The Quest | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1 October 2021 | |||
Recorded | November 2019–March 2021 | |||
Studio | Uncle Rehearsal Studios (Van Nuys, California) Curtis Schwartz Studio (Ardingly, West Sussex) FAMES Project Studio (orchestra) (Skopje, North Macedonia) | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 61:33 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Steve Howe | |||
Yes chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Quest | ||||
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The Quest is the twenty-second studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 1 October 2021 by InsideOut Music and Sony Music. It is their first studio album featuring Billy Sherwood since The Ladder (1999), replacing bassist Chris Squire following his death in 2015, making this Yes' first studio album without any original members. It is also their first studio album since Talk (1994) to feature a single producer, guitarist Steve Howe, and their last to feature drummer Alan White before his death in 2022.
After completing touring commitments in July 2019, Yes began to collaborate on new material by exchanging ideas for songs online. The COVID-19 pandemic caused all touring to be cancelled in March 2020, which presented the opportunity for them to focus on the album during lockdown. When the songs had been arranged, the album was recorded in California and England and orchestral arrangements by Paul K. Joyce were performed by the FAMES Orchestra in North Macedonia. Frontman Jon Davison was the main lyricist, who wrote about various themes including hope, optimism, and environmental issues.
The Quest was released in various formats, including CD, LP, Blu-ray Disc, and on streaming platforms, and reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart. It received generally positive reviews for Howe's production and being considered an overall improvement over Yes' previous studio album Heaven & Earth (2014), though it received criticism for lacking unique or distinct songs.