Pioneers of Progressive Rock music, YES is the story of a band who has never stood still. True legends, YES has released albums in each of the last five decades. A very impressive statistic when you stop to think it over… that would be going all the way back to their 1969 self-titled album, to their most recent, 2023’s Mirror to the Sky.
Mirror to the Sky, astoundingly YES’ 23rd studio record is a direct follow up to 2021’s The Quest. The Quest. Conjured up during the pandemic years, looking back, The Quest was widely considered by fans to be one of the band’s most compelling records in some time. Well-written and equally as well produced, The Quest’s sessions poured over into more new song ideas for the band that the members were itching to hollow out. Thankfully they had the support of InsideOut Music/Sony Music to go at it, and that is just what they do, going on to create what is now Mirror to the Sky.
Released on May 19th, Mirror to the Sky is considered a very important album to the band’s history according to YES leader, Steve Howe. The longest standing member of the band (part of them since their beloved 1971 The Yes Album), Howe has seen many changes within and outside the band… so he has a good pulse on matters. That in mind, it is understandable why he believes this to be such a vital record; because YES has always been a band who tries to keep the momentum moving forward. Challenging themselves, and seldom ever repeating what they have done prior, Mirror to the Sky follows this same trend.
Complete with 9 tracks that last over an hour, it dips and dives out of sounds in a delightful modern Progressive Rock format that is sure to delight fans. That in mind, it is important to mention, if it is not already obvious, this album commits to the overall picture, and is not just singles here and there. This is why it is a good idea to go into it with the time, stamina, and attention span to pay close attention. Something that should not be too difficult for long-time YES fans (considering the band’s previous outputs), what is really great about Mirror to the Sky is that the band sounds reinvigorated in many regards.
Currently comprised of Guitarist Steve Howe, Organist Geoff Downes (also known for his work with Asia), Vocalist Jon Davison (a member of YES since 2012), Bassist Billy Sherwood and Drummer Jay Schellen (also remembered for his time with Hurricane), this current lineup seems to be firing on all cylinders. Very eccentric in styles, some of the most enticing sections on the album would have to include “All Connected,” “Luminosity,” the straighter forward rocker “Living Out Their Dream,” the epic title-track with its various movements, and “Unknown Place.”
In the end YES have created an album that is worthy of sitting alongside some of their best classic period material. It is lively, but also consistently interesting. Which leads us back to what Steve Howe himself said in a 2018 Cryptic Rock Magazine interview – “The evolution of YES is not a stagnant thing; it can’t be fixed and it can’t repeat itself.” How true it is, and they prove that with Mirror to the Sky, hence Cryptic Rock gives it 4 out of 5 stars.
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