Hear Yes’ First New Song Without Chris Squire, ‘The Ice Bridge’
Yes have released their first new song in seven years. "The Ice Bridge" is also their first without Chris Squire.
The climate change-themed track, which you can listen to below, will kick off their upcoming album, The Quest. Squire cofounded the group in the late '60s and had appeared on every subsequent recording.
"'The Ice Bridge' opens the album in the dark and moody key of C minor, aided by the orchestra," guitarist Steve Howe said in an official statement. "The rolling bass part kicks things into gear as the vocals and guitars start a winding journey through the various structures till the breakdown happens, where ice breaking is heard.”
Yes singer Jon Davison cowrote the track with keyboardist Geoff Downes. Davison has been with the band since 2012 and also collaborated extensively on 2014's Heaven & Earth.
“Usually what happens is each member is left to write their respective parts and put their stamp on things," Davison said. "Geoff sent me a selection of exciting and often gorgeous snippets he had created, and made it clear that he wished I experiment freely and develop as needed. This in turn gave me the confidence to take on the vocal role – lyrics, vocal melody and harmony, how the vocals are presented and uniquely phrased – but all the while striving to stay faithful to Geoff’s initial ideas.”
Downes, who is in his second stint with Yes, said Davison's "vocals are fantastic. He's really come into his own as a Yes vocalist. This time he's started to get the writing side together and working with the other musicians has been developmental for him. I think he's hit a rich seam on this one."
Squire died in 2015 after battling leukemia; his hand-chosen replacement was Billy Sherwood, a '90s-era member of Yes. The Quest is available for preorder beginning today in a variety of formats, including a limited deluxe box set.
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