Yes - Magnification


Year of Release: 2001
Label: Eagle Records
Catalog Number: EAGCD 189
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:33:00

After some experiments, like Deep Purple with their Concert For Group And Orchestra, or Banco with Di Terra, or Steve Hackett's A Midsummer Night's Dream (yet it isn't a rock opera), Yes also try to make a release with an orchestra.

I think the reason is very simple: orchestra takes the place of the keyboards. In fact, no one plays them on this album, except Alan White, who sometimes uses the piano. So, I have to make a consideration: Koroshev's replacement is a great thing. According to me, his presence didn't add anything to band's sound. He has an enormous technique, but a little personality. Besides, I believe it was better to sign a keyboard player, even though this is a very peculiar work.

After having listened to it a lot of times, I'm sure Magnification is under the usual standard of the group, although every Yes disc is always great, but this one isn't "Magnificent" (ah, ah, ah).

The reason is that the orchestral parts aren't always convincing: in the opening track or in "Spirit Of Survival" the arrangement is excessive, in other songs the orchestra limits itself by sounding like a keyboard.

However, Yes still represent Prog music, not like their contemporary bands of the Seventies. At other times during the CD, Chris Squire and Steve Howe give their best and Jon Anderson's voice is soft and clear like the past times. I've never noticed Steve Howe play acoustic guitars as much as he does on this album. Moreover, there are two wonderful songs, the longest ones, "Dreamtime" and the suite called "In The Presence Of."

To conclude a beautiful disc, even if I prefer the studio tracks of Keys To Ascension.


Tracklisting:
Magnification (7:15) / Spirit Of Survival (6:01) / Don:t Go (4:26) / Give Love Each Day (7:43) / Can You Imagine (2:58) / We Agree (6:30) / Soft As A Dove (2:17) / Dreamtime (10:45) / In The Presence Of (10:24) / Time Is Time (2:08)

Musicians:
Jon Anderson - vocals, midi guitar, acoustic guitar Chris Squire - bass, vocals Steve Howe - acoustic and electric guitar, steel, mandolin, vocals Alan White - drums, percussion, vocals, piano Orchestra conducted by Larry Group

Discography:
Yes (1969)
Time And A Word (1970)
The Yes Album (1971)
Fragile (1972)
Close To The Edge (1972)
Yessongs (1973)
Tales From Topographic Oceans (1974)
Relayer (1975)
Going For The One (1977)
Tormato (1978)
Yesshows (1980)
Drama (1980)
Classic Yes (1982)
90125 (1983/2004)
90125 Live - The Solos (1985)
Big Generator (1987)
Union (1989)
Yesyears (1991)
Yesstory (1991)
Highlights: The Very Best Of Yes (1993)
Talk (1994)
Keys To Ascension I (1996)
Keys To Ascension II (1997)
Open Your Eyes (1997)
Yes, Friends And Relatives (1998)
Beyond And Before: BBC Recordings 1969-1970 (1998)
Something's Coming (1998)
Friends & Relatives (1998)
The Ladder (1999)
Millennium Collection (1999)
House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (2000)
Yes, Friends and Relatives - Volume Two (2001)
YesSymphonic (ep) (2001)
Magnification (2001)
Keystudio (ep) (2001)
3 For 1 Box Set (2001)
Original Members Of Yes (2001)
Extended Versions (2002)
Friends And Relatives: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (2002)
Yestoday (2002)
In A Word (2002)
Yes Remixes (2003)
Friends And Relatives: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 2 (2003)
Roundabout: Best Of Yes Live (2003)
The Yes Story Gold (2003)
The Ultimate Yes - 35th Anniverary Collection (2004)
(Re)Union (2004)
Topography: The Yes Anthology (2004)
Inside Yes 1968-1973: A Critical Review (2004)
The Word Is Live (2005)
Live And Solo: The Collection (2006)
Greatest Hits Live (2006)
An Evening Of Yes (2006)
Yesstories: Group & Solo Tales (2006)
Essentially Yes (2006)
The Definitive Rock Collection (2007)
Roundabout & Other Hits (2006)
Live At Montreux 2003 (2007)
Works (2007)
The Best Of Yes: 1970-1987 (2007)
Symphonic Live (2009)
The BBC Recordings 1969-1970 (2009)
Introducing Yes (2009)
Wonderous Stories: The Best Of Yes (2009)
Union Live (2011)
Fly From Here (2011)
In The Present - Live From Lyon (2011)
Heaven & Earth (2014)
Songs From Tsongas (2014)
Like It Is: Yes At The Bristol Hippodrome (2014)
Progeny: Seven Shows From Seventy-Two (boxset) (2015)
Like It Is: Yes At The Mesa Arts Center (2015)
Topographic Drama - Live Across America (2017)
Fly From Here - Return Trip (2018)
From A Page - Studio Tracks Plus In The Present Live From Lyon (2019) Yes50 Live (2019)

9012LIve (VHS/DVD) (1985/2005)
Greatest Hits Video (VHS/DVD) (1991/2001)
Yesyears: A Retrospective (VHS/DVD) (1991/2003)
Yes: Live - 1975 At Q.P.R. (VHS) (1993)
Live In Philadelphia 1979 (VHS/DVD) (1996/2003)
Keys To Ascension (VHS/DVD) (1997/2001/2009)
The Union Tour Live (DVD) (1999)
House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (VHS/DVD) (2000)
The Best Of MusikLaden Live (VHS/DVD) (2000/2003)
Live In Amsterdam (VHS/DVD) (2002)
Symphonic Live (DVD+CD) (2003)
Yes: Special Edition EP (DVD) (2003)
YesSpeak (DVD) (2003)
YesAcoustic (DVD) (2004/2006)
35th Anniversary Concert: Songs From Tsongas (DVD) (2004)
YesSpeak - YesAcoustic - 35th Anniversary Edition (DVD) (2005)
Critical Review 1968-1973 (DVD) (2005)
Greatest Video Hits (DVD) (2005)
Inside Yes Plus Friends And Family (DVD) (2006)
Acoustic Live (DVD) (2006)
Total Rock Review (DVD) (2006)
Close To The Edge: Rock Milestones (DVD) (2007)
Live At Montreux (DVD/BR) (2007)
The Lost Broadcasts (DVD) (2009)
Rock Of The 70s (DVD) (2009)
Union Live (2011)
Live Hemel Hempstead Pavilion October 3rd 1971 (2014)

Genre: Symphonic Prog

Origin UK

Added: March 9th 2003
Reviewer: Davide Guidone

Artist website: www.yesworld.com
Hits: 2543
Language: english

  

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