Showing posts with label Steve Howe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Howe. Show all posts

CD/DVD Review: Asia – Axis XXX Live in San Francisco MMXII

CD/DVD Review: Asia – Axis XXX Live in San Francisco MMXII
Frontiers Music srl
All Access Rating: B+

Asia - Axis XXX Live in
San Francisco MMXII 2015
What impressive pedigrees they all had. Four of the biggest names in British progressive-rock deciding in 1981 to go in together on a new project called Asia certainly created a buzz, the very name suggesting exotic sounds, provocative philosophical insight and difficult-to-decipher musical dialects. Oh, the possibilities ...

As it turned out, Asia wasn't interested in all that. They set out to craft unabashedly commercial songs that made prog palatable to the masses, choosing accessible concision over complex, multi-part arrangements, and their gambit worked. Asia's 1982 debut landed at No. 1 in the U.S. like a message in a bottle with a lovesick note inside, a grand romantic gesture that stole many a heart, even as critics mercilessly slagged their banal sentimentality and general blandness.

It was never cool to like Asia, as the movie "The 40-Year Old Virgin" so painfully articulated for anybody who even considered them a secret guilty pleasure. Still, some 30 years after their formation, here was the original lineup of John Wetton (King Crimson, UK), Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and Geoff Downes (The Buggles, Yes) broadcasting one of its last magical performances together at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on Nov. 7, 2012, on AXS TV in spectacularly vivid high-definition video and audio – now available as an entertaining two-CD/DVD release from Frontiers Music. They must have been doing something right all those years.

As triumphant and wistfully romantic as ever, Asia puts on a surprisingly vibrant show awash in nostalgia, as old favorites such as a pulsating and effusive "Here Comes The Feeling" and "Sole Survivor," with its silvery flashes of synthesizer, mix with the bittersweet rehashing of "Only Time Will Tell" and the melodic flourish of "Heat of the Moment" that closes the set. Drama and dissonance are found in "Face on the Bridge" and "Time Again," respectively, and more recent material like "Tomorrow The World," off Asia's 2012 effort XXX, races, while the obscure "Ride Easy," a b-side for "Heat of the Moment" and later included on Aurora, offers pleasant hooks with a touch of heartache.

Given the opportunity to display their musical chops, Howe and Palmer take full advantage, with the drummer showing both power and precision on his solo in "Holy War." Meanwhile, Howe, ever the ingenious guitar player, deftly negotiating a tricky acoustic guitar solo in "Pyramidoloy" with warmth and lush tonality that slides seamlessly into his jaunty sketching of "Golden Mean." Downes' piano is the best thing about "Don't Cry," where Wetton goes embarrassingly overboard trying to get the audience to sing along like some oily lounge singer, and his synths are majestic in raising up "I Know How You Feel." Not at all incendiary or untidy, Axis XXX Live in San Francisco MMXII, instead, pleasantly illustrates Asia's gift for both melody and melodrama, and it seems Asia has passed the test of time.
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Yes – Like It Is: At the Mesa Art Center

CD Review: Yes – Like It Is: At the Mesa Art Center
Frontiers Music
All Access Rating: A-

Yes - Like It Is: Live At The
Mesa Art Center 2015
Those who didn't get their fill of Yes playing its landmark albums in their entirety in concert with Like It Is – Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome can go back for a second helping. In this companion audio/visual release, with its warm sound, the progressive-rock masters – now missing dearly departed bass virtuoso Chris Squire – perform 1971's exalted Fragile and 1972's equally acclaimed Close to the Edge with colorful panache, faithfully recreating that hallowed original material with pleasant reverence, joyous whimsy and deft precision.

Weaving their way through the complex, multi-part pieces that have become the stuff of prog-rock legend, Yes displays its virtuoso chops in gracefully traveling the well-worn, shape-shifting passages of some of its most distinguished, and adventurous, works. The contrast of gentle, inside-out dissonance and cloud-bursting beauty – courtesy of swirling vocal harmonies, Steve Howe's guitar intrigue, melodic flights of fancy, flowering instrumental jams and time-signature mischief – is magical as Yes wanders through the wondrous mini universe of "South Side Of The Sky" and expands the already cinematic title track to Close to the Edge. The breezy, summery intro to "Siberian Khatru" morphs into an furious march, and Squire's signature bass motors through a lightly bouncing "Long Distant Runaround" and propels "Roundabout" into Geoff Downes' dancing keyboard spirals and sunny merriment, while the dream logic of "And You And I" mesmerizes, as singer Jon Davison negotiates the sweeping emotions and sonic puzzles of Yes with expressive aplomb. And the nostalgia trip that is Like It Is: Live At the Mesa Art Center, a Frontiers Music release, sends the faithful home smiling.
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Yes – Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome

2 CD/DVD Review: Yes – Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome
Frontiers Music Srl
All Access Rating: A-

Yes - Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol
Hippodrome 2014
The path's been pretty well beaten by now, the progressive-rock elders of Yes having performed live the favorite songs of 1970's The YES Album and 1977's Going for the One so often they could be forgiven for being bored to death with them. On its spring 2014 tour of the UK, Europe and Canada, Yes pledged to play both of them in their entirety, however, delving ever deeper into two of the most iconic records of their extensive catalog.

Playful and eager to engage in extended jams stretching the boundaries of famously complex arrangements, Yes breathes new life into dusty old compositions on the engrossing and expansive two CD/DVD set "Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome," the venerable masters taking liberties with subtle, nuanced alterations. A rollicking, extended piano run here, some extra guitar noodling there, and a gorgeous blending of vocal harmonies thrown in everywhere make for a joyous, captivating listen – the sound so vivid and clear, emphasizing the band's full-bodied instrumental flourishes and calculated precision, off-kilter melodic shifts and wonderfully interwoven vocal harmonies.

Summery and cheery, "Starship Trooper" culminates with a spiraling crescendo, the entwined machinations of guitarist Steve Howe and bassist Chris Squire sending wordless messages heavenward, while "Yours Is No Disgrace" motors through complicated twists and turns with easy grace. The proggy hootenanny of "Going for the One" is an aural ballet of elongated movements, the swooning "Wondrous Stories" and "Turn of the Century" are beautifully rendered to win over even the most jaded of audiences and "Awaken" swells majestically. And if it's intricate acoustic guitar picking you want, Howe obliges, with his folksy, whimsical turn on the lively instrumental "Clap."

Occasionally, he strains to reach certain notes, but otherwise, vocalist Jon Davison handles the material with warmth and skill, while Geoff Downes' keyboards add symphonic color to and shade in grand arrangements and Alan White glues it all together with intuitive rhythmic dynamics. Doing just one classic album in a concert setting seems to be passe for Yes, who've taken the concept to a whole new level. Not long afterward, they would attempt three on another series of live outings. Would it be too much to ask for four?
– Peter Lindblad

DVD Review: Yes – Songs From Tsongas: The 35th Anniversary Concert

DVD Review: Yes – Songs From Tsongas: The 35th Anniversary Concert
Eagle Rock Entertainment
All Access Rating: A-

Yes - Songs From Tsongas:
The 35th Anniversary Concert
It does the heart good to see Jon Anderson and the rest of Yes so happy together, especially in light of the bitter divorce to come in 2008.

Four years earlier, there were no signs of bad blood between the two sides when the cosmic progressive-rock voyageurs' classic lineup traveled through the past at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts, and closed out their 35th anniversary reunion tour.

Adding to the slew of Yes live releases over the years, an effervescent and exhilarating special edition two-disc DVD set containing an expertly filmed version of that blissful virtuoso performance, as well as a separate 70 minutes of live footage from a rainy night of Yes playing at the Estival in Lugano, Switzerland, is out now, released by Eagle Rock Entertainment.

The two stagings couldn't have been more different, the spartan set-up at Lugano a sharp contrast to the vivid, trippy spectacle of colored lights and alien, amorphous scenery – dreamed up by the one and only Roger Dean – that surrounded Yes at Tsongas, a joyous occasion highlighted by Anderson unabashedly running out into the crowd to belt out a stirring rendition of "Rhythm of Love" that's a veritable flood of silvery synthesizers, harmonized vocals, bubbling bass and sonic exuberance bursting forth.

Shooting the band from a variety of angles and smoothly pulling in tight for unobtrusive close-ups, the camera work is well-organized and clever, capturing the chameleon-like complexity and power of Yes as a whole and allowing individuals to shine on their own. Rick Wakeman's piano practically dances during his solo turn on "The Meeting," and Steve Howe deftly works out "Second Initial," his chance to go it alone, as Howe jumps between country, folk and rock genres like a world-class gymnast throughout, with Anderson's ageless vocal panache, Alan White's drumming is on point and Chris Squire's bass rambles on with precision and grace.

And Yes does justice to its legacy of innovative musicianship and compositional intrigue, gracefully navigating all the enigmatic time changes, unfolding drama, expansiveness and shifting melodic pathways of favorites such as "Your Move/All Good People," "Going for the One," "Starship Trooper," "And You And I" and a stunning version of "South Side of the Sky" – among others – with skillful finesse, a magical imagination and warm emotion.

Making the Tsongas performance even more special is a seven-song acoustic segment, where the quintet gathers in a close sitting, joking and smiling as they dive into winsome, charming readings of "Long Distance Runaround," "Owner of a Lonely Heart," "Time Is Time" and "Wondrous Stories" with the easy nature of old friends in the throes of strong drink and nostalgia. Even the shuffling blues treatment they give to "Roundabout" steps lively, and when a laughing Anderson proclaims he can't remember the words to "This Is Time," the gentle ribbing he gets from his comrades is delivered with good humor.

Out in the wet streets of Lugano, Yes runs through a condensed version of the Tsongas set, their energetic treatments of "Long Distance Runaround," "Roundabout," "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and a rollicking "Going For the One" ringing out in the rain. Shot in a more basic fashion, the show, nonetheless, is just as transcendent as Tsongas, if a bit shorter in duration. For Yes fans, it doesn't get much better than this.
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Yes – Heaven & Earth

CD Review: Yes – Heaven & Earth
Frontiers Records
All Access Rating: B-

Yes - Heaven & Earth 2014
Flashes of the old Yes,the one capable of grandiose symphonic brilliance and sublime pop artistry, appear throughout Heaven & Earth, the progressive-rock institution's uneven 21st studio LP, released via Frontiers Records.

One such display is "Subway Walls," 9:20 of delightful left turns, a jazzy instrumental passage that flexes Chris Squire's muscular bass lines and is gilded by Steve Howe's imaginative, stealthy guitar exercises, and a beautifully engineered chorus that sounds surprisingly fresh and vibrant.

So does "The Game," this bright, mellifluous river of flowing, flooding pop sounds barely contained by artfully constructed guitar puzzles and expertly woven vocals, and despite its inane lyrics, the rising swells of piano, strummed guitar and Jon Davison's impassioned singing in "To Ascend" are particularly affecting. Jon Anderson's vocal doppelganger is in fine form here.

Too often, though, Yes seems uninspired, even goofy, on Heaven & Earth. And producer Roy Thomas Baker, so instrumental in helping Queen soar to great heights, doesn't appear willing to edit them. "Step Beyond" is a strange gum ball machine of bouncy synth blips that could be playful and child-like, but instead, it comes off as unfinished and lacking sophistication, as if Yes needed to fill time. And the lukewarm "Believe Again," the inactive opener, has extended periods of flatness, blank spaces of subdued, aimless noodling that's content to remain in the background, where it belongs.

While their Utopian ideals, warm nostalgic thoughts and dreams of a world where love extinguishes hate and selfishness are wonderful and high-minded, the New Age sentimentality of Yes occasionally goes too far, snuffing out the enigmatic whimsy that made the Yes of the early 1970s more likable. But when they shake off their torpor and find that spark of uninhibited creativity that's served them so well lo these many years, as they do on the ever-evolving, wildly original "Light of Ages" and "It Was All We Knew," Yes shows it's still capable of blending accessible songwriting and instrumental complexity in ways nobody – not King Crimson and certainly not Emerson, Lake & Palmer – else can, somehow managing to match the effusive color and alien imagery of Roger Dean's cover art with visionary, dynamic keyboards, crisp drumming, motoring bass and Howe's bottomless bag of guitar tricks.

Were they rushed in completing this record? It feels as if they were. Heaven isn't too far away for Yes here, but then again, neither is hell.
– Peter Lindblad

Yes sets release date for 'Heaven & Earth'

Prog-rock giants have big summer tour planned

Yes - Heaven & Earth 2014
Among the world’s most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock bands, Grammy Award winning, YES are proud to announce they will release their  new studio album,HEAVEN & EARTH, July 22 on Frontiers Records. Having sold nearly 40 million albums in a career that has so far spanned more than four decades, HEAVEN & EARTH sees YES continuing with its tradition of symphonic progressive rock that remains timelessly fresh and innovative.HEAVEN & EARTH is available now for pre-order on Amazon here:http://smarturl.it/YES_Amz_Preorder.

HEAVEN & EARTH contains eight new tracks, each of which boasts the unique musicianship and craftsmanship that have come to be known as “the YES sound.” YES’ distinctive layered music, swirling arrangements, brilliant vocals and harmonies are all in abundance. HEAVEN & EARTH is an album sure to please both long-time and new YES fans. For HEAVEN & EARTH, YES teamed up with legendary Grammy Award winner, Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars, Guns N’ Roses, Foreigner, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice Cooper, etc.), who handled the production and Billy Sherwood (Toto, Paul Rodgers, Air Supply, etc.) who mixed the album. Also onboard is long-timeYES artist, the world-renowned Roger Dean, who again brings his masterful artistic creativity to the album’s cover art and packaging.

Tracklisting for Heaven & Earth:
1. Believe Again
2. The Game
3. Step Beyond
4. To Ascend
5. In A World Of Our Own
6. Light Of The Ages
7. It Was All We Knew
8. Subway Walls

To coincide with the release of HEAVEN & EARTH, the multi-platinum progressive rock band--bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, guitarist STEVE HOWE, drummer ALAN WHITE, keyboardist GEOFF DOWNES and singer JON DAVISON – announced in March they’ll launch their 35-date summer tour featuring YES performing, in their entirety, 1971’s groundbreaking album FRAGILE for the first-time ever and a repeat performance from last year’s tour of 1972’s CLOSE TO THE EDGE, followed by an encore of the band’s greatest hits.

The album FRAGILE is considered to be their U.S. breakthrough album peaking at #4 on theBillboard Album charts in the U.S. The RIAA-certified double platinum album has sold over two million copies and features YES’ hit single “Roundabout” and other classics likeLong Distance Runaround” and “Heart of the Sunrise.” It also marks the band’s first collaboration with artist Roger Dean on cover art, who has designed many of the band’s album covers and logos. The band’s album CLOSE TO THE EDGE  widely regarded as one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever recorded--was on the U.S. charts for 32 weeks, peaking at #3. A Rolling Stone review noted, “Yes’ colors are subtle, almost imperceptible tints, but the main strokes are bold and thick, applied with sureness and natural instinct.” Inspired by Siddhartha and their “state of mind” at the time, the Gold-certified album featuring epic suites such as “Close To The Edge” and “You And I” was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time” by Guitar World (2006). Track listings for both albums listed here: http://www.smarturl.it/qcbcnm.

Spend “An Evening with YES” this summer in the following cities:
DATE


CITY

VENUE
Tue
7/8

Boston, MA

Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Wed
7/9

New York, NY

Radio City Music Hall
Fri
7/11

Wallingford, CT

Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Sat
7/12

Westbury, NY

NYCB Theatre at Westbury
Sun
7/13

Newport, RI

Newport Yachting Center
Tue
7/15

Washington, DC

Warner Theatre
Wed
7/16

Hampton, NH

Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Fri
7/18

Salamanca, NY

Seneca Allegany Casino
Sat
7/19

Philadelphia, PA

Tower Theater
Sun
7/20

Munhall, PA

Carnegie Music Hall
Tue
7/22

Rochester Hills, MI

Meadow Brook
Wed
7/23

Northfield, OH

Hard Rock Live Northfield Park
Fri
7/25

Madison, WI

Overture Hall
Sat
7/26

Chicago, IL

Copernicus Center
Mon
7/28

Nashville, TN

Ryman Auditorium
Tue
7/29

Louisville, KY

Louisville Palace
Wed
7/30

Atlanta, GA

Symphony Hall
Fri
8/1

Hollywood, FL

Seminole Hard Rock Live
Sat
8/2

St. Petersburg, FL

Mahaffey Theater
Sun
8/3

Orlando, FL

Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
Tue
8/5

Houston, TX

Bayou Music Center
Wed
8/6

Grand Prairie, TX

Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
Thu
8/7

Kansas City, MO

Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
Sat
8/9

Denver, CO

Paramount Theatre
Mon
8/11

Tucson, AZ

Rialto Theatre
Tue
8/12

Mesa, AZ

Ikeda Theatre at Mesa Arts Center
Wed
8/13

Albuquerque, NM

Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino
Fri
8/15

Las Vegas, NV

The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sat
8/16

Anaheim, CA

City National Grove of Anaheim
Mon
8/18

San Diego, CA

Humphrey’s Concerts By the Bay
Tue
8/19

San Jose, CA

City National Civic
Thu
8/21

Tulalip, WA

Tulalip Amphitheatre
Fri
8/22

Grand Ronde, OR

Spirit Mountain Casino
Sat
8/23

Lincoln, CA

Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Sun
8/24

Los Angeles, CA

Greek Theatre

YES is proud to provide special show packages, which include near-stage seating, a meet and greet with the band, exclusive limited-edition gifts from YES, and much more. For more information on prices, on-sale dates and to purchase YES packages/tickets, go to www.yesworld.com.

CD Review: Asia – Gravitas

CD Review: Asia – Gravitas
Frontiers Records
All Access Rating: B+

Asia - Gravitas 2014
As reflective and almost solemn an album as Asia has ever produced, Gravitas is perhaps the perfect word to describe a recording that examines matters of the heart with such overarching drama and lovelorn longing.

Still technically a super group, although guitarist Steve Howe has seemingly departed for good to concentrate on his work with progressive-rock icons Yes, Asia welcomes a newcomer into the fold in Sam Coulson, joining lead vocalist/bassist John Wetton (King Crimson, UK), drummer Carl Palmer (ELP) and keyboardist Geoff Downes (The Buggles). 

It was Mr. Big's Paul Gilbert who recommended Coulson, and the match is a good one. Coulson's melodic leads and fluid playing fit like a glove, although at times it seems he's straining at the leash to really let loose here and shred like there's no tomorrow. Or maybe he's simply trying to force Asia out its comfort zone, maybe inject some fresh blood into a body that's been in need of a transfusion, even if nobody realized it until his arrival. And the band does seem rejuvenated, making big sweeping epic compositions that have all the hallmarks of past Asia outings.

Immediately apparent is the attention to detail Asia gives to crafting lush arrangements and exquisite, windswept vocal harmonies on the airbrushed Gravitas, such as those that usher in the soaring first single "Valkyrie." Suffused with light and full of amiable hooks, "Nyctophobia," "Heaven Help Me" and the dazzling flood of synthesizers, rich piano, pulsating bass and serrated guitar that make up the bombastic title track are bright, intoxicating aural paintings, all of them written with tighter structures than Asia's prog-rock brethren would ever dare to attempt. If only their tempos weren't so damn sleepy.

Lyrically, Gravitas, out now on Frontiers Records, is extraordinarily introspective, addressing subjects like regret and loss with candor, emotional vulnerability and a graceful ennui that comes with maturity, although it's rather clinical sonically and not at all warm. A particularly harsh self-excoriation, the soul-baring, golden slumber of "Joe DiMaggio's Glove" becomes a metaphor for a soft heart, while the spindly acoustic guitar and Old World imagery of "Russian Dolls," with its trains and vauxhalls, lends an air of mystery, intrigue and forlorn hopelessness to an album that, at times, has a heavy heart. The aching piano ballad "The Closer I Get," so reflective and tender, seems especially sad. 

Some will always dismiss Asia's overblown romanticism, their earnest sentimentality and their lightweight pop inclinations, which always belied their instrumental complexity. Gravitas has all of that. And the scornful might scoff at the fantastical cover art of Gravitas, as Asia has always gone for that Roger Dean look but with a slightly less sci-fi influence and more mythical serpents and dragons, although this one appears to have come straight out of "Avatar." Still, there was a time in 1982 when they were as big as anybody in music, their debut album surprisingly becoming Billboard's No. 1 album of the year. The people have spoken when it comes to Asia, who sound more and more like the Moody Blues every year. And there's something about them people seem to like.
– Peter Lindblad


Steve Howe steps away from Asia


Prog-rockers recruit new guitarist, plot new record

Asia - Sam Coulson, Geoff Downes, John Wetton
and Carl Palmer
Steve Howe is leaving Asia. The renowned guitarist announced his intentions to step away on Thursday, saying he needs to do so in order to focus more fully on other projects.

“Myself and the band wish to thank their fans for the enthusiasm shown during the original members’ reunion,” relates Howe. “I will continue with Yes, and with my trio and solo guitar work. I wish my friends continued success.”

Moving quickly, Asia has already found Howe’s replacement. They have hired newcomer Sam Coulson, recognized throughout the guitar community as a virtuoso performer. With Coulson in tow, Asia plans to perform at Sweden Rock 2013 and work on a new studio album, titled Valkyrie, for Frontiers Records.
“Asia is ready to take its next steps along this remarkable road,” says Asia’s lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton, known also for his work with King Crimson and U.K. “We cannot wait to perform again for the fans and also to unveil some of the new material, of which we are very proud.”

Keyboardist Geoff Downes, who has also played with Yes and the Buggles, added, “We look forward to writing another chapter in Asia’s history,” while drummer Carl Palmer, of Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame, chimed in, “We’re all looking forward to the next decade of great Asia music.”

The original members of Asia reunited in 2006 for a U.S. tour, several jaunts across the European continent and four the spanned the world, while also managing to release three new studio albums, three DVDs, and a number of live records. Asia’s exposure grew exponentially when their song “An Extraordinary Life,” off 2008’s Phoenix LP, was picked as the theme music for the TV show “America’s Got Talent.”

One of the biggest-selling super groups of all-time Asia began in the early ‘80s, when Howe, Wetton, Downes and Palmer agreed to join forces. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1982 and spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It remains one of the three most successful albums, in terms of record sales, in the history of Geffen Records, along with the likes of Guns ‘N Roses and Whitesnake. Their song “Heat of the Moment” was a smash hit, and an MTV phenomenon. Their ability to make videos that combined storytelling with compelling messages resulted in heavy MTV rotation for tracks like “Wildest Dreams,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes,” and “Don’t Cry.” And “Heat of the Moment” has appeared in TV shows and movies including “40 Year Old Virgin,” “South Park,” “Cold Case” and “The Matador.”

Visit OriginalAsia.com for more information.

CD Review: Yes - In The Present – Live From Lyon

CD Review: Yes - In The Present – Live From Lyon
Frontier
All Access Review: B-


The last few years or so have been some of the most dysfunctional in the long, storied history of progressive-rock institution and psychedelic chameleons Yes, and that’s saying something. Seemingly forever beset by internal strife, whether over creative differences, legal battles over the band’s name, personality conflicts, or even debilitating health problems, Yes’s instability has, at various times, threatened to tear the very hull of the band apart and cause it to sink down into the deep of a Technicolor, Roger Dean-imagined lake of lava on some distant, undiscovered planet. Through it all, bass wizard Chris Squire, the only remaining original member, has managed to guide Yes through the choppiest of waters and still keep the good ship seaworthy with an ever-evolving crew. He’s still at the helm and shows no signs of giving up the wheel.
Though he’s been in and out of the band more often than a hopeless addict shuffles through rehab, Jon Anderson, a founding member no less, is, without question, the one true voice of Yes. But, respiratory issues have, on occasion, caused him to excuse himself from a number of possible Yes tours as the loud cheering died down after the 35th anniversary excursion in 2004. And while Squire and the rest of Yes entertained the notion of recording new music, Anderson, perhaps still stinging from the disappointing commercial results of 2001’s orchestral Magnification, was intractable in his opposition to the idea, certainly skeptical that Yes still had it in them to chart new musical territory. Here’s where things get sticky. In 2008, Yes again was set to tour the world, this time for its 40th anniversary. However, the “Close to the Edge and Back” jaunt crashed before it left the launching pad, as Anderson was diagnosed with acute respiratory failure. On doctor’s orders, he opted to rest the pipes. Not willing to wait around for Anderson to recover, Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White – along with Oliver Wakeman, son of the veteran Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman – shanghaied a new singer, Benoit David. And wouldn’t you know it? David was Anderson’s vocal doppelganger.
Leaving Anderson behind to fume over this breach of loyalty – even though he’d left the band plenty of times before, including that well-publicized first split in 1980 – the rest of Yes embarked on what would become known as the “In the Present” North American tour, while Anderson twisted in the wind, not knowing if he was still a part of Yes or not. Interrupted by Squire’s leg surgery, “In the Present” was delayed, but in 2009, Yes went back out and on December 1 of that year, the reconstituted Yes played Lyon, France. In late 2011, Frontiers Records released a double-CD set that documented the beaming, if somewhat spotty, performance and paired it with a 55-minute DVD in a package titled In the Present – Live from Lyon. And it feels like the dawning of a new era for the band, with its mix of elder statesmen and hungry young lions.
Still, from sound of things on In the Present – Live at Lyon, this version of Yes has yet to reach its full potential. Despite some imaginative and diverse guitar soloing from Howe, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” drags its feet, the playing sluggish and sapped of Yes’s usual vitality, as is the hum-drum version of “I’ve Seen All Good People” that follows it on Disc 1. When it’s supposed to pick up steam and drive ahead, at that precise moment when the song shifts from a psychedelic-folk meditation on living unselfishly into a muscular, triumphant jam of spiritual uplift, it lazily, almost reluctantly, comes to its feet and tiredly walks to its destination.
Not everything on In the Present – Live in Lyon comes off seeming so distracted and disinterested. “Machine Messiah,” boasting Oliver’s beguiling keyboard runs and the twirling spirals of notes rising from Howe’s guitar that answer them, offers exuberance and haunting beauty, while “Heart of the Sunrise” dazzles with its complex musicianship and shape-shifting movements, as do the jazzy interludes of “Astral Traveler,” showcasing the head-spinning interplay of Howe and Wakeman and the controlled chaos of White’s drum solo.
Maddeningly inconsistent, the sometimes uninspired and masturbatory Disc 1 gives way to a more confident and wide-ranging Yes in the second CD. Lush and extravagant, “Siberian Kathru” is an epic flight over some of the more mountainous terrain Yes traverses, and the fan favorite “Southside of the Sky” explores the many moods of Yes, from dark, sloping sonic valleys to lofty peaks of emotion. “Tempus Fugit” is more expansive and radiant, a blast of light and balled-up energy that explodes all over the quietly reflective and romantic “Onward,” which features David’s most stirring vocals of these recordings.
Though it contains fewer hits from Yes’s catalog, Disc 2 surpasses Disc 1 in vim and vigor, with a rugged, captivatingly bright “Roundabout” leading the charge. Overall, the sound is clean and vibrant, and while David’s vocals aren’t quite as warm or as nuanced as Anderson’s, he handles the material with grace and power. Historically, a bone of contention between Anderson and others in Yes was how he always pushed for an increased dosage of pop sensibilities into the band’s otherwise classically influenced arrangements, where others argued for a heavier, more daring direction. Those tensions apparently have been resolved, and though Anderson’s up-in-the-air status with Yes remains controversial – Squire of late hasn’t ruled out future collaborations with Anderson, who’s been playing out as a solo artist in recent years – it appears they are capable of carrying on without him.
-        Peter Lindblad
Official Trailer from Frontier Records