Yes
Keystudio

"A pleasure for your ears": this could be the subtitle of this rare and rich (lasting an hour and a quarter... a double long-playing) studio CD by Yes, rare even in its gestation considering that its release, for once but understandably, comes after the live versions of the tracks contained in the four albums of the "Keys to Ascension" saga, published in pairs themselves. We're in the middle of 2001, just a few months before the release of "Magnification," marking the band's label change from the cumbersome Sanctuary Records to the more modest Eagle. Thus, the release of these tracks, composed four or five years earlier, represents an unfortunate move (the commercial outcome was indeed rather disappointing) to challenge the new production.

A condition sine qua non to delight your ears is the use of an adequate system capable of capturing the infinite nuances of "Keystudio," starting with those of "Footprints" taken or rather developed in Keys to Ascension (KtA for brevity) 2 where Jon Anderson’s classic chorus is soon joined by Alan White’s robust drumming, the bass of the late Squire, and evidently the keyboards of the inimitable Rick Wakeman. Here, we have the "classic" Yes lineup with Steve Howe, and you can tell! Among Rick’s flights and the massive rhythm of White & Squire softened by Anderson’s voice, the track concludes with a delightful arpeggio by Howe, who may have felt a little left out until this point; followed by the massive attack of drums & bass quickly leading to a sweet interlude by Howe and Wakeman supporting Anderson’s voice in: "Be the One" (KtA), a track between nostalgic and epic, structured in three parts: the eponymous one characterized by various Howe arpeggios, the central part ("Humankind") with an engaging ascending scale with Rick in continuous evidence, and the final ride ("Stakes") managed by the five in full harmony, always with Anderson in evidence.

Howe’s final arpeggio gives way to "Mind Drive" (KtA2) where for sublime continuity, Howe and Squire start with an ovated prelude somewhat Spanish-like, but then take off with the bolero set by White, with Rick weaving towards a maddening crescendo (don’t turn the volume too high because others wouldn’t understand what kind of stuff you’re listening to: try explaining that this is prog to the nth degree, right where it "Guides the Mind"!), and I won’t write more, as I wouldn’t know who to give the palm of the best among the five middle-aged gentlemen on the back cover of the album, just to provoke a guess on White, though the repeated arpeggio by the Howe Squire duo gives me some doubts. Better to move on since I’m already getting tangled up, but I’d like to see you with a piece of this magnitude (an LP side) with infinite facets and variations worthy of the best Yes, like the charming and sweet arpeggio by Howe about halfway through the piece introducing Anderson. Epic and absolutely entrancing choral finale with Wakeman reclaiming "his" role, amusing closure.

Very "Yes" also the start of "Bring Me to the Power" (KtA2), decidedly more pop compared to the previous tracks, but still Yes' pop, just listen to the beginning, with highly catchy and somewhat repetitive interludes, perhaps the lesser track, which then gives way to Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe in "Sign Language" (KtA2), a delightful duet with the electric guitar seemingly right in front of you speaking in this "sign language," and more than a sign: a true gem!

For continuity, Howe then "spares no effort," it must be said, at the beginning of "That, That Is" (KtA), a classic track typically structured in several parts (seven to be exact, another LP side!), which you’ll want to replay to see if everything was as you heard it or if you missed something, for example, White’s bass drum interspersing Anderson or Squire's somewhat obsessive accompanying arpeggio (even more evident in the live version). The powerful central part ("All in All") where each member gives their specific contribution and the text itself is custom-built to enhance Anderson’s "description" of "This, this is (such)" rather than conveying messianic messages. In short, yet another very complex track that builds to a very fluent finale especially thanks to Squire.

And if God wills, we’re at the final track "Children of the Light" (KtA2), another gem structured in three parts: the first strictly by Wakeman ("Lightning," not present on the live album) which then gives space (but remains decidedly, and you feel it!) to the group's chorality in the title track, at the end of which Vangelis (yes, the Greek composer) also appears in the central suite that distinctly detaches from the style of the rest of the CD and takes you dreamily to the end of the album with "Lifeline": it’s hard not to recognize Vangelis' contribution that further enlivens the scene.

After the aforementioned, the judgment would lean towards 5 stars that signify a masterpiece, which "Keystudio" probably is, even due to the monumental nature of the work, but if we give 5 stars to the triptych Album, Fragile & Close to the Edge, which naturally deserve it as a contribution to the development of Music, here we should only give it 4 (it's a strictly musical criticism discourse) for comparison. However, I know I would later regret it since I also see a musical progress in "Keystudio," especially in the two long suites (Mind Drive and That. so, it goes for 5 stars! And may stinginess perish.