Released between the departure of Igor Khoroshev the previous year and Rick Wakeman's fourth return in 2002, it is the only album in the band's history not to feature any keyboardist, and the only one involving only four Yes members.
Following the departures of guitarist Billy Sherwood and keyboardist Igor Khoroshev, and Rick Wakeman's decision not to rejoin the band, remaining members Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe and Alan White decided to fill the keyboard role with an orchestra, and hired film composer Larry Groupé to compose and conduct original orchestrations and musical bridges.
The album was re-released in 2002 as a limited and numbered 2-CD set with alternate artwork; the second disc contains three live performances and a CD-ROM track with an interview, video of "Don't Go," and a live video of "The Gates of Delirium".
This album also features the song "Can You Imagine", in which the main vocals are sung by Chris Squire with Jon Anderson on backing vocals. This Squire-penned song was originally recorded in 1981 as a demo entitled "Can You See" for his aborted XYZ project.
Apart from the traditional Yes themes of spirituality and relation to nature and divinity, the album also addresses personal issues (Jon Anderson's relation with his daughter Deborah in "Don't Go") and political issues (the war in Bosnia in "We Agree", the plight of drunk-driving youth in "Spirit of Survival")
Apart from the traditional Yes themes of spirituality and relation to nature and divinity, the album also addresses personal issues (Jon Anderson's relation with his daughter Deborah in "Don't Go") and political issues (the war in Bosnia in "We Agree", the plight of drunk-driving youth in "Spirit of Survival")
Track Listing
1. Magnification
2. Spirit of Survival
3. Don't Go
4. Give Love Each Day
5. Can You Imagine
6. We Agree
7. Soft as a Dove
8. Dreamtime
9. In the Presence Of
I. Deeper
II. Death of Ego
III. True Beginner
IV. Turn Around and Remember
10. Time Is Time
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