MAGNIFICATION

Actually, 4.5 stars. During the 1970s, Yes was my favorite band, but Going for the One turned me off to them (sorry, I don't love Awaken), and the 1980s stuff just made it worse. Recently, in anticipation of seeing them in concert, I started to listen to their later work. In my view, this album, Magnification, is really the gem of their later music. While it is not up the to the heights of Close to the Edge or Relayer, this album is quite good, as good as the other very good Yes albums.

At first, I found some of the songs a little goofy at times ? for example, Jon Anderson singing "to give our ego some pleasure time" In the Presence Of ? but, of course, Yes has always been that way (remember those Cha-Cha-Chas on Relayer). One of the reviewers says that each of the members plays over his head on this album, and I think he is right. I didn't love the album at first, but I have found myself listening to it over and over, and just not getting tied of it. The symphony orchestra in the background also adds quite a bit to the album, and makes up for the absence of keyboards.

If you doubt that Yes has done good work since the classic days, give Magnification a listen.