repeatedly new music going down well, they have huge choices to make eh?

Thanks guys for such a positive review, I am sure fans have a lot to be excited about. Best wishes All Good People.

A fair, thoughtful and positive appraisal of ‘Mirror to the Sky’, Kevin and Mark — with some important observations. I particularly agree on the wisdom of pushing on with more new material from this line-up. The ‘composing muscle’ that benefits from exercise is also a collaboration, instrumentation and arranging muscle, and it’s the gelling of individual talents that can produce something greater than the sum of its parts: a feature of all really worthwhile Yes music.

I definitely agree that “Cut from the Stars”, “All Connected”. “Luminosity” and the 14″ title track are worthy additions to the Yes catalogue, and some of the best new music the band has created in many years. “Circles of Time” is a well-written, heartfelt ballad, if a little over-sweet for my own tastes.

Those five tracks are the core strength of the album. “Living Out Their Dream” I’m less convinced by, I’m afraid (noting that Jon Davison emphasised its tongue-in-cheek nature). Likewise the bonus tracks, though they have their moments and are better than the ones on ‘The Quest’.

I totally agree that Steve Howe is proving himself in the production role, and that Billy and Jon have come to the fore in the way they should, ably backed by Jay. Geoff’s role at the moment involves foregoing the flashy in order to solidify the overall sound world of the album, alongside the orchestra. When the instrumental blend lends strength to the overall construction and impact of the track, you know the balance is right.

By the way, I could have mentioned in my appraisal of “All Connected” that at times it also evokes the best of Billy Sherwood’s collaboration with Chris Squire on Conspiracy. The central writing collaborations on ‘Mirror to the Sky’ are clearly Davison, Howe and Sherwood. It will be interesting to see how those partnerships develop further on a further album from this incarnation of the band.

Glad to hear you both enjoyed the album. As I said last week, I love it, and to me it’s the best Yes studio album of all original material since at least “The Ladder.” I know all real Yes fans will love it. It’s the best of the three with Jon D. It’s a continuing step in a positive direction, a progression. What a concept, a progressive rock band progressing, as they should! I do have one wish- that the keyboards were featured more, as you both noted.
This is Yes in 2023. If Yes fans don’t like this album then they are stuck in the past, expecting 70s or 80s Yes music. I regularly see posts saying “I hope it sounds like Close to the Edge, or it’s another Relayer.” You’re living in the past, no pun intended Ian.

And it’s not a rumor, Mark. They are actively working on songs for the next album, and have also been working on solo projects, until the fall US/possibly Canada tour.

Well……
You certainly have set expectations high for the new album!! You both seem very pleased with the recording, your excitement was clear! Can’t wait to hear it. Great episode!!
Keep it up!

Another excellent show! Mark’s comments at the end about Steve Howe’s role as producer were especially insightful. I’m curious what you’d think about a tour of Yes with orchestra, featuring tunes from Time and a Word, Magnification, and Mirror to the Sky (and others with new orchestrations?). I was fortunate to have been in San Diego for what I believe was the opening concert of the North American tour for Magnification, and it was tremendous!

I am getting caught up on the pod…been listening to the new album a lot and I am interested to hear what you guys have to say.

I definitely took tour advise to listen repeatedly with headphones…love this album…every track! I try to listen to this album on it’s own merits. In other words, this is not the same band that wrote CTTE so it doesn’t make sense to try to decide which one is “better”. I mean CTTE is an genre defining album. There will never be be another Mona Lisa and there will never be another CTTE. I try to listen to MTTS as it’s own album by it’s own band and by that standard it is a most amazing album!

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