YES – Fly From Here (2011)
“Fly From Here” is YES’s first studio album since the release of Magnification (2001), the longest gap to date between two Yes studio albums.
It’s also their first with Canadian singer Benoit David on vocals, who replaced long-time member Jon Anderson. Prior to joining Yes in 2008, David performed as the lead vocalist in Close To The Edge, a Canadian Yes tribute band, for over ten years.
Trevor Horn, who was the lead singer for the Drama (1980) album and also produced their next album ‘90125’ (1983) and co-produced the follow-up ‘Big Generator’ (1987), has produced “Fly From Here”.
Keyboardist Geoff Downes returns to the band for this album, co-writing and handling most of the keyboards, following the departure of Oliver Wakeman.
The choice of Trevor Horn as producer and songwriter gives the clear idea that YES is already moving into a new coloured and melodic world of a linear symphonic pop-rock genre, more accessible and commercial.
They keep on playing according to their ‘suite-format’ of the old symphonies, as the title track “Fly From Here” is divided into 6 sections.
“Overture” is an easy but intelligent introduction, followed by the commercial “We Can Fly” which features Benoit David’s opening words with his delicate and clear voice.
The whole suite is easy listening, slowly growing more and more. Trevor Horn and Downes are the ‘masters’ in simplifying the harmony by increasing the sense of melody.
The instrumental parts are well played by all the members and you can find some intelligent guitar riffs here, where Mr. Howe contributes skillfully to balance the whole composition.
This suite is based on a song over 30 years old. Downes and Horn had first approached Yes with a demo of their song “We Can Fly from Here” in 1980, prior to joining the band. It was later recorded as a studio demo, and left off ‘Drama’, but was performed on the album’s supporting tour.
“Life On A Film Set” is based on ‘Riding A Tide’, an old demo from the Downes/Horn project Buggles. The middle section arrangement of this track reminds you the 90125 era.
“Hour Of Need” includes acoustic instrumentation, while “Solitaire”, as the title speaks, is an instrumental by Howe, just him and his guitar.
“Into The Storm” has a commercial sound, uptempo and melodic.
“Fly From Here” is a modern product, with some reminiscence of ’80s YES works, without the bombastic but the melody.
All tracks are very well written, with a commercial approach to please a wide audience range.
New vocalist Benoit was a proper choice for this kind of material, he has a sweet and warm tone, while Downes brings his experience to round accessible tunes. Production is crisp and brilliant, a real pleasure to listen.
The symphonic sound is still there, but this new YES album has much more than that, it’s melodic, modern and almost commercial.
Recommended.
01 – Fly From Here – Overture
02 – Fly From Here – Pt. I – We Can Fly
03 – Fly From Here – Pt. II – Sad Night at the Airfield
04 – Fly From Here – Pt. III – Madman at the Screens
05 – Fly From Here – Pt. IV – Bumpy Ride
06 – Fly From Here – Pt. V – We Can Fly Reprise
07 – The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be
08 – Life On A Film Set
09 – Hour Of Need
10 – Solitaire
11 – Into The Storm
12 – Hour Of Need (Full Length Version) [Japan bonus]
Benoit David: Lead Vocals
Steve Howe: Guitar, Vocals
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Alan White: Drums, Percussion
Geoff Downes: Keyboards
Oliver Wakeman: add. Keyboards on 2, 6, 9
Trevor Horn: Backup Vocals, additional Keyboards
Luís Jardim: Percussion
Gerard Johnson: Piano on 7
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