The Official Yes Thread

[Nel]

2nd disc is bonus tracks, to my understanding.

Ah. I was under impression that the album was announced with all 11 tracks from the get-go. At least any time I saw a press release, anyway. Still, seems like a waste to make a whole extra disc for 3 songs that only total 13 minutes.

[The Letter M]

Not that anyone will be surprised or too disappointed, but...

Due to unforeseen manufacturing issues, the US physical release of the new Yes album ‘The Quest’ will be delayed. The worldwide digital release of the album will remain on the 1st of October. The US release for the 2CD Digipak, Limited Deluxe Box & Artbook will be on the 15th of October, and the standalone vinyl will be released on the 17th of December.

This does not affect the release outside of the US, where the physical release date will remain 1st of October.

The YesWorld/Manhead Merch store will still be shipping their stock as soon as product is received, as such customers who pre-ordered via this shop will receive their order on or before October 15th

We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused, and we are doing our best to get the album in your hands asap.

Inside Out Music just posted that on Facebook about 10 minutes ago.

-Marc.

[IDontNotDoThings]

The album is out

First impressions: it exists

[The Letter M]

The album is out

First impressions: it exists

 

I've listened to it once. It's not worse than Heaven & Earth, at least.

-Marc.

[TheSoylentMan]

Those things on the right side of the album cover look like the Audioslave sculpture.

[Lupton]

The album is out

First impressions: it exists

Are you really sure? If a Yes record plays in a forest...

[Stadler]

The album is out

First impressions: it exists

 

I've listened to it once. It's not worse than Heaven & Earth, at least.

-Marc.

That still leaves a LOT of room for error. 

[IDontNotDoThings]

The album is out

First impressions: it exists

 

I've listened to it once. It's not worse than Heaven & Earth, at least.

-Marc.

I disagree. Even thought H&E is calm, I disagree with the notion that it's boring or that forgettable. It works as an album to listen to when I want to relax.

The Quest on the other hand, I've now listened to three times & can't remember a single note outside the singles. Future Memories is also good, & I guess Leave Well Alone is alright (although parts of it remind me more of Camel than Yes, & those are the best parts imo), but do I remember any riffs or melodies off the top of my head besides The Ice Bridge & Dare To Know? Nope. Do I remember any riffs or melodies from H&E? A pretty decent amount of them, yes. Obviously I've had more time to listen to H&E, but what I'm trying to say is that The Quest doesn't have that surface enjoyment that H&E gave me, & that so far it's not a good sign.

At least The Ice Bridge breaks the trend though. Even if only for one song, it's still quite a refreshing song.

[Mladen]

I have also only listened to it twice and it does feel like listening to fifty minutes of silence. I do remember Music to my ears being solid, though. But still, I will keep spinning it over the next week.

[darkshade]

First listen to The Quest, and I agree, it exists. Completely forgettable sounding so far.

I liked Fly From Here when it came out, but haven't listened to that one in some time.

[Fritzinger]

I listened to it while driving home from Vienna yesterday and I had to fight falling asleep momentarily.

At least The Ice Bridge breaks the trend though. Even if only for one song, it's still quite a refreshing song.

Yeah, and The Ice Bridge was accidentally ripped off from a composition by Francis Monkman...

[Mladen]

All of a sudden, it sounded better on my fifth listen. Honestly. 

I will actually put it away for a day or two and then come back to it. There are some melodies that sneak up on you after a while, when you're least expecting it. I'll give it a break in order to see if the melodies will draw me to return to it.

[Lupton]

I listened to it while driving home from Vienna yesterday and I had to fight falling asleep momentarily.

Maybe it should come with a warning label for listening while operating heavy machinery? 

[Architeuthis]

I listened to it while driving home from Vienna yesterday and I had to fight falling asleep momentarily.

Maybe it should come with a warning label for listening while operating heavy machinery? 

   

[JediKnight1969]

They're running out of ideas. I'd dismiss Geoff and bring on Clive Nolan.

[Mladen]

Damn. Despite being able to recognize occasional Yes magic and melodies here and there, I do not think I will be returning to The Quest too often. In comparison to Heaven and earth, it might be just a tad more energetic. The attitude that was there on Fly from here is in no way present.

I understand that the guys are older, but the music that they make nowadays doesn't grab me as much. It's very bland and average overall.

[HOF]

So I finally picked up a copy of Chris Squire’s Fish Out of Water. I had heard it briefly a few times before, but this is the first time I’d really sat down and given it a full listen. It is extraordinary. Not sure how to put it in words, but I’m sitting here in silence because, well, that was awesome and I’m not ready to move on yet!

Easily the best Yes-related thing I’ve heard between Relayer and 90125, and honestly up there with anything else by Yes probably.

[Orbert]

I consider Fish Out of Water to be the best solo album by any Yes member, and a damned good album overall.

[Architeuthis]

I understand that the guys are older, but the music that they make nowadays doesn't grab me as much. It's very bland and average overall.

They lost me right afterJon Anderson's departure.  I just can't get into either of the other singers at all.

[Stadler]

They're running out of ideas. I'd dismiss Geoff and bring on Clive Nolan.

Fair enough, I don't know who Clive Nolan is, but I don't think the problem is Geoff Downes.   This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

[darkshade]

New album feels more like a Steve Howe solo album (and it may as well be) and there's no original members left, which is a good sign the band is dead, and more of a marketing tool for Howe and the gang. None of that would matter if the music wasn't flat out boring.

Fish Out of Water is the best Yes album not under the Yes moniker, and sounds more like a real Yes album than The Quest.
Bruford on drums certainly is a factor as well.

[JediKnight1969]

They're running out of ideas. I'd dismiss Geoff and bring on Clive Nolan.

Fair enough, I don't know who Clive Nolan is, but I don't think the problem is Geoff Downes.   This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

Well, I think bringing on a prolific composer like CN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Nolan would take SH out of the sole leader position. Geoff here is no more than a session player and a heavyweight like Nolan would bring balance within the band.

[romdrums]

This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

This is the real problem, right here.  Steve Howe is at best the third most important ingredient in the Yes sound, and now he’s leading the band. 

[JediKnight1969]

This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

This is the real problem, right here.  Steve Howe is at best the third most important ingredient in the Yes sound, and now he’s leading the band.

OK, but he cannot be removed. He`s one of the last two classic members and Alan is very close to retirement. Billy and Jon are keepers now. So, if you want Steve not to lead the band you need to include a major composer in there. And the weak point are the keyboards, not because Geoff is uncapable. He's a gifted player, but (and I'm sure it`s because of Steve) he's working here as a session player more than a creative force.

[romdrums]

I think Yes would be better off if Jon Anderson and Steve Howe patched things up.  The absence of Chris Squire would be more tolerable if Jon Anderson was still in the band.  I wish that the Anderson Rabin Wakeman project hadn’t run out of steam.  That sounded more like Yes than Steve Howe’s version.

[KevShmev]

I think Howe and Anderson have patched things up to some degree.  Didn't they work together on Anderson's solo album from 2019? 

I suspect with Howe, it is probably both a monetary and leadership thing.  He can probably get away with paying Davidson a lot less than Anderson would get paid if he was back in the band, and with Anderson not in the band and Squire deceased, Howe is pretty much the man in charge and doesn't have to worry about anyone trying to take over like Anderson inevitably would.

[Architeuthis]

  I wish that the Anderson Rabin Wakeman project hadn’t run out of steam. 

I wonder what the heck happened with that project?? They were even working on a new album and somebody dropped the ball..  good grief!   

[Stadler]

They're running out of ideas. I'd dismiss Geoff and bring on Clive Nolan.

Fair enough, I don't know who Clive Nolan is, but I don't think the problem is Geoff Downes.   This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

Well, I think bringing on a prolific composer like CN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Nolan would take SH out of the sole leader position. Geoff here is no more than a session player and a heavyweight like Nolan would bring balance within the band.

Geoff Downes is an AMAZING composer.   Remembering that I don't know who he is what would Clive Nolan have that Downes doesn't in terms of being heard?   

[JediKnight1969]

They're running out of ideas. I'd dismiss Geoff and bring on Clive Nolan.

Fair enough, I don't know who Clive Nolan is, but I don't think the problem is Geoff Downes.   This is Steve Howe's band, and that, IMO, is not a good thing.   The heart of Yes was always Chris Squire.

Well, I think bringing on a prolific composer like CN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Nolan would take SH out of the sole leader position. Geoff here is no more than a session player and a heavyweight like Nolan would bring balance within the band.

Geoff Downes is an AMAZING composer.   Remembering that I don't know who he is what would Clive Nolan have that Downes doesn't in terms of being heard?

Just check out Arena or the Nolan - Wakeman project.

[Fritzinger]

I think Howe and Anderson have patched things up to some degree.  Didn't they work together on Anderson's solo album from 2019? 

Well, that album came out in 2019 but was recorded over the last 387 years, so I guess Steve could have contributed his parts before they stopped playing together.

[JediKnight1969]

Third single: "Future memories"

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/yes-unveils-video-for-future-memories-third-single-from-new-album-the-quest/

[Lupton]

So I had to pick this up. As a Yes completist it was mandatory, although I must say I was not looking forward to checking this out.

Well...I finally got the courage to put this in the player last night after drinking about six 9.0 IPAs, I found myself perilously drunk and ready to embark on The Quest. Having only previously heard the Ice Bridge, had no clue of the rest of what I was in for. Considering my state, it's no surprise I can't remember any of the actual music. What I do remember is being pleasantly surprised and pleased with each unfolding song and thinking: "Hey! This is not as bad as everyone's saying. Digging this slightly. This is good. Not great, but actually good."  So I know I actually enjoyed it! But of course I don't remember a single note. And now I'm sitting here in the sober light of day wondering; do I dare chance listening to this again now at the risk of ruining my alcohol fueled delusions? 

[Orbert]

I too am a Yes completist, and have no intention of listening to this album for the first time sober.  I have yet to actually order the damned thing.  I didn't want to do Amazon, so I tried Burning Shed, and couldn't find any option to not use fucking Paypal to order it.  And I won't use Paypal, so I had to wait until Amazon had it, which was not until yesterday, and then I forgot to order it.  Yeah, that's how high of a priority this album is.  But I'll get it, eventually.

[Architeuthis]

So I had to pick this up. As a Yes completist it was mandatory, although I must say I was not looking forward to checking this out.

Well...I finally got the courage to put this in the player last night after drinking about six 9.0 IPAs, I found myself perilously drunk and ready to embark on The Quest. Having only previously heard the Ice Bridge, had no clue of the rest of what I was in for. Considering my state, it's no surprise I can't remember any of the actual music. What I do remember is being pleasantly surprised and pleased with each unfolding song and thinking: "Hey! This is not as bad as everyone's saying. Digging this slightly. This is good. Not great, but actually good."  So I know I actually enjoyed it! But of course I don't remember a single note. And now I'm sitting here in the sober light of day wondering; do I dare chance listening to this again now at the risk of ruining my alcohol fueled delusions? 

 

[Nel]

I'm behind. All I want is a CD copy of From A Page that does NOT require me to rebuy Live From Lyon and does NOT require me to use Burning Shed, who've rejected my payments any time I've tried to ordered from them in the past decade.

And now I need The Quest for my collection too. Le sigh.