Yes – The Quest

Sounds great. Haven't compared to black vinyl but sounds good against disc.

My comments copied from main CD page for info re this BluRay version…

An update on this. I decided to get the BluRay art book version. Got it for Christmas but ridiculously just listened to it today in 5.1 surround. Have to say this is superb, music sounds so good in surround sound and the tunes have grown on me immensely. Art book is beautiful with a lot of info and pictures. Also an instrumental mix on the disc. Almost tempted to put a five star on for this version, but hey have to be restrained. Close to the Edge, Topographic are 5, so come on no way is it in that class, but have to say I am really enjoying it still. Apart from the awful extra bonus tracks obviously. Worth checking this out if you are a Yes head like me.

I'm kind of interested in getting this box set edition. Can anyone speak to the quality of sound on this pressing? I know glow in the dark discs are typically not the greatest, but I've never owned one to hear for myself. Thanks!

There's no reason to even write a review or of anything since 2008. Yes ended their magic in 2004 ... What happened after the MSG and Boston shows and any of the other shows in 2004 I saw the MSG show... And right there at some point I shrieked I knew this was the end of Yes I think it was when Mother Earth walked on stage at MSG with a lot of ho and hums but I felt that moment magically I was like 15 ft away.... I don't know Howe or why ... I just knew with the near death of Jon Anderson and the actual death of Chris Squire 2004 was officially the end of Yes.... But now that band floats in the infinite like ELP King Crimson Genesis it's all over folks... What Howe is doing is a cracked toilet in the middle of a garbage dump.... This stuff is a waste of time.

Does anyone know if the book in this version is the same one in the box set?

Amazing press… amazing package… amazing sound
Yes is the best prog band ever. Top band, top album!

I’ve been listening to Yes music for close on 45 years, I am a 70s Yes man without a doubt. However there was no way I would not be buying The Quest.

Having been a bit disappointed in some of the more recent albums it was with trepidation I pressed play. First listen … it was ok I felt, not too bad but slightly underwhelming.

However be aware this album is a grower without a doubt. I am now enjoying it immensely. High on melody, good Yes tunes , excellent musicianship and vocals. As has been said the bonus disc is dire and should have been left out but surprisingly that awful Beatles tribute thing is one that I have been singing occasionally :-/. Awful.

I gave the album 4 but tempted to raise the bar a bit. In fact I am fancying the BluRay version also now to hear it in 5.1 surround. Have to say well done to them all in this, especially without Jon and the greatest bass player of all time Mr Squire. Very good album indeed.

I was able to give the whole album a really focused listen with headphones today while laying on the couch watching a thunderstorm out the window. I think that once again, Yes has made an album that only Yes can make, and even within the Yes Universe, it stands as a unique work. In other words, this is not a Part Two of any previous album. I think they sound comfortable with who they are, and this album is very much a product of the current lineup being true to itself. Billy is not trying to be Chris, and Jon D is not trying to be Jon A. A few observations:

- Geoff once again pulls his weight and colors these tracks beautifully. A nice range of keyboard sounds, tasty and tasteful playing, and a lot of really nice warm Hammond organ. What’s not to like?
- Alan can still deliver the goods in the studio at least. There are not any moments where he will blow you away on this one, but his distinctive feel is all over these songs, and that’s the important thing. His personality is still there in his playing, and I love that.
- Jay lends some very tasteful support with his percussion parts. Nothing out of place, and everything seems well considered. I’m glad that he was included in this project, and it also give home some more Yes-cred going forward.
- Jon Davison really comes into his own as the singer of Yes on this album. There is a lot of confidence in his delivery, and his melodies and harmonies throughout are interesting and ambitious. His guitar playing on future memories is excellent as well. His presence on this album makes me smile the most. He must really be a guy of immense character to keep pushing against his critics, stay the path, and make this role his own. I certainly no longer consider him the new guy / stand-in after this effort.
- Speaking of filling shoes and being determined, Billy nails it, but we knew he would! Not mimicking Chris, but being himself and letting the Squire influence shine through without being overbearing or contrived.
- Steve Howe… loving his playing and writing here, and I even enjoy his vocals as always. I am one of those people that like singers with distinctive voices (Dylan, Waits, Tom Verlaine, etc). Bonus points for the superb production. This is one lush, warm, multicolored ride. Some of the chord progressions and the weaving together of the guitar parts are really beautiful. The koto playing really works well too. Steve being Steve, and it’s a great thing.

- Overall I like the lyrics, but I find the end of A Living Island to be a bit too on the nose for me. It’s forgivable for me though, especially since the vocal arrangements are so good. Going into this I thought the lyrics might be a miss across the board, so I am pretty pleased to have only found one track that seem a bit suspect to my tastes.
- I like the use of orchestra as well. It is not over used, and it really adds to the range of the album as a whole. This is very cinematic music, and the orchestra contributes to that very nicely.
- I like that they are back to making albums at lp length again, and not over an hour long. This is a nice tight and concise statement.
- What’s next? I like the first post Squire album a lot more than I thought I would. Sounds like these guys are a healthy creative unit again. I am enjoying this album as much as any of their classics. It has it's own identity, and it seems very inspired and thoughtfully put together. I imagine this album will not click for everyone, but I think it will be a real treat for those, like me, who are receptive to it for whatever reason. If you are a Yes fan, you owe it to yourself to listen to this one a few times and let it get inside your head a bit.

Addendum: I am not a fan of the bonus tracks at all. Just speaking of the album proper. They really could have left the 2nd disc off and included a download card for the bonus tracks. In my opinion anyway.

I love „The Ice Bridge“; great sound and quality of the vinyl pressing!

Looks like the only way to make Yes do a good album is making impossible for Jon Davison to participate in the process of composing music. His deeply poppy musical mindset literally kills every musical matter he touches. The music on Heaven & Earth was mostly written by him. And it was awful. Fly From Here was mostly composed by Geoffrey Downes. And it was almost as good as Drama. Moreover it reminds The Yes Album in some parts! I hoped that on The Quest, Downes would mainly do the writing. But unfortunately the album was musically dominated by Davison. And it’s not Yes at all, maybe with the only exception of Dare To Know (written by Steve Howe). Of course not as shameful as Heaven & Earth, but unworthy of Yes. Do you remember? - back in 2018, Yes played live at the Apollo in the following formation: Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Trevor Rabin, plus Louis Molino III on drums and Lee Pomeroy on bass. The latter deserves a special remark. His musicianship on bass was extraordinary, perhaps he’s better than Roger Glover, Geddy Lee or even Michael Rutherford. Well, I’d prefer a new Yes album to have been made by this formation. Unfortunately they only played old songs live. But they’d better do a new studio material. In my (un)humble opinion, only this current version of Yes is really valid. The team who made The Quest is not genuine Yes. It’s Davison and Co.