Jon Anderson at the top of his game here. He is in his 70's and he is still able to write, and sing, these great epic songs. Very spiritual and metaphysical topics. In nine songs he takes you on a magical ride of words and music that take you to the very center of your soul.
Jon Anderson teams up with The Flower King's Roine Stolt for the most transcendent and brilliant volume of Yes-music in quite some time, an unexpected sequel (of sorts) to "Tales from Topographic Oceans"!
How is this "Yes-music"? With Chris Squire now jamming in the great beyond, the classic Yes line-up is lost to eternity. Given that Anderson's voice for this listener IS the voice of Yes, recent efforts by the current band have left me cold, unsatisfied. The recent output of The Flower Kings has also been a bit disappointing - no "Church of the Heart" in recent vintages. Somehow, none of this matters, as the meeting of these newly-met minds has brought forth this brilliance - Stolt and Anderson bring the musical best out of each other. The musicians, some fellow Flower Kings, recreate a musical landscape reminiscent of Yes' "Topographic" era, as Stolt fills in for Steve Howe admirably on guitar, the bass players both try to fill Squire's large shoes with fat Squire-esque bass lines, and the rest of the crew echo the contributions of Wakeman and White.
That's not to say this IS Yes, simply that it sounds like Yes. Stolt's talents as a musician and producer have risen to the task. Given the transcendent nature of the lyrical content, it seems somehow right that it should sound like it leaps from where "Topographic" left off. There's also power here - Anderson's mystical lyrics spoke directly to this listener in uncanny synchronicity, as if answering a deep and involved conversation held the night before. All in all, better than I could have ever hoped for. A welcome new addition to this prog lover's music library!
