Fragile

Überraschend gut. Gibt knapp 4. für seine Zeit toll. Teilweiles etwas künstlich verkomplizierte Musik, aber noch im Rahmen.

Sweet album, classic

This is a band that I ought to like, but had heard precious little by them. Though I do like Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman's solo stuff. I've got their best of album and there is some good some not so good tracks. I suppose the mark of a good album is when it's finishes before you know it and indeed that happened here. You tube started playing the intro to Aqualung and I thought hang on a minute, I was enjoying that what happened to Yes. The upshot is it's a great album worth every bit a 4

Looks like I gave the other album a 3 but after listening to this I'm willing to give them a few more spins. Roundabout is certainly the standout, especially since the edition I listened to had it as a bonus track at the end so I ended up hearing it 4 times.

Hmmmm, I liked this more than "Close To The Edge", which I should probably listen to again. Between the list bringing that album up and this one, I acquired slightly more of a taste for Yes. Their single "Owner of a Lonely Heart", from a much later album, was used extensively in an episode of "Dead Boy Detectives" and it was pretty cool - I thought maybe Yes went through a new wave phase, but listening to "Roundabout", I think they had that dog in em all along. Fave track - "Roundabout" is definitely the stand out - "We Have Heaven" is nice too, though feels like a snippet of something that should be longer...

Yes is a solid 4-star band. Always enjoy it, but never need to go back to it on a regular basis.

Roundabout

Great piece of prog

Two of my favorite Yes tracks are on this album. Overall, it's super solid. 4.5

A little long-winded, but very skillful and fun to listen to

This is the type of rock I love, high energy, funky & just all around enjoyable. I’m glad they’re on tour this year with Deep Purple so I can catch them live!

The two songs I knew going in to this album were Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise, so I was a little surprised that most of the songs were around 2 or 3 minutes. I am not a huge Prog Rock guy, but this is some of the best Prog Rock out there. Very good guitar playing and some funky basslines. High 4

Was about as good as I was expecting it to be! Enjoyed this thoroughly. I haven't listened to a prog rock album in quite some time, but Fragile is a fantastic welcome back to the genre for me

I'm lukewarm on Prog as a whole. I like the idea of giving songs space to breathe, using the studio as an instrument and generally pushing musical boundaries. In practice, I find that most acts hide behind those tools instead of using them to express something. (Jacob Collier as a prime example in modern pop) Fragile teeders on that problem with a few tracks (We Have Heaven as the worst offender) but even those feel more like lackluster moments than failed experiments to me. Roundabout is an opus and exactly what I want to hear from a prog band. Long well developed varied and interesting music. Nothing but Heart of Sunshine gets back to that level but still an enjoyable pile of eclectic music here.

Prog Rock cornerstone. You're gonna love or hate it. Yeah - some do go on.. but to truly enjoy - toke up you fave bud and enjoy the trip I did when this came out back in the day (yeah...I'm old... and toked at an early age)

I'm getting older. 4 out of 5

My first time listening to Yes! I really digged it. It's very Pink Floyd and King Crimson. Really funky too.

Awesome classic prog album. Very similar to early King Crimson (especially a riff that's a lot like the guitar in 21st Century Schizoid Man). Gotta love Rick Wakeman and Bill Bruford. Mix of tracks that appeal to the masses and deeper cuts.

Good album.

Moments of absolute brilliance with some mediocre sections. Pretty much sums up most of Yes’ output

Bangers although they didn’t really stand apart from one another 8/10

A few moments that made me think "Hmm... That was weird", other than that it's just really good. I liked how Mood For A Day contrasts with the rest.

Yes. It's Yes time. This is a great album. I don't know a ton about Yes. But if there's one thing about this band that I know, it's the song "Roundabout." That's the opener on this album and it's amazing. I've never heard the full 8 minute long song until today. It's great, and so is the rest of the album. There's a few little ditties in there that are kind of fun, but the album really shines with the longer more complete songs. In particular, the aforementioned "Roundabout," as well as "South Side of the Sky" and the album's closer "Heart of the Sunrise" stand out as truly phenomenal songs. The sound on this album is very pleasant. The guitar and bass work is just top-notch. The drumming and keyboard work is also quite great. I like the vocals. They give a very positive vibe to the songs. Overall, this is an amazing prog rock album, though not quite my favorite one. High 4/5.

actually very pleasing

Roundabout mencionado.

did not expect to love this but it was soooo good. i loved the keyboard and bass and the hints of classical guitar 4.5/5

Surprisingly good. I didn't really love it at first, but that's what makes a good album. I'd probably even give it a 4.5

A classic, never mind that Roundabout has been a meme in modern times.

It's a steep drop-off after roundabout but this is a solid album.

Ojo bastante bien!

Loved the first song especially

Sweet spot of progressive rock where obscure lyrics and music come together into an awesome sound.

Really good. Going 4 but If I get to spend time with it I think it will get better

Wasn't a huge fan of most of the tracks here but - To Be Continued...

- Bestes Yes Album und definitiv eines meiner lieblings Progressive Rock Alben und Roundabout ist und bleibt mein lieblings Progrock Song - Yes schafft es immer super groovy und super easy hörbar zu sein und dabei auch krass anspruchsvoll, das gelingt nicht häufig - Glaube auf dem Album muss man auf jeden Fall mal die Arbeit an den Keys von Rick Wakeman herausstellen - Höre ich immer wieder gern, macht einfach Bock Rating: 4,25

Pretty rad, I don't even like prog normally

'Fragile' is more concise, but not quite as satisfying as the sprawling ‘Close To The Edge’. Still pretty great though and together these two records would've made a nice double album.

Good prog rock album. It starts with one of Yes greatest songs Roundabout which isn't a great choice as the rest of the songs aren't nearly as good as that one. It's a cool album though but I get why it isn't for everyone.

I would not consider my self a Progressive rock listener but i have listened to a couple of albums during my high school days. This is what i would classify as almost crossover prog(introduction albums, i'm no expert). If you are looking to start listening to progressive rock i would recommend this album, probably not as the very first though. It blends allot of reoccurring themes with solos and experimentation, which make it accessible yet challenging. The songs are longer than pop songs but are not offputtingly long. Strong opening with Roundabout which i think that most people will enjoy if they are into rock music. the middle is a collection of experimental songs and segments. Ending with a nod to Art and Garfunkels song in the end But if you are not interested in getting in to prog rock you probably won't enjoy this album and that is understandable too. Personal favorites: Roundabout, Heart of the sunrise, Mood of the day, America

A somewgat edgy sound for their time. I thoroughly enjoyed this blast from the past.

Love it! Takes me back.

I like it!!! I like all the folky (?) guitar and singing :D

soms heel hard soms beetje mid - moet er eigenlijk nog een keer naar luisteren eer ik een getalletje kan zeggen, maar goed

I like prog half of the time, unless it descends into a 12 minute long organ solo, which it didn't fortunately, bit of twiddling but not too much.

It’s hard to like, but somehow even harder to hate. Another grower not a shower album

Loved this when I was 14 years old and the world was just beginning. Fond memories and still easy/enjoyable.

Did you like this Francesca? YES.

An incredible prog album with delightful hooks and gnarly grooves

Yes' 3 best songs are on this album, "Roundabout", "South Side of the Sky", and "Heart of the Sunrise". 3 prog classics, and truly remarkable the talent shown in these songs. Should be a 5 star easily, but I can't give it 5. The rest of the album is completely forgettable filler to me. That's 2/3rds of the album. So while The Yes Album and Close to the Edge may be better albums, Yes' best songs are all on this one

Awesome. Good bops

4.25

Really like this one. Roundabout is such a classic. And the organ is all so solid.

Good Stuff

There's more good songs than just the JoJo One ™ However, most of them struggled to stand out to roundabout

The members of Yes are obviously very talented. I really enjoy this album. Fragile is a monster of a song. From what I understand, there were many arguments in the studio about which member’s content would appear on the album, and it shows. They decided to add a composition by each member. It kinda makes the album feel… disjointed?

💖 heart of the sunrise 🗣️ 8️⃣

good

Better than I remember. Less wankery more tuneful than much of their later stuff.

This is my third and final Yes album to review. I've listened to this album from start to finish before, but this is my first time to really give it more than a casual listen. Outside of "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (woof), I'd wager that "Roundabout" is the Yes song that most people are familiar with. The keyboards often get the recognition on this song, and rightfully so; they're played with blistering speed and precision, but they're also arranged beautifully. They're easily most fun part of the song, but Jon Anderson's vocals and Chris Squire's bass guitar deserve some love too. Anderson's lead vocals match the pace of the keyboards perfectly, and the group's harmonies add some rich depth. Squire's bass solo matches the tempo of the rest of the song, while providing a nice contrasting tone. "Roundabout" is not only an S-tier Yes song, it's also an S-tier classic rock song as well. It'd be easy to call it a day on Fragile after "Roundabout," but the rest of the album is really solid as well. Rick Wakeman's keyboards are still present, but not as dominant, as Steve Howe's guitars get some moments to shine, especially on "Long Distance Runaround." The guitar solo that leads into the aforementioned song harkens back to the spirit of the keyboard playing on "Roundabout" with bright tones and a fast tempo. Bill Bruford's drumming never really gets more than some glimpses in the limelight, but his skill is more than enough to provide some great rhythms on this album. While they might seem to be an odd choice stylistically, the shorter interludes are an interesting touch to break up the longer songs on this album. "We Have Heaven" is brilliant, and I honestly wouldn't have been opposed to this being a longer piece of the album; it takes me back to "I've Seen All Good People" in all the best ways. The thing that holds this album back is the closing track "Heart of the Sunrise." This song takes you to a lot of different places in Yes's sound, but I felt every second of its ten minute plus runtime. I'm not even sure if this song would have been better served by being broken into smaller songs, because a good portion of it feels unnecessary, even though it is pleasant and somewhat interesting. Still, this album is bold and adventurous, a feeling well represented by the image on its cover. I'm not the biggest fan of prog rock, but if I'm going to listen to something prog rock that's not Pink Floyd, Fragile would be something that I'd be happy to throw on.

Somewhat clunky but a solid prog album. Roundabout is a classic but Heart of the Sunrise is a showstopper. The individual tracks take it down a notch. Chris Squire's bass lines are mesmerizing. When discussing top bassists in rock, Squire should be mentioned more often. 1971 was quite the year for Rick Wakeman. Hunky Dory and Fragile in the same year. Not too shabby.

As big a fab as I am of prog metal, a lot of classic prog leaves me cold. This undeniable, especially those bass lines.

Yes, great. Really love the character of the album, great cohesion.

Have I heard this album before? No Highlights: Roundabout, Cans and Brahms, We Have Heaven, South Side of the Sky, Long Distance Runaround, The Fish, Mood For a Day, Heart of the Sunrise, America Rating: 9.2/10 Roundabout is a masterpiece. The musicianship on this album is incredible, each member gets their own chance to show off as well. Amazing prog rock.

Liked this more than I anticipated. The bass lines were great and I liked the variety in song style. 3.5/5

I listened to about 75% of the album. Vote probably shouldn’t count but I enjoyed it a lot. Classic 70s rock and I instantly added it to the library. I will go back and listen to it entirely. For now, 3.5/5

The three album run from 1971-1972, with, The Yes Album, Fragile and Close To the Edge is the peak period for Yes, before things got off the rails and drifted into exercises of self-indulgence and tried the patience of fans with their next releases. Fragile opens with Yes's finest achievement, the over-eight minute masterpiece, Roundabout and was the main reason I bought the album. There's no doubt the song is a classic, but the rest of the record is decent enough to sustain it's status as one of their best. I don't love Yes's music, but at least on Fragile there was enough song structure, melody and superior musicianship to grade it above the average Prog album.

Prog can be a hard pill for me to swallow, but this is a damn good prog record. Highlights: Roundabout, Long Distance Runaround, The Fish, Mood for a Day, Heart of the Sunrise

LP

An absolute prog rock classic and one of my favourite Yes albums. But not my favourite hence only four stars

Excellent musicianship. Beautiful in that way. Lyrically? That's questionable, but I suppose back then you were supposed to listen to it high on something. I like this album very much, but to me, the songs are just songs to listen to, to groove to. There's nothing to hit your soul or your mind, so to speak. "Did we really count to one hundred?" Really?!

I have always liked "Roundabout" and even prefer the unedited longer version of it. It's just a great song. While the shorter instrumentals can seem like filler, this is a really good album. If you do not like prog-rock or haven't heard prog-rock, then this is an album for you. The introduction of Rick Wakeman really seemed to help the group's sound, though I know it also meant more people were fighting to get their songs on each album. An album that is worth a listen and a seminal prog-rock album if that is your sort of thing.

I have always been ambivilant towards Yes as I like some of their work but don't really care for most of it. This album does not change that as I really like Roudabout but not any of the other tracks. So just barely 4 stars.

Honestly, the best prog rock album so far.

So, I am biased a bit here. I have played bass guitar for 30 years. Chris Squire is iconic. I love the growling tone, the complex melodies, the subtleties of his harmonics. His influence in the progressive rock scene lives on though he has physically passed. Don’t forget the rest of those guys! Fantastic musicianship across the board. Their ability to meld classical and prog catches my ear each time. It’s a great album. Would I recommend it, well, YES!

Streaming numbers from track 1 to track 2 drop by over 98%. That’s practically Domestos.

Ekki eintóm snilld, en mjög hresst og skemmtilegt progg. Mig langaði að hlusta aftur og ég gerði það. Prófið það líka.

I understand why people like this album. Just not my taste.

Not my favourite of theirs but it's still at the very pinnacle of Prog. The musicianship is beyond belief and it's a pleasure from start to finish. Sit with your headphones on in a darkened room with just the music playing. It's spiritual :-)

This was really cool. Progressive, bouncy, a lot of fun.

Unlike other reviews, I think there's a sufficient amount of funk infused in here to garner a 4 at least.

Mix of weird and wonderful. The musical abilities here are off the charts. I’ll take Long Distance Runaround any day over Roundabout.

J'ai vraiment aimée j'ai eu un petit voyage mentale !

A very calm, quiet album.

Some all time classics on this album. I understand now how yes has influenced and reshaped prog rock, as a band

Awesome album. Beautiful music.

Yes it's another band I frequently forget about despite really enjoying their music.

Fun

Already know and like this one although it’s definitely stronger with the bonus tracks as ‘America’ is a prog masterpiece that the original is missing.

I grew up with this album, some definite favourites in there.

Roundabout: 11/10 THIS SONG GOES SO FUCKING HARD RAHHHHHH, but fr I don't think this song can ever get played too much for me sooo clean. Cans and Brahms: 5/10 We Have Heaven: 6/10 South Side of the Sky: 8-9/10 Five per Cent for Nothing: 7/10 Long Distance Runaround: 9/10 The Fish (Schindleria Praemeturus): 8/10 Mood for a Day: 9/10 clean ah hell Heart of the Sunrise: 10/10 America: 9/10 Roundabout (Early Rough Mix): 10/10 repeat Top 3: 1. Roundabout (obvi) 2. Heart of the Sunrise (nice guitar) 3. Mood for a Day (nice vibe switch) Album Score: 8/10 honestly, with something a bit harder and better on tracks 2 & 3 it would be a 5 star 9.?/10 for me

Banger

I've tried to get into Yes before, but it never clicked for me until this listen.

Flashback to my youth. I didn’t recall all the songs, but the ones I did, still hit.

Love this sound, but Roundabout is really the best of the bunch.

First time hearing this album. Really enjoyed it

Wat een heerlijk begin. Roundabout heeft namelijk een van de beste baspartijen aller tijden. Progrock in optima forma. Daarna wisselen de fijne progrock-stukken af met muzikale intermezzo's waarin alle muzikanten even hun skills willen showen. Het ene intermezzo is interessanter dan het andere. Het album als geheel voelt daardoor meer als een verzameling losse experimenten. Of als een showcase van alle losse muzikanten. De nummers waarin alles samenkomt, zijn wat mij betreft het beste. Een echte luisterplaat, waarin je elke keer nieuwe dingen kunt horen, dat wel. 3,5 ster.

Roundabout slaps so hard as an opener that by itself would give this album a solid rating. But then the rest of the tracks are of almost the same quality, first time listening to this album and can't wait to replay it already. I can see why my dad loved this band :)

Yes is good, but not my favorite.

I've always liked Roundabout but never listened to any more Yes...fantastic album. Not sure why they aren't hailed as all time greats. 7.5/10

Definitely not my style or taste but can appreciate the sound and vibe. Reminds me of steely dan

I loved it. The instrumentals were superb.

Interesting!

Many interesting ideas across the runtime of the album. I think I prefer both The Yes Album and Close To The Edge. Nothing in here that would push it to 5 star territory but really good regardless. Favorite tracks are Roundabout, Southside of the Sky, Long Distance Runaround, and Heart of the Sunrise. <====To Be Continued==

"Roundabout" is one of those songs I know I've hard a whole bunch but never consciously or really paying attention until now. Man the organ and the overall timbre of the guitars together is a trip back in time. Some great songs, and also some... recordings where they seem to have just dropped acid and then pressed record. Overall it's still good. That bass tone and playing alone... man.

I used to love JOJOs, now i can't stand it.

This is a great album but some songs go on a bit too long

Unique band with a unique sound.

Solid album with some really great standout songs: Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround are fantastic. Enjoyed this one, especially after my last two album listens, which were duds.

This album was great. I was surprised by hearing all the subtleties in this record, alone, that modern prog artists rip off. A lot of synth and/or string parts and even little change up's that they do. I guess if you're going to rip someone off, make sure they are worth ripping off. Perhaps ripp off isn't the right word. I don't mean it in a negative connotation. I don't think I really care for the lead singers voice. It doesn't sound as epic as the music does. And it sounds a bit flat... There is one part that I particularly disliked in the song South Side of the Sky (I love the alliteration) - there were a bunch of La's being sung that really didn't add to the song. It almost felt like the singer just wanted his voice to be heard. Roundabout is a staple song that most musicians and/or music lovers know. I don't know anyone who dislikes that song. What a great way to start a record. The strings were fantastic in this album. And the riffs were proggy and awesome! I will definitely revisit this. Hopefully the vocals will grow on me.

Hard to to do better when you start with such a great first song. Everything else was good, but never hit the quality of Roundabout.

pretty good. Some of the really long songs are great if you’re in the mood

So funky and interesting. I loved it!! Lots of imstruments and interesting melodies and time signatures.

The opening to "Roundabout" is one of the most visceral starts to any prog album I've heard. The listener is lulled into a false sense of serenity before being spiraled into that crunchy, distorted bass groove that drives the entire first half of the track. In typical Yes fashion, this song is chock full of organ, crunchy bass, and occasional ambient passages. I love the whimsical and calming keyboard and electronic tones on "Cans and Brahms" that are followed by the softer vocal layers over the gentle acoustic strumming of "We Have Heaven". The following "South Side of the Sky", when compared to the previous tracks, I don't enjoy as much. I enjoy Jon's lead melody and the little ambient passage and following build-up near the halfway point, but the groove itself is relatively tame and uninteresting. I feel similarly about the following shorter tracks but the song "The Fish" has a psychedelic, groovy, and cavernous nature and is one of the standout tracks on this album. The following "Mood for a Day" is a nice, but oddly placed, little acoustic piece acting as a breather in this album (that honestly didn't need one). Similar to "The Fish", there's something ethereal about the layered synths grouped with that typical Yes groove that kicks "Heart of the Sunrise" off. Honestly, I think the first three minutes of this track take the cake for having the best groove on the entire record. Jon's sentimental vocals grow to a cathartic peak before being snuffed out by the returning groove near the halfway mark. The vocals complement the piano-driven groove during the final couple of minutes, making for a strong finisher. Overall, a very solid Prog record; maybe not as cloudy, colorfully varied, and ambitious as "Close to the Edge". In its own right though, there's a lot to find enjoyment in here, and in Yes' formula and style overall. 7/10

Enjoyed it! Added it to my queue.

I really enjoyed this album.

Don't know the group but I was very familiar with the first song, though I never knew the title.

Always appreciated the band Yes...

Good music. "I still remember". I have heard a few of these songs, and really enjoyed them. I enjoyed listening to the whole album.

like the album It’s calming, almost meditative

ROUNDABOUT

Not as good as 90125 but pretty good

The yes album was better. 3,5 stars

Hell yea! Great album.

Pretty cool. Some interesting song writing and composition. I think they are at the best when they are playing guitar solos

Pretty good

Classic amazing songs that stand the test of time. Some of the more obscure tunes are forgettable.

ret fed! som så mange andre bands har min eksponering til Yes været 100% gennem Guitar Hero og GTA, fedt nok at høre et helt album

Gear: Focal Clear (ZMF) Mische: 🎧😘🤌 Mugge: Prätentiös audiophiler Prog Rock ist anscheinend mein Ding. Und das Album hat ne Menge davon. Wertung: 4/5

73/100 - love roundabout and cool tunes but kinda some filler in there, still good

It's good music just not for me,

Weird and experimental and off the wall. I liked it, but probably not for a repeated listen.

Such a fun album, but not their best work.

Great musicianship, but they can get a little overindulgent.

I love yes’s Yesterdays and Close to the Edge albums more than this one

Pretty fun, reminiscent of Kansas musically.

uno de los primeros del progresico 5/5 genial

Very nice!

Some great songs and interesting arrangements.

Should be listen.

Favorite Tracks: Roundabout Long Distance Runaround Mood for a Day

Okay, this is awesome. Getting some strong Emerson, Lake and Palmer vibes from this. Never listened to Yes before, but this is a really enjoyable record with lovely warm production. Favourite tracks: Roundabout, We Have Heaven, South Side of the Sky, America.

Highlights: Roundabout Can and Brahms America The opening baseline on Roundabout is a great start to the album. The extreme variance in lengths between songs makes for an interesting listening experience. While parts in the middle of the album kind of melded together it was an overall enjoyable experience and an album I can see myself returning to in atleast part.

I normally have mixed opinions about prog rock bands, but this was pretty fun. Each song is unique and displays individual talents of all members involved. I wouldn't say any individual song is particularly memorable, but as a whole, it's pretty good stuff.

I love yes, but I didn't get a chance to listen to this album today although I've heard it plenty. Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise are the standouts.

Super interesting

Solid album.

yes

Really enjoyed this album. A bit of variety and lots of song-writing/musical talent displayed.

Roundabout- 5/5 Cans and Brahms (Extracts From Brahms' 4th Symphony in E minor, Third Movement)- 3.7/5 We Have Heaven- 4/5 South Side of the Sky- 4.6/5 Five per Cent for Nothing- 4.8/5 Long Distance Runaround- 4.7/5 The Fish (Schindleria praematurus)- 3.9/5 Mood for a Day- 3.5/5 Heart of the Sunrise- 4.6/5 Total- 4.3/5

yes

Best opening track of all time. Roundabout is amazing and will always be one of my favorites. Bassline goes so hard. Rest of the album is very prog rock and experimental and its great

This hasnt been awful, again nothing is connecting with me in any real way. Long distance runaround is pretty dope ngl. Okay yeah its for sure dope. 4 stars just to break the streak

I don't see myself coming back to this, but I had a lot of fun listening

First song sets really high hopes for the rest of album. It's base is great and remains unbeaten by the rest of the tracks. Rest is still nice though.

4/5 this one, will definitely go back to it. Might become 5/5 with repeated exposure…

Favourite one yet, interesting instrumentals. Minimal vocals but not lacking per se

Some good music here. The musicianship was excellent.

Want to give it 5 stars, but it's not earth shattering good. Roundabout really elevates the album. Like the last long song too. Liking prog beforehand really increases my chances to like this album though

Excellent musicianship, a few great tunes, bit of filler too though

Me rachei na primeira música, que era dos memes clássicos UAUHAHUAHU. Mas muito boa a música. Os caras são bons nos dedilhados. Foi um álbum muito bom de ouvir, e adicionei uma música. Vou dar 4.

YES!

I liked this. I recognized some of the songs, but never knew they were Yes. America was my favourite track.

Rounabout :D 4/5

Not my most go-to Yes, but very Yes indeed.

I love Brahms… I want other people to love his music. I guess if Ues is a gateway that’s ok but it makes no real sense on this album. Lyric again mean nothing to me here. I think you could cherry pick the good stuff here and combine it with other nice ones from the Yes Album and you would have a 5 star album.

ROUND ABOUT

Legendary first song

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I lost. This album was pretty darn great! The opening track had me hooked from the first bass riff. You can tell these are SERIOUS musicians. I am a pianist and was completely enamored with the keyboardist. I recognized the closing track...but it was because it was sampled in something else...though I can't remember where. Maybe from Girl Talk? Maybe a super early Diplo mix I had downloaded in like 2003? Pretty awesome song though. I kept thinking I was going to give this album a 3 out of 5...but then the last track came in and bumped it to a 4. Totally would listen to this again.

3.5

Pretty nice

Aww yiss, love Yes and their Prog sound. Couple of bops, a few good ones that didn't get radio play. I've heard this album before, so it was nice to give it another listen after many years

A cool mix of funky prog and instrumental classical, and I quite enjoyed it.

This album would have blown my mind if I were alive at its release. I really enjoyed it. 4 stars because I simply am not likely to listen to it on my own, but would absolutely jam out to this album if somebody else put it on.

Fragile is an absolutely classic Yes album. Roundabout is such a brilliant track, as are tracks like America, Long Distance Run, etc.

Roundabout!

Hmmmm. Yes. No longer my thing. If you like prog it will be yours.

Roundabout is a great tune. Defo one to listen to again.

quite cool! didn't expect to find Roundabout, the source of the "to be continued..." meme here, nice listen, 4

Same as Neil Young Talented group but not my go to genre

- Roundabout :) - Really cool songs - Not really that type of thing I'd listen to in the backround tho - 8.5/10

Banger album

Early progressive rock, apparently they also composed "Owner of a lonely heart". Liked Roundabout out of this album, other songs are... early progressive for sure.

top progging from the prog boys of Yes

I was expecting a really boring rock album but I was pleasantly surprised by some really unique and interesting production that used classical instruments and some electronic sounds. I especially enjoyed why can’t I be free.

Fantastic! Roundabout is a classic!

I didn't know much about Yes prior to listening to this. Classic prog rock sound. Pretty enjoyable all the way through. Lots of long jam tracks, no real radio singles, so it's more of a patient listen as it shifts style even within songs. Pretty good stuff.

Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise are 5 star songs. It turns out I am not burnt out on Roundabout despite the short version being on heavy rotation on classic rock radio, and this might be the first time I’ve heard the original longer version. I first heard Heart of the Sunrise in a trailer for Buffalo ‘66. The rest of the album is fine but unremarkable.

Fuck yeah. I ate this shit right up. I don’t even care. I liked this a 4/5. I loved the bass.

Actually really cool stuff

I never thought I’d enjoy a prog album this much. My only criticism is that it is simply too long, but I understand that is a feature of prog.

yes' fragile delivered! i suppose their music isn't as progressive as other artists, or as progressive as their later music became. but i enjoyed it a lot. for being a song that was possibly overplayed on classic rock stations in my youth, "roundabout" still slaps and is a great album opener at eight and a half minutes long. the instrumentals ("cans and brahms", "five per cent for nothing", "mood for a day") grabbed me in particular. the first had more of a classical touch, the second experimental, the third folk-y, but they were solid and showcase yes' range.

A beautiful funky album. Prog rock was never my forte, but Yes does it very well. I enjoy most of them as long as they aren’t instrumentals or too lengthy. 4/5

This album had no business going this hard. Yes indeed. 3 1/2 but I'll give it 4 because it was pretty solid the entire way through.

en general el álbum estuvo bueno. se podría decir que el álbum consiste en 4 canciones ya que las otras se sienten mas como un puente entre estas canciones, de igual formas hay algunas que están bien. canciones favoritas: long distance runaround, roundabout, heart of the sunrise 8/10

Great album overall, no standout hits unfortunately, but good composition throughout the album.

More than I expected from Yes. Cool mash of genres.

Great

Thoroughly executed piece of music history. Old, but modern.

Used to listen to this album all the time. A true classic. Sometimes the keyboard sounds seem a little dated, but you need to keep in mind how new the technology was at the time.

Shoutout JoJo.

People who like long songs 🤝 people who like short songs

As usual, great to hear the deep tracks. “Roundabout” is great but has been played to death. “Long Distance Runaround” gets played a lot, too. But “Heart of the Sunrise” was a revelation.

I've listened to a bunch of Yes albums before but somehow I never tried to listen to Fragile. This is the best Yes album I've ever listened to - prog, but also with some blues groove to it. It doesn't feel too long or jammy, it's a really nice experience from front to back. The America cover is pretty good too.

A good album, showing direction Yes were heading in and which would peak with Close to the Edge. Roundabout remains a classic and has a surprising funky rhythm, South Side of the Sky and Long Distance Runaround are also very decent tracks, again supported by strong rhythms rather than hugely complex time signatures.

Roundabout is a great song and its so underrated for how popular the guitar riff is. The rest of the album is also great although some of the longer song get a bit repetitive.

Great album - great classic rock. 4/5

Roundabout is an all time banger and the rest of the album is pretty good too. I wish i liked the vocals as much as Rush

Hard Yes to Roundabout, South Side of the Sky, Long Distance Runaround, Heart of the Sunrise, America. No thanks to the occasional over-indulgent prog-wankery that appears here and there marring an otherwise incredible record.

Freakin sweet!

I like this album! I feel like there are a lot of musical tropes that are quoted by other musicians, and influences on bands like Genesis, Rush, ELP, etc.

I love this album and this style of music. It’s probably not my favorite Yes album but it’s close to perfect. There’s just a couple of moments here that seem a bit too unrelated to the overall song rather than progressing the track, therefore making it feel disjointed at times. But it’s a small issue and songs such as Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise are so good.

good version of pink floyd roundabout, mood for a day, heart of the sunrise

Classic album. Great guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, everything really. The three short under 2 min songs feel a little out of place and are pretty meh but the six main songs are all fantastic. 4.5/5 FS: Roundabout, South Side, Long Distance, Heart of the Sunrise

This was so much fun to listen to!

Amazing album through and through and they managed to fit more than 4 songs on this one!

dang, opens with a ridiculous bass line. pretty epic jams on this one. would be worth many re-listens

First time listening to Yes, only knowing Roundabout before. That track, South Side of the Sky, Mood for a Day, and Heart of the Sunrise are great. The rest feels a bit like filler. But these tracks and the virtuosity of the musicianship easily elevates it to 4 stars.

Fragile strikes me as a stepping stone to 1972’s Close To The Edge. “Roundabout” seamlessly merges Yes’ more experimental, proto-post-rock instincts and interest in classical music with the band’s earlier, pop inclinations. (The softer section around 5:30 reminds me hugely of The Flaming Lips in a cool way.) It is an essential track. Those that follow are not. But provide good background for a follow-up record that I very much treasure and hope we get to listen to someday as a part of the 1001! My other favorite moments on Fragile are the tape effects and cheeky panning in “We Have Heaven,” and the nice, low-stakes instrumental moments like “Mood for a Day.” Also, the album art is so good. B/w 3 & 4 but I’ll round up.

very good album, enjoyed it a lot.

Decent 7

Outstanding early prog-rock

Nisam sve stigla poslusat ono sto jesam je bilo dosta dobro

The shape of classic Yes line-up has formed! In addition, Chris Squire performed one of the best rock bassline in "Roundabout" (My favorite of all time!) Fav Track: Mood for a Day

Opening track is a classic in the genre

pretty guitar and memes

Absolute breathtaking album! This record definitely cemented their status in the scene and brought them great succes for years to come. The addition of Wakeman is a great one, and the songs breathe a whole new level of life! Bruford is amazing too and the melodic interplay between Howe and Squire is phenomenal! Anderson is in a class of itself, although the lyrics often make no sense at all, but that's part of the charm! Favorite lyrics: - We stand to lose all time, a thousand answers by in our hand. Next to your deeper fears, we stand surrounded by a million years. - I still remember the dream there. I still remember the time you said goodbye. - Love comes to you and you follow. Lose one, on to the heart of the sunrise. Favorite tracks: - Roundabout. - South Side Of The Sky. - Long Distance Runaround. - Mood For A Day. - Heart Of The Sunrise. 8,5 out of 10

Tryin to be FUNKY

Another prog masterpiece

I didn't hate this at all but I'm just not sure I can get to total love with Yes. 3.5 stars

Amazing mixing, love all the sounds in the background

3.5

I was introduced to Yes when my older brother drew their iconic logo over and over on his notebook in elementary school. Fast forward I was gifted a copy of Atlantic Record 40th anniversary collection. On cassette! Since first hearing Yes on that collection I've enjoyed their music, but never took a deep dive into their catalog. Yes straddles the prog line somewhere Jethro Tull and early Genesis. Rick Wakeman's entry to the lineup starts to firm up their credentials of Prog Rock powerhouse and early rock and roll influence. Fragile has the well known Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround, but the nearly 12 minute Heart of the Sunrise is such a sonic wall of sound that is a great reason, even with all of my sensibilities. 4/5.

Ich sollte mehr üben...

Ultra komplexer shit, ziemlich krass für 70er Jahre, aber wie bei den meisten Progressive Sachen nichts zum entspannt mal anhören.

An album that starts absolutely fantastic with Roundabout, then lulls around for a bit, but brings itself back by the end for an album that while certainly not perfect, feels like a solid little package. Nothing elevates above that opening song, though.

Fun and punchy. I like to groove to it.

Memes aside, this album explores instrumentation and time signatures in an effective way, while much of it doesn't really draw me in for a second listen, I can appreciate that this is a competent and comprehensive offering.

This one reminded me of good high school memories, when I was jamming a lot to this album. The long tracks here are outstanding with Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise being the highlights. The shorter interludes range from forgettable to good, with Mood for a Day being the highlight. Great prog 8,5/10

Megatiukka avausraita! Muutenkin aika miellyttävää progeilua. Ei mee turhan kikkailuun vaan pysyy musiikin puolella. Kiinnostuin ja kuuntelen varmasti lisää. 4/5

Vraiment dommage pour la voix du monsieur

a la bourre et peu inspirée mais c’etait sympa

That‘s a tough one. It is just before the terrific „Close to the Edge“ (which I rated much too low) and one can really hear the progress going on to achieve the sophomore masterpiece. „Fragile“ instead feels a bit like a bloated result of a gifted overachiever who did not dare to kill some darlings - which would have shaped this album by a lot. I still like it very much and once in this game I feel the urge for compensational rating. 4.0

I've never listened to Yes before. Huh. Interesting.

High school, beach, days & nights.

I was just listening to this one before it was revealed as my album of the day. One of my favorite yes records they just on it

Yes is probably one of the first bands people think of when they think of prog, and this album probably has a lot to do with that. As prog albums go, this is wonderfully accessible and easy to digest, with some top notch musicianship. Fave Songs: Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus), Roundabout, Heart of the Sunrise, Mood for a Day, Five per Cent for Nothing

I hadn't listened to this for five years or so, but I'm impressed as ever upon revisiting the record. Yes possessed a ridiculous level of talent within its membership. In one band, you've got Jon Anderson's unique elvish voice, Bill Bruford's jazzy \"off-beat\" drumming, Steve Howe's insanely tasty guitar, Rick Wakeman's crazy classical keyboards, and of course, Chris Squire's peerless bass-playing. Forget the senseless lyrics. What really rocks here are the long full-band jams in 'Roundabout', 'South Side of the Sky', and 'Heart of the Sunrise', all of which are complex yet catchy enough to receive mainstream radio play. The brief and bright 'Long Distance Runaround' provides a bit of a break from the \"epics\", but it's just as good. In a curious display of democracy, each band member also gets a chance to display his own skill or interests with a unique \"personality\" song. Unfortunately, most of these little sketches feel out of place in the sequencing of the record. Fortunately, they're all very short! I'm awarding the record a 4/5 for the sake of the great collaborative compositions. Imagine if the band had scrapped the solo song concept and replaced those bits with another full-composed classic like 'Roundabout'? In the alternate earth depicted on the album's cover, \"Fragile\" is the prog album to end all prog albums.

“Fragile” opens with “Roundabout,” which proves that, Yes, 70s organ-driven prog rock can be great. Things then get a little weird, before turning it back around with “South Side of the Sky.” “Long Distance Runaround" and the instrumental “The Fish” both build on the feeling of “Roundabout,” and “Heart of the Sunrise” brings it back after the detour of “Mood for a Day.” Overall, a pretty cohesive and enjoyable album from a band and genre that didn’t always deliver.

Roundabout is one of my favourite songs ever. It's insane, I've enjoyed it long before it acquired the meme status. I don't think the rest of the album quite lives up to Roundabout, despite being thoroughly listenable and clearly influenced by heavy drug use.

Had never heard of these guys but I really enjoyed this. The prog rock sound on the album had an enjoyable funky sound. The album is bookended by two great tracks but "Roundabout" is definitely the highlight. It's a shame the rest of the album never quite reaches those heights.

More prog rock! Never heard these before, thought some tracks were really good, the opening track in particular. Others didn't do anything for me. Overall didn't mind it but only so much room for rock like this Jamie isn't going to like this... Dad rock! 4

I have written once before about my love/hate relationship with prog rock, so I will try not to repeat myself. This is my favorite Yes album. Part of it has to do with my fondness and profound respect for Bill Bruford's drumming (not to mention he is the only person to be in iterations of Yes, Genesis and King Crimson) - he even wrote a 35 second instrumental song. Fragile also balances the members need to solo with solid songs (always a tenuous balance). Roundabout was even an AM radio hit back in the day. The excess is present on the edges, but the good far outweighs the bad.

Very solid progressive rock album. Musicianship is excellent. As with a lot of this genre lyrics aren’t always great but still a couple of classics here

Welly welly well well well i unexpectedly loved this album. A little dad-rocky, but enjoyed the constantly changing progression. I kept picking up details that could’ve influenced a ton of the music I listen to, across different genres. Heart of the Sunrise is where this album truly sends it for me.

I had a lot of fun listening to this album. Short and sweet with lots of little guitar and keyboard solos. Some dank chamber music interludes as well. 4/5

This was pretty awesome! Lots of cool guitar and bass riffs. At certain points, however, it seemed like they completely forgot how to play their instruments and a cacophony of sounds permeated my eardrums. 3.5/5

Yessss another Yes album!! I am LOVING them! Didn't know I adored prog rock so much until I started this project.

A bit rambly at times, but good variety between songs and great instrumentation

One of the most accessible and greatest prog rock albums of all time. A record that has followed me from my teenage years through my early 50's.

Super schönes Album mit vielen Klassik Elementen. Aber heraus sticht der erste Song!

Only now, thanks to this challenge, I'm learning how ignorant I am to some bands or genres. In general I tend to be a little dismissive towards the older music, but this time it is different. It is the first time I'm listening to "Fragile" ever, however I could very quickly recognise the main motive from opening song "Roundabout". After few minutes it clicked - I know it from the "To Be Continued" memes. And my ignorance hurts as ever, because this is much more than a nice jingle, it is also a great song, progressive rock with countless great riffs and complicated melodies, but still coherent and enjoyable. Jon Anderson provided great vocals on the whole album, fitting great into the slightly psychedelic structure of the songs. Unfortunately, only "Roundabout" and "Heart of the Sunrise" were great - the rest of the songs were basically fillers, trying to hit at least 40 minutes to fill the LP. But well, you can't deny the greatness, even if it's surrounded by blandness. It was definitely the best Yes album I have heard so far. And it definitely has a place on this list.

Would be a 5 if there wasn't 2 min long randomness that imo breaks it up

Its a good album, its musicly very interesting and these are very talented musicians. It leans heavily on the prog aspect which does both good and bad, it is very progressive and sounds good, but with the 10 minute songs they sound like Pink Floyd but without that speciall something

4/9, 44%

Surprised to hear a yes album with tracks shorter than 10 minutes, this thing is great though not as good as close to the edge though but still great (if America was on the main album it would’ve beat it).

Calming and upbeat. A good Monday morning album

Insane how unfairly maligned Yes are in some quarters. Sure they can, and do, indulge in lengthy virtuoso workouts but it's always with a focus and discipline. It's also crazy just how much of this album I know without owning it. There are some really, really strong melodies at play here, and the kinds of hooks that wouldn't be out of place on a more straightforward pop record. Time for Yes to enjoy critical reappraisal. As for Fragile, what a triumph.

Big fan of this album. Roundabout alone goes a long way. But otherwise a really nice mix of proggy stuff. Also liked the more classical feel of Mood for a Day. I think it's a strong 4.

Sure

Probably as good as prog rock can be, with lots of rich textures and interesting vibes, and Anderson's memorable vocals, But then there is just enough of the worst of progr, too – frequent and jarring shifts in mood and tempo. Roundabout” a great opener followed by the absurd (not in a good way) “Cans and Brahms." Similarly, "Heart of the Sunrise" is compromised by arty effects and excess sophistication. "Long Distance Runaround" is among the best Yes ever did. One is surprised – and not a little embarrassed – to have any affection for this band. Really, one should loathe them, but there are hooks and melodies enough to overlook the prog guilt-by-association effect.

A few hits and some amazing musicianship.

A better album tham I expected. I enjoyed the whimsical nature of a couple songs.

Full on prog rock explosion, liked it more than I thought I would, as provided surprisingly good running music.

Highlights: Roundabout, Mood for a Day

Stellenweise sehr geile Atmosphäre. Gerne mehr in dieser Richtung!

Though the meat of the album is in its anthemic, multi-part bookends, the entire LP is a rightful prog classic that dips its toes into a multitude of genres and plays with the limits of instrumentation. The personal highlight here is Chris Squire's bass work - the undeniable Ric 4001 sound defines this album and serves largely as its melodic core, pushing many of the tracks along and scoring many of the notable riffs.

TIL that "Roundabout" is some Vine/TikTok/Anime meme. Anyway, I used to not really love Yes, I think it's Jon Anderson's voice, it's too close to Dana Carvey doing "Choppin' Broccoli," but over the years I've grown to appreciate the musicianship here, some of Phish's more composed stuff is really informed by this (just listen to the "Rift" album) and I love Phish. The only thing that bugs me a little is the Brahms thing and it honestly doesn't bother me too much but there's something that feels condescending or self-serious about a rock band, even a prog rock band breaking out some classical 🎵 or playing some variations on a classical piece or whatever they're doing here. I get it, "The classical composers were the rock stars of their day" or something. I'm not saying it should never be done or it can't be done well (and it's not terrible here or anything) it just feels suspect.

Roundabout brought me back to the old internet memes. But this album aint a meme at all. It’s damn good! I like the complexcity of the songs.

4/5. Amazing musicianship but too many filler songs. They were nice interludes but felt unnecessary. Otherwise, all 4 main songs were great.

Good I liked this before

Prog nerdy rock at its best.

Baskare

A little boring

imagine my shock to hear the meme song first. Never listened to the whole thing before, but I can say right now that it is a banger, but also does all prog rock have to be so unreasonable with song lengths? There's 8+ minute songs, and 2 minute songs, and nothing in between. All the long songs are fire, if this rating system was out of 10 I'd put this one at a 7.5/10

Some super solid guitar and drums and fun rock! Singing style wasn't my favorite but the music more than makes up for it. America is one of my favorite Simon & Garfunkel songs and I really enjoy their cover!

This was a fun listen. The instrumentals were really enjoyable and I liked the variety that came throughout the entire album. I felt like I never knew what was coming next.

Fun album, lots of fun tunes and rhythm/bass sections.

Jojo bassline sexy

Solid

Very nice bass and guitars, reminds me of my grandpa and he's cool af so that's good. It didn't awake anything deep in me tho, so maybe just not what I'm vibing with rn.

Pretty good, okay singing and great guitar riffs and jams

The first track is such an iconic track, but the rest of the album is also really good! Loved the guitar bits inbetween some songs. I liked some of the ideas of theirs, some were meh.

The short filler tracks (with the exception of long distance runaround which is great) were a little weak, but the bulk of this album was 4 huge pieces (almost too long and unique to call them songs). Roundabout is my favorite Yes song (though I haven’t listed to a ton of their stuff), south side of the sky and heart of the sunrise were both very interesting, and America might be better than the original

Oh I’m so horny Roundabout is a banger Whenever the album starts to lose me some crazy bass or piano pulls me back in Idk where Long distance runaround became fish but that stretch was sick (especially fish) Mood for a day totally switched up the vibe right after felt like I was in medieval times Heart of the sunrise was awesome Really cool cover of America Overall thought after roundabout the first half lulled a little but the second half was amazing

Pleasantly impressed by the eclectic jazzlike arrangement. Had only heard Roundabout before so happy to get the rest of the album

It's the one with "Roundabout". Love the concept of the album: about half group songs and about half songs written by each member showcasing them on their instrument Sounds like: one of the early quintessential prog rock albums Standout tracks: I already said "Roundabout" "South Side" main section has so many heavy riffs "Long Distance" THE RIFF "The Fish" do you like three bass guitars with another guitar playing melody and another messing around? "Mood" great solo classical guitar piece "Heart" heavy rapid riff followed by thick bass

As in a lot of revered prog bands/albums, I seem to have a problem with the theatrical and high pitched singers they often end up with. I have to get used to Jon's slick vocals, which are sometimes impressive but they also sound cold to me at times. Anyway, what they do have going for them though are, other than the expected virtuosity, some hard hitting beats that merges so well with the complex song structures they adopt. I find them to be at their best when they let it all out.

The problems of prog rock are on full view in the segue from “Roundabout” a great rollicking rock tune, to “Cans and Brahms” which sounds like a soundtrack to an underfunded children’s television show. The dramatic contrast, wherein ambitious prog rockers likely thought the art came in, reads as pointless, silly and self-defeating. “Made from Heaven” and “South of the Sky” redeem matters with engaging moments and passages. “Long Distance Runaround,” with its rich and satisfying hooks and layering, is the best of prog rock, with enough counterpoint to build tension and noodling to present surprise, but not too much to lose the listener. Anderson is a strong and distinct (likely underrated) vocalist. “The Fish” is groovy. “Heart of the Sunrise” is very affecting at times but compromised by the Vincent Price-y organ explorations (another example of prog rock’s original sin [they would prefer one to say Achilles Heel] of trying to do too much with every song, of burdening them with too much compositional weight and structure). Still, one believes this to be a high-water mark for one's favorite prog band.

Well that was epic and awesome!

Bit of a curate’s egg this one. Every time I was just thinking it was dreadful, something really good would happen. I actually ended up listening to it twice in a row because I couldn’t decide what I made of it. Still can’t really.