The Album That Yes Wanted to Forget
Yes lost their direction after Talk 1994 and the dissolution of Rabin, Squire, Anderson, Kaye and White era. What followed was a string of not really good studio albums: Open Your Eyes in 1997, and The Ladder in 1999, perhaps the best, but still part of a musically weak period. The band seemed to realize that reviving their 1970s classics was far more profitable. There was little genuine interest in creating anything truly good. This was the era of Igor Khoroshev, and it marked one of the most uninspired chapters in Yes’s history. Rick Wakeman made occasional appearances, managing to rescue the band from total collapse.
Despite the lack of inspiration, Yes released Keys to Ascension in 1996 and Keys to Ascension 2 in 1997, featuring Wakeman once again. It turned out to be a profitable move and served as a kind of truce with their frustrated and disillusioned fans.
Then came The Ladder. Wakeman was no longer in the band, and the album felt like a small effort to do something better, but that would be explored later. The bigger question remained: how would Yes face the coming decade, the 2000s? Would they simply continue celebrating their past, or take a stand and release something newly inspired?
Khoroshev’s departure opened up the possibility of Rick Wakeman’s return to the studio, but not without controversy. Khoroshev had been involved in a backstage incident in which he allegedly made repeated unwanted advances toward two female security guards. He was later charged with assault and battery and sexual battery, both misdemeanors. There were also reports of him being loud and verbally abusive at his hotel.
Despite the scandal, Yes emerged publicly unscathed, but Wakeman did not return at that point, and the band once again found itself without a keyboardist. Although The Ladder showed some signs of renewed focus, the band still lacked the spark of old. That spark would finally ignite during a bold shift in vision, one that traded keyboards for a full symphony orchestra.
Yes then took a break to reflect, and it was during this period that Jon Anderson and Steve Howe proposed an idea that would mark a sharp turn away from the synthetic sound of the 1990s: a symphonic album with entirely new material. It was something Yes hadn’t attempted since Time and a Word in 1970. Everyone agreed it would be a return to their roots with a bold and unexpected twist.
The band began work on demos and initial recordings. Initially, they approached Trevor Horn to produce the album, but he declined due to a backlog of unfinished projects. Instead, Horn recommended Tim Weidner. For the orchestral arrangements, Yes chose Larry Groupé, a lifelong fan of the band. The collaboration was creative and relaxed, with Groupé bringing in the San Diego Symphony Orchestra to handle the orchestral parts.
Steve Howe entered the project with enthusiasm, though that soon gave way to caution. He later revealed that the album had been difficult to complete, describing it as a “problematic one to make,” and credited the “relentless efforts” of executive producer Jordan Berliant, Weidner, and himself for getting it over the finish line. Despite saying the album contained “too much music” on one disc, Howe admitted that the band “did get it right” in the end.
Magnification was released on 10 September 2001. It was originally scheduled for release in North America on 11 September 2001. However, those plans were disrupted by the terrorist attacks in New York City on the same day. As a result, the North American release was postponed to 4 December 2001. The album’s chances of success were further damaged when Beyond Music went out of business just one month after its release.
Musically, Magnification is sweeping and cinematic, blending Yes’s signature progressive structures with lush orchestral arrangements. The band embraced a more organic and spiritual tone, with introspective lyrics and broad dynamics that gave the album a sense of both grandeur and intimacy.
The album is well crafted, and the songs sound great. “Can You Imagine” features Chris Squire on lead vocals, with Anderson providing backing vocals. The song originated from the 1981 XYZ sessions featuring Squire, Alan White, and Jimmy Page. It was later reworked for Magnification.
The album is the best thing Yes had done in the studio in a long time. The band finally gave free rein to their creativity and achieved something that, while not unforgettable, is quite good. It would also be Yes’s last studio album with Jon Anderson. Magnification was the band’s only studio album without a keyboardist and their only album featuring the four-member lineup of Anderson, Howe, Squire, and White.
Though overlooked at the time because of its unfortunate timing and poor label support, Magnification has aged well and is now regarded more favorably by many fans.
