Review Summary: If Magnification proves anything, it is that Yes shouldn't try new things.
It’s not hard to imagine what drove Yes to the concept of
Magnification, their first album of the 2000’s and eventually the only thing that we heard from them in a decade. With keyboardist Igor Khoroshev splitting ways with the band, there came another personnel shift, and even though
The Ladder was, when seen in a certain light, a pretty decent comeback, this was still a group struggling to regain some of their former creativity. Unexpectedly, Yes chose to revisit and expand upon something they’d first attempted 30 years ago with their second LP
Time And A Word, an album recorded with the aid of an orchestra. As of yet, Rick Wakeman was not interested in rejoining the group, and instead of looking for one new player, the remaining quarter simply hired 60 of them.
To be straight, the orchestra proves to be more of a downfall than a contribution to
Magnification. The idea of merging one with a rock band, particularly a progressive one, has been bravely attempted by many in the past, and only a few of the original pioneers actually managed to get it right (e.g. The Moody Blues, Renaissance). In the current century and with a band this age, fortune does not as easily smile on such a combination. Not only are the production and sound subpar in this case, orchestra and band continually cancelling each other out in an unclear and uncontrolled wave of noise, most of Yes’ songwriting has simply become stale and predictable. Throw in an epic-length or two, a few ballads and rockers, not to forget a two-minute interlude with no clear purpose, and there is your new album.
Whether it was a genuine effort from their side or not,
Magnification quickly comes to share the same fate as most of Yes’ works made in the past 25 years, orchestra or not. Sometimes it’s just a better thing to accept what you can still do rather than trying to tread new ground. Clearly, Yes are not very good at that.
Magnification’s Yes was:
- John Roy Anderson ~ Lead Vocals, Guitar
- Stephen James Howe ~ Lead Guitars, Mandolin, Backing Vocals
- Christopher Russell Squire ~ Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Alan White ~ Drums, Percussion, Piano, Backing Vocals
TO BE CONCLUDED...
