Best producer of the last 20 years?

[Ash Armstrong]

Ash Armstrong

I recommend ABC's Lexicon Of Love, I think it's a production landmark with its cinemascopic soundscape, with Frankie GTH Horn managed to combine a lush production with the fine art of playing with open spaces. Then came Slave To The Rhythm...


Horn, I find, developed with every album in the 80s till the 90s... compared to those and others (Pet Shop Boys, Seal...) Fly From here is Horn by numbers, but still the best Yes-album since Magnification.

Stock, Aitkin and Waterman was musical soft-ice instead... concerning Mike Chapman... I would like to hear the Blondie-albums he did with another producer, there might have been more in stock...

Not to my liking at all, sorry. Very little to do with the 1980s is.

[Progify]

It has to be Weidner. Magnification is one of the best-sounding Yes albums ever, and while Horn is obviously a more accomplished producer overall, the questionable changes and reduced dynamic range on Return Trip slightly bump him down for me in terms of recent production jobs.

After thinking about it, I would have to agree. It’s always been a very unique album in the catalog, sound-wise. And, due to the absence of any significant keyboard parts, gives so much room for Chris and Steve to really shine.

[Gilly Goodness]

After thinking about it, I would have to agree. It’s always been a very unique album in the catalog, sound-wise. And, due to the absence of any significant keyboard parts, gives so much room for Chris and Steve to really shine.

Yet Steve complained his guitar parts were constricted due to Groupe's orchestrations. Think TQ shows how much he is comfortable with sharing with an orchestra.

There was talk of a naked Mag once. Without the strings. Could've been interesting. Maybe Brislin could've added additional keys?

YES speculation is endless and gotta funny feeling the Metaverse may explain a fair amount.

So roll on 2035, I say, if we're still alive...as the old song goes. In the year 2035, if man is still alive...

[Yorkshire Square]

Magnification is one of the best-sounding Yes albums ever.

For sure. If Disney floats your boat... 🙄

[Chris2210]

For sure. If Disney floats your boat... 🙄

I hear lots of nods to John Barry and quite a bit of Stravinsky. Which Disney films did they do? Are you thinking Fantasia?

[Yorkshire Square]

I hear lots of nods to John Barry and quite a bit of Stravinsky. Which Disney films did they do? Are you thinking Fantasia?

I'm hearing more Dumbo the Flying Elephant or Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Heigh ho...

[Ash Armstrong]

I hear lots of nods to John Barry and quite a bit of Stravinsky. Which Disney films did they do? Are you thinking Fantasia?

If memory serves, Magnification was issued separately as a DVD-A soon afte the album came out? Must have been a comparatively new format then, but was it a surround mix or just upgraded stereo? I think Fragile was released in that format too. Disappeared without trace. I'd certainly go fo a reissued Magnification in 5.1 surround! A fine-sounding album, and a very good album in itself, apart from three tracks (Don't Go, the Dove thing, and Time is Time) which I usually programme out. It has a thematic cohesion I like; the feeling of a suite of music. The orchestral parts work well, and after a few listens back in the day to get used to the soundworld, I didn't miss keyboards. Some raspy solo sax or violin would have been nice. As for Howe complaining,... it's one of his favourite instruments....

[Chris2210]

If memory serves, Magnification was issued separately as a DVD-A soon afte the album came out? Must have been a comparatively new format then, but was it a surround mix or just upgraded stereo? I think Fragile was released in that format too. Disappeared without trace. I'd certainly go fo a reissued Magnification in 5.1 surround! A fine-sounding album, and a very good album in itself, apart from three tracks (Don't Go, the Dove thing, and Time is Time) which I usually programme out. It has a thematic cohesion I like; the feeling of a suite of music. The orchestral parts work well, and after a few listens back in the day to get used to the soundworld, I didn't miss keyboards. Some raspy solo sax or violin would have been nice. As for Howe complaining,... it's one of his favourite instruments....

I think the longest lightly orchestrated track, ITPO, is the band's late masterpiece, so I suppose it's conceivable the album could have been even greater with more band-heavy arrangements, but I do like Groupés contributions generally. Give Love Each Day which seems almost a homage to John Barry in its orchestration is almost as high in my estimation - and I don't hear that as in any way a cheesy love song as it's at least as much a hymn to divine love as the personal sort and I get that obsessive Brucknerian vibe from its impassioned repetitions.

The only songs I think are sub par are Soft as a Dove and Can You Imagine - and I think even those would be among the stronger tracks on some of the bands 80s/90s output. Time is Time is among my favourite short Yes tracks.

I have the DVD-A version, but I never properly set up my DVD player to take advantage of the 5.1 mix. If the album were more popular it would probably be an easy transfer to Blu-Ray.

[Soundwaveseeker]

I vote Trevor Horn, one of the best producers of all time. That he wrote large chunks of Fly From Here is a plus, though the album isn't quite as glossy and bright as his 80's work. But still crafted well. I probably should have went for Tim Weidner - Magnification production is so expansive and cinematic, it's possibly the best sound for a 2000's Yes album. Also like the sound for the first Circa album a lot, I could put that third.

[bondegezou]

Not to my liking at all, sorry. Very little to do with the 1980s is.

Here's some 2000s Trevor Horn production:

And from the 2010s:

[bondegezou]

Or there's this from his band, Producers:

[Ash Armstrong]

Or there's this from his band, Producers:

None of that was necessary. Belle and Sebastian I've enjoyed for many years irrespective of any contribution Horn may have made. I don't care for the rest. Too much slicky tricky studio glossing. I'm an old trippy hippy at heart.