New Album Review: Yes - Heaven & Earth

Yes is releasing their second album since parting ways with the great Jon Anderson. "Heaven & Earth" is the follow up to 2011's Fly From Here which received mixed reactions from fans and critics. Gone is vocalist Benoit David and enter Glass Hammer vocalist Jon Davison who, like David before him, sounds a lot like Jon Anderson. That's kinda the point isn't it?

What about the music? So far the band has released just clips of songs and the full length single "Believe Again." From what I have read, it is getting mixed reactions once again. Jon Anderson is impossible to replace. I will say I have liked Davison's work with Glass Hammer and he is a song writer which David was not. Davison's song writing is key to "Heaven & Earth" since he is credited on all but one song. He is not the problem with the album in my opinion.

Much of the album is rather slow and has no aggressive or epic nature to it. It's nice music. Very positive but nothing challenging at all. The best song as far as I am concerned is the closing track (the longest track) "Subway Walls" which was written by Davison and keyboardist Geoff Downes. It at least HINTS at what the band can do. Good melody (all the songs have that) and some technicality. Unfortunately I think Davison is propping up an aging band. Steve Howe doesn't really have any great memorable riffs. Chris Squire's playing is very laid back. Worst of all, Alan White just doesn't seem to be able to play anything tricky. His playing is basically "polite".

Granted this is just after a few listens and I will listen to it many times as I always do with Yes. I do think Jon Davison is a great vocalist and he really carries this record. It might be time to replace other members of the band! Overall, I like it but as a whole the album doesn't jump out at you and won't have you thinking "WOW". It's nice. Just nice.

UPDATE: After many more listens, I was right about the album being just nice. There are no "deeper layers" like some folks have said. My opinion. No real classics on this album either. Good music, nothing epic at all. The playing is extremely safe and there are no real fireworks to speak of. I'd say half the album is just average at best. It's really not overly progressive. Even 90125 is much more progressive in my opinion. If not for Jon Davison, I really don't think they could even make an album at this point. The closer "Subway Walls" at least TRIES to be epic, though Geoff Downes isn't a guy known to write epics, so it's close but nothing like classic Yes. The album is a good effort but far from great. I probably won't active seek the album out to listen to it.