Aurora is the third consecutive Yes album produced by Steve Howe — following The Quest and Mirror to the Sky — and it sounds like it. Same lineup, same sonic fingerprint, same songwriting sensibility. Fans who have rejected the band’s current incarnation will find nothing here to change their minds. But for those invested in where Yes has been heading, the record delivers more than it stumbles.
The continuity is remarkable by Yes standards: three albums in a row from essentially the same group of musicians, the only change being Jay Schellen stepping in after the passing of Alan White. Howe‘s production, aided by mixing and mastering engineer Curtis Schwartz, is consistently clear and well-balanced — nothing buried, nothing overwhelming.
The album opens strongly. The title track is symphonic and orchestral — a little Disney-adjacent, but anchored by Howe‘s playing. “Turnaround Situation,” now a single, is a Jon Davison composition with a notable wrinkle: Davison plays keyboards throughout Aurora — piano, synth, organ — making this a shared keyboard record rather than a Geoff Downes solo showcase. The song is hook-laden and layered, with Howe on pedal steel and some properly cosmic lyrics: “a primal voice that speaks so clear / to every heart sincere / guiding every conscience home.” “Love Lies Dreaming,” co-written by Davison and Howe, completes a strong opening three-track run.
The middle of the album experiments. “Ariadne” — co-written by Downes, Davison, and Sherwood — draws on Greek mythology and features the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, one of two tracks to do so. It’s lush and storytelling-driven, reminiscent of “Turn of the Century.” “Outside the Box,” co-written by Sherwood and Howe, is lyric-free, built on layered vocalizations rather than conventional singing — a genuine departure that mostly works. “All Hands on Deck” is a Howe rocker that feels more at home on a solo record. “Emotional Intelligence” carries a worthwhile message with lyrics that could stand to trust the listener a bit more. “Jam Bustin’” is a bonus track — corny, self-aware, skip it if corniness isn’t your thing.
The centerpiece epic, “Counter Movement,” is where the album’s biggest opportunity meets its biggest stumble. The four-part piece has genuine highlights — a third section co-written by Davison, Sherwood, and Schellen that tackles AI with a sharp instrumental jam, Howe trading licks with Downes on synth in a brief but satisfying prog blowout. But the main body hands lead vocals to Howe, and that’s a significant drag. His solo work has shown real vocal growth — Love Is demonstrated he can carry a record — but a Yes epic is a different ask. The repeated lead lines wear thin, a guitar figure uncomfortably close to “Your Move” muddies the waters, and the finale, “Freedom’s Edge,” meanders where it should soar. The epic ends on two Davison a cappella lines that land with a thud.
The closer, “Watching the River Roll,” rescues the finish. Sherwood‘s composition opens with the Portuguese 12-string guitar and builds into one of the album’s warmest moments — Sherwood on clean lead vocals, Davison across a lovely chorus, the whole thing rolling out with ease. Calling it a bonus track is a genuine head-scratcher; it’s among the record’s best.
Schellen is well-served by Howe‘s mix and sounds excellent throughout. Sherwood is the MVP — inventive bass lines, strong backing vocals, carrying the Squire legacy without trying to copy it. Downes is the persistent question mark: capable, but keyboards have receded into the background across all three of these albums, where they once shared the front of the stage with guitars and bass. And Howe — still producing, still playing beautifully, compensating for anything age takes with musicality and taste.
Aurora won’t rewrite Yes history. But as a third chapter in a surprisingly consistent late-career trilogy, it holds up.
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