The Quest: Perceptions 10 months on

[soundchaser09]

How does everyone feel about this album now that we have all had time to digest it and think of it alongside the rest of the catalogue? I personally appreciate it all the more now, I love the variety of songs and the caliber of the writing on display, Howe and Davison are sensational contributors here. I love the length of the album and consider all eleven tracks as part of the album proper, there are very few areas where the quality dips and to me that is a sign of success, a consistent production throughout and an amazing ensemble of songs more than 50 years into the band's career.

Yes the album is laid back in certain areas, but I don't mind that actually. I do still believe Sherwood's backing vocals would've been nice to hear a little more often to harmonise but still. A Living Island has really grown on me, Dare to Know is one of my favourites after initially failing to appreciate its subtle greatness and even the Howe vocal Damaged World is quite enjoyable is you can get past the gruffness. I still love many of the same favourites that I had from earlier on though. Perhaps the only track I'm not too keen on is Music to my Ears.

Highlights: The Ice Bridge, Dare to Know, Leave Well Alone, The Western Edge, Sister Sleeping Soul

Score: 8/10

[Gilly Goodness]

Has it been 10 months? Still remember that excitin' mornin' when TIB video dropped.

Had plenty of time to enjoy TQ in the car, now with added powerful Pioneer speakers. Zoomin' down to Botany Bay on a hot summers day with ALI pumpin' out is truly livin'.

My son is quite happy to hear it even sayin' he loves FM. Now agree with all the above. The diversity of songwritin' is great. The playin' and production tasteful and sophisticated. The new Alan Parsons record is also in this vein.

DBA was my happiest discovery this year. Jonesin' for the new album. In September. So overall very happy to swim in the ocean of pastoral pop-prog!!!

[Olorin]

I find that it has very pretty songs but it has never really seemed to grab me. Of course any more, most music doesn't seem to have the hold on me it once did. I guess that's a combination of getting older and have to deal with too many stressors.

[Roundabob]

I’m with Olorin. I just don’t immerse myself in music the way I did when I was younger. After ten months I would have previously listened to a new Yes album hundreds of times. I would have known each note and nuance of each song. I truly like The Quest, and think that it is a very high quality effort by the band. I have probably listened to it 10 or 12 times. Most of the music I listen to now consists of my own compositions on guitar. The Quest is much better than my stuff, but I so much enjoy doing my own thing. Listening to Yes over the years made all of my small musical efforts possible, so their influence is forever in my songs.

[Mr. Holland]

I find that it has very pretty songs but it has never really seemed to grab me. Of course any more, most music doesn't seem to have the hold on me it once did. I guess that's a combination of getting older and have to deal with too many stressors.

It has very pretty songs. But perhaps a little too pretty. There's plenty of pretty, but not enough gritty to balance the pretty. As an album, a whole, it plays pretty nice, for instance when I'm cooking. But nothing much really jumps out. It's soothing, but not very exciting.

[Kevin W]

I think it's a decent enough addition to the catalogue and since seeing and really enjoying the CTTE 50 tour I have become more used to this line up of the band and therefore more accepting of their studio work (acknowledging of course, that Alan was on the album).

I'd like to see more studio work from them and hopefully the next album will contain more up tempo stuff on it like TIB, which remains the best track on the album.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

My view of it is kind of distorted because I only listen to my condensed version. But I do play that a lot.
A lot of its charm is that it’s better than The Infamous One Before.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

It has very pretty songs. But perhaps a little too pretty. There's plenty of pretty, but not enough gritty to balance the pretty. As an album, a whole, it plays pretty nice, for instance when I'm cooking. But nothing much really jumps out. It's soothing, but not very exciting.

Imagine saying that about, for instance The Ladder!

[Sam I Am]

It's still not very good.

[Old Frothingslosh]

Gave it another listen the other day and still does nothing for me. Still sounds like a sub par Asia album. I know many out there like/love it and that's great, just not for me.

[The New Esthe]

I think it still holds up pretty good, although the bonus disc is kinda unnecessary.

[Davy]

I still listen to it a lot. Some of it is mediocre, some of it is brilliant.

[madbear]

It's gone on the shelf with all my other Yes discs, but it's not going to be listend too when there are so many other so much better Yes albums and bootlegs out there.

[Ant45]

Steve Howe on lead vocals or duet vocals just doesn’t do it for me and that ruins several fairly decent songs. Future Memories and The Ice Bridge deserve to be in the Yes canon (as did Subway Walls for its interesting time signatures) but the rest of the tracks are either pleasant or irritating. Hats off to the production though.

[Frumious B]

It’s a largely forgettable album for me with maybe a couple of decent tracks.