If the first post-Chris Squire Yes album, The Quest, was slightly overbaked with its three bonus tracks, Heaven & Earth, released on July 14, 2014, suffers from the opposite issue. 

The band’s restless touring schedule contributed to the album’s lack of quality compared to prior releases. Also, Roy Thomas Baker did not provide the insight and direction the band needed.

However, the first studio album with singer Jon Davison and the last new music release with founding members does have a few highlights.

1. “Subway Walls” is an epic, multi-part song that blends various musical elements characteristic of Yes’s progressive rock heritage. The track begins with an intricate instrumental introduction featuring elaborate keyboard work. The lyrics of “Subway Walls” are introspective and metaphorical, exploring themes of urban life, existential reflection, and the passage of time. The imagery of subway walls serves as a metaphor for the barriers and challenges individuals face in life. “Subway Walls” is a compelling piece that reflects Yes’s dedication to their progressive rock roots. Its complex arrangement, introspective lyrics, and high-level musicianship make it a significant track for longtime fans and newcomers to the band’s music.
2. “To Ascend” – Surprisingly, Yes performed “To Ascend” live six times, according to forgotten-yesterdays.com. It’s not that Alan White’s only composing credit on the album isn’t good. “To Ascend” seems to have all the essential elements of a primarily acoustic Yes ballad. Co-writer Jon Davison’s lyrics are melancholy yet hopeful. His vocals are a solid point, as is Chris Squire’s backing vocals. Steve Howe makes pristine Portuguese guitar and acoustic guitar contributions. Geoff Downes’ piano parts are also perfectly cast – but too low in the mix. The Japanese import edition of this project includes an acoustic bonus version of “To Ascend,” which benefits from a more direct, stripped-down approach. It should have been included in place of the full-band version.
3. “Believe Again,” written by Davison and Steve Howe, opens the album in fine fashion. While not a powerhouse opening track like “Going For The One” or even “Cut From The Stars,” the mid-tempo rocker hits most of the right notes. Davison, the fourth Yes lead vocalist, has an assured, breezy voice that combines elements of his style and Jon Anderson’s. His lyrics are positive and spiritual in the Yes tradition. Chris Squire and Steve Howe provide prominent backing vocals, which also fit the legacy quite nicely, and are perfectly integrated and backing vocal producer/mixer Billy Sherwood. Despite the auto-tuning employed by producer Roy Thomas Baker, all the vocals seem natural and stellar. Steve Howe’s guitar part are less complicated melodically than his usual fare, but he provides a tight rock foundation with a progressive mid-song break down. Unfortunately, the breakdown seems half baked, as Howe’s chord progression sounds like a placeholder in a demo and Geoff Downes’ ’80s-style keyboard feels out of place. Howe has said on more than one occasion that the wrong guitar parts where included in the final mix. Steve Howe’s feelings about this era are well documented in his autobiography. Perhaps, with more time and/or a more focused producer the album could have been forged into greatness. Nevertheless, “Believe Again” launches the project on a somewhat positive step. 
4. “In A World Of Our Own” – 2014’s ‘Heaven & Earth’ started with Jon Davison traveling to collaborate with Chris Squire. Davison’s November 2013 pilgrimage to the US produced two songs used for the project. Davison would later apply the same approach to songwriting collaborations with other members of Yes.

      “In a World of Own,” the bass maestro’s second collaboration with Davison, continues the common trend of Heaven and Earth: Davison  provides direct, effective and well-constructed lyrics. Lyrically, he foregoes mysticism and obtuseness to deliver a focused relationship tale.  As the song progresses, the lyrics also expand in scope, before he brings it back to personal. Davison gamely employs his lower register, and  the Billy Sherwood produced backing vocals and Chris Squire harmonies are among the best on the album.

Touches of Steve Howe’s Stratocaster spice things up a bit, as does Geoff Downes honky-tonk piano, synthesized vibraphone, and  Hammond flourishes. Chris Squire’s bass is prominent in the mix too.

Ultimately, however, “In a World of Our Own” is a pleasing middle-of-the-road rock song which needs a few more progressive elements to be  memorable.

1. “The Game” – Time has allowed for some perspective regarding Yes’ 21st studio album. Most of Heaven & Earth is salvageable with more focused production and adventurous arrangements. “The Game,” one of Chris Squire’s last writing contributions before his death is one such song which could have benefitted from a little more focus. Squire and Jon Davison handle a majority of the writing, with Squire collaborator Gerard Johnson providing musical input. The basic structure dated back well before Heaven and Earth, as Squire and Johnson developed the musical theme but did not flesh it out until song ideas were floated around for these sessions. Yes also borrowed the backing vocal coda from the song “The Gift of Love,” a song which later appeared on the “From A Page’ EP.  

“The Game” does have an energetic feel than most of Heaven and Earth. Steve Howe starts things off with an E-Bow guitar introduction,  which is quickly followed by synthesizer passages by Geoff Downes and electronic piano from Gerard Johnson. Davison provides a strong  vocal which conveys a more direct lyrical context that we’re used to from Yes. Squire’s harmonies are a perfect blend on the choruses.

Howe’s switch from E-Bow to a swelling volume pedal lead guitar builds the intensity. What’s surprising is the restrained bass passages  played by Squire, which seem tentative and buried in the mix. Alan White’s approach also gives “The Game” a first-take feel, as if Yes was  going to take a few more passes and replace the drums with the finished product. Adding tom-tom overdubs throughout the song only  enhances the perception that the production was rushed. This is actually one of the better moments on Heaven and Earth, but “The Game” could have been so much better. In fact, “The Game” and  “Believe Again” were both played extensively on the 2014 tour, and they evolved into songs that paired well alongside of classics Yes epics.