It’s tempting to write off Arc of Life as Yes lite. After all, it’s the brainchild of Yes members Billy Sherwood and Jon Davison, who wrote much of the music while on tour with their day band.
The lineup also includes occasional cohorts Jay Schellen (who has drummed for Yes while Alan White recovered from injury) and Jimmy Haun, who played on their Union album and was also a part of two other Yes spinoffs – Circa (which also featured original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye and Schellen) and Yoso. Keyboard player Dave Kerzner rounds out Arc of Life.
Of course, the same “Yes Lite” charge could be leveled at current-day Yes, which bears little resemblance to the versions which have gone before. Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman and Bill Bruford are long departed. Only Steve Howe remains from the ’70s-era band, and while Yes still performs epics like “Close to the Edge” or “Awaken,” they are far less majestic than in the band’s heyday. Howe has also made no secret of his disdain for the ’80s version featuring Trevor Rabin. He eschews any music from the four albums Rabin appeared on, including the band’s biggest hit, “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”
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So with that lengthy preamble out of the way, what is up with Arc of Life? Their self-titled debut gets off to a strong start with the opening “Life Has a Way.” It features Davison at his best on the intro, with Sherwood then taking the lead over a loping beat. The two trade the spotlight on what is the best song on the album. Hit ’em with your best shot right away.
Then, though, it’s “Talking With Siri,” the weakest cut on the recording. Its simple, repetitious chorus comes off as pedantic and annoying. That feeling is relieved on the following “You Make It Real,” which has a similarly recurring chorus throughout, yet it’s much more musical.
The overall sound of “The Magic of It All” is appealing. But like much of the album, it lacks vocal clarity, making it difficult to understand and appreciate. That’s one area where Arc of Life could have benefited from a good listen to “Roundabout,” “I’ve Seen All Good People” or even “Rhythm of Love.” Each of the instruments, including the voices, was crystal clear and inhabited its own space.
The vocal harmonies of Jon Davison and Billy Sherwood come to the fore on “Therefor We Are,” the closest this album has to an epic. The nine-and-a-half minutes boast a variety of timbres and dynamics, but it lacks the themes and melodies the parent band was known for. And again, it’s not helped by the muddy mix, which obscures the vocals.
None of Arc of Life could be confused with the Yes of Close to the Edge or Fragile, or even 90125 and Talk. Maybe Fly From Here is the best Yes comparison sonically. But there’s as much Asia here in terms of the streamlined songs, though without the hooks that band could conjure up.
Other spinoffs have been musically successful, even the hybrid Yes/Toto of Yoso. Not so much here. Overall Arc of Life doesn’t live up to whatever its promise (and premise) may have been.
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