From nme.com on The Lockdown Sessions:

Multimillion-selling artist Elton John – who’s released more than 30 albums, reached Number One eight times and won countless awards – is keen to stress that for him, the first stretch of lockdown was the same as it was for everybody else.

When COVID-19 grounded the Rocketman and derailed his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in early 2020, he stayed at home in LA, watching Tiger King and losing at family Snakes and Ladders tournaments. Weirdly, this duality has always been part of Reg’s appeal: he may be part of the glitzy establishment, but he also has the one-of-us relatability that makes it seem like he’d be happy bitching about Madonna over a garden fence.

In other ways, though, Elton used the enforced isolation as a time of artistic liberation: too riven by anxiety to concentrate on a new album proper, he recorded a series of collaborations, compiled here, with artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus. The roll-call might initially seem surprising, but perhaps it shouldn’t be, considering that over the years he’s duetted with everyone from Pete Doherty to RuPaul.

Eight of these 16 tracks have previously been released: his current chart-topper ‘Cold Heart’, a collaboration with Dua Lipa, imperiously drapes itself over the disco-revival chaise longue, and sees Australian dance-pop trio Pnau mash up past Elton songs ‘Rocket Man’, ‘Sacrifice’, ‘Kiss The Bride’ and ‘Where’s The Shoorah?’. It’s not the only track here that sets its sights on the dancefloor: ‘Orbit’ , with Reading producer SG Lewis, is a glitterball-infused pop-house banger that conjures up Elton’s hedonistic nights at New York’s Studio 54 in the 1970s.

Elton says the album’s genre-hopping reminded him of his time as a session musician in the late ‘60s, and its strength lies is its giddy eclecticism. From a noted champion of new artists (as listeners of his Apple Music show Rocket Hour will know), ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ doesn’t sound like an onanistic lunge for Gen Z contemporaneity; nor does it feel like a gimmicky BRIT Awards collab novelty.

The break-up anthem ‘Always Love You’, featuring Young Thug and Nicki Minaj, initially sounds like a cut from ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’: it begins as a theatrically grandiose Elton piano ballad, before a trap-beat kicks in and Thug joins in with a nimble flow. One minute the 74-year-old will be tinkling the ivories on Miley Cyrus’ gleaming and gravel-voiced cover of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’; the next he’s joining in the breezily jazzy self-empowerment of ‘Learn To Fly’ (featuring Texan duo Surfaces) and collaborating with Charlie Puth on the Disney-style power ballad ‘After All’, which could have been from his Lion King soundtrack.

Elton’s known for taking new LGBTQ+ talent under his wing, and his collabs with queer acts have an added piquancy: a reworking of Rina Sawayama’s rainbow flag-waving torch song ‘Chosen Family’ feels especially resonant after an 18 months where many gay young people were forced back into their parental homes and conceal their true identities, and in a climate of rising anti-trans hate crimes. As their paean to finding kinship in community reaches its majestic key-change, you can practically see the iPhone torches being held aloft.

Sex and shame is similarly explored in ‘It’s a Sin’, a cover of the Pet Shop Boys 1987 Number One (proceeds from the new track were donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation). Tying in with the breathtaking, Olly Alexander-starring AIDS drama of the same name, it starts off as a subtle piano number, with Alexander’s pleading gossamer vocal, before Elton (who was only three years older than his young charge is now when the first cases of AIDS were identified in the US) kicks in alongside the Stuart Price-produced disco beat.

The country waltz of ‘Simple Things’ (where he links up with Brandi Carlile, who identifies as lesbian), meanwhile, sees John in a dive-bar in a Stetson, chewing tobacco and imparting his hard-won wisdom. It’s also heartening to hear the boundary-breaking Lil Nas X on ‘One of Me’: over an addictive melody, the 22-year-old voices his mocking inner-critic, like somebody reading out tweets from his trolls. Perhaps the record’s best moment, though, comes courtesy of the forward-facing melancholia of Gorillaz’s ‘The Pink Phantom’, which sees 2-D and an autotuned 6lack lament lost love.

But if Gorillaz, Pnau, and Lil Nas X bottle the zeitgeist, veteran artists arrive with instant classics. Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder contributes rollicking glam-rock throwback ‘E-Ticket Ride’ and Stevie Wonder takes it to church with the spiritual ‘Finish Line’,  while Stevie Nicks swoops in up for the relationship-dissecting ‘Stolen Car’, which sounds like the couple from ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ 45 years on, looking through life’s rear-view mirror.

All in all, ‘The Lockdown Sessions’’ all-bets-off stylistic game of spin-the-bottle feels attuned to 2021’s post-genre Spotify world, as Elton continues to further his musical universe. The Rocketman remains in orbit.

Also see the review for the album: Elton John – Jewel Box.

From wallofsoundau.com on A View From The Top Of the World:

Dream Theater is a band from an older generation of progressive rock, but they somehow still find solid footing to stand on in today’s musical soundscape. A View From The Top Of The World is their 15^th studio album spanning a career of over 30 years and oh boy, it’s an offering and a half.

I need to say that this is an album you need to sit down for on your first listen, and probably a handful of listens after that too, because it’s lengthy. With songs that last at least three times longer than a regular, mainstream offering, Dream Theater prod you to remember how to be patient and just sit in the music. And look, they give you a great time for your persistence.

Kicking off with ‘The Alien’, we’re dropped right in the middle of the action with rapid drums and a frantic guitar riff that morphs into something more rhythmic and staccato before levelling out and introducing James LaBrie’s vocals. The interesting thing to note is that yes, it’s fast and technical and exciting, but when the vocals are layered on top, it’s not too much. They draw back on the instrumentation just enough to let the vocals have centre stage and then swell forwards with the guitar features.

‘Answering The Call’ has a great beat, it’s constant and Dream Theater play around with it, morphing it into different versions of the same. It’s amazing that with tracks that last for well over 10 minutes that they never lose the essence of the song. It’s quite easy to add so many twists and turns that the listener loses track of the song itself, but with each one on this album, Dream Theater keep a common thread all the way through for the listener to hold onto and find their way to the end.

Another aspect you can pick up on almost immediately is the way the drums accent the guitar melodies. Sure, it’s a complex drum beat throughout but, like in ‘Invisible Monster’, it’s not overbearing or too fast to follow, it just perfectly accentuates the other instruments. It also raises the question, how do only five musicians create such a huge soundscape?

For ‘Sleeping Giant’, put some headphones on and enjoy the surround sound and the way they thread some sounds through the left speaker, some through the right, and some move through your head back and forth. And oh, it’s an absolute groove! We have an organ melody line and synths as well that really breaking through in this track which, to me, are elements reminiscent of the 70s prog era and they should definitely be carried through to now. It’s also cool to hear that the drums are relatively simple (in comparison to other songs), or maybe simple isn’t the word—reserved almost to complement the guitar riffs, and other star instruments. The band even get a little jazzy and this track is a solid favourite.

For some stark contrast between shredding guitars and a delicate piano/synth outro, listen to ‘Transcending Time’, but if you’re after a more urgent feel, listen to ‘Awaken The Master’. They carry a very pressing rhythm all the way through the song, and the piano, synths, organ, and bass elaborate on the underlying melody in their own ways. If you’re not careful, you’ll get swept up.

The final track on the album is the title track, ‘A View From The Top Of The World’ and it’s a 20 minute masterpiece. Opening on a staccato beat with orchestral swelling, it sounds a bit like the start of a movie. There’s a harp feature, and it morphs into a groovy beat. Really, this song has about six sections, maybe more? And each takes on its own tone within the scope of the song. Elements to look out for include a cello appearance, the way the drums slide in overtop of the melody to the change direction of the song, and just the transitions between sections. We do need to pay homage to James’s vocals though, because they are always just enough. Expressive, not too fancy so as to overload the listener on top of the instruments, and they stick around for as long as is needed and no more. It’s the perfect balance.

Progressive rock can be intimidating to listen to, but I think this album is accessible to anyone. You don’t have to understand or recognise every single little aspect to be able to enjoy the music and marvel at their unparalleled skill.

Dream Theater are masters of prog, it’s undeniable. They’ve been killing the game since the 80s and they’re not stopping anytime soon. The composition of these songs is unbelievable and I cannot imagine the hours that went into each track ensuring transitions are seamless and that the melodies evolve in ways that honour the song’s integrity.

From v13.net on Hits:

He’s a rock superstar and a best-selling author. Sixx AM’s bassist Nikki Sixx is a man who has been there and, just about, survived to tell the tale. On October 19, 2021, Sixx releases his new memoirs The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx and, to accompany his new book, the band is releasing this retrospective.

A celebration of some of the group’s biggest moments, along with six new tracks, Sixx: A.M. Hits is a collection of the hard rocker’s finest moments. Featuring fan-favourites and new tracks, the soundtrack to Sixx’s well-documented battle with drink and drugs, and subsequent life of sobriety, is a real mixed bag of songs. Powerful lyrics explore Sixx and his near-death experiences, drug and alcohol abuse, and sobriety. The story of how Frank Feranna become Nikki Sixx has been played out in front of millions of fans the world over and this is Sixx himself telling it, warts and all.

Unsurprisingly, considering the themes, there are some really dark moments on the album, for example, hearing Sixx speak through his withdrawal from heroin on “Girl With Golden Eyes” is truly harrowing to start with but, as is the case with this story, positivity shines through in the end. “Accident’s Can Happen,” a track which deals with relapsing, like much of the material, shines with positivity while cuts like “Rise” and “We Will Not Go Quietly” are the kind of anthems written by a man who has been down many times but has no intention of going without a fight.

As for the six (well, four and two remixes) new songs, both “The First 21” and “Talk To Me” have that big, booming, almost Queen-like vibe while “Penetrate” and “Waiting All My Life” are grittier and less pristine. The collection wraps up with reworkings of “Skin (Rock Mix)” and a piano drenched “Life Is Beautiful,” a track that takes us right back to the very start of this rollercoaster story.

From riffmagazine.com on Future Past:

For the release of the band’s 15th studio album, Future Past, Duran Duran looked to fuse old and new, and no more is that present than on opening track “Invisible.” The song takes infectious guitar and bass riffs and lays them down with big beats and atmospheric layers. Worth checking out is a companion film that accompanies the song; a collaboration with the artificial intelligence brain Huxley to create a visual. It’s that mindset that helped shaped the creation of the band’s latest effort.

Duran Duran enlisted the help of an all-star cast to help with the creation of the record, including Tove Lo, now frequent partner Mark Ronson and Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. “All of You” is a bouncy pop-rocker rooted in bass and synth grooves. Simon Le Bon’s vocals here are focused and strong, carrying the track.

The Tove Lo collab track “Give It All Up” is another interesting fusion of eras, mixing loops, beats and orchestral synths. The Swedish singer’s vocals are a tremendous addition to Le Bon’s, adding a sense of pop urgency to the upbeat track. “Giving up on leaving/ Giving up completely/ For you,” both sing in harmony. The orchestral bridge brings the track to a crescendo, leading into the final chorus.

The bass- and synth-heavy “Anniversary” is a celebration of, well, the band’s 40th anniversary together. The song honors the members’ time together as well as its fans who’ve supported them over four decades of hit-making. The track even includes some musical Easter eggs with references to past hits. John Taylor’s performance on the bass is expertly done both here and throughout the album.

The title track arrives in the form of an introspective mid-tempo synth power ballad. “Don’t you cry for what will never last/ Each moment created in time/ It’s all a future past that we are living now,” Le Bon sings on the dramatic chorus. Duran Duran succeeds at fusing eras without leaning too heavily on any of them. This means the tracks don’t rely on sounding too nostalgic or too new.

The righteous synths of “Beautiful Lies” create a dance-floor record sure to have audiences moving. Even the synths and programming on this track fuse old and new songwriting traits that create for a compelling fusion of sound. By comparison, the bouncy and uplifting “Tonight United” leans more toward a modern pop sound. This song is all about coming together. Taylor’s excellent bass work is again a highlight, carrying the groove and even mixing in a little solo flourish along the way. The Giorgio-Moroder-produced track is one of the more instantly recognizable and memorable from a lyrical perspective.

“Wing” clocks in as the longest track on the album at just short of five and a half minutes. The mid-tempo ballad rises and falls, creating a dynamic musical framework. The synths get a chance to breathe on the interlude, before Le Bon’s vocals bring the song home.  “Nothing Less” is another dramatic atmospheric mid-tempo track, featuring dark melodies and complex aesthetics and synths.

The record comes to a close with a string of collaborative tracks. The first is the fantastic “Hammerhead,” featuring a guest verse from Ivorian Doll. It’s an energetic track heavy on bass and and an array of fun synths and sounds that almost sound like an 8-bit video game. The fun track doesn’t sound like anything else on the album. The fun, upbeat and no-nonsese “More Joy!” is a collaboration with Japanese dance-punk band CHAI.

The final track, “Falling,” is a straightforward ballad featuring a superb piano contribution from former David Bowie pianist Mike Garson. It expertly mixes a nuanced backbeat synth with atmospheric sounds and Garson’s excellent piano playing.

From americanahighways.org on Let It Be (Super Deluxe):

More than half a century after the Beatles’ breakup, the flood of new material continues unabated with the latest in a series of dramatically expanded editions of their classic LPs. In just the past few years, we’ve witnessed the release of box sets devoted to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (aka The White Album), and Abbey Road. Now comes a special edition of Let It Be, the group’s 12^th studio album, which first appeared in May 1970, shortly after the group split up. It was their last regular release, though they mostly recorded it in early 1969, prior to the making of Abbey Road.

Like the earlier boxes, Let It Be is available in several versions, the most lavish of which lives up to its “super deluxe” billing with 57 tracks on five CDs plus a Blu-ray and an oversized, 105-page hardcover book. The book includes a forward by Paul McCartney and an introduction by Beatles producer George Martin’s son Giles, who produced the box’s new mixes. Also here are reminiscences from sound engineer Glyn Johns, an essay on “The Myth and Reality of the Let It Be Sessions” by journalist John Harris, detailed track notes by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett, and more. Previously unseen photos of the band as well as images of handwritten lyrics and assorted other memorabilia illustrate the volume.

The main attraction, though, is of course the music, and it’s well worth hearing. Granted, roughly half of this box consists simply of alternate mixes of previously released material. But some of these mixes vary substantially from the familiar recordings, and the set also includes 27 previously unreleased jams, rehearsal performances, and outtakes.

As for the quality of the music, it’s true that the Beatles made these recordings at a time when they were fracturing, and the original album’s lack of cohesiveness reflects that. (Another reason it doesn’t hang together so well is that it melds live rooftop and basement recordings with polished studio creations.) Moreover, the original release suffers at times from the contributions of Phil Spector, whose embellishments to George Martin’s original production prove less than ideally suited to this project. Finally, while the record includes some classic tracks, such as “Across the Universe,” “Let It Be,” and “Get Back,” there are also a couple that feel like filler.

So, no, the original Let It Be is not the Beatles’ finest moment, but that’s a high bar. The 1970 album does deliver a lot to like, and the “super deluxe” new edition delivers a lot more. Certainly, there’s enough here to substantiate McCartney’s assertion in the accompanying book that “the thrill was still there” when the Fab Four got together to create this material.

The first CD features a new stereo mix by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the team that also worked on the three other aforementioned boxes. This mix, which evidences subtle but welcome improvements over the one on the 1970 album, can also be heard on the Blu-ray in high-res stereo and DTS-HD Master surround-sound versions.

Discs two and three house material from studio sessions, rehearsals, and jams, including between-song chatter. There are all sorts of delights on these discs—and lots of evidence that the Beatles could still have fun together in the studio. At one point, they offer a revamped snippet from “Please Please Me” after launching into “Let It Be.” At another, they use the Everly Brothers’ “Wake Up Little Susie” to work their way into “I Me Mine.”

Also here are early versions of Abbey Road’s “She Came In through the Bathroom Window,” “Polythene Pam,” “Oh! Darling,” “Something,” and “Octopus’s Garden” as well as a couple of glimpses of upcoming solo work: an unplugged rendition of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” and an informal reading of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” that differs dramatically from the version that later surfaced as the title cut of his superb solo debut album (which also recently reappeared in a vastly expanded box set).

Disc four features the previously unreleased Get Back album, which Johns put together—reportedly on spec—in the spring of 1969. In marked (and undoubtedly deliberate) contrast to the polished, heavily produced albums that the Beatles had recently released, Get Back features rough early takes, false starts, and between-song banter for a live-in-the-studio ambiance. At one point, a few sloppy choruses of “Save the Last Dance for Me” segue into “Don’t Let Me Down,” a song the Beatles omitted from Let It Be but released as a single in 1969. (Also here but not on the ultimately released LP is a song called “Teddy Boy” that would show up on McCartney’s eponymous solo debut.) The project was shelved while the group recorded Abbey Road; when it was resurrected, it evolved into the much slicker Let It Be.

A brief fifth CD offers new mixes of the single versions of “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Let It Be” as well as 1970 Johns mixes of “I Me Mine” and “Across the Universe.” The latter is a bit more stripped down than the familiar version and arguably just as captivating.

Particularly given the wealth of material in this box, it’s difficult to understand why it does not include Let It Be…Naked, the 2003 alternative mix that strips out most of Phil Spector’s embellishments to deliver a sound that McCartney preferred. (Naked also replaces “Dig It” and “Maggie May” with “Don’t Let Me Down.”) The omission of that edition (and of the mix on the original 1970 album) notwithstanding, however, the new box contains more than enough pleasures to justify its purchase. True, some people might ask, for example, “Do we really need three more takes and mixes of ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ or five more of ‘Get Back’?” But as any serious Beatles fan will tell you, the answer is “Yes. Yes, we do.”

From rockandbluesmuse.com on Blessings And Miracles:

Multiple Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and all-around guitar all-star, Carlos Santana proves he’s as fired-up and spiritually connected as he’s ever been on his ferocious new album Blessings and Miracles. The record is set to drop October 15th, 2021 on the BMG imprint and features Carlos making incredible music with a supporting cast of world-class players, some of whom just happen to be part of his family. Santana teams up with heavyweight musicians and producers here including Rob Thomas, Diane Warren, G-Eazy, Chris Stapleton, Steve Winwood, Chick Corea, Rick Rubin, Corey Glover, Kirk Hammett, Ally Brooke, and Narada Michael Walden. His wife Cindy Blackman Santana puts down some of her outstanding drumming and listeners are also indulged by epic performances from his son Salvador Santana (keys and vocals) and his daughter Stella Santana (vocals). The set is one of the most inspired releases of Santana’s long career and is one long, genre-smashing party.

Carlos Santana is one of the most important and prolific guitarists in the history of rock music. Based in San Francisco, Santana pioneered an innovative Afro-Latin-blues-rock fusion sound in the 1960s that had never been heard before and has spent his life since then taking it around the world. He’s won ten Grammy Awards, three Latin Grammys, received the Kennedy Center Honors Award, the Billboard Latin Music Awards’ Lifetime Achievement honor, the Billboard Century Award, and is considered to be one of the best and most identifiable guitar players of all time. He rocked the crowd at Woodstock, recorded timeless tracks including “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” and “Smooth,” and has carved out a musical legacy that anyone interested in superb guitar music needs to absorb.

Blessings and Miracles could well be taken as a sign of Santana’s possible status as an immortal. He absolutely owns his style and sound and has only become more expressive and focused with the passage of time. A track like the stunning instrumental “Santana Celebration” goes as hard as the Santana Band of the early days. Powered by the muscular sound of Cindy Blackman Santana’s drumming, the cut taps directly into Santana’s innovative psychedelic Latin blues/rock style that exploded all over the Woodstock stage in 1969. His guitar work is fearless and solid and Carlos remains one of the few players who can be identified inside of three notes.

“Joy” puts Santana and country giant Chris Stapleton into a blended reggae context that shows both men at the peak of their musicality. Santana’s guitar and Stapleton’s vocals make an illuminated pairing that feels mystical and otherworldly and will easily carry you away. “Move” reunites Carlos and Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas who went big together in the late 90s, this time with the added vocal skills of American Authors. The track is an undeniable banger with a heavy chorus, multicultural verses, and a sweet guitar break. It’s got all the hit single chromosomes it needs to become a worldwide smash just like “Smooth” did back in the dial-up days.

Each song on the album has its own seductive charms and the highlights are many. Steve Winwood aces his way through a complete reinvention of the hymn-like classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale” that takes the familiar ballad to an entirely new place. Latin percussion breathes new life into this old friend and Winwood responds in kind, as moving a voice as has ever existed. Santana gets his rock on with Living Colour singer Corey Glover on the pumping jam “Peace Power.” The high-octane track is once again driven by Cindy Blackman Santana on the drums and Glover’s vocals match her intensity beat-for-beat.

Carlos rocks even harder on the metallic “America For Sale.” He teams up with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and Death Angel vocal smasher Marc Osegueda on this psycho-metal, politically-themed brutalizer that delivers a message you may or may not agree with. It’s nothing like you’ve ever heard Santana do in the past and shows how effectively he can fit into any setting he encounters.

Blessings and Miracles is going to be a strong listen for Santana fans, one that not only functions but succeeds on several distinct levels. The way Santana continually recreates himself in each new era without losing his core greatness is downright supernatural. Get this record into your speakers and feel yourself come back to life.

From rockandbluesmuse.com on The Quest:

Definitive prog rockers Yes are speeding into the future once again on the band’s new album The Quest. Released by InsideOutMusic/Sony Music, the set is a stunning achievement that’s full of the kind of complex structures, grand gestures, and soaring melodies that first created the Yes legend. Those gestures are as powerful as they always were and make The Quest an amazing listen for anyone who can feel progressive rock flowing through their souls.

Produced by Yes guitarist and eternal rock legend Steve Howe, the set is expressive, fleet, and muscular and doesn’t sound anything like a band with 50 years of history behind it. Howe did a commendable job of pulling top-drawer performances out of himself and his band mates and everyone involved sounds like they’ve got another 50 years left in them. It’s obvious that the band has recaptured the fire and brilliance that marked their most successful periods and are still technically and creatively amazing. The 11-song effort is available in a variety of formats, including a Limited Edition Deluxe 2LP and 2CD plus Blu-ray Box-set, a Limited Edition 2CD and Blu-ray Artbook, a gatefold 2LP and 2CD plus LP and booklet set, and a 2CD Digipak.

Yes set the prog rock bar high in the band’s 1970s heyday. Epic compositions including “Roundabout,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Long Distance Runaround,” and “Yours Is No Disgrace” showed the world what rock musicians could do and remain incredibly influential to this day. In the 1980s, Yes reinvented itself into a tighter, more modern outfit and scored big with the album 90125 and unforgettable tracks like “Owner Of A Lonely Heart,” Leave It,” and “It Can Happen.” The present version of Yes includes Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, and Billy Sherwood and has carried the group’s tradition of making smart, beautiful music into the 21st Century.

From Geoff Downes’ first synth notes of the opening cut “The Ice Bridge,” Yes delivers on all expectations. The entire band hits the track hard and uses their considerable skills to pluck melody, grooves, and energy out of the air and make them rock. Vocalist Jon Davison has the perfect pipes for this gig and gives the group the texture it needs out front. Bassist Billy Sherwood does fine work filling the gap left by the passing of iconic Yes bass player Chris Squier and contributes low-end lines that emphasize both brains and brawn. It’s a magnificent, regal track that you’ll want to hear again and again.

“Dare To Know” shifts into a lush, expansive gear that spotlights Howe’s guitar ideas and Davison’s high-range vocals. A gorgeous orchestration for strings adds a soothing and serene interlude before the band continues its gentle, mid-tempo performance. The song’s tone is profound and hopeful, giving listeners an easy way to rise above the mud of daily life. “The Western Edge” brings out more chilled-out strategies at first but evolves into more of a rock song as it evolves. Downes’ keyboards are especially effective here and his filter sweeps and portamento work are ideal for this selection.

The utopian “A Living Island” is smooth, beautiful, and full of love, fear, and reality. Davison truly sparkles here and comes across like he’s singing for the good of the world. It’s a sublime track that’s all about musical humanity and peaceful vibrations. Other bright moments on The Quest include “Leave Well Alone” and “Mystery Tour.” Yes is one of rock’s greatest bands and still has the chops and heart needed to continually write new chapters in its never-ending story. Get The Quest into your headphones and prepare yourself for another adventure.