Yes' 'Aurora' - Album Review

I am really enjoying that fact that so many classic bands are currently experiencing late career renaissances. Jethro Tull have released three strong albums in recent years, which constitute their best work since the 1980s, whilst bands like Uriah Heep and Deep Purple are in the midst of eras which are only marginally behind their 1970s heydays in terms of quality and creativity. I will certainly be covering Deep Purple's latest effort Splat! at some point - but today I instead turn my attentions to Yes, the British progressive rock act that formed all the way back in 1968. Whilst no-one in the current Yes line-up dates back to that 1968 genesis, guitarist Steve Howe first joined the band in 1970 - and during four stints has become one of the most notable contributors to the Yes story, likely third behind original members Jon Anderson and the late Chris Squire. Squire would still likely be in the band had he not died in 2015 - and drummer since 1972 Alan White also sadly died in 2022. Some criticise the legitimacy of Yes these days, but I think that Howe has every right to lead the current line-up - and since the band reformed without Anderson in 2009 Howe has essentially spearheaded Yes (along with Squire until his death) to create five more studio albums. 2011's Fly from Here is genuinely excellent, and remains a favourite of mine, but 2014's Heaven & Earth certainly felt less vital - even if I seem to like it more than most. It took the band a few years to recover from Squire's death, though, but since the pandemic Yes have been a creative force once more. The three albums that have now been released by the band in recent years feel like something of a trilogy - and they see a pretty stable and well-oiled version of Yes, comfortable in what they are trying to achieve, writing Yes-like music that certainly harks back to the 1970s but also feels a bit more accessible overall. 2021's The Quest (which I reviewed here) was one of my favourite albums that year - and it is one that I still return to. It was a release that exceeded expectations, as I did not really expect too much from Yes following the gap in albums and Squire's death - but the tight songwriting and retro sound certainly worked for me. It was the last album with White, too, although due to his poor health during his last few years I do wonder how much he actually contributed to it. Two years later, the band dropped Mirror to the Sky (which I reviewed here) - the first album by the band's current line-up, even if drummer Jay Schellen had contributed percussion to The Quest (although, as I said, his contributions may have been more than that). I really liked Mirror to the Sky, too, but it did not reach the heights of The Quest for me. Public opinion seems to suggest that the opposite is the case - with many preferring Mirror to the Sky. Either way, both albums saw Yes sounding strong in my opinion - and I hoped that Howe would find time for at least one more. Those wishes came true earlier this year, then, when Yes announced that their latest effort Aurora would be released in June. As such, I have had this album for just over a month at this point - and I have, unsurprisingly, been enjoying it. It really feels like the continuation of the band's recent era - with the current line-up's more simplistic approach to the classic Yes sound well entrenched at this point. Those who feel that Yes have not done anything worth listening to for years will not have their mind changed by Aurora, but those who enjoy the smooth and melodic take on the classic Yes sound that Howe and his colleagues have been pushing of late will find plenty to enjoy here.

As has been the case of late, the two main driving forces here are Howe and frontman since 2012 Jon Davison. The others all contribute of course, and this is the first album of this trilogy where all five members of the band get at least one writing credit, but Yes is very much driven by Howe and Davison these days - and the two of them wrote the kick-off title track. Opening with some ringing piano melodies and dramatic strings from the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Aurora is one of the longer pieces here. At around seven and a half minutes, the title track crams a lot into its runtime  - and lots of classic Yes tropes are covered here. The piano intro has a majesty to it, especially given the orchestral backing, and some of the bombastic motifs from this intro return elsewhere, but once Howe's spiky guitar lines kick in the first verse moves along in a much more jaunty manner. Upbeat guitar melodies, shimmering synths, and simpler drum grooves back Davison as he starts to sing - but that classic Yes mysticism is present despite the hooks, and the song transitions nicely into an easy-on-the-ear chorus with subtle vocal harmonies and melodies that lodge in the brain from the off. There is certainly a lot of prog in this track, though, especially from Howe. Davison actually adds some additional guitar here, likely the simpler rhythms, whilst Howe deviates in his trademark manner - adding meandering, jazzy leads throughout; as well as some juddering melodies during the chorus. A lengthy solo is later included, which starts in a laid back manner before some harder rock tones take over for something with a bit more bite. Elsewhere, Geoff Downes uses synth melodies to great effect - with some warm, retro leads cutting through towards the end of the song; whilst both he and Davison add organ throughout. The orchestra, utilised here and on one other song, adds an extra dimension to the track - and the piece is big and bold thanks to the string backing. Turnaround Situation, written by Davison, pulls back from the slight bombast of the previous track somewhat - with the song instead going for a floaty, atmospheric rock sound. Davison has the perfect voice for Yes in my opinion, and he continues to impress throughout this album - his ethereal melodies floating nicely through the verses. He is actually responsible for quite a lot of instrumentation here, too. The ever-present acoustic guitars come from him, whilst the subtle organ riffs and occasional piano melodies are also his creations. He showcases his talents both as a songwriter and a musician here, then, but the song is very much Yes-coded - with Howe's jazzy leads cementing that retro feel, with both another meandering guitar solo and some classical guitar interludes. Howe and bassist Billy Sherwood also add some trademark vocal harmonies, too, which further cements the classic Yes approach. Love Lies Dreaming feels much more Howe-coded early on, with a relatively lengthy intro that features a mixture of fast-paced guitar motifs against a sombre groove from the rhythm section and occasional synth flourishes. A lot of the keyboard work here again seems to actually come from Davison, but Downes does lay down the piano during the verses - which often form the only real backing for Davison's floaty vocals. The verses are quite stripped back at times, then, but the song as a whole feels bigger - with the guitar approach from the intro returning quite a bit, whilst a poppy chorus sees some surprisingly bouncy melodies. Sherwood's bass playing stands out, too, and it is the first song where I can truly say that - which is quite rare for Yes.

Countermovement is the album's real centrepiece. The 13-plus minute epic is the most progressive expression of Yes on the album - and it opens in a dramatic manner with quite a lengthy instrumental section. All five members of the band are credited with writing parts of the song, so it is a true collaboration - but Howe really dominates early on. The instrumental opening, grounded by Downes' organ playing, is a real guitar showcase. Both aching lap steel melodies and jazzy lead guitar melodies feature - with Howe moving back and forth between the two styles. The keyboards and the kinetic energy of the rhythm section keep this intro moving for a couple of minutes - before the second part of the song opens up and Howe starts to sing. This first vocal-led section largely sees Howe taking the lead vocally, his deeper, wispy voice working surprisingly well - whilst Davison adds subtle harmonies and creates an ethereal backing. I am not always a fan of Howe's voice, but his singing works well here in my view - and the contrast between this approach and when Davison takes over properly later on is part of what makes the song tick. The guitar presence from the intro is largely retained, too, with plenty of busy lead guitar runs between vocal melodies. Howe also throws in some mandolin later on, with the final section of this second part feeling quite folky and upbeat. The third part sees Davison dominate vocally, albeit with Sherwood providing a counterpoint this time, whilst Downes creates a groove with his piano playing. There is something a bit more overtly rocking about this section. It was co-written by the rhythm section, so there is something percussive about the overall groove - with Howe's guitar largely relegated to a supporting function aside from his lead showcase moments. The piano and the drums do much of the heavy lifting here, then, despite some scrappy riff-led moments adding some bite. There are some relatively fiery instrumental moments here, too, with both Downes and Howe trading solos back and forth - flashy synth flourishes and lengthy guitar runs working well against a similar groove laid down by the rhythm section. This then leads into the closing section of the song, which is also instrumental save for a closing vocal reprise, which is largely focused around lap steel melodies and a sombre overall groove. This part of the song is very traditional prog in its atmospheric approach - with Howe's melodies essentially driving everything whilst Downes' synths add depth. The lengthy track is one that improves with each listen - and it has become a real favourite of mine. Ariadne follows, and sees the return of the orchestra. They kick things off, with some string flourishes, and they also form the main backing behind the verses as Davison starts to sing. Following the lengthy and guitar-heavy previous song, there is a floaty vibe throughout this track - with the orchestra and Downes' keyboard playing driving much of the song. The rhythm section adds some bite when needed, but this is quite a dynamic piece - with the rhythm section stepping away during parts of the song to allow the orchestra to really dominate. This is one of the few songs that Howe did not co-write, so it is perhaps unsurprising that the guitars feel less important here - although some riffier sections do kick in later on, and there are some lead showcases, too, even if the keyboards from co-writer Downes generally feel more important. Sherwood also co-wrote the song, and his harmony and counterpoint vocals also do a lot of heavy lifting here - with some key bass passages from him also.

By this point, though, the album has largely said all it has to say. The final three tracks, which are all on the short side, feel less vital than what came before. That being said, there is something quite fun about the jaunty and surprisingly hard rocking All Hands on Deck. A Howe composition, the juddering main guitar patterns, backed by some Jon Lord-esque organ playing from Downes, give the song a driving, hard rocking feel - even if there remains a jazzy overall vibe thanks to Howe's guitar playing style. Davison sings the song in a bit of a lower register than usual, with Howe adding some vocal counterpoints during the chorus. The chorus is pretty hooky, but in truth the vocal sections of the song feel like something of an afterthought. The groove of the instrumental sections, including some flashy synth melodies later on, feel like the main point of this track - and perhaps it would have worked better as an instrumental, even if some of the vocal hooks are quite fun. Outside the Box is another somewhat strange piece. Whilst not instrumental, it has no lyrics - as the only vocals throughout are wordless vocal melodies. The opening part of the song sees Davison, Howe, and Sherwood all harmonising together whilst Howe adds a delicate guitar backing - whilst the main bulk of the song later on feels like something of a studio jam, with the rhythm section laying down a tight groove whilst Downes plays with different synth sounds and melodies to essentially create something of a keyboard showcase. Davison carries on with the wordless vocals on occasion, but it all feels a little strange - and Howe largely steps back here to allow Downes to dominate. There are a few lead guitar moments present here, but this second part of the song is essentially a synth workout, with occasional vocal interjections, and it all feels a bit superfluous. It reminds me a bit of those shorter solo pieces on 1971's Fragile, but expanded into a full song that adds little to the album overall. The album the comes to a close with Emotional Intelligence, a Davison-penned piece that is largely an acoustic-based number. The big Yes grandeur is largely absent here, but following two largely instrumental pieces there is something welcome about hearing Davison sing again - laying down those classic Yes-like vocal melodies. He drives the song with his acoustic guitar playing, whilst occasional organ and guitar motifs add depth. At first it does seem as if the song is going to be a wholly acoustic piece, which would not be out of character for Yes, but the rest of the band do join in towards the end - with the rhythm section adding a bit of a kick and Howe laying down quite an emotive guitar solo. The overall vibe of the piece does not change significantly, though. It remains laid back and acoustic in nature - and I do like the way that it closes out the album. I just feel that the album has lost a little steam by this point - and Emotional Intelligence would have likely hit harder had it acted as a coda to see things out following an epic number preceding it. Overall, then, there remains a lot to like here for Yes fans, at least those who remain open minded regarding the current era, but the album is front-loaded and feels weaker the closer it gets to the end. Countermovement is likely the band's best epic-length track for sometime, and there is a lot to like during the first two-thirds of the album. No-one expects perfection at this point, though, and Aurora is a worthy addition to the Yes catalogue in my opinion - sitting nicely alongside the last two.

The album was released on 12th June 2026 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Aurora.