Reviews (page 5 of 9)
Yes .... No! Alright in parts but all too long winded for me. This from someone who likes Pink Floyd. Go Figure. Passable 2/5
That will push me over the edge
One of my favorite albums ever. I don’t know how they made this. They are mad wizards. It shouldn’t work. It shouldn’t be melodic. It should just be chaotic musical ravings. But no, there are some of the most beautiful melody, harmony and resolves of all time on this album. The “I Get Up I Get Down” phase of movement of Close to the Edge rivals ANY song as the most beautiful thing ever recorded. The climax of And You And I makes me weep. Every player is at the absolute peak of their powers. I am deeply grateful to my dad for introducing me to this album.
Wow. Back to back Yes albums. The other one I did not like (2). But maybe this one will hit me differently....................................... ............... It did not hit me differently. I'm not saying this is bad music. But I don't like synthesizer and I don't like high voices (generally).
yes yes yes!!! me🤝800 minutes long songs
I appreciate the experimentalism, and I like his voice. Songs are a little too long for me, when most of it is instrumental, and honestly a little noisy. Stand out songs: You and I
4 out of 5. A Yes album is always an experience when listened to in its entirety.
Solid prog album. Good melodies. Sometimes it was a bit too polyphonic spree of notes but overall I enjoyed it.
Title track is one of the three best, and most cohesive of, the best progressive rock tracks of all time
the first track is genuinely mind-blowing
Easily the greatest prog epic of all time.
Good
Overall, I enjoyed it. Very psych but can also hear some jazz and other influences. Definitely an early prog album.
Progressive rock like this is cool, but I can only listen to it in small doses. This was very exemplary of that genre and I did enjoy it for that but I don't think it's one I would put on again. But then again, I do put on the Dead...
Me pareció excelente, a pesar de ser rock. Suena muy auténtico y fresco para su época. Debería volver a escucharlo. Nota: 3.7
Fantastic. no notes
Never liked yes much. .too dreamy pretentious or something
Prog Rock and really any genre with 10min+ songs can be really hit or miss for me. I got a be in the right mood/headspace for the musical journey to grab me or else it's background music at best and a tiring/annoying experience at worst. Yesterday I listened to this while doing some work around the house and I generally enjoyed it and even liked some sections. Today I relistened and was hooked. Really felt the flow of energy through each song. Loved the vocals, the organ in the second song, the grooves, the sense of scale and journey, the whole package (save for a couple of the more sonically dissonant moments that always find their way into these kinds of albums). Really liked it, will prob listen again when I'm in the mood for this kind of thing.
Very cool album 8/10
Far be it from me to pass judgement on prog royalty
Well, damn, there it is: the best album Yes would ever make. I mean, let's not even waste any time here. And, y'know, sure, I've yet to peruse the entire Yes discography; I haven't even heard the one with "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", or the one that I've heard everyone loves, UNION. But I don't think I needa dive too deeply to know that in the pantheon of prog rock albums, this is sitting right up there on Mount Olympus alongside stuff like WISH YOU WERE HERE and IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING. Honestly, I'm not sure if I even have the words to explain why this album is so great. Like, if there's any prog album where I feel like I could just gesture to it and go "Yeh, roight?"... It's, like, this and DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, y'know? I mean, these are just three of the best things this band would ever compose and perform. Melodically, it's so fuckin' good. Jus', ahh. AHH. There's passages in here that are damn **beautiful**. I could listen to them forever, I swear. Particularly the part of the title track that goes "I get up, I get down" and... Y'know, jus', so much of the track "And You And I". That might be the best track on the album, by my measure. Goodness me, I swear. You know what this album is like? If you're not aware, this was originally released in a gatefold vinyl. See, y'might've looked at the cover and gone, "That's it? It's just a green gradient?" Well, that's not all. You're supposed to open this album like a book, and inside you'll find this inner spread illustrated by Roger Dean, depicting this fantastical landscape... This music feels like you're exploring that. Like you're living in that little house you can see, and y'take your boat out on the water, close your eyes, and slowly breathe in the fresh air, at peace with everything around you... Maybe that's a bit hyperbolic, but that's seriously close to how I feel listening to parts of "And You And I", so it's not like I'm bullshitting you here. And I could go on, I really could. But seriously, words can do nothing that just listening to this album wouldn't. I mean, if you're not a fan of prog... Well, I doubt anything was gonna do it for you, so, y'know, sorry about that. For anyone else with a bit more of an open mind for this kind of music... Believe me: it's not just indulgences. It's not just wankery for the sake of showing off technical profession. It's just a simply amazing album, lacking even a single wasted moment. Do yourself a favor: go grab a PNG of the inner spread, put some headphones on, and just explore. You will not be sorry. To all the people whose review of this album is just "No" (so clever, by the way)... Why you gotta be negative? I say, give "yes" a chance! It's a word with a glorious ring! A true universal, utopious thing! Engenders embracing and chasing of blues! The very best word for the whole world to use! In short: great album.
Just some damn fine prog rock overall. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I’m at a 10. I’m just speechless, really. I know Yes is good, because they’ve gotten 5’s from me for each of their last two albums, and I know this album in particular has high acclaim, but fucking hell, I still wasn’t ready for that to be as stunningly intoxicating as it was. It lived up to the expectations & more – that is 38 minutes of electric prog rock, without a single dull moment at any point, or even a single wasted beat or measure. I don’t want to make whoever’s reading this waste any time; if you’re somehow reading this without having listened to it, go listen to it, right now, and if you’re reading this after you’ve listened to it, go listen to it again, right now. Get your headphones in, turn them up to max volume, and just let the sweet, sweet sounds of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman & Bill Bruford wash over your ears and bask in it. It is a 10, through and through. I hesitate to say “perfect album”, but it’s about as sinless as Jesus was. All-timer stuff.
This fucking rocks. The break in the title track with I Get Up, I Get Down was genuinely perfect. This is one of the only albums on the list that I listened to multiple times purely because I needed to hear it again and again. Every time you think "wow that track was amazing, I bet the next one won't be as good", it always is.
This is the best Yes album. It is not my favorite Yes album. That would be The Yes Album. The title track alone would give this five stars. The absolute euphoria of the finale. They went 3/3.
Not my fave. A cover??
Taking notes in real time here... ...the 1 minute, birds chirping fade in on an 18 minute song isn't boding well... ...the next minute of discordant wanking isn't much better... ...2.5 min in and I'm Close to the Edge of my sanity and about to shut this shit off... THAT'S IT! I've made it 2.5 songs (which to my credit is 32 fucking minutes) and if I listen to anymore of this shit my head will explode. FUUUUUCK 70s prog rock.
When I decided to dive into prog rock and really try to understand the genre, this was the first album I listened to. My initial reaction was how different it sounded from the Yes I thought I knew. The Yes I always associated with was more of an 80s synth rock band, mainly because of “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” The first time I heard this album, it was a lot to take in, and I needed some time to absorb it. After a second listen, I realized I needed more context and listened to other prog rock artists to get a better grasp of the genre as a whole. Now, six months later, I’ve returned to it, and I love it. I played it three times in a row. There’s so much going on in this album that it’s hard to break it all down, but I love how it has an experimental edge. Thanks to @Lyieru for telling me more about Rick Wakeman, it gave me something solid to connect with. And of course, his organ anthem toward the end of “Close to the Edge” really stood out and gave me something to hold on to.
Not horrible, but these top-heavy prog albums with a 20 minute song to start are difficult to listen to.
great album
interesting
Yes. I’m not enjoying the prog albums. Unsure why these are so iconic and therefore making this list. Not terrible - but will never revisit
It was hard for me to stay focused
Really really interesting. The three songs are excellent Its experimental in all the right ways Feels like a 4
One of the most genre defining records ever. Nothing more to say.
Not bad, entertaining while working.
Favorites: Close to the Edge, And You and I Monumental. Right off the back of making their best album, Yes hit it out of the park with their most influential and one of the most epic prog albums out there. Some things don’t click for me as much as they do in Fragile, but this one is still excellent.
Pretty solid. The whole package sounds more like The Mars Volta than I was expecting. I enjoyed the amazing tone on those classical sounding bass parts.
Pleasantly surprised. Solidly interesting from beginning to end.
The grandees of progressive rock! The best album of this group. I like it. Masterpiece.
Space jazz!!!
Yes is always a treat to listen to!
Not my favorite Yes album but, WOW, do they take you on a magical music journey on this album! Amazing creativity and musicianship - I had a number of goose pimple moments listening to this - the towering church organ, the glissando guitar accents - it is all so awesome. Bravo!
Not my favorite Yes album. 6.5/10
4.5 stars
This felt like half an album. Just kind of ended abruptly, which seems weird for indulgent prog-rock.
Sometimes a bit cringe but otherwise great
Rating: 6.5/10 The technicality of this album is truly impressive. What's less impressive are a lot of the riffs and musical ideas on here, oftentimes not memorable or just too long. Despite this, the ideas that work are great and musicianship is stellar throughout.
I like Yes, but I do not like Progressive Yes, so it's a No for me. 1/5
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT
3 10+ minute long songs in an album is certainly a choice. Not my favorite choice.
Fine overall. Adequate noodling. I prefer one or more of their other albums that have already appeared on this list.
Just call me Jim Carrey, because apparently I’m a Yes Man. This one didn’t connect with me like Fragile, but it was great nonetheless. Yay to Yes.
Is Yes my new favorite band? No. Has this project made me a fan? Absolutely. They might be my new favorite band.
You know who’s very Close to The Edge? A man by the name of Bono.
Love the idea of exploring a song but if you have 4 songs, make 4 tracks
The album playlist is short, but why are the songs length long???? The first one being 18 mins. 😭
I liked this but it isn't something I'd listen to on my own. Prog rock is interesting at the least. Long songs that change so much, at one moment I'd be realing jiving to it, then it would change up and get more dissonant and I'd be less jazzed about it. My favorite part is when the voices start harmonizing and it turns into a organ chord. Pretty sweet. Standouts: Close to the Edge Rating: 3.5/5
10/5 probably one of my top three albums of all time. Excellent!
4.5/5
Sorry Rush, but Close to the Edge might be the best progressive rock epic I've ever heard.
ach manoo, han am mentig verschiwtz bewerte und darum banger souly album vum netig nöd chöne bewerte, sorry brööös. Das gester isch mir leider nüm so present gsi. aber gmüeetlich bim namal dri gumpe. da chan mir nöd vill degege sege. aber hed mi au zwenig abgholt zum legend si. gemmer mal 3 puntolinos
solidi büetz, aber nöd mega close to the edge zumne 4i
Definitely corny by today's standards but I'll always love Close to the Edge.
The best of 70s prog rock opera
No
Great album
Well, I like Prog Rock, and I like Yes. And that's that.
nice
Same as the last album --> it was...ok. Not my style but i didn't not like it. Not going to listen to it again. Nothing stood out
even siberia goes through the motions ‼️
Yes had me close to the edge a few times. .semit wef a egde eht ot esolc em dah seY
good but im not high enough to fully appreciate
Nu vet jag ju att progrock o dyl kräver fler lyssningar, så med viss reservation för att albumet växer på mig om jag skulle testa igen - ointressant och hopplöst långtråkigt. Blir ett "No" till Yes.
Ville bara skriva "no" men är nog närmare ett "nja"
I do not like prog rock
The phrase 'tedious wank' gets thrown around gratuitously nowadays, but sometimes it's the only one that fits. Grating vocals, over thought compositions, technically skilled musicians who can't stop flexing, d-grade Tolkein mythology. The interesting moments are all immediately subsumed by a new idea and tone shift, just totally scattered whiplash songs more concerned with being clever than good.
Good album but I can't see myself listening to it again
Prog rock at its best 8/10
Close to the Edge 3.7 And You and I 3.4 Siberian Khatru 3.5 Score: 3.533333333
Listens: 4 and an increasing amount since hearing it. Added to Library: TRUE First, I didn't have an opportunity to give a proper review of the album when I first listened to it. Second, the album has really grown on me. I've listened to it a handful of times since I first heard it and I find myself coming back to it now with somewhat regularly. I fucking love the organs (I think they are organs) in Close To The Edge part III: I Get Up I Get Down. I love how the music shifts seamlessly between each part of the 18+ minute song. Majorly upgraded to 5. Easily my favorite newly-discovered album since starting this.
2.5
Classic Yes... really long songs! Great bass, drums and guitar! Singer gets a bit old, but it's still good. 3.5 I will round up.
This was pretty good! Creative music
Siberian Khatru is fucking goooooood. The main riff reminds me of Chrono Trigger.
So much faffing about. Would be so much better if they just took some of these ideas and parceled them into songs.
FUCK. I hate prog
PROG! I enjoyed it, it didn’t overstay its welcome or get to in the weeds which can be the case sometimes.
I thought only Maiden had 18 minute songs. A little weird and all over the map for me. On a different day in a different mood I might have liked it better.
is this what prog rock is? this did remind me of Rush a bit . at first i though this was too weird but I warmed up to some of it...
Yes it's a No from me. I guess I don't have the right dru6s du enjoy this :D
Stop giving me Yes!!
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 💀⬛❇️ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌊🔁🕰️ Rating: 🕊️🕊️🕊️(🕊️)/5
Self indulgent as all good prog should be.
Yes, No thanks. no album should start with a near 19 minute self indulgent wank fest.
Prog rock. Enough parts to keep it interesting, but nothing on the scale of Roundabout.
Better that I expected. Nice surprise.
Not the biggest fan of the delivery but the guitar is cool
Really good stuff. 4 stars
I've owned this for a long time and is a classic.
I was exposed to this album not too long ago. An 18 minute song sounds crazy, but it's truly a treat to listen to. Fun instrumentals and vocal work! 'Close to the Edge' is my fave, but out of the 18-minute behemoth, the organs around the 12 minute mark are just amazing.
Meh. Nothing special here.
This was an indulgent chore to listen to.
Im sure that i'm not the first and I definitely wont be the last to make this joke: This band should be called No
After listening to side one, I fully understand the hate for prog. Side two improves a bit, but it’s still largely self-indulgent nonsense.
This was a super interesting album, just 3 (loooong) songs, and really seemed like one where the band was given free reign over everything. As a result you end up with a great easy listening rock experiment. Good album to have, not one I will revisit, but I enjoyed the time I had with it. 4/5
Unlike the last yes album I had on here that was all things I hate about prog rock; extended soloing self indulgence with no relationship to song structure, winding, meandering lost in the wilderness going no where slowly this is after a few listens much more listenable. Never going to be a prog fan though. Yes could still do without the keyboard solo that takes you out of the song, elongated music intro etc. but for a genre I just don’t like it was ok. 3 Star, for the album ignoring the travesty cover version of Paul Simon’s America, that did piss me off and did want to give it 1 Star This is a classic example of prog rock, displaying all the genre brings. Please stop asking me to listen to it. If I just accept its all head music rather than heart and leave it at that. I just must be too thick. There are nice bits of structured song then it just transitions into self indulgence listen to me play before returning to the “song” that kills it dead for me. Making it seem every second of the 18 plus minutes. The shorter songs are more structured and more to my taste. Not as bad as the last Yes album which was all self solo and little actual song structure, but that's faint praise as that 1 made me want to hurt myself. I would after 3 listens have given this an average 3 Star but I had the misfortune on 1st play to go into the travesty that they did on the bonus tracks of Paul Simon’s America and that just pissed me off so 2 Star.
The pitfall of prog is, to put so many ideas in a song that it becomes incoherent. This is not the worst album in that regard, but they haven't managed to avoid it entirely. A lot of prog albums sound constructed rather than composed. This still sounds kind of playful. I don't like the singer's voice. Fortunately he doesn't sing much. Favorite song: the solid time of change
'A dewdrop can exalt us / Like the music of the sun.' Musically, Close To The Edge is decent, approximating Steely Dan at times, tho less jazzy and far less immediate. 'For the crucifixion of her own domain.' Lyrically, it's all pseudo-literary. Even the refrain 'I get up, I get down' - sung w/ what Jon Anderson would like to be soul but is in reality just taciturn geekiness - is supposed to ultimately mean something DEEP but in fact means they read books (Hesse) and thought they were COOL. 'Emotions revealed as the ocean maid.' I'm not sure what they're getting at, but it seems to me that Yes pooh-poohed 'emotions' and went straight for the cerebellum instead. 'Even Siberia goes through the motions.' The fuck?
It’s competently done, but doesn’t really appeal to me
Juu ei. 9 min biisit? Ja liian omahyväistä.
Niinhän se on, että Elvis teki jo kaikki tarpeelliset rock-levytykset. Nyt on aika kisailla siitä, kuka keksii hupaisimman pikku melodian pätkän hupaisimmassa tahtilajissa.
I now understand where Primus came from. And just like that after three minutes it totally changes direction and opens up the chords and melody. Didn’t expect it to go here. I like the journey this takes you through. This might be the album where I understand Yes. I was not thrilled about 10 minute tracks, but this is really good so far. Does Yes have a huge following? If so how did music not progress more? I can see a line from this to TSO and don’t understand why it took so long?
Good album. The trick with any good Progressive Rock composition is to make the listener wanting more despite the fact that song takes up a third of the album. Close To The Edge definitely left me wanting more.
Well well well I know that back in the 70s making a more than 10min song was normal but 18 MINUTES THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH !!!! The worst is that you have some enjoyable parts in those way-too-long songs so I can't say that I enjoyed the album but the singing part was most of the time really good and there were some good riffs as well.
Love the cover Gloomy music
Not sure this would ever be any kind of go-to record for me, but if a friend wanted to listen to it on a roadie, that would suit me just fine. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-close-to-the-edge-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
01) Close to the Edge - 5,5 02) And You and I - 6,0 03) Siberian Khatru - 6,0 TOTAL: 5,83 (58/100) Current ranking: 404/496 This kind of albums makes me feel kind of stupid. Everyone is talking about what a masterpiece it is, and all I hear is an incoherent collection of music put together under the title of the song "Closer to the Edge" which lasts 18 and a half minutes. And I'm trying to understand the quality of that song but I can't. Which means I must be a bit limited and my understanding of music is not good enough. Which makes me very sad. Then we have "And You and I" which is again ten minutes long and has at least four different songs put together and I still don't get the point. The first part is good, then the second part starts... When the third part starts you don't even remember the first one, but we're still on the same song... I don't care. Call me stupid. This is bullshit.
It's a 3.5 but really thought I would hate it and didn't. The guy's voice is alright and though jam band style, it's pretty nice.
me when the rock progs or something
naja, ist bestimmt "künstlerich wertvoll", hat mich aber nicht begeistert
This is impressive in the way someone making a Lego model of your sleep paralysis demon would be: you can marvel at the technical prowess but the artistic direction is somewhat suspect.
7/10
Pure unadulterated prog (not a good thing)
Grew on me as I listened. The lead track was a journey. Very cool album.
I just do not care about this wankery.
I genuinely think that Close To The Edge might be the greatest song ever written. I don't think there's another song that combines four separate prog masterpieces into one mega epic that never drags or gets stale. One of the most satisfying musical payoffs by the end, and that's not even mentioning the grand organ interlude. Side B is also excellent, and manages to not feel tacked on despite Side A being the obvious star
Uff, ganz schön lange Titel. Und kompliziert. Macht Spaß. Progressive Rock.
I want my money back <you didn’t pay any money for this> I don’t care.
Siberian khatru goat, close to the edge is an iconic prog song, and you and I brings the noise down with its softer tone, America is a good catchy “short” song( short for the album). Overall a solid 8/10
I mistakingly cued up Fragile and immersed myself into the super deluxe version. While enjoying that fantastic ride I came over here to write a glowing review only to be reminded that I listened to the wrong album. I didn't think Fragile could be improved, but I almost prefer Close to Edge. This album has the building blocks to prog and it's easy to get lost in. 4/5
Siberian Khatru is the highlight for me. Otherwise I’m just not as super into Yes as much as thought I would be, given how much I like a lot of “prog” music.
1st track: 😐🤚 2nd track: 🧐👍 3rd track: 😶🫴 "Yes"? Nope, "no thanks" more like.
4/5
I'm not usually one for prog rock but this was charming and had interesting melodies. Definitely one to sink ones teeth into.
Gaaf, maar wat minder gefocust dan het andere album. Hierdoor komen de nummers wat minder tot hun recht.
Took me a couple of listens to feel like I understood it in the slightest, but this is prog-rock if I've ever heard it. I wasn't even all that surprised to learn that it was inspired by Sibelius. Choosing a favorite track is weird, because this doesn't really have tracks in the traditional sense, but I guess I'd just say Side A? Favorite Track: Close to the Edge (I. The Solid Time of Change, II. Total Mass Retain, III. I Get Up, I Get Down, IV. Seasons of Man)
Lovely album. Rare that I immediately like an album on the very first song. Will be checking out their other stuff.
Very finely crafted if a little too technically complex in parts for me
I'm sure if you go into an obscure record shop somewhere, all the bearded men behind the counter would be nodding along sagely while this plays over the speakers. You have to have a 'musical ear' to get this. Simpletons don't understand. Prog rock is music in its FINAL form. The truest music in existence. Actually, this got better as it went on, so ignore some of the snark above. It's still definitely a bit wanky, but some of the music and themes are good, and parts of it sound properly epic - particularly as they bring in those cool synths.
This album needs a 10 star option. This is THE ALBUM OF MY YOUTH, which I still revere as one of my fav albums of all time. Never get tired of listening to it and it always feels fresh and vital. 10 Stars!
Yes is the type of band I never think of listening to but I enjoy when I have the opportunity. Some parts groove more than they have a right to, you’ve got a little quasi classical section, a psych inspired section.
A solid album
I get the concept but it is just not for me. Chris Squire's bass tone is sick, though.
good
I'd like to listen again. I enjoyed bits of it, or bits of songs, but I'm not sure I get it as a whole yet. Some just didn't really tickle my brain. 4/10
These are, long songs. I feel like this would fit in Guardians of the Galaxy. It was fine, but I kind of got tired of it.
It was tough to listen to some of it - a little bit too prog for my taste at the first song. But then it kind of grew on me.
¿Otro de Yes? Creo que es el tercero. No ha estado mal, me guardo "And you and I" y "America".
Meh
I generally like Yes (although not a huge fan), but this listen wasn't up to par to me. Not sure what it was, but they have better.
Best progressive album ever.
I'm not generally a fan of prog rock. I didn't know a lot of Yes' work, but from what I did know, I was expecting to go be this about ⭐⭐. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.
Went on too much, not a fan
Another great album by this group. I can definitely recognize where some of my favorite bands got their influence.
Missing a single.
Hmmmmmm, I started listening to this - deluxe edition, and something was off. So I went to the original from 1972. 3 songs. 37 minutes, 42 seconds. Now THAT'S the way I remember it. Beautiful from beginning to end. Saw them at the Aire Crown in Chicago on this tour, and it was magical. Thank you Randy Kolb for introducing me to this band, way back when!
Not their best 70's album.
Eh it's proggy. Some of it wasn't too bad.
more prog wankery, impressive but obnoxious 2.5 rounded up
4.5 stars
It's alright. Boring and not really my thing.
A little long-winded at times but killer tracks. 3.5/5
2.75 Nice and proggy, but this list is just saturated with these groups.
i hope everyone involved feels bad about what they've done
Never was a Yes fan but I do realize their talent as musicians. This album has good production values and sound.
A prog classic! I was originally introduced to Yes via radio in the 80’s during their pop phase (90125). I always loved hearing “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” when it came on my little tape player/radio. Little did I realize what a long wild musical ride Yes had been through to get there. As a young musician starting out in the 90’s, I began hearing the old heads of that time speak about the prog genius that was 70’s Yes. I remember thinking, the ones that did “Owner of a Lonely Heart?” Eventually, when I started down the prog journey from “The Yes Album” to “Tales From Topographic Oceans” my musical brain exploded. “Close To The Edge” is the center piece of this 5 album run of incredible prog installments and it might be my favorite. To this day I still find new things to love about this album and Yes in general so for me this is an easy 5.
Wow, what an opening. It's nice to follow up The Killers with an actual band. I love 70's progressive rock, and this album has it all. It's a sonic journey. Not the best prog album, but definitely worth a 4.
I've heard Yes listed amongst other bands that I like, and the snippets I've caught here and there were enjoyable; I'm interested to give a full album a listen. The trick with prog-rock is balancing the "prog" with listenability. Though typically technically impressive, it's not always enjoyable. To what side of the balance will Close To The Edge lean? The first 3 minutes are a bit scattered with some fun "aahs" unexpectedly jumping in, though things take a majestic turn around the 3 minute mark, and evolutions henceforth are more melodic and tangible, with an epic 3-over-2 section and closer on side 1. Vocal harmonies are on par with Queen's best. I wish the drummer did more; there is so much to explore and feel, and he follows along but may benefit from driving a bit. Prog is not known for minimalism. It does seem Yes is more driven by the keys; they are on display throughout the album, but more evidently forefront on Side 2's "And You And I", which totters between simple,scaled down arrangements and lush, wide sections to blow your mind. Thoroughly enjoyable song. The bassist and guitarist heard me and took offense, and they decided to step it up on the closer "Siberian Khatru." The keys are still busy, but they play a more supportive role. Again, the full range of volume, expansive or minimal arrangements, fast and slow tempos, uplifting or moody vibes, straight and odd times, are all thrown in and necessary for full exploration in this song as well. It may be more impactful to have a song that is just fast or just expansive; it would allow the simple and the complicated to both shine more and offer more variety. Great musicians, great melodies. Good album.
I ended up listening to the much longer remastered version of this album by mistake. I feel like this album demands more of me than I can give to it. It's so dense that it begs to be explored with full attention, and that's hard for me to muster these days. Mom's be multitasking. But I feel like with subsequent lessons I would be finding cool new things each time. Compared to the last album, “The Yes Album,” this one had more funky grooves (at moments). You can't exactly dance to it with all the weird time changes, but I appreciated how it balances its high-minded prog ambitions with some earthy, kinetic playing, just delivered with English art-rock precision instead of for the dancefloor. 3.5
Damn....Yes just always sounds like a few music theory nerds got together to form a band. I usually listen with eagerness for whatever is coming next. This stuff just sounds ahead of its time. Total Mass Retain is siiiiiiiick! I think I have listened to it about 7 or 8 times now. It's one of the coolest songs I've heard in a really long time. The cover of America is really interesting too. I really dig the album but my drawback with some Yes songs is the length of some of them. I feel like they can get the point across sometimes in 4 to 6 minutes. 10 minute plus songs a lot of times just seems like overkill.
My run of albums I can’t get enough is well behind me as this is another in the stream I couldn’t really get into I tried to enjoy this, I’m a fan of progressive rock for sure but close to the edge missed the mark for me . I did like it in parts, it is ambients. I think it’s worth a listen but probably not many more for me
This album pulses with excitement and is engaging from start to finish -highly recommend! Great musicality, unique, and fun.
Lots of impressive organ and guitar
It was a great listen, it felt like one continuous journey, so it's hard to say that I had a favorite song. An enjoyable ride throughout.
Im rating the standard edition album- What’s not to like here? 18 minute songs? Well that’s fair, but let’s just pretend there are multiple songs and that this is like any other concept album. The original version is only 37 minutes, and in those minutes you get some extremely over-produced and over-worked prog rock. Only, as with most music that is touched too much that it turns to dust, this comes across as meticulously polished. It’s an adventure of sound, a foray into so many elements and themes, but stays true to its quirkiness. The production is spectacular and the fidelity is high. I am reminded of Crime of The Century in so many ways when listening to Yes. Both bands just explore their sounds so deeply. Giving us fun and unique music. True gems.
As proggy as original gets which many probably hate but I don't mind. This kind of thing directly led to my favorite bands and how they play so I'm down with it. Single side tracks are awesome
It is YES and prog rock, so it wasn't all bad, but on the other hand it is not one of my favorite YES Albums. Those albums would be FRAGILE (which also came out in 1972), 90215, and Big Generator. I personally would not have included it on this list.
Needs another listen but I loved this album. Yes is one of the best discoveries of this project. Probably an 8.5/10
Wow. Quite different and interesting prog rock. Just 3 v long tracks (18, 10, 8 mins), first couple kind of broken down into a few parts/movements (but v much all flows as one track). Some crazy instrumentation - just track one features a crazy keyboard solo and some phantom of the opera style organs (amongst so much more). My fave completely new discovery since starting this (about 10 albums in).
I'm not much of a prog guy, but this is some really good prog. High 4.
When I finally thought the album was done I checked Spotify only to find that I had only heard the first track and it was 18 min long... Like the music wasn't bad, there were tracks I liked. But I am not just going to revisit 10-18 min tracks because I "kinda" liked them.
Good, more polished than 'The Yes Album', but no standouts
I don’t care much for early yes. I like the stuff from the 1980’s best.
The energy and climaxes these guys bring to their projects is exhilarating
Not for me I think.
The most prog that ever progged.
Thank you Family Guy for giving me the perfect review to give any progressive rock album. It insists upon itself.
Yes is always cool! But still not completely my jam.
Welp, it's time for my final Yes review. And would you know it, I happened to close things out with their best album! Well, best album I've heard, that is. Close to the Edge is amazing! This is far and away the most cohesive Yes experience I've gotten thus far. Everything that I loved about Fragile and The Yes Album is even stronger here. I think what really makes this album work is that there really isn't any filler. There's only 3 songs, all of which are excellent. Compare this to an album like Fragile which had some smaller, less interesting ditties in between the big masterpieces like "Roundabout". Given the low song count, I might as well say something about all 3 songs here. The album starts with its centerpiece, the title track. Yeah this song is a masterpiece. If you wanted to play one song to someone to show them what makes prog-rock so special, "Close to the Edge" might be a good pick. Everything just works, and the 18 minutes are absolutely warranted. I love "And You And I." This one's just such a pleasant listen. I wish I could say more, but I think it really speaks for itself. Finally, "Siberian Khatru" is the album's closer and it's also great. It's probably the most fun song on the album and it serves as a great way to end the album. Jon Anderson's vocals add to the wonder of the instrumentals perfectly. The instrumentation is so technically impressive it's almost unbelievable. The pacing is really good somehow. Albums like this are why I love prog rock so much. There's so many crazy ideas at play that shouldn't work, and yet they do. And it's amazing! This is the kind of album that changes a person's perspective of what music can be. It's not that for me because I've already been exposed to these kinds of songs, but there's no denying that Close to the Edge is an absolutely mind-blowing album that I can't help but love. 5/5.
And You & I is probably my favorite of the three.
great cover of America and a prog rock jam
I’m me of the best live albums ever!
I am not a prog person, but I’ve been listening to Yes discography thanks to this book and must accept that they are really enjoyable! This is a great album.
Very good different to my usal albums but some songs are long but accessible
Great album.
This started out rocky, but did eventually settle down into something fairly enjoyable. Sounds more like look how clever we are and the tricks we can do jammed together than actually serving the song a lot of the time. Over indulged wank like this is exactly what punk was pushing back against.
I’ve really enjoyed the music of Yes that I’d heard before this one, so I went in with some optimism. In a classic prog manner, this is three tracks with a total runtime of 38 minutes. It’s a really journey though, starting pretty frantic, but soon finding the mellows and areas to rock out too. There’s certainly a place for music that easy to listen to, but it’s great when you come across something like this where they clearly wrote things very differently to most musicians. I quite loved this. It’s hard to pick a favourite track out of the three. It’s great as a whole package.
Yes!
“And You and I.” Amazing.
tämä albumi oli niin hyvä että porukka loi uuden genren nimeltä punk joka yritti tasapainoittaa hyvän musiikin sellaisella määrällä paskalla että koko ala ei koskaan palautuisi.. kyllä, sanon minä tälle albumille. edge on the edge kokoajan niin lähellä origasmia.. poppistara kuulee tämän pää räjähtää, pää ei kestä tämmöstä musiikkia . järjetöntä sanoo, täysin järjetöntä. nyyh nyyh, nyyhkyttää vaan.. nyyhkyttää menemään.. mahdotonta ymmärtää käsittää m-mit- mitö t-t-t-tapahtuu samalla jon anderson: i get uuup. i get doo oouwn, i gt uup. i get dooown. (doesn't give a shit) nykyään on hiphop, Ennen oli tämä!!! close to the edge
Again, a record that has completely tripped me up and required me to sit with it for a while. Then again, I think an insanely dense prog rock epic is an acceptable album to get tripped up on. I used to be very, very into prog rock when I was ~13 years old– and Fragile became one of my favorite albums ever as a result of that time– but I quickly moved on to math rock and progressive metal. I loved that style of music for almost a decade. But in my post-grad early 20s, I found myself listening to it less and less, and now, in my 30s, I almost never listen to any technical metal, because how the fuck can I concentrate at my office job while trying to pay attention to 13/7 polyrhythms. And that was the subgenre of progressive music I latched onto; I have even less of a desire to revisit the 70s prog classics that I spent only a brief moment enjoying. I say all this to say that I’ve basically spent the last two weeks listening to Close to the Edge once a day, slowly letting it seep into my mind, once again trying to connect my neural pathways to make sense of this style of music. Even though I do have an affinity for Fragile, I completely missed Close to the Edge (and any other Yes album) in my youth. That’s probably for the better, though, because even to a girl who used to casually listen to Dillinger Escape Plan and Don Caballero and Hella, this record is dense as all fuck. The first couple listens, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. I think that’s mainly because it starts with its most complex elements first. Not only is an 18-minute Side A single track opener a prog-forward ask, but the song doesn’t have any semblance of normalcy until maybe a third of the way through. But that’s the thing. The hooks are there, they’re just buried and extremely deconstructed. The more I listened, the more they stood out, and now two weeks later, I find myself humming those nearly atonal breakdown sections as if they were pop songs. Side B, on the other hand, is much more approachable. That’s a relative statement, of course, given the closing solo on “Siberian Khatru” and the classical composition structure of “And You and I,” but there’s respectively a blues and psych-folk basis to both tracks that make contextual sense. And again, Yes were incredibly good at writing hooks. Those hooks are strange and not necessarily what pop-song ears are used to hearing, but once I tuned my ears to Yes’ vision, I found myself sincerely enjoying this. While the intense, progressive musicality and classical elements may initially read as pretentious, there’s both an earnestness and a mastery to it all that makes it both impressive to hear and digestible, as long as you’re able to meet the band on their terms. All this said, Close to the Edge is one of those weird records where, even though I had to sit with it for a while, my opinion never really changed all that much. While the first 3ish listens were abrasive and difficult, demanding my active attention, I still enjoyed it. Even if I found it strange as fuck, I was still immediately impressed by the skill at hand. The brief moments of pop hook levity were obvious enough even on those initial listens, so I always had something to latch onto. I never found this pretentious or up its own ass, unlike, say Can’s Tago Mago or Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I did need time to digest it, but I still liked it right away. As I took the time to let it sit with me, while it did rise in my ranking, and I did grow to like it more, it still never crossed that final threshold from really liking to absolutely loving. In a different rating system, Close to the Edge is the definition of an 8.5/10. I’d own it, I’d listen to it, I’d play it here and there, and I’d really enjoy it, but it’s not a favorite by any means, and I don’t think I’ll ever love it so much that I’ll obsess over it for a month randomly 6 years from now. Maybe that’s because I know already that I prefer Fragile. Maybe it’s because I value accessibility over mastery. None of this takes away from the fact that Close to the Edge is the definition of mastery, though, and it makes that mastery as enjoyable and as accessible as humanly possible. The best comparison I have is to a Russian tome like The Brothers Karamazov or War and Peace; anyone who has read those books will tell you that they are surprisingly fun, and the drama is nearly soap opera tier, but there’s still a density and complexity to them that requires you to turn your thinking cap on. That’s not a bad thing, and it’s why those books are objectively great. But you’re not going to spend your summer vacation on the Amalfi coast reading Dostoyevsky’s cold nihilism, are you? In the same vein, Close to the Edge is amazing and surprisingly fun at many points, but I’m not going to throw this on while I’m on the elliptical or at a house party, and that’s what holds it back from being a record I love all out.
Mediocre band.
The first song is quite interesting, but the second song feels slow and drags a bit. The final song is cool (I really like the harpsichord) but also very long.
close to a ten
This is #day136 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... I must admit, almost half a year later, I decided to give this another chance. The other day, I discovered there's an Enable Editing section on the site that lets you modify your initial score, and that turned into a bit of a rabbit hole. Anyway, I'm not a prog rock fan, but if we're talking about genre staples that you must hear before you die, this could be one of them. Still, I'd never choose to put it on again, at least not by my own will. I'm changing my rating to 3 out of 5, not a big bump but still. Looking forward to #day137.
Yes’ “Close To The Edge” is a progressive rock masterpiece, with an exceptional production that highlights the virtuosity of the musicians and the complexity of the compositions. Each track is rich in textures and elaborate arrangements, creating an immersive listening experience that captivates the listener. However, the album’s length may be a challenge for some, as its excessive length can lead to moments of dispersion and fatigue, overshadowing the musical genius rather than celebrating it fully.
Quizas el mejor en su género
No
You know, I could actually get into some of this. And then the music gets all coked out and I can’t keep up. It’s good, but it’s way, way too much. So much cocaine!
GOAT
Everything g that is wrong with 70s Music in one album!
This felt like it had a lot of potential to be cool, but somehow ended up feeling kind of insufferable. Maybe worth another listen on another day.
pretentious but in a kinda-right-about-it kind of way
Not for me
-i like this quite a bit more than the other Yes album I got last week (?). I’m still a bit divided on prog rock as a concept, I have kind of a love-hate relationship with it… but this was really interesting. maybe didn’t appeal to me as much as it did to some but def some of the best work I’ve heard from Yes -Favorites are Close To The Edge (The Solid Time Of Change) and Siberian Khatru
I don't get it right now, but I'll listen again someday
Here we have an album that will make you feel like you're journeying through a secret, funky world in the clouds, with build ups and payoffs that stick with you long after you're done listening. Easily in the top 5 prog records of all time, and undoubtedly the best Yes record.
Close to the edge, down by a river is where you’ll find a quintessential prog rock spirit journey that sounds and feels like an endless freefall into enlightenment.
Like an over complicated elevator music
And You and I was pretty good. Whole thing was fine in the background. High 3.
A classic progressive rock album that draws on jazz, classical and jams. Just short of a 5 for me.
This album was very impressive, but not gripping. Clearly an ambitious group, Yes gave us a suite of songs in only 3 tracks, turning each into somewhat of an epic. Clearly this album was designed to be listened to all together, front to back which I can respect. Also, the muscianship was clearly great. The guitar solos ripped and the music began to veer into jazz fusion territory which requires great playing (Siberian Khatru's opening riff was fire). The vocal harmonies show how intricately this album was crafted. However, while I did not read all of the lyrics on paper I did not find a story or anything tying this all together as a rock opera. Also, the melodies were not string enough for me to remember them more than a few minutes after listening.
Supposedly one of the great prog albums, on par with the best of King Crimson and Pink Floyd, among others. In that case, I'm a man of poor taste because I was neither that impressed nor moved by this.
A classic prog rock record but a bit too messy for me. Still influential!
One hears why they ditched the block-chord specialist keyboardist. However, one wonders how the differences in drugs-taking habits have shifted perceptions relative to some of the extended solos. Are – or how much are – the powerful crescendos on the opener a function of waiting (and wading) thru so much extraneous-seeming noodling? And that’s the question with prog-rock, isn’t it, what’s extraneous and what’s essential? I’m not music theorist enough to know but can make some guesses based on informed and emotionally attuned listening. Such glorious excess. One’s exhausted after a track or two, but man are they rich and layered. But the worst parts are also the best parts. Not that one'll be going on the prog rock cruises. On these records, who knows what one's supposed to actually listen to, given the deluxe and expanded editions, etc. Has a bank of guitars ever sounded better or more post-60s modern than on “Total Mass Retain"? The organ on "I Get Up, I Get Down," goes a bit too Vincent Price-y. One's not sure what was on the original album vs. the Deluxe and Anniversary editions, but the wildly off-kilter interpretation of S&G’s “America” (only on Deluxe edition or modern remaster) is not to be missed; the tone of the playing and mood of the lyrics diverge extremely, like to continental proportions (see the keyboard fandango on the line “boarded a Greyhound to Pittsburgh,” which has never sounded so glorious or elevated [that is to say decidely un-Pittsburgh-ish]).
Meh Not horrible, but not great.
Awful - is it meant to sound like that?
I got more into this as it went on. Nice composition and transitions.
I like the range of instrumental types and the instruments used, singing is not annoying which is quite uncommon for songs of this genre/time period. not really any major downsides, except the weird balancing at some points, like the organ in the first or second song. Favorite songs: Siberian Khatru, And You and I. overall around 8/10
Fine but way too long of songs.
Long songs that maybe are best left to their era. Good but Ive never been into prog or drawn out music. Just not for me
3.5/5. Long songs, but I think it works. I would not mind coming back to this.
Brilliant and most enjoyable. I had this album on 33.5 in 1980.
Holy heck, prog rock is such a shitty genre
Interesting but not really my thing.
Nooooo not for me at all. Prog rock
This is my favorite Yes album and probably my top prog album—if I don’t count Floyd as prog. Sure, a lot of prog can be self-indulgent and excessive—something fans love and everyone else loathes—but this album, aptly titled, stops just short of crossing that line.
Gave this an honest focused listen while raking leaves. And I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this record when I could give it the attention needed. The intricacies of the arrangement and harmonies are captivating. A totally different and more enjoyable experience than just “having it on”.
Not as self-indulgent and excessive as some of the other prog records on the list. I liked the first and last song a lot more the middle song.
I did not enjoy this at all. While I never did skip a track, I'm not sure if there's another album on the list that had me looking at the time left in the song as often as this one did.
Meandering and uninteresting to me. The extra tracks on the rerelease are more interesting to me.
Diese Art von "Yes"- Album ist nicht meins: Geduddel mit Jazz. Unerträglich
I can't yet get to the full 4 stars on it because I found elements of the second and third songs to be a bit middling. However, it's undeniably VERY strong, and I think I can definitely raise this rating one day. 3.5/5
Wauw, dit was een nice album, heel veel instrumentale dingen die gebeuren en een soort super maximalistisch album! Wacht, dit is nog steeds het eerste nummer!??!?! En eigenlijk gaat dat de hele tijd door, de muziek is vet maar jezus waarom duurt elk numme zo'n 10 minuten? Dat is echt veel te veel van het goede als je het mij vraagt. Word America nou trouwens gesampled door Simon & Garfunkel? Of is dat andersom?(Blijkbaar andersom, thanks Whosampled) maar ik denk dat dit een van de weinige keren is waar ik de S&G versie beter vind. Elk nummer heeft hele goede momenten, maar is uiteindelijk te langdradig. Ik heb geen hekel aan progrock, heb meerdere progrock albums 4 sterren gegeven, maar dit vind ik niet helemaal mijn ding. FAVO: Close to the edge(laatste 4 minuten), Siberian Khatru,
I feel like from an objective standpoint, I should have enjoyed this, but it just...didn't do all that much for me. A second listen did help a little. I think I can definitely say I appreciate this.
I'm now a fan of yes.
Very good prog album. Not nearly my favorite in the sphere, but YES tends to stay in good graces with music enjoyers because it isn't entirely too superficial or superfluous. Its the common-man's prog. And i love that for them. Lovely mixed meters and tempos as well as unique instrumentations and relative key changes to make everything sound really nice, layered, textured and f u t u r i s t i c. I'm always surprised when I jump in on a YES album, my allegiance lies with Rush, King Crimson, and newer 21st century prog metal. But, YES was one of the OG's.
Long and drawn-out but the band is talented enough and has enough ideas to keep it pretty good. 6/10
I love when an album sounds cinematic. It makes the story their trying to tell come to life!
The word to describe this is pretentious. Three tracks, 38 minutes. The 2 short ones were 8 minutes and only 1 comes close to holding your attention. Just boring.
1977, and my school buddies were aligning themselves with either punk or heavy metal. Not me... I was getting into punk....and Yes. And Close To The Edge was the album that grabbed me. OK, it was everything that Punk was rebelling against, but....man... the masterly musicianship, the fourth dimensional lyrics, the sprawling expanse of music. Can't they both co-exist? Like Sweet and Sour? Listening to it again in 2024...it's still activating those thoughts...but, bygod, it's overly pretentious. Thoroughly enjoyable, but like a Sticky Toffee Pudding, there's just too much in there.
Previously rated: Fragile (5/5) The Yes Album (4/5) *********************** I liked bit and pieces here and there. I wish it was broken up into more tracks so I could add a couple of them that I liked. Nothing here is as memorable as the other two albums I've heard so far.
At first I was turned off & almost ended it, but I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did. Great find! So much different than what I thought they were capable of... all I really knew from them was "owner of a lonely heart" (which I also like) .
Groovy
Was ok. It’s prog rock so not my thing
I'm of the opinion that people listened to Yes and King Crimson because there wasn't a lot of better prog rock at the time. Give me Pink Floyd or Porcupine Tree or Explosions in the Sky any day. (And yes, Floyd was around when this came out, but it wasn't really until '73 that they hit their full stride.) 2 stars
Too proggy for me
Weird & out there & surprisingly neat. Idk, I should probably give it a 4, but I'm giving it a 3.
All the gear, no ideas.
Another album that I should burn rather than be beaming about. I smiled all the way through this.
But never at the edge... At the edge you fall.. Said a dark voice appearing from the dark abyss... The voice was..... syd barret who made this album... His soul... his vision of psychedelic rock is the reason we are standing here at the edge.
Really struggling with the vocals on this one. Musically it's fine.
'Close to the Edge' is the second album I've heard by Yes. I'd previously had 'Fragile' in this challenge, but it was over a year ago and I honestly don't remember much of it. I listened to both albums today, out of curiosity. I think I was a bit harsh on 'Fragile' as just another prog rock album and more of it interested me today. Having said that, of the two I prefer 'Closer to the Edge'. The songs are bigger, longer, and more complex. I appreciate that that won't appeal to a lot of people, but if you're going to do a prog rock album, you want to do it right. It's all over the place (in the best way possible) and demonstrates more openness and lightness than other similar bands. It has more moments to let the music simply breath, which is refreshing. The fact that side A is partly inspired by one of my favorite novels, 'Siddhartha' is a nice bonus. Returning to 'Fragile' after this did make me appreciate it more though. It's certainly more accessible and has more highlights than I'd previously given it credit for.
Great album but not my favourite Yes album
Easy response to this album. No! An 18 minute track to kick off the album was ugh. I’m sorry but these super long tracks artists like to do back then come off as nothing but pretentious. I gave this album until I was done with breakfast, and there were somehow still 3 songs left. I can’t with progressive rock, and most classic/dad rock as it is, so this was extra annoying.
Not my favourite Yes Album, but that's like saying chicken is not your favourite pizza topping. It's still pizza.
I enjoyed this in a mad "prog-it-was-the-70s-why-not?" kind of way.
This first song is long. This whole album is kinda weird! But like okay?
Probably the best Yes album and probably the best Prog record too
3/5
Det här måste man lyssna mycket på för att det ska bli bra.
Prog rock banger if you’re about it
kende ik niet zo goed, maar zeker eerste nummer is keigoed...
This is a very good prog rock album. It is one of the best Yes albums, and their peak, In my opinion. Other albums may have more accessible songs, but this album was sort of the culmination of their work to that point. The title track is a masterpiece.
This was torture on my ears. What the hell? I have to believe brain damage is a must to enjoy this kinda stuff or lots of drugs or a combination of both. Woo this was a tough listen.
2.5 Yeah, I’m not getting the hype behind this one. Granted, I’m not a huge prog rock guy, but I can certainly admit there are some cool offerings from the genre - they’re just not on this album. Nothing here wowed me in any way; it just felt overly long and complex for the sake of being overly long and complex. I do appreciate the fact that the first two songs seem to break off into segments to help with the pacing, but there wasn’t any one chunk in particular that felt unlike anything else I’ve heard from Yes - which is three albums at this point, and this one doesn’t even have Roundabout on it. It’s kind of like pizza - if you were presented with an X-Large pie containing every topping known to man on it, would you really opt to eat that over a simple, well-done medium pepperoni? Cause to me, that sounds like an over-indulgent mess, but I’m sure it would have its takers, just as this album does here. The bright side of this album is that it gave me a further appreciation of punk rock. You don’t hear any of the bullshit in that genre you do here - it’s straight-to-the-point, all killer no filler. While I definitely wouldn’t say this album is bad, it just didn’t succeed in pulling me in at any point across my listening to it. At the risk of getting my music nerd card taken away (jk that thing’s been long revoked), I would probably opt to listen to Owner of a Lonely Heart over anything found here.
Siberian Khatru slapped
Prog rock can be real hit or miss. This is clearly a prog classic, but Close to the Edge feels like a bit of navel gazing from Yes.
So very prog, but I do appreciate a runtime significantly under an hour. It was too prog for me, but still more enjoyable than I expected.
I need to listen to this again. I just listened through my phone which was probably not doing it justice. Will give it another go on big speakers one day.
Favorite Track: And You and I
A notable Prog rock album but there are definitely better from Yes’s contemporaries
Was an alright album. My favorite part happened around 10 minutes into the first song. It sounded alright, and it was catchy, but the first song being 18 minutes long is what initially made me not like it as much. It’s not for me, but it’s definitely not completely horrible as an album.
Pretty batshit. Goes so many different places and is excessive while also being very nerdy. I actually really enjoyed it, even though it is so ridiculous. A good time and worth relistening! 4/4.5
Ok ok ok not that bad
In fairness to this album, I only listened once. Yes' brand of prog rock has yet to click with me, and this album felt the same. Despite my trying to just become engulfed in the music, the 10-20 minute songs weren't for me. Technically good music playing and nothing else. 2/5.
TOO MUCH ORGAN OMFG. lay off the keys my man…i don’t like the guy’s voice—that very 70s strained-sounding style (not sure how else to describe this). i feel like these albums are difficult to rate because i literally don’t feel anything about them but “0 stars” implies i think it’s bad—but i don’t. i don’t think anything.
girl what the hell. i guess i don’t really know the “use case” (for lack of a better/less-nerdy term) for this kind of music. is this something people are listening to just to chill in their house or is it oriented around industrious live performances? it feels too sprawling to be the former but not interesting enough to be the latter. i really don’t want anymore Yes albums… pleek….pleek…….…
Pretty cool. Didn’t capture my attention really, but everything is well executed.
I struggled with this one
Let's just say that I wasn't over the moon to have more Yes so quickly after the last one. However, this one was loads better! It was so much tighter and more disciplined, and fundamentally less proggy than the other one. It came in at a nice tight 37 mins, and while I'm glad it wasn't much longer, I didn't particularly wish it was shorter.
Even if it was just the title track it would be a 5, the other two are just a bonus. This is why i'll always love longer songs, you just get to fit so much in, it becomes a real journey rather than just a quick little musical fix. Prog at it's peak.
Can hear that it's musically involved and diverse, the guitar and piano background makes for what I associate is the classic prog rock sound. I perhaps need to listen more times, to me the instruments aren't clicking together as perfectly as I would expect a famous album like this to. 3.5
Prog from the 70's is really hit and miss with me. When this album started I was afraid it would turn into an Emerson Lake and Palmer ordeal. Luckily the music ended up more like early Genesis and the album turned into something very enjoyable.
Si on m’avait donné un bidou à chaque fois qu’un excellent album prog de Yes avait été généré directement après un autre classique de prog rock, j’aurais deux bidoux, pis je serais très satisfait de ma situation
Yes Extremely original and beautiful and meaningful music for me. I used to listen to these Yes albums from 71-74 religiously. I got into this in middle school and it was one of the first things that really blew my mind and opened me up to what music can be and what a band can do. Each song is such a journey. The composition and playing are incredible and also the mix and production. Love all the peaks and valleys and textures
Super unique and inventive songwriting. Every song is such a wild journey. Such an interesting listen and breath of fresh air from the usual stuff on this list
This was cool. Especially the first one
Two long songs - more suites than just single tracks. It is what is to be expected from Yes, though not as strong as their other albums. Enjoyable.