----------------------------------------------------- NOVEMBER 4, 2001 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Rock Report YES - Magnification By Franky Bruyneel Yes - Magnification 2001 Eagle Records Symphonic rock Studio album 10 tracks - TT 60:34 85/100 (85/100 average)  With the departure of both guitarist Billy Sherwood and keyboard player Igor Khoroshev, Yes seized the opportunity of replacing them with a full-blown orchestra. In the past a collaboration of this kind already proved to be successful for the band (e.g. "Time And A Word") but that didn't push them to produce more albums of the same ilk until now. The first thing that went through my mind when I heard about this collaboration was: "Will they once more be able to pull it off?" The answer to that question is a big fat "yes", 'cause "Magnification" is simply stunning. Co-operations of this kind usually end up being overly bombastic, but Yes has steered clear away from that and has succeeded in keeping most of their trademark sound intact. Jon Anderson's vocals are still the focal point, although the laid back nature of the songs may make them less accessible for some. But believe me: that makes listening to this album all the more interesting, as you will discover for yourself once you start playing it. My only quibble is that Steve Howe's guitar is a bit less prominent than on past releases. For the organisation of the orchestral part, the band called in Larry Groupé while the rest (Anderson, Howe, White & Squire) took care of the songwriting. Tracks that sit best with yours truly are the title track, "Give Love Each Day" and "We Agree". Fans of the band who have doubts whether the guys will be able to reproduce these songs in a live situation can rest assured, because they will simply bring the whole orchestra along on their next tour. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com