Magnification a year after it's release

[Roman]

So, what do you think about Magnification a year after it's release? I think it proved to be a very good album, really one of Yes' best, it's still the Yes album I listen to very frequently. It still has great atmosphere, and I'm not tired of it.

[RobAdams]

I think I've been magnified for life.

Wonder what they'll follow up with?

[Flo]

It definitely stands the test of time. I listen to it more often than the other "recent" albums. One year after its release, I particularly appreciate In the presence of and Magnification.

[nightliner]

I just listened to it yesterday and really enjoyed it.

[Martin Riley]

In my opinion this has been their strongest work since Going for the One. Although there has been much excellent work since( and some not so good) this is consistently excellent. From first listening onwards I thought that there was only one weak track, that being Don't Go. But even that proved to be a very worthwhile live piece, and after repeated listens to the symphonic show I reassesed the studio original and figured it was pretty good too.
One minor quibble, I think the album should have finished with In the Presence Of, which leaves the problem of what to do with Time Is Time,which is a worthwhile song in it's own right, but not the song that I would choose as a closer.Perhaps it could have been squeezed in earlier(perhaps after Soft as A Dove), left over for a CD single bonus track or my preferred option would have been to have it as a 'secret' track at the end of the CD, possibly 30-60 seconds after the main body had finished.

[Roman]

Your opinion about Time is Time is really interesting, Martin, but I have to disagree. IMO it fits very good after ITPO and I think it's a perfect closer.
But we don't have to agree on everything, do we? :)

[Martin Riley]

Certainly not, Roman.It would be a sad world if we all held the same opinions.

[Roman]

Your right, Martin. Now I agree :))

[ANTIOCH]

There is nothing I can add that hasn't already been addressed. I too find "Magnification" a good listen after 1 years time and having seen the DVD, appreciate "Don't Go" more than I already did. I also like "Time is Time" right where it's at; so :
'We Agree'.

[Joe Yes Fan]

Mag is a classic, and one of the best Yes albums.....I would rank it their fourth-best album....after Close to the Edge, Fragile and Going for the One......


Don't Go is the weakest track, but it does grow on you......it's catchy, and a nice easy song after Mag and Spirit of Survival.....


The key to success for recent Yes albums is a strong new or outside presence spurring them on and giving fresh ideas......for 90125 we had Trevor Rabin filling that role.....1999's The Ladder had Bruce Fairburn, a strong-willed producer....and Magnification had Larry Groupe, the symphonic composer.....

If Yes is to continue the trend of recent strong albums, they MUST do the same with Wakeman in the fold.....bring in an outside producer, or just something new to mix things up......

Personally, I'm rather skeptical they can follow up such a good album with another worthy collection of songs, but I'd love to be proven wrong.....

[BredYes]

I agree with all your possitive opinions. Probably the album I most listened to the last 12 months. Still great.

[Insane Teacher]

Magnification is more of an adult album. The playing is more restrained and refined. It is not wild and unrestrained as some of the young Yes's music was. I think it appeals more to adults who seek pure accoustical instruments rather than synthetic ones. Its sort of like playing baseball on natural grass rather than astroturf.

I have grown to love In The Presence Of best, with Turn Around And Remember being one of my favorite emotional pieces of all time. I love Time is Time at the end. It is simple, poetic, and sweet. I think that the reason they put it last is because of the beautiful violin solo at the end. That solo seems to put a nice classical finishing touch on a beautiful album.

[Kev]

For my money and what it's worth; Take out "Don't Go" and you have the greatest, most complete Yes recording ever.

Also, I think "Dreamtime" is the greatest Yessong since Endless Dream.

[1yesfan]

I like Don't Go from the DVD, comes off better for me live.
The Album is holding up well for me, still play it. I also thought from time to time about why ITPO was not the last song on the album.

[yessongs72]

Magnification, IMO the 2nd best album behind TFTO. This is a masterpiece and no other group that I can think of has ever put together a piece of music like this. And now to have the DVD-A and be able to listen and hear what was back ground, it just knocks me off my feet! I do agree about Don't Go, it took Amsterdam to appreciate it. And after hearing Rick play pieces durring the tour, I just wish Rick would have been there with the orchestra adding keyboards.

[Yes Oz]

I still love it and play it often. But for me I am still at a loss as to why "We Agree" isn't held in a higher regard by Yes fanz. In most post regarding mag it very rarely cracks a mention.

[YYY]

We Agree is an incredible moving song. It's melody & lyrics are pure 'YES'. I think it's a brilliant song.

I quickly stopped comparing MAG to other YES music. Its has an energy all its own. I am still not a big fan of SOS & DG but overall its a beauitful balanced YES album.

[Bluetailfly]

I love Magnification and I listen to quite frequently, though the past few weeks I have been squeezing it in to continuous playing of the Tales. I have also been revisiting The Ladder a lot lately and I like Magnification better. The melodies are very good and they are plentiful throughout. I agree with it being their best work since GFTO... I see a progression of improved songwriting from Keys to The Ladeer to Magnification so I have high hopes that the next album will be even better.
I like Time Is Time right where it is - very sweet.

[WhiteKnight]

According to my Excel music-listening spreadsheet:

Magnification was not the most frequently listened to album of my 2002, but it came close. It holds position 3 after Toltec and Song of Seven. That's a pretty good result if you think that, despite its release date, it ended up 1st (by far) in 2001, which means, a helluva lot listens in Sep-Dec 2001.

Statistics apart, I'm still serious about it being the best Yes album since GftO, which is what I though after 2 listens or so... I'm impressed with my own coherence.

(Being the best since GftO makes it, in my personal scale, the 7th best album ever, behing TfTO, CttE, R, tYA, F, and GfTO).

WK

[Robert Shupe]

Magnification is holding up well and isn't that the sign of a great album. I love the observation that it is an adult album.

Don't Go is simply part of the album for me. It works on some level and I am definately guilty of comparing it lyrically to previous Yes songs.

Time is Time - Hmmm. Interesting ponderings. Here is my two cents worth and believe me two cents is pushing it. I love albums to end on a bang. (I mean does it get better than Who's Next ending with Won't Get Fooled Again) Anyway, in many ways we have been conditioned to ending on a bang. However, I look at the placement of Time Is Time as a cool down piece from an album of great musical exercise.

In The Presence Of certainlly holds up when done live.

Robert Shupe

[stevepenn]

I agree Robert. Time Is Time is lovely, but a bit odd as the end of the CD. It seems like it should be the coda for something else, some other composition. I'd like to have seen Magnification end with a little more authority. But minor quibbles. Don't Go has grown on me and I sure wish the next album features more of Chris upfront in the vocals. Can You Imagine is so Fish-like and I just love to hear him so present as a singer. He has an amazing voice.

This is a great album and a sure sign of musicians who have grown into themselves. Very nice to this day.

[Vulpes Namekaw]

I'd have to say that this is probably one of the most solid if not the most solid album in Yes' history. What I thought the first time they heard it is that it was very pop-sounding, very catchy, and yet also very intelligent. None of the almost-pop post-Trevor-Rabin-recovery period stuttering that their previous album suffered from. This album flows! Great lyrics, great hooks, two thumbs up to the orchestra (they deserve more than that, of course, but I only have two thumbs!). This is not mere glitz and showing off of mad chopz; this is rock-solid songwriting! This album will definitely stand the test of time.

I only hope now that Wakeman is back, they can make a new album with him that's just as good or even better!