Search - Yes :: Magnification

Much improvement over past releases

jblyn | Maryland, USA | 03/10/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"MAGNIFICATION is a huge advance over the past few CDs preceding it, specifically THE LADDER and OPEN YOUR EYES, and in some ways it's the best thing they've done since, oh, I don't know, maybe GOING FOR THE ONE. The use of an orchestra in place of the dreaded "keyboard slot" in the band is one reason why. This orchestra is no protective coloration device used to give the music a smooth coat and nothing more. Their arrrangements are as muscular as the bands and there's a perfect blend between the two ensembles in the songs. The band is also in particularly good form this time out. I have no idea whether everybody was in the same room when they laid down the tracks, but it sure SOUNDS like they were. The one sore point in the whole thing are Jon Anderson's lyrics. Sure, they're a lot more coherent than in years past (What exactly did "Even Siberia goes through the motions" mean, anyway?), but they're also so downright BANAL that after awhile I would've preferred the incoherency. The one exception is "Don't Go," which also features one of the CD's most interesting arrangements. Ah well, it's still a great return to form musically and proves that this band still has the goods."

A fine, underrated, underrappreciated album

Peter Campbell | Bellevue, NE | 09/13/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Recently I was going through my CD collection, wanting to listen to some Yes but not wanting to choose anything too familiar (i.e. anything pre-1987). I chose the 2001 album Magnification, and was taken aback by just how good it was, and is.

I've nearly "given up" on Yes a time or two (I have everything they've done, save for the Not-truly-Yes album Open Your Eyes), mainly due to frustration with their revolving door lineups. But 1999's The Ladder tweaked my interest again, and after watching the Yessymphonic DVD and later seeing the return of Rick Wakeman for their 2002 Full Circle tour, I found my fandom again and had to get Magnification--so impressed was I with the songs they played from it on those tours.

The first thing that struck me was how well the orchestra works with Yes. Sure, I miss Wakeman or any true keyboardist, but that color is more than compensated for by the marvelous orchestration. Try not to be moved by the glorious 2 minute introduction to the soaring "Give Love Each Day", which could be the 21st century's "And You and I". Other highlights of this fine album are the punchy, Chris Squire-sung "Can You Imagine" (which also features excellent BACKING vocals by Jon Anderson, and makes one think what an interesting vocal dynamic THAT can be!), the jaunty title track with it's clever arrangement, the urgent anthem "We Agree", the lilting "Soft as a Dove" (which particularly moved me, with my first son being born recently), and the majestic "In the Presence Of" which is one of the finest constructed Yessongs of recent memory. The short, unassuming, and tasteful "Time is Time" concludes this album in campfire singalong style.

While this album lacks the show-offy virtuosity that is prevalent on most of their other works, it makes up for it in excellent vocals, positive lyrics (for which Anderson is unfairly maligned , especially in this day and age where ANYONE singing about human potential rather than human failure is a rarity), and glorious, almost Beatles-esque Melodies. Do yourself and the band a favor, and buy this disc. You'll benefit from an uplifted spirit, and the band will hopefully be encouraged to keep producing albums. They are far from done, and Magnification proves it."

Yes goes on....

Garry Daniel | Knoxville, TN United States | 06/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I admire artists who, in the face of adversity, stick to their guns and continue to do what they do best. Yes, the band, is nearly 40 years old, and still standing. They have had a revolving door policy as far as personnel goes, and still manage to sound like YES. This album, Magnification, is very, very good. Once again, they are without the services of Rick Wakeman, who has joined and quit this band more than Neil Young in Buffalo Springfield. Still, (and I may be bringing the wrath of Wakeman fans upon my head) they sound as though they don't really need him. The songs are fairly heavily orchestrated, and the strings compliment the songs very nicely. Yes should have tried this years ago. I have personal favorites such as Magnification, Don't Go, Can you imagine (sung by Chris Squire), and the short but wonderful Time is Time. This album proves that Yes is not only alive and well, but relevant and very welcome.

OK, Jon Anderson is still a bit foggy to me in the lyric department, but it's still good stuff, and very much Yes. I bought this CD when it was first released and a live CD has since been added to the package. I don't have that one, but this one is just fine. What I'm saying is this; Yes is still a great band, and Magnification is living, breathing proof of that.







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