Middle of the road reviews disappoint everyone. In a landscape where it either “rocks” or “sucks,” is “killer” or “filler,” that valley in the middle is hugely unsatisfying. What I’m saying is that I’m about to disappoint you.

“The Ice Bridge,” the first single from progressive rock lifers Yes’ forthcoming album The Quest is okay. It is not the sleepy, mid-tempo slog that the entirety of the previous album, Heaven and Earth was. It has some life in it, as well as some worthwhile performances, particularly from guitarist Steve Howe, now the senior manager of the enterprise, as it were. I don’t think anyone on board whiffs the ball entirely.

And yet, while ‘pleasant enough’ is a sub-definition of damning with faint praise, I can’t really get thrilled by “The Ice Bridge” either. The tune opens with what sounds like Emerson Lake and Powell’s “Touch and Go,” but thankfully does not linger so long as to be considered a ripoff. Point of clarification: Keith Emerson appropriated the melody of an old English folk song, “Lovely Joan,” for “Touch and Go” so the members of Yes were well within their right to embrace that if they chose to. That keyboardist Geoff Downes chose the exact toneprint patch for that as Emerson had strains things, but we’ll let that go.

Another minor annoyance was that the rhythm for the track has very little dynamism. Alan White, unfortunately, regularly sounds like constant, rolling drum loops with an occasional fill on every eighth bar. As the second most senior member, having joined for 1973’s Tales from Topographic Oceans, a lot of scrutiny gets put on his parts. They do not hold up.

Jon Davison remains a divisive newer member to the fold. He’s no slouch vocally. He can hit the high notes, as is evidenced by his many live performances over the years replicating the vocals achieved by original vocalist Jon Anderson. Yet it is extremely difficult to give him proper due, much as I want to. I don’t want to be that guy who says that, if you just swap out “Ander” for “Davi,” this is a clone meant more to sit nicely and not rock the boat. He sounds close enough to Anderson if you don’t listen too carefully.

If you pay slightly more attention, however, it is clear that Davison lacks the passion, the indescribable oomph that is required here. His high notes are a bit too airy, too clean and measured. He hits them, but one is hard-pressed to say he feels them.

But we go back around to the beginning. There is nothing in this song that makes me never want to hear it again. As a decent representation of 2021’s Yes, it is marginally successful. It keeps swinging but is comfortable with third-base line drives than potentially going for the fences, possibly failing but gutting it out to try. In the end, “The Ice Bridge” is not dreadful, but it is dreadfully safe. Given how bad that could have been, I’m grateful, but hardly inspired.

By Dw Dunphy

Dw. Dunphy is a writer, artist, and musician. He has contributed many articles that can be found in the MusicTAP's archives. He also writes for New Jersey Stage, Popdose.com, Ultimate Classic Rock, Diffuser FM, and Looper. His interview archive is available at https://dwdunphyinterviews.wordpress.com/

6 thoughts on “Review: Yes, “The Ice Bridge””
  1. I can deal with every modern production convenience the band cares to employ except for audible Autotune correction on the lead vocal. That pulls me right out of the song. Also, I don’t begrudge Howe for continuing as Yes, but previously the requirement of any Yes album was Chris Squire as the constant. That’s no longer possible, of course. The bass playing here doesn’t even remind me of Squire. It’s unfair, but that’s a big drawback for a Yes song. I don’t want Howe to quit, and I know he won’t sell records or tickets under his own name, so it is what it is.

  2. I must admit their previous studio albums lacked bite. As these musicians are ageing & now are into their 70’s there is very little doubt you are not going to get that classic Yes sound that we all enjoyed in the past, it’s sad that we lost the legendary Chris Squire & when you replace a legend such as Chris there is no way the “new” Yes will come pun intended “close to the edge” to their amazing past music. Don’t get me wrong Steve Howe is an extremely versatile player & you have their new singer who is trying to sound like
    Jon Anderson which i understand, being a Yes fan, in regards to the new song initial reaction, it’s not a ground breaker if you listen to it more than once will that make a difference?In some respect i will give them some credit for making a new album, it will be interesting to see & listen to the whole album when the time comes, at least the album cover looks good.

  3. I actually quite liked it & it makes me look forward to the new record, which I never thought I would. Bring back Anderson, Rabin, & Wakeman! Have you seen that blu ray?!?

  4. Bland,repetitive an attempt at Anderson style lyrics. The rythmn section is uninspired and one dimensional. I’m sure desperate Yes fans will convince themselves it is the real deal but then after Heaven and Earth anything would sound good.

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