Too Braves late work

Yes is probably one of the bands with the most reshuffles. Therefore, it makes sense to throw before buying an album -Yes a look at the cast, knowing what to expect. In this case, in addition to founding bassist Chris Squire and guitar legend Steve Howe nor the longtime drummer Alan White, the Asia-Leader Geoff Downes and the new vocalist Jon Davison on board who has his spurs in -Yes cover bands and Glass Hammer. No Anderson, no Wakeman, Bruford no, no Rabin, Kaye, no, no horn - neither Quietschesounds yet Disco Rock. Downes promises rather than melodic catchy proggige elements, and by noticeably aged White can not expect any wild Frickeltakte more. Remains as a big unknown Jon Davison ... the one and the same time impressed upon the songwriting largely. Yes have already earlier left their newcomers songwriting, which was 1980 to "drama" so that repeated itself in 1983 to "90125" 1997 "Open Your Eyes" and 2011 "Fly From Here".

The good news: Jon Davison sounds vocally not only as Jon Anderson, but he also writes very similar songs. Now the bad news: but I do not mean what Anderson did with Yes, but his poppig- esoteric solo albums. And therefore the -Yes album "Heaven and Earth" sounds paradoxically ... like a solo album of former singer -Yes. In previous masterpieces Howe and Squire were set against Anderson's harmony-loving euphony successfully contrasting musical opposites, this time they offer no defense against Davison equally pleasing murmur. Maybe it was a lack of studio time to refine the arrangements and increasing the complexity. Perhaps the band by producer Roy Thomas Baker and sound mixer Billy Sherwood was ill advised. Anyway, the song is sonically very moved into the foreground, and behind it happened unexciting.

So Davison warbles unmolested his World Peace lyrics to eingängig- simple melodies, Squire and Howe act largely unremarkable for their circumstances, Downes sets of fair-sounding keyboard carpets, somewhere in the background schrammelt an acoustic guitar, and White knocks including cozy four-four cycles (except for "To Ascend" because it may sometimes be a cozy three-quarter time). Ever most songs could be played by twenty percent faster when you were younger and wanted. Hectic elements are avoided, perhaps may be the case of old men so. At least in the final longtrack "Subway Walls" find a few interesting changes instead, the misleading term "prog" I want to use it but not that I would find daring.

Must verreißen one album; it's just nice and harmless. As Anderson solo album would probably belong to the better. But of Yes you expect more, because Howe and Squire have made it too easy. Nearly three star, more is not possible. Sorry.