Quote:
Originally posted by Rick and Roll
I still have not heard Magnification - worth it?
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It's the
real thing, as far as I'm concerned.
Nothing they've done since Going For The One has really hooked me. I did enjoy hearing stuff from 90125 on the radio in the 80's and seeing the videos, but for me that was a "different" Yes.
Let's put it this way, my core Yes collection consists of all the studio albums from Yes through Going For The One, plus Magnification. (I do have The Ladder, but only listen to a couple cuts off it). I may need to give Keystudio a good listen, but otherwise this is the first work I've heard from them in a LONG time that to me really sounds like Yes and does justice to their "heritage".
Don't expect the same "flowering creativity" of Yes in their youth. And other than the use of the orchestra, this is not another stab at trying to find new directions. Rather, to my ears, Magnification is a beautiful "recap" of Yes elements from many eras, some of the spirit of their earliest albums (pre-Fragile), picking up where GFTO left off, and even embracing some of what was good about the 80's stuff (not that it sounds like 90125, but it shares some that album's pop appeal expressed in a more timeless way, with more maturity).
Be prepared though to hear the band in a different setting due to the orchestra; they play in a more streamlined mode here with the details and individual performances taking a more integrated role than in the past perhaps. There are still very tasty details from individual members. Just be prepared for a more polished, less "band-like" sound. In the context of this project, it's not a bad thing at all, and I'm very pleased with this more mature expression of "Yessence".
There will never be another Close to the Edge. But I feel the band has represented itself really well on this album, a wonderful expression of Yes that sounds new yet familiar. And Jon's voice has never been better.
If you're looking for hot new sounds, prog-rock fireworks, broken speed records or cutting edge experimentation, Magnification might let you down. But for those with broader tastes and a long-time love for the spirit of Yes, Magnification is a very enjoyable and encouraging album.