Fly From Here

I pre-ordered this album and planned on writing a review, which was put off over and over again. After reading reviews, I thought a one-year review would be good. I read a lot of what I consider "knee-jerk" reaction to the album, so, after one year and plenty of time to listen to it, here is my take on Fly from Here. Whatever your favorite album is by Yes (mine being Going for the One), this is the best one since then. Nothing I have heard over the last year comes close to the enjoyment I get from this album and I hope that anyone who gives it some time will discover the same thing. I have listened to this album more in the last year than anything else I own. On first listen, i did have some hesitation at times as to how good it was, that's where a bit of patient listening paid off. The quality and creativity of the music comes though over time, even with Jon and Rick not being involved. Benoit does a wonderful job bringing his own sound to the band, and the three part harmonies sound as good as they ever were. Geoff is a great keyboard player, as were all the others, and it may be because he used his classic keyboards that this album sounds so great to me. I thought Magnification was great, but it is the keyboards that really make the difference in the total sound. There seem to be others who know the origins of the Horn/Downes tracks better than I, so I refer you to them. From a lyrical standpoint, I really like this album because it seems more focused on interesting word pictures and not so much of the cerebral-introspective and socital examination that was much more heavy in the last handful of albums. As for the songs, here's my take on them: All of suite Fly from Here is more like a collection of songs that were tied together with short instrumental pieces and some common lyrics, but still stand well on there own. FFH:Overture It grabs your attention and feels like the classic days of Yes FFH: We Can Fly I never heard this when it was played on the Drama tour, but it was well worth the wait. Nice driving bass, original guitar work, unlike anything I hear anyone doing these days, and the keyboards are just the right tones to fill it out nicely. FFH: Sad Night at the Airfield Very nice acoustic work at the beginning with just the right keyboard accompaniment. For a nearly 7:00 minute section, it goes by too quickly, especially the outstanding steel guitar work at the end. Some of the finest in years. I've only heard David Gilmour's work on High Hopes sound close to this. Ominous and beautiful at the same time. FFH: Madman at the Screens A return to the overture theme, this one is heavier and drives pretty good. Has some great organ work near the end. FFH: Bumpy Ride One of the parts that took me a bit off guard because it seems slightly out-of-place, but it grows on you over time and you get used to it. It does have this somewhat happy feel to it. FFH: We Can Fly Reprise Also a bit odd coming in, reminded me of the very end of Tull's Thick as a Brick, sort of like the radio was suddenly turned up and here's this piece of music. Other than the odd intro, it closes down the whole piece nicely. The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be: Feels like it was drawn a bit more from the acousticness of the 80's or early 90's. A very nice example of allowing different instruments to have there own parts and not crowd each other. The bass riff at the end is very nice and guitarists could learn a lot from Steve here. You don't have to use loud distortion all the time, just use a few notes here and there to build what you want. Life on a Film Set: This is the best example of word pictures on the album, not like we have heard since probably Tormato. A nice acoustic guitar and keyboard mix on the first half, into a very upbeat second half. The second half sounds very happy and fun, sort of like the very end of Sound Chaser and it's playfulness with the "la la la's" although there are no "la's" here. Hour of Need: Sound wise the first thing I thought of was Wonderous Stories or Nine Voices because of the Portugese Guitar that leads. Not heavy and very thought provoking. Solitaire: Steve's guitar solo. I feel like you are watching someone taking a walk though the countryside. Music can create pictures in your mind. Into the Storm: My one surprise was the lack of talk about this song. This is the crown jewel of the album. Nothing captures the feel of the 70's better than this one and it's been a awful long time since I've heard anything that musically brings me as much joy as this piece. Chris has a bass sound most like what was used on Tormato, the guitar has just the right amount of bite to give the song drive, but not overwhelm anything else. The keyboards accompany it perfectly and the drums tie it all up. The other shock is the vocals, sounds just like the harmonies on Yours is No Disgrace. The tempo changes are seamless, as good as anything I've heard in a long time. Honestly, I can't do justice to how good this song is. One of the greatest things is the musical outro. It is the best musical closing they have done since Ritual, and it literally feels like you can see a plane flying off into a storm. The question is, if this is the last album by Yes, is it a worthy bookend to their career? Absolutely! I know the line-up may not be what everyone would have hoped for, but in the end it's the music that the fans of Yes truly care about, and here they have succeeded in making a musically satisfying album. So, before you jump ship on buying this album because of some of the poor knee-jerk reviews, give it a try, give it several listens and decide. In the end, I don't think you will be disappointed in what you hear.

When considering Yes, one needs to be careful about being pigeon hold into what a number of old time Yes fans consider the classic line up from the early 70's which included Jon Anderson on vocals, Chris Squire on bass, Bill Bruford on drums, Steve Howe on guitar and Rick Wakeman on keyboards. These five represented a snapshot in time that produced two beloved recordings, Fragile and Close to the Edge. The reality is Yes has had no fewer than 4 lead singers, 4 guitarists, 2 drummers, 6 keyboardists and only one bass guitarist, that being Chris Squire. The latest 2011 line up is in a sense a resurrection of the 1980 band which produced the recording Drama. Anderson and Wakeman had left the band signaling what might have been the end of Yes but a chance meeting with two young musicians, vocalist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes of the then emerging late 70's techno progressive rock band, the Buggles, lead to life for Yes. The Drama album fused new elements into the band with a heavier sound along with a touch of the 80's with a great treatment of the Buggles song I am a Camera, reworked here as Into the Lens. Songs like Machine Messiah, Tempus Fugit and Into the Lens provided a bridge from the 70's into the 80's. Sadly the adoring British fans were very critical of the changes. Geoff left after Drama to form the wildly popular Asia, along with Steve Howe, and Trevor went on to become a highly sought after producer working with a wide variety of artists including Yes when they released Owners of a Lonely Heart.Many personnel changes have taken place since 1980 to the present, leading us to the current Yes line up of Squire, Howe, long time drummer Alan White who replaced Bill Bruford after Close to the Edge, the return of Geoff Downes on keyboards and new singer Benoit David who has toured with the band for the last several years.Fly From Here in a sense picks up from 1980. Trevor Horn has returned, producing Fly from Here, and Geoff is once again handling the keyboards. The new recording features the title song that was originally written back during the Drama years and Yes had kicked around having it included on Drama, but feeling they had enough material, Fly from Here was tucked into the vault. Yes had not produced a new studio recording in 10 years and it was unlikely that a new recording was going to emerge from the touring version of Yes. But add Geoff and Trevor to the core of Chris, Steve and Alan along with Benoit, and all the pieces where in place for the first new Yes music in a decade. For the recording, the original title song has been reworded into a large 6 part piece in the tradition of many long Yes compositions. This piece is followed by 5 additional songs. The title song starts with the instrumental Overture that introduces us to the musical themes that will appear throughout the following 5 parts. Steve's guitar and Geoff's keyboards are front and center and are aptly augmented by the solid bass and drumming of Chris and Alan.After Overture, Benoit makes his first vocal appearance on Part 1. In a sense we are seeing the birth of this singer who was hired because he sounds so much like Jon Anderson. Interestingly, Trevor has him sounding more like himself than Anderson on much of the songs. The music and vocals are lively and refreshing, reminding me of what made Yes so popular back the late 60's. Steve's playing is wonderful throughout and it becomes evident with repeat listening that he poured a lot of himself into this effort. Geoff, one of the finest progressive keyboard players around provides great piano and synth playing with some occasional organ, all in the grand tradition of the Yes sound. This sound transported me back to the Drama period which is, in my opinion, the most under rated period of Yes. What they started back then was actually too far ahead of its time, fusing the sound of two different, yet pioneering bands. It is a mistake to dismiss what The Buggles had created, and when you combine Yes with what they brought to the table you have a sound that is enjoyable and satisfying and groundbreaking in its own right. The title song comes to a grand close with the sweeping Reprise featuring soaring keyboards, punctuating bass and wonderful guitar.Next up is the new The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be which opens with acoustic and electric guitar. The lyrics still have that esoteric 70'sYes feel yet they seem to be more meaningful. Alan's drumming provides a backdrop with some mellow and tasteful chops accompanied by some nice bass from Chris. Steve continues to shine with his playing and Benoit provides a nice vocal touch. I really enjoy Trevor keeping everything in a somewhat dreamy balance.Life on a Film Set written by Downes and Horn opens with mellow acoustic guitar and vocal. Geoff joins in and then Chris and Alan to create a really great sounding song. Midway through the song, Steve puts down some nice acoustic guitar followed by Geoff's keys. At this point this actually reminds me of the sound of a great newer progressive sounding band named Magenta. Benoit's vocals are excellent throughout showing off this talent singer.Hour of Need, written by Howe opens with some great guitar and a balance of vocals and the rest of the band. A nice keyboard riff adds a progressive feel. The lyrics have the typical positive Yes message and all in all, one of the nicest songs on the recording.Solitaire, written by Howe shows off his fabulous guitar playing.The closing song, Into the Storm, is a harder progressive rocker which does remind me again of earlier Yes. Benoit's vocals are solid along with great keyboards and guitar. Chris and Alan are rock solid again showing why they are the best rhythm section in progressive rock. Steve lays down more great riffs over Geoff's keyboards as the song comes to a satisfying close. All in all, Fly From Here is a solid effort by a great band. I only hope that they can continue for a time with this line up and with Trevor returning to produce. It would be worthwhile for them and us.

After such along wait, what could we to expect from a new Yes album. Yes's version of the Buggles or something new and innovative?The album kicks off with the multi-parted 'Fly from here'. The overture induces nightmares about how 'Drama' could have ended up sounding 34 years ago. Where as that didn't happen at first it seems it could here. Still it settles down and another influence takes over. Down's lush keyboards take over with tight interplay between them and Howe's guitar, Chris Squires mid range bass sound kicks in with Alan White's dependable drumming. The refreshing thing is that Benoit David feels no obligation imitate Jon Anderson and his vocals come across as very much his. During part two Steve Howe's acoustic guitar creates a slower more reflective atmosphere before turning Buggles like in part three. Part four (bumpy ride) starts slowly and reflectively before going into an instrumental section. This section takes a bit of getting used too but it gets better as it goes on and Steve Howe creates some nice lead lines. This leads back to a reprise of the first part (We can fly) bringing the track to close to an epic conclusion.Overall this isn't as smooth flowing as some of the Yes epics of yesteryear (or even an Endless dream from Talk) but at 23 minutes long it does fly by, and that counts for something.'The man you ways wanted me to be' features Chris Squire on vocals and is quite 90125 in style but nice enough with some nice melodies from Steve Howe setting the tone for the rest of the album'Life on a film set' has a lovely acoustic opening with Benoit David's vocals sharp and clear and the keyboards filling it out nicely. There is a good up tempo acoustic section but as good as this is the song seems to just trail off with no real conclusion.Steve's 'Hour of need' has some nice acoustic work with some nice synth melodies.'Solitaire' proves what every Yes fan knows, there's no one as capable behind six strings than Steve Howe. However as part of the album, this feels slightly out of place.'Into the storm' kicks off with a welcome bit of pace. The vocal harmonies with Chris Squire and Steve Howe make Benoit sound more like Jon Anderson and after some nice melodic guitar lines Steve Howe cuts loose with a solo with some real bite and flair. This is the knockout track on the album that elevates it from three and a half to a four star album.So to answer the question, this is not a Buggles album with Chris, Steve and Alan as session musicians. Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn wrote much of this but the others have put the Yes stamp on it, although in a more commercial format! Is it new and innovative? No, but how could it be? Yes made some amazing music from 1971 to 1977 when they were ahead of everyone and to my mind this period has never been equalled! They made some very good music after that right up to'Magnification' with slight miss-fires with 'Union' and 'Open your eyes' (their worst album). I doubt any group, not even Yes, could ever attain the kind of invention they did in their prime! What you've got here is a very good album with some good well played music on it that makes me excited about the new album 'Heaven and Earth.'

Yes return with their first album since forever. Cue massive build up, pre-order and finally... satisfaction. Not the greatest album ever. Not even the greatest Yes album ever but... satisfying.A few things about this album do confuse me. Firstly, a majority of the music is written by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. Downes was previously a member of Yes for one album along with Trevor Horn. This seems to be a lot of old Buggles stuff. Couldn't Yes have written a bit more new music? Another problem is that Benoit David just isn't Jon Anderson, and before I am bombarded with accusations of snobbery or of being an Anderson acolyte I would like to make it clear that all I mean by this comment is that his voice does not command the same emotion (or range) as Jon Anderson. The vocals are high quality but sound slightly flat compared with older Yes albums.Anyway, The music on this album is undeniably good. Well written and superbly performed. The opening track "Fly From Here" is split into small sections because it runs for about half an hour. This is in the vein of earlier yes epics like Awaken or even Tales and is a decent way to open (and fill most of) an album. The thing that this song lacks is a really climactic or exciting section. It's good but it remains just good throughout the whole track. There is nothing on par with the church organ in Awaken or Jon's swelling vocals on the chorus of Heart of the Sunrise in this track. Fly from Here: ****Life on a Film Set is slightly boring. It is quite an emotional track but it drags a bit. Once again, you are left waiting for the big crescendo which never arrives leaving you feeling a bit flat. The guitar on this track and the harmonies are top notch. The second half is happier so it's not all bad but so far we haven't found the star track. Life on a Film Set:***Hour of Need is (in my opinion) where this album shines. It opens with some beautiful acoustic guitar and the harmonies on this track are the best vocals on the album. Lyrically this track stands above the others as well. "What's the cost? Can the end justify the means? There's a need. So many mouths to feed." It reminds me slightly of Jon Andersons lyrics and I am a bit of a softy so I like these lyrics. Absolute craftmanship. This is a real gem and the high point of the album. Hour of Need: *****Solitaire is another classic Yes track. It's Steve Howe's turn. As usual, the god of all things guitar shaped offers a wonderful, soothing, solo acoustic piece. No lyrics on this one but it actually manages to carry more emotion than a lot of the Fly from Here suite. This one is for fans of tracks like The Clap or Mood for a Day. Solitaire:*****Into the Storm is the big finale piece. This closes the album far better than Fly from Here opened it. Suddenly, all the emotion, power and drive you expect from Yes is here. It's easy to listen to and is more accessible than other tracks but it's still a well crafted piece. Interestingly this track lists Rick Wakeman as one of the writers. Maybe this album needed Rick Wakemans touch to really lift it up. Never mind. The point is this is a brilliant prog piece, changing tone and pace regularly without destroying the fluidity of the piece. We also have a nice guitar solo towards the end which helps to round it all off quite nicely. Into the Storm: *****All in all this is, musically, a very good album. Whether or not it should be called a Yes album is debateable but reviewing just the music and not the band politics forces me to conclude that I very much enjoyed it. Fans of Asia will be very comfortable with this album as will most Yes fans. It is strange to have a new singer but it's good enough to overcome that. What I find interesting is that Jon Anderson has just released his latest solo album and it's actually better than this album. Though that is my own humble opinion.

Ihad great reservations about this,yet another line up,yet another label,well have no fears,this is rather good,all the Yes traits are still there,the thundering bass,the great guitar solos,the thumping drums and the magical keyboards,and more to the point the excellent vocals.The album is dominated by the lengthy Fly from here(Overture/we can fly/sad night at the airfield/madness of the sreens/bumpy ride/we can fly(reprise)) which at 23 minutes is the longest track the band have ever released.The other tracks The man you always wanted me to be/Life on a film set/Hour of need/Solitaire/Into the storm are all good examples of how good this album is,ok ther is no "And you and i""And you and i" or "Starship trooper"but that is not the point,that was the,this is now.The album is a building block and lays the foundations for the future.The accompanying DVD is an 18 minute view of how the album was made.The design is a classic Yes/Roger Dean productionThe production is by the superb Trevor horn and is crisp and clear.Mention should also be made of Benoit David on vocals who does a sterling job.Jon Anderson has made some disparaging remarks about this album,but the he would,he has a new album to promote.47m32s + 18m DVDChris Squire.....Bass,VocalsSteve Howe.....Guitar,VocalsAlan White.....DrumsGeoff Downes.....KeyboardsBenoit David.....Vocals

Waiting 10yrs for the next album by one of your favourite bands is pretty tough; then the star of the show (IMHO) is edged out and a tribute band singer brought in; surely not a good recipe.Then the band rehire the Buggles to produce and play keys. Oh dear !I usually buy Yes albums well in advance of release but not this one, it was bound to be a dud. A few Spotify listens later the order is eagerly placed. What a bloody good album given all that's gone before. I reckon most hardened Yesfans will have to agree, albeit reluctantly for some, that they've pulled it off with this one.The soaring (sic.) epic that is Fly from Here, the title track that lasts several hours at least (lol, is a return to the Yes long songs of the 70's and is a triumph bar some dodgy lyrics (airport lounge drama's seem a weird subject but there you go), but the quality and musicianship along with the excellent Benoit David voice make this a pleasure rather than the torture expected.Try it; you'll like it !!

A surprisingly mellow album from YES and easily accessible. Prog? well maybe not as you know it. Perhaps more AOR with a prog/melodic edge.The first half 'Fly from Here' Parts 1 - 5 will be familiar to many - a track that never made it on to 'Drama'. This is an extended version so has parts that make this quite different from the raw live recording you'll hear on 'The Word is Live'.As you'd expect the production is first rate. David's vocals are more from the Trevor Horn stable than Jon Anderson, hence the Drama 2 comparison from many on here.With Howe & Downes involved, I thought it might sound like ASIA mark 2 - but it doesn't. This is YES but somewhat different. It's hard to dislike anything on here but there's nothing that's going to blow you away like 'Awaken'.It's a far better effort than some of their previous releases over the last 20 years but in resurrecting a piece from 1980, I fear they may have past their creative peak.Overall, more than listenable!