MAGNIFICATION

Well, I wasn't expecting much, in spite of the good reviews I had seen and many long time Yes fans telling me it was the best thing since Close To The Edge. I really didn't believe that was possible, given the horrible Open Your Eyes. I did think the Keys studio material was quite good and boded well for the future..........but then Wakeman left again.

Taken on strictly musical terms, this is not a bad album. The compositions are generally pretty solid, and some actually stand out as being pretty decent when held up against the impressive body of work this band has put out over their many years and incarnations. Songs like Dreamtime and In The Presence Of make you think that this band still has something to offer.

So why the low rating? Well, I have always enjoyed Jon Andersons singing on all the 70's material and the Keys albums as well. I'd have to say that this is the first album that he sings on in any format where I actually find him annoying to the point of ruining the album for me. There is just SO MUCH damn singing! It never seems to stop and takes up 99% of all the music on the album. And the lyrics are trite to the point of sillyness. Where are the guitar solos? Where are the instrumental breaks that Yes is famous for? Buried under the endless vocals, I guess. None of the songs really gets to breath under the constant stream of singing. Had there been half as much singing, I think I would have given this 4 stars. As it is, it is too difficult to focus on the music underneath all the singing (which, as I said, is some of their best in a while) for me to really be able to enjoy this album. I just can't see myself wanting to sit through this very much in the future, if at all. 2 1/2 stars is all I can muster, and that just for the songwriting and playing.