Mirror To The Sky

Mirror To The Sky is YES‘ twenty-third studio album, released 19 May 2023 on InsideOut Music.

As they were wrapping up The Quest, YES found themselves with song sketches, structures, and ideas that were demanding attention. YES received unconditional support from InsideOut boss Thomas Waber, who encouraged them to keep going in the studio, months before The Quest would even go on sale. It was like throwing gasoline on their creative fire.

“When we delivered everything, and they were just getting the vinyl and everything into production for manufacturing, we were still very much in that creative zone,” explains Steve Howe. “That belief that Thomas had in us really meant a lot,” he says.

“We truly get along as people,” says Jon Davison. “I feel like everyone’s focused inward to the greater circle, concentric to the core of highest standards that define YES.”

“The pace of it was fast,” says Billy Sherwood. “As soon as we were finished with The Quest, there was still music flowing around in the loop. It was just constantly being looked at and worked on. Things started progressing quite swiftly. We just continued to work on material. It came about pretty naturally.”

Personnel

Steve Howe
Guitars, Vocals

Geoff Downes
Keyboards

Jon Davison
Vocals, Guitars

Billy Sherwood
Bass, Vocals

Jay Schellen
Drums and Percussion

Recommended Versions

Packshot of the Mirror To The Sky Deluxe Set

Mirror To The Sky is available as:
Limited Deluxe Edition Box-Set featuring Electric Blue 2LP, 2CD, Blu-ray, 36-page 12 inch hardcover book and poster by Roger Dean.

Artbook Edition featuring 2CD, Blu-ray and 36-page 12 inch hardcover book.

Blu-rays include 5.1 surround sound, Dolby Atmos, Hi Res 96k/24bit stereo mixes and instrumental mixes of all album tracks. Artbooks include extensive liner notes and photo material.

180g transparent green double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with 8-page booklet. Limited to 500 copies globally. Exclusive to Burning Shed.

180g double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with 8-page booklet.

2CD, 1CD and to stream.

Listen

Spotify

Lyrics

Click on the song title to view the lyrics.

CUT FROM THE STARS

Starlight
Gaze out
Walkabout
International dark sky park

Desert
Twilight
Second sight
International dark sky park

Relate
Reach out
Fathom what life is all about
Each atom cut from the stars

When I’m in need of some perspective
I find my place in the jewelled collective
Daylight glare blinding me
Only after dark may I clearly see

Look up
Breathe out
Walkabout
International dark sky park
I wanna be in zero G
International dark sky park

Relate
Reach out
Fathom what life is all about
Each atom cut from the stars

In the light of pure perfection
Troubles are so very small
Planetary sanctuary
I touch
I can reflect it all
Envision
Envision
(Ignite the spark)
Vision in vision
We have transmission after dark

Andromeda
Dog Star splendor
Horizon lightening
Distant thunder
A canvas for creation theory
Now the hunter’s in the southern sky

Have you really travelled so many light years to find us
So confused and so careless
In desperate need of awareness

Our pale blue dot
Dangling in the crossfires
Unravelling
(Reeling and reeling)
But what of the healing

In the light of pure perfection
Troubles are so very small
Planetary sanctuary
We touch
Retrace
Embrace it all
Envision
Envision
(Ignite the spark)
Vision in vision
(Point of ignition)
Envision
Envision
(Ignite the spark)
Vision in vision
Vision our mission
We have transmission after, after dark
After dark

WRITTEN BY

Jon Davison/Billy Sherwood

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: lead vocals
Steve Howe: electric guitar (Fender Stratocaster through analog pedalboard)
Geoff Downes: organ
Billy Sherwood: bass and vocals
Jay Schellen: drums and percussion
FAME’s Studio Orchestra
Oleg Kondratenko: Conductor
Paul K. Joyce: orchestral arrangements

ALL CONNECTED

Always true pathways
Open doorways
Right of ways for everyone
Tell me how can we break down walls any other way

Always true pathways
Upon us equal shines the sun
All for the tragic
Karmachromatic
Static to obscure the very key of life, our global
Symphony
Karmachromatic
It’s only static
The key defines the scale we climb
To at last perceive we are
We are contrast in harmony

You’re never out of reach
You’re never out of mind
So free your mind
This is your time

For those who wish to seek
Forgotten and left behind
We are connected
Respect it, the Collective
Like satellites …
(There’s nowhere you can run)
… passing in …
(There’s nowhere you can hide)
… the timeless night
(Connecting all our lives)

You’re never out of reach
You’re never out of mind
Free your mind
This is your time
Know together we stand strong

Why take it all to heart
Then for a rain drop you fall apart
Take the ups and downs in stride
Often times just let things ride

There’s no where you can run
There’s no where you can hide
We’re all connecting
Connecting all our lives
You’re never out of reach
You’re never out of mind
We’re all connecting
Connecting
Connecting all our lives

You’re never out of reach
You’re never out of mind
And those you wish to seek
Are those you will find
There’s nowhere left to run
So many words being thrown round and round

Always true pathways
Open doorways
Right of ways for everyone
Tell me how can we break down walls any
Other way

Contrast in harmony

WRITTEN BY

Jon Davison/Steve Howe/Billy Sherwood

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: vocals
Steve Howe: electric and acoustic guitars (Fender steel, Telecaster & Stratocaster, Steinberger 6 string, Martin MC38SH)
Geoff Downes: organ and keyboards
Billy Sherwood: bass and vocals
Jay Schellen: drums and percussion
FAME’s Studio Orchestra
Oleg Kondratenko: Conductor
Paul K. Joyce: orchestral arrangements

LUMINOSITY

Dream the night came calling from forest mist
The light in Man leaves none to resist
Voiced the thunder to hearts of brotherhood
Perceive the arc Man’s rising
Gone the dark and selfish way
Like the stars we are luminous

I hear the wind carry upon its breast
The woes of many each heart’s unrest
Voiced the thunder to all
A circle of fire
The arc within Man’s rising
No hardship could mar
With soul unscarred we are luminous

We are as the stars
Luminous
We all are stardust
If ever there was a sun to dream upon we are as one
We’re luminous
Beings luminous
Bright lighthouses on the sea
The ocean of humanity
Gazing up wondering if on some distant world
A lonely soul is gazing back
Longing for contact
To stand face-to-face
Someday not so far away

Come to light dream caller up from the mist
The powers that be lowered their fists
Voiced the thunder to all
A circle of fire
Perceive the arc Man’s rising
Passed greed and the power play
Like the stars we are luminous

We are as the stars luminous
We all are stardust
If ever there was a sun to dream upon we are as one
We’re luminous
Beings luminous
Bright lighthouses on the sea
The ocean of humanity
Gazing up wondering if on some distant world
A lonely soul is gazing back
Longing for contact
To stand face-to-face
Someday not so far away

Why on earth can’t we, lest we become a dying race
Bring to light
Stand in love face-to-face
Someday not so far away
Surely one day

WRITTEN BY

Jon Davison/Steve Howe/Billy Sherwood

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: vocals
Steve Howe: Fender Steel, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Banjo guitar, F4 mandolin, autoharp
Geoff Downes: synthesizers, piano, Minimoog, celeste
Billy Sherwood: bass guitar, vocals
Jay Schellen: drums and percussion
FAME’s Studio Orchestra
Oleg Kondratenko: Conductor
Paul K. Joyce: orchestral arrangements

LIVING OUT THEIR DREAM

Spinning your yarn and push each word
The race is on to be absurd
Around a myth everything turns
So all the words go unheard

Romeo loves Juliet so much
It’s Hollywood in double Dutch
Married at the steak and seafood place
They’ve got anger written on their face

Living out their dream
Covered in ice cream
Their convictions don’t convince me
Just a mouthful of glee
don’t convince me
Just a mouthful of glee

Things you have don’t make you happy
Things that you want don’t come your way
Things that you’ve lost are gone forever
While you’re watching the weather

Stories we hear tear us apart
What we believe is happening
Words are distorted, you’d never think
Pushing them to the very brink

Living out their dream
Covered in ice cream
Their convictions don’t convince me
Just a mouthful of glee

The oval blots of scarlet foam
Illuminate the silver dome
We’re no longer descending
Now there’s no time for a happy ending

WRITTEN BY

Steve Howe/Geoff Downes

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: vocal duet
Steve Howe: Fender steel, Fender Stratocaster, Martin MC38SH, Gibson ES175D, Les Paul Junior, vocal duet
Geoff Downes: organ, synthesizers, piano
Billy Sherwood: bass guitar
Jay Schellen: drums and percussion

MIRROR TO THE SKY

Dreams of a sky without fire
Dreams of a sky without fire
An occurrence of chance
This fleeting existence
Are we not leaves in a storm
Here tossed and there blown

Dreams of a sky without fire
Dreams of a sky without fire

You are my mirror to the sky
You are my mirror to the sky
You’re my mirror to the sky
You’re my mirror to the sky
Still I dream of a sky without fire

Still I dream of a sky without fire falling
Still I dream of a sky without fire

What the shadow minds behind the third eye
Spies in vain define
The essence they fail to posses and so resist all
They cannot control
Their forces then despise the very Soul
And Its inseparable ties
To the limitless sacred skies

Voices stir from future Earth
Tikkun olam
Spiritus mundi
Affirm the principal of unity

After all
We are star fall

Pause and reflect the cause and effect
With mindful mind
Sail timeless time
Strange worlds unknown
Where all man soon must go

WRITTEN BY

Jon Davison/Steve Howe

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: vocals, Martin MC28, Taylor 714
Steve Howe: Fender steel, Fender Telecaster, Martin MC28 and 12 String, vocals
Geoff Downes: synthesizers, piano
Billy Sherwood: bass guitar, vocals
Jay Schellen: drums and percussion
FAMES Studio Orchestra
Oleg Kondratenko: conductor
Paul K. Joyce: orchestral arrangements

CIRCLES OF TIME

Time circles
Circles of time
Time circles
Circles of time

Win or lose
That clock on the wall
Like the shadow of a noose
Is a ticking time bomb
Orchestrating and dictating our every move

Not lost on me
How bittersweet the mockery of irony
The sooner I go
The sooner to you I’ll arrive at your door
To be by your loving side

I’m caught in a circle of time
Stuck on a spinning wheel of our few hellos and many goodbyes
I’m caught in an endless time circle
Spinning out of mind
Wishing somehow I could get off of this ride

Across the polar night
The blue twilight
Time circles
Time circles

Far and away
I’m off to ride the sun’s bending rays
And I’m lost to your sight
On a never-ending flight
Only nearer to one more yesterday

I’m caught in a circle of time
Stuck on a spinning wheel of our few hellos and many goodbyes
I’m caught in an endless time circle
Spinning out of mind
Wishing somehow I could get off of this ride

Across the polar night
The blue twilight
As we fly right through
The midnight sun
As we head into
The midnight sun
The lonely midnight sun

Across the polar night
The blue twilight
As we fly right through
The midnight sun
As we head into
The lonely midnight
The lonely midnight sun
Midnight sun
Midnight sun

Time circles
Circles of time
Ring upon ring, expanding
Time circles
Circles of time

WRITTEN BY

Jon Davison

PERFORMED BY

Jon Davison: lead vocals, Taylor 714
Steve Howe: Gibson ES175D, Sho Bud Pro 1 pedal steel
FAMES Studio Orchestra
Oleg Kondratenko: conductor
Paul K. Joyce: orchestral arrangements