Okay, we are going to slay one dragon at the outset of this review of True, the release of Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks. I am NOT going to enter into a conversation about the merits of this as compared to the band led by Steve Howe, Anderson’s erstwhile comrade, because I can’t really see the point. What I will say is this. My review of the last Yes album, Mirror to the Sky, was pretty favourable, and my feeling in 2024 is given the respective ages of our heroes, and the fact that two of the classic band are now no longer with us, we should be pretty grateful for any quality Yes-related material that is released, and, make no bones about it, True is quality material, a joy to listen to. So, in true Andersonian inspired love and understanding, no bitching here, just appreciation.

Reviews I have seen are gushing about the quality of Anderson’s voice, “especially given his age”. I take a slightly different angle to this. Yes, Anderson is knocking on 80’s door, and certainly his energy levels are remarkable for his age, but what I have enjoyed ever since being introduced by my cousin to Jon with a copy of Going For The One in 1977 is, in fact, the journey his voice has taken. His voice was always unique, and had a power to it, an inner strength. Witness the soaring symphonic majesty of Awaken, or the anarchic pre-punk fusion of Gates of Delerium. It is not powerful now in that strict regard, but has a fragility to it which, to these ears, carries as much inner strength as the Anderson of old. It is a voice which has matured, and the change became pronounced after the respiratory illness which nearly carted him away from us, this phase of his career starting with the wonderful Survival and Other Stories from 2010. The solo career is a mixed one, but at its best, it has given us gems such as Olias, Toltec, Change We Must, and Survival. True most certainly ranks alongside those highpoints.

Before we discuss the album itself, a word about The Band Geeks. They sound like Yes. It is as simple as that, and they have been chosen by the great man deliberately for that very reason. This is not to say that we have some form of cheap tribute act here, but that when you hear the Rickenbacker, you hear Squire, the Gibson, Howe, and etc. This entire album is deliberately constructed as a kind of “Jon and Collaborators Do Yes”, and that should be celebrated, not panned. The founder of the Geeks is bass guitarist, Rick Castellano, who I discovered the other day courtesy of a post on Progressive Ears tours with Blue Oyster Cult – a decent gig, and clearly a talented musician, although my ignorance of the BOC involvement can be excused by the fact, I haven’t deliberately listened to any of their music for 40-odd years.

So, nine tracks on virtually an hour’s worth of music, which I believe is selling well. Certainly, the latest US tour seems to have been a success.

We open with True Messenger, an Anderson title if ever there was one. There is an official video, and it is below. From those very first chords, we are in classic Yes territory, transported back across the musical aeons. The band, the guitarist especially, pump out energy in a track which is certainly reminiscent of what the parent band were trying to do on The Ladder, which I like a great deal, that fusion of the 70’s with modern sensibilities. I like the keyboard textures created, and the harmonies are noticeable from the off, this, of course, lifted straight from the parent band playbook. Graziano really shows some serious chops riffing in the closing passage, bringing out his inner Rabin to great effect. A decent start.

We also have a video for Shine On, a slab of Big Generator style music, with fine harmonies, a pulsing bass riff from Castellano which so reminds one of Squire, you really do have to look twice. Anderson evokes the power of the universe. This is good commercial pop/rock, and I think contains a decent idea of what the aborted ARW album might have sounded like. The “in this world” segment is classic Anderson, and lovely, whist the keyboard textures created are powerful.

A third video is embedded for a personal favourite of mine, Counties & Countries. This is a direct reference to classic Yes of the 1970’s, a bright, bouncy, optimistic piece of symphonic prog rock, the gift of love, creation, Garden of Eden, and a calling to better times. The introduction is simply lovely, a room full of sound, the bass referencing And You & I especially, with Anderson channelling his love for Jane, his life, and a veritable smorgasbord of spiritual beliefs in a vocal which really does lift the listener up. The bass is superb throughout, a masterclass of its type. In truth, though, it all sounds so good, a band at the top of its game, with some beautiful keyboard soundscapes and a guitar solo which is up there with the finest. A strong candidate for my “epic of the year” – it gets better every listen, giving up more of its soul each time, especially as it builds to its dramatic peak before Jon and his cohorts bring us back to earth gently. A beautiful day to be, indeed.

Build Me An Ocean is a short sub-four-minute piece, and about as perfect a contrast to what preceded it as it is possible to get. A gorgeous little ballad, with that voice full of fragility in its maturity, classy acoustic guitar work, and some gentle orchestration to soothe, this is a track which would not have sounded out of place on Magnification.

It is followed by Still A Friend. I really like the drum patterns on this, combining with a bass to provide for a complex rhythm section core, although I do find it the least convincing track on the album, not flowing as easily as everything else here. It is not bad, but it sounds a wee bit thrown together, ironically like some of the stuff on Heaven & Hell. There are some good guitar riffs, though.

Make It Right improves matters from the off with more nice classical guitar work, Anderson dreamily invoking heaven on earth with his voice so beautifully mature extolling the joy of life and the majesty within us. Quite gorgeous, really, the type of Anderson song I can listen to all day long, every day, the band providing strong foils for this vision, with a note perfect guitar solo especially joyful leading into an avalanche of sound.

Realization Part Two is initially a difficult one to write about, as there has never been a part one, but I believe the intent is that it is the second part of Make It Right, although I could be wrong. Whatever, it is another bright and cheering ballad which pleases without ever raising the blood pressure. The gospel choir at the end is a nice touch.

The centrepiece of the album is the longest track, Once Upon A Dream, all sixteen and a half minutes of it. I long ago ceased trying to make sense of most of Jon’s lyrics, and this holds especially true in this one, and this is a prime example of him using words, some of which defy dictionary definitions, to fit the music. Musically, it is a pleasing mix, with some nice fusion tendencies, eastern melodies, soaring voices, some of it reminding me of Homeworld, the main “traditional” track from The Ladder; there is a rather large nod to his old band with Heart of the Sunrise appearing in the lyrics, and then an Awaken passage on the organ three quarters of the way in, with Anderson making the hairs on the back of the neck stand up with the final vocal display. Very well played, unexpectedly ambitious, and simply great fun to listen to.

The final song is a love song, dedicated to Janee, and I love it. One of our favourite Yes tracks of all time is If Only I Knew, which I played to my wife not long after we met. I included it on a tape of music for her travelling on Eurostar to France, and she swears that song got her through the journey. An expression of his love, Thank God, I met you, and I repeat that every day in my personal life, so Jon & I are kindred spirits! I love the fact that they are so happy, and I regard myself as being so lucky that I am still able to listen to such an expression of love in a voice which more than most has informed my musical journey over the years.

Let’s close by saying this. I hope I am wrong, but this might well be the last major release we get from Anderson, given the number of projects which fall through, although apparently Invention of Knowledge Part Two with Roine Stolt is almost complete. We can but hope, but if this is it, it is one hell of a statement. True is an essential purchase for not only Yes fans, or even progressive rock fans, but for all of us who appreciate class rock music well played, but most importantly as an affirmation of the sheer joy of life.