Reviews (page 6 of 9)
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.
The progchamp of our generation
3 - I thought this was very interesting, and I feel like I know a lot of Yes' bigger songs. This was very experimental and didn't hit the same for me
Surprised (well, no, not really) how little I liked this
Chat GPT, write me some enigmatic lyrics an unspecified journey to a majestic place. Don't worry about making sense, just make it go for 40 minutes. The music is interesting though.
Liked much of it
Close to the Edge “Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time Insane teacher be there reminded of the rhyme There'll be no mutant enemy we shall certify Political ends as sad remains will die Reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you Oooh, ooh’ I mean what can you say about this album? It’s Yes, it’s 18 minute songs consisting of multiple parts, there's lots of technical skill, there's blues and folk influences, the lyrics are shit, the singer enunciates all the syllables at equal length and it’s all a bit lumpen. So it’s exactly what it is - if you are into them and Prog then I imagine this is great. If you aren’t that into them then this all feels a bit pointless. The Close to the Edge Suite - not a great deal to pick out, the guitar intro is immediately aggravating and I don’t think the reggae inspired beat works particularly well. Although I do quite like the bass sound, there is the odd good guitar run here and there and some of the backing vocals are decent. There is probably a great folk inspired song in And You and I, but it gets lost in the rather unnecessary musical changes. This is also probably the worst track for lyrics and vocal style. His voice isn’t particularly interesting and the vocal/melodic style isn’t great either. Similarly there is a decent blues/funk rocker in Siberian Khatru, but, again, the musical changes don’t add to it, they rather dilute the nucleus of something good in that riff and bassline. I think Prog is the genre I’ve struggled most with so far with the list, especially as I feel like I’m now starting to appreciate Jazz (even if I’m not yet fully embracing it). I hadn’t listened to a great deal of Prog before, despite some attempts, so I was looking forward to giving things like this a proper go, but I’m finding it hard going. Not because, I think, I’m struggling with the musical density and difficulty of it, more that I’m struggling with it philosophically. Everything, both musically and lyrically seems to be done for the sake of being complicated or fantastical, with very little sense of either depth or fun, emotional weight or joy, or that it comes from a genuinely different perspective or from actual musical bonkersness or eccentricity - purposefully writing stupid lyrics and overcomplicating songs seems to be the only principle, rather than actually making genuinely interesting music. I gave the previous Yes album 3, as I think it had better songs and ideas and I probably had more of a sense of innocent open mindedness back at album no 82, but this is certainly a 2. It can’t be a 1, as I think, despite the above, there are some decent moments and I can appreciate that if you are a fan then this is good, but it really doesn’t work particularly well musically or emotionally for me. 🥱🥱 Playlist submission: Siberian Khatru
Too long. And bad.
This is a transition album from Yes being great to a quick decline into totally pretentious prog rock without good songs. 1971 saw The Yes Album and Fragile released, when I was 15 and then 16. Both are wonderful albums, and us “cool kids” were way into them. Sure, some of the lyrics were a bit out there but with rocking tracks like Yours is No Disgrace, I’ve Seen All Good People, Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise, we overlooked any lyrical craziness. Then as junior year of high school started, CTTE dropped. We were ravenous for it and the diehards loved it. I thought it had its moments (parts of side one, almost all of And You and I), but the lyrics were ridiculous and the songs were not as good as on the previous two albums. Then a year later the double-album (with 4 tracks, each about 20 minutes long) Tales from Topographic Oceans was released and was awful, and things continued downhill after that. 3.5 rounded down to 3 based on what followed #illogical
I didn’t listen to the deluxe edition, just the regular. That was enough. Probably a 1.5.
Good
Very nice progrock, Enjoyed listening to this in the morning during work. Would check out more.
Pretty cool. I got Plok vibes at some point and I liked the synth.
Opening track is seriously amazing, one of the best prog tracks of all time in my eyes. The rest of the record is great too but that opener still manages to blow them away, which makes this album a fantastic listen.
Mediocre.
This one really grew on me. I started out with unpleasant memories of suffering through Rush and was thinking “oh great…it’s another self-indulgent prog rock circle jerk.” But I have to say Yes won me over with this album and may have just restored my faith in prog rock in the process. As the album started, I was starting to wonder if maybe I just don’t like prog rock. And I’ll admit, there’s still an element of self-importance that I find a bit off-putting. But each time I wanted to write it off, there was some groove or tonal shift or vocal run that kept me engaged. Finally, I decided to just lean in and ignore the part of me that wanted to dislike this, and when I did, I found myself starting to bob my head, then tap my foot, and before I knew it, I was full on air drumming. And as the album progressed (and certainly upon repeated listens), there was a very pure enjoyment to be found. I wouldn’t count this among my favorite records, but I’d gladly admit I’m a fan. Close to the Edge plays almost like a symphony and I find that quite interesting. And I think the band really nails the more intimate movements like “I Get Up I Get Down” and especially “And You and I” (which reminds me a lot of LZ’s “That’s the Way”). Overall, I’d definitely revisit this one, and I look forward to other Yes installments. 4/5 Highlights: I Get Up I Get Down And You and I
Just way too long and boring for me
Progressive paradise. 4.3 stars
Super enjoyable, love the vocals
I wish they broke it up in shorter songs but either way I really liked it
Really, really good. Could be a five. Almost
This is an absolute masterpiece of progressive rock. It's not only incredible as an album, but also important for what it meant to the genre as a whole, and how it inspired the albums that followed. It's meant to be listened to as a whole—it doesn't work any other way, in my opinion (although the first track is a mind-blowing on its own as well). 5 stars
I honestly wish I could give negative stars. This was a huge waste of time.
Honestly it's a bit of a new, but it feels like that is on purpose, and as long as I don't try to fight it and just go with the chaos it's not unpleasant. Standouts Siberian Khatru 3/5
Fantastic!
Amazing album. Their musicianship is impeccable. Yes was a huge band, but they deserve an everlasting spot in the hearts of music fans.
Their greenest. Features probably the best song of all time, and two more songs that are also most likely in the top 50. Undoubtedly a 10/10 album - an absolute masterpiece.
2 heavy on the progg, 2 easy on the grogg
No. Didn't make it though the 1st (18 min+) track. Life's too short.
Favourite tracks: close to the edge
you already know what I’m gonna say: yeah!
Yes and King Crimson are my two pinnacles of a genre that has I think has incredibly high highs and not a lot else that I really have clicked with. I’ve also only listened to a small sample size of both of their vast discographies. But the albums I like of them both, I think I could listen to forever. This album specifically goes to so many fascinating places. I love the organ and bass sounds specifically on the first sprawling song and I love the way that song shifts to highlight different sounds. It’s pure sci-if!
As a childhood prog-rock fan this album was always one of my favs... i do think these days that prog rock is for loser nerds but I still have a lot of affection for the bands I liked when I was in grade 9 (king crimson, rush, yes, ect.) this album i think is really pretty and good - it never really allows itself to get boring and I think it's neat runtime accomplishes that.
Prog Rock again! I'm into it. 3 songs, 40 minutes long, opens with birdsong and the music of nature so you know you're in for a treat of experimental sounds. This was a fun discovery
8.5/10 Loved this. Yes have a reputation of being silly and unlistenable and this was neither. Yes, there were a couple of times there was a “try all the keyboard instrument modes” feel, but they kind of worked A firm base of good musicians playing good tunes allowed the proggier stuff to work The second half of the first track, huge mad church organ into sci-fi sounds, was brilliant Best: Close to the Edge
97% Fav: Close to the Edge; Siberian Khatru Must-Hear? Hell yeah
ugh, prog
7/10
this sounded like a jam session in a good way. Pretty fun 70s album.
Groupe connu, par leur tube "Owner of a Lonely Heart" plus récent. J'ai découvert bien plus tard les premiers albums du groupe (Fragile, Relayer et celui-ci), et j'ai été agréablement surpris par cette différence de style par rapport aux albums plus récents. Dans celui-ci j'aime bien "Siberian Khatru", mais moins les autres morceaux. C'est difficile d'être pertinent sur une face de disque ... Pour moi les seuls groupes qui ont réussis cet exploit sont Genesis ("Supper's Ready") et Rush ("2112"). Ici je trouve le milieu de Close to the Edge très ennuyeux, même si le chorus de clavier qui suit est plus intéressant. Et cette nouvelle écoute ne m'a pas fait changer d'avis. Cet album n'a donc pas rejoint ma collection ... =>3/5
Who actually wants to make a 20 minute song? Or listen to it?
Koko levyn toivoin vain että loppuis jo.
A fun surprise! This album took some time to appreciate but I liked how unique it was and how diverse in music styles. It reminded me at times of Queen, and Blubby likened it to Mars Volta which was a good reference. Will be diving in more in this band!
More good prog. I don’t understand prog well enough to write about it, but I know that I like this.
Neat. The movement of the tracks was pretty slow but not tedious. Seems ahead of its time.
Progressive Rock suggests it’s Rock that is better than the Rock that came before, and that is clearly not the case with this album. Progress is an admirable goal, but they fell short here. This is the musical equivalent of Musk trying to build something better than an underground train and ending up with an inefficient taxi service that can only drive one route very slowly. It’s stupid enough trying to reinvent the wheel, but you should at least arrive at something that functions as, you know, a wheel!
There were bits I quite enjoyed. Maybe on a different day it could score higher.
This album misses the mark. the songs are miles too long, and even when they get going they aren't great. The band should be called No after this effort
I found it interesting enough, the cover of America wasn't bad but it didn't hold a candle to the original. Didn't hate it, didn't love it, less Yes and more Meh
No!
This is not the type of music I would seek out, but it was great.
Back in the late '80s, I was listening to "Big Generator" (a 1987 Yes release) and hit a wall. I decided I never again needed to listen to another Yes album and sold my CDs to a music store and that was the last time I listened to the band. So, I went into this thinking I wasn't going to enjoy this session. Alas, perhaps my 35-year hiatus was all I needed to renew my appreciation for the band. It was Jon Anderson's vocals that sent me over the edge all those years ago, and on this album, I found him much less difficult. The bass tones are ridiculous (in a good way) on this, the drums and keyboard work are exceptional, and I'm all in for the 10+minute explorations and odysseys. So, OK. Bring on the early '70s Yes, at least for now.
Everything that's right and wrong with prog, except all the wrong things are somehow right. It's preposterous, pretentious, ridiculous and whatever other -ous word you wanna throw at it, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The title track is so over-the-top that it would be laughable if it weren't so damn sublime. It is the best prog song that can ever possibly exist. The fact that this was a massive hit, and that these guys sold out stadiums playing this cacophony blows my mind.
Man oh man, this is the kind of prog rock I can get behind. I wouldn’t call this prog rock but since others do… Was surprised how many songs I recalled.
Not a huge progressive rock fan. It’s good for what it is. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
let me start out by saying that these guys are very talented. i do like rush and what i have heard from king crimson, so it’s not that i don’t like progressive music, but it’s that yes is just so… boring. the album clocks in at just under 38 minutes. and there are only THREE songs, so i knew going in this would be a challenge. the issue that many progressive bands have is that they tend to lean towards songs being long, grandiose epics full of masturbatory excess. any time a band separates a song into separate “suites”, that’s usually a bad sign. this is one of those albums. but like i said, they’re very talented.
Not my jam.
While not as many songs grabbed me as the other Yes album, their originality brings a breath of fresh air
Experimental, didn't really love it but didn't really hate it either.
Kind of interesting. Kind of jammy and electronic.
Initially thought I never heard of this band, but “And You and I” reminded me of a song from the movie Almost Famous. Yep, they are on there lol. Seeing an 18 min opening song annoyed me. Got sick of the vocals by the end of the album.
The huge first track of this album is considered a masterpiece of prof rock. It has all the parts of one for sure - complicated rhythms, technical instrumentals, metaphorical lyrics, a central musical theme, LENGTH. I think I would have to listen to it multiple times to really appreciate it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it and it didn’t feel like 18 minutes at all, I just think there’s more there to understand, as there is with all of Yes’s big epics. It’s not quite as digestible on the first run like Crimson or other contemporaries are. I only listened to the first three tracks because that’s what’s in the original album and I wanted to stick with that. I think I liked “And You and I” the most out of all three tracks. The keys and voice work are classic Yes. The final track “Siberian Khatru” is the most straightforward part of the whole album. It’s a fun track, and the guitar is great in it. I want to give this a 3.75 so I’m going to round up. It’s a bit up its own ass but not more than any prog album should be.
Starting to think some of these Brit prog acts didn’t have much to say.
Experimental much
If I could pick one album to erase from my memory just so I could experience it again for the first time, it would be Close to the Edge.
another piece from the experimental period of Rock and Roll.
Honestly it's a bit of a mess, but it feels like that is on purpose, and as long as I don't try to fight it and just go with the chaos it's not unpleasant. Standouts Siberian Khatru 3/5
I have a sort of best of double album by this lot, so I sort of new what I was going to get. And I wasn't exactly disappointed nor was I overjoyed. It's OK, but not what I would call outstanding. It's mid-range, so the score must match. 3 it is.
The positive: he has a nice voice. But I just don’t get Prog. Too many ideas jumbled up into 1 track. No flow. Just weird.
Prog is just not my thing. It sounded exactly how I expected it to be; with harpsichords, big riffs and odd lyrics about stuff no one cares about. Then there was the third song with it's funky way-outness. I did like that one so it gets a 2.
Prog Rock ist nicht so mein Ding
3.8
I knew we were in trouble when I thought the 16th minute of track one surely was the halfway mark of the whole album. Okay now at Siberian Khatru and thinking they just a very long to get into the swing of things. There's so fricken jazzy guitar playing going on here. Nope we're back to bad prog. Tantalisingly close to a great album but it never finds its course. The half star is a very rare move for me but would give 3.5 if i could
Utter Prog Rock wankery, 3 songs, 37 minutes long. Rick Wakeman just banging his fingers to nubs on any keyboard he could find. Acquired taste, and I fear this exercise of listening to 1001 albums has led me to acquire that taste.
2024-07-18...
This record wasn't as bad as the last Yes record but I wouldn't say it was good. I like the idea here but there has to be SOMETHING to hold onto. Some melody or something.
An 18 minute song is ridiculous!
Hvis man lige kan abstrahere fra DnD vibesene er det virkelig et epic album som jeg har hørt meget engang. Første sang især er bare en classic og er så god!
Full of great riffs, really liked this. Always forget to listen to Yes.
This album is an experience. Musically, it is a playground of immense size and scope that I want to play in but lack the confidence and skill. There are moments and flourishes that are amazing, and moments that are beyond me. If you are patient, you’ll be rewarded for sure.
It's not a Yes from me. Wasn't sure how to rate this one because parts of it were good. But overall, I was begging for the album to end. Songs were way too long. The bird noises at the start threw me off, and theres multiple riffs and genres mashed together on one song. Also wasn't a huge fan of the singers voice. Sorry! 2 ⭐️
An all time great - needs to be listened in its entirety. One from Peter collection
Not Yes' best work in my personal opinion
Ironically, no.
Quality prog that doesn’t overstay its welcome
Beautiful monstrosity. An abomination of all possible noises and sounds in the field of prog rock that comes together and produces one hell of a trip.
Yes are another band I feel predisposed to like because of my Dad, and some bits of this were alright. Other bits were a bit dragged out but it wasn’t the worst things I’ve listened to out of this list so far (67 albums deep) and maybe there are better Yes albums to come?
Gotta always say yes to Yes.
Loved this!!
Here is Yes' most ambitious album to date, with two multi-movement songs and one regular (9-minute) song. The result is an album that feels larger than life, and perhaps the greatest prog rock album of all time? It gives Pink Floyd a run for their money, I'll say that much.
I've never listened to Yes before, but was immediately able to clock them as an influence on a lot of bands I really love (eg Flaming Lips). I think with more listening this album could become a fave.
Il y a des albums, dans cette liste des "1001", qu'on aborde avec la même joie communicative qu'un rendez-vous chez le proctologue. On sait que c'est un classique, que des armées de critiques à lunettes et de fans à chemises de satin ont décrété que c'était un chef-d'oeuvre. On sait qu'on doit l'écouter. Mais on sait aussi, au plus profond de nos tripes, qu'on va passer un sale moment. "Close to the Edge" de Yes, pour moi, c'était l'Everest du chiant, la promesse d'une agonie musicale en plusieurs mouvements. Et quelle agonie ce fut. Je vais être direct, parce que la vie est trop courte et cet album est trop long : "Close to the Edge" est la synthèse parfaite de tout ce qui me file des boutons dans une certaine frange du rock des années 70. Ce n'est pas juste Yes que je mets en cause, c'est toute une idéologie musicale. C'est le Rock Progressif dans ce qu'il a de plus pompeux, de plus prétentieux, de plus indigeste. Rien que le nom, "rock progressif", est un programme. L'idée que le rock, cette musique de rebelles en trois accords, devait "progresser" en devenant une sorte de musique classique pour chevelus, avec des structures à tiroirs, des solos qui durent le temps d'une gestation de hamster et des textes qui se veulent plus profonds qu'un traité de Kant écrit en sanskrit. Quelle putain d'escroquerie. Pendant que ces mecs construisaient leurs cathédrales sonores, ils oubliaient l'essentiel : le rock, c'est l'urgence, l'énergie, le coup de poing dans la gueule. Ce n'est pas un concours de vélocité sur un manche de guitare ou un exposé sur les cycles lunaires de la mythologie sumérienne. Quatre ans plus tard, les Ramones, avec leur QI cumulé probablement inférieur à celui du claviériste de Yes, allaient prouver qu'on pouvait changer le monde avec trois accords et des "Gabba Gabba Hey". Eux, c'était le progrès. Yes, c'était la régression dans la complexité stérile. L'album ne contient que trois morceaux. Trois. Pour 38 minutes. Déjà, ça sent l'arnaque. Le morceau-titre, qui occupe toute la première face du vinyle, est une épreuve de 18 minutes. Dix-huit putains de minutes ! C'est plus long que mon dernier rendez-vous chez le dentiste et infiniment plus douloureux. Ça commence, ça s'arrête, ça repart dans une autre direction, ça murmure, ça explose… C'est un assemblage de segments brillants, si on les prend séparément, mais qui, mis bout à bout, ne créent qu'une seule chose : un ennui abyssal. Alors oui, il faut leur reconnaître un truc. Les mecs de Yes savent jouer. Putain, s'ils savent jouer. C'est une armée de virtuoses. Rick Wakeman est un magicien des claviers, Steve Howe martyrise sa guitare avec une technique effarante, Chris Squire fait des trucs avec sa basse que la plupart des bassistes n'oseraient même pas imaginer en rêve. Mais à quoi bon ? C'est une démonstration de force, une branlette de manche cosmique qui ne sert qu'à une chose : impressionner les autres musiciens. C'est de la musique pour musiciens, pas pour les gens. La virtuosité sans l'âme, sans le feeling, c'est juste de la gymnastique. Et moi, la gymnastique, ça me fait chier. Les deux autres morceaux, "And You and I" et "Siberian Khatru", sont du même tonneau. C'est techniquement irréprochable, c'est ambitieux, c'est orchestré avec une précision chirurgicale. C'est aussi froid qu'un bloc opératoire et aussi passionnant qu'un manuel d'utilisation de micro-ondes. On sent l'effort, la sueur, les heures passées à tout calibrer, à tout millimétrer. Mais on ne sent jamais le coeur. On ne sent jamais le sang. Le verdict est donc sans appel. C'est un album qui, objectivement, a des qualités. Il a repoussé les frontières du rock, il a montré qu'on pouvait faire autre chose que du couplet-refrain. D'accord. Mais subjectivement, et c'est tout ce qui compte ici, c'est une purge. C'est le son d'une époque qui se regardait le nombril, persuadée que complexité rimait avec intelligence. Ce fut 38 minutes d'efforts que je ne renouvellerai pas. La note est sévère, mais elle est à la hauteur de mon exaspération.
3 songs
PROG. ROCK. These freakin nerds. Good for them.
I wanted to like it more but unfortunately didn’t do much for me
This was really great considering I had no expectations going into it. Really enjoyed their version of America
I liked this album, I spent a lot of time trying to think of why they sounded so familiar and Grant said the song America and it allllll clicked
new to me. Almost baroque or symphonic? I Didn't love it at first but wasn't paying attention. It grew on me after listening like 3 times.
I don't love Yes but it was interesting to hear what made them famous
Yes has been underrated throughout history IMO because of the Dead and other jam bands of that era. Very solid band; excellent album!
Another classic YES album. Loved it.
Busy, too much going on. I prefer Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
A three but that is maybe a little bit based on how I remember Yes. Innovative as they were, some sounds seem very dated.
I hated this so much that I might quit smoking weed just so no one ever accuses me of being a prog fan
4.5 great prog
My favorite Yes album, Rick Wakeman is absolutely mental in this
Technically very competent but no real emotions evoked. As a result it was hard to stay focused on the long haul experience each song offered.
I wish I was better able to understand the lyrics when I listened. Felt like it was probably pretty deep
The nature sounds to start the album off are nice. Very interesting instrumentation, especially the guitar. Really excited for another progressive album. This first song has been a wild ride. Am loving the gothic organ type music 12 mins in! Another vibe change within the same song! Keeps you guessing for sure. And You and I is a really good song. I like the folky bit 6 mins in. The nonsense lyrics sprinkled in are kind of funny to me. So far it has been an ok album, but nothing has gripped me. Some of the instrumentation seems a bit pointless, which I think is a common gripe of progressive music. I am enjoying the song America. This album was fine, but nothing special. That was surprising to me since I enjoy prog so much.
A nothing album
Heard some of it, just to long of songs that didn't really land.
2.5/5
113/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Pompous, fantasy van music. The funny part is, I don't think nights flying dragon or aliens, floating through space would want to listen to the garbage. When it comes to Yes, I say no thanks.
No
I like a lot of Yes songs, but this album was a hard listen. I imagine this is what it feels like in a schizophrenic's brain
Ok
prog slog
One of the iconic albums of Progressive rock. If you look on the internet for “best prog albums”, this will be in almost everybody’s top 3. For good reason. It is my #1 prog album, certainly top 10 overall. I’ve had this album (in multiple formats) since the 70’s, it is an old friend. We don’t get together as much as we used to, but it’s always a good time when we do. Stick to the original track list (1st 3 songs), the way it was meant to be presented. You can listen to the bonus material independently, their version of “America” is worthy. This is an easy 5/5.
Now back to your regularly scheduled prog I love '70s prog and this is a high watermark of that era. Easy five for me.
Not a prog enjoyer
Omg I LOVE this album. I never knew I liked prog until I heard Yes. And maybe I don’t so much like prog as much as I just love Yes.
This album withstands the tests of time!
Another blast from the past. I don't think I've listened to this one since college. Pretty free form selection. Love 'And You And I'.
Edging is cool
I'm not sure why I like Yes, but I do.
Lovely prog rock album by Yes. Compared to Fragile this one is more well-rounded. It's good throughout the whole album. I'm having a hard time giving more than 4 as it's missing a certain element of excellence that I have a hard time specifying.
I have always loved this album.
My first impression on seeing the album consisted of 3 tracks spanning 37 minutes was this may be a bit of a journey. Indeed, it was a bit of a hazy experience, I think it would be enjoyed better with the accompaniment of some psychedelics but in the absence of illicit substances this was a bit meh.
A very cool and detailed rock album. I was nervous seeing the 37 minute run time with only 3 tracks. It was best to listen to it as a listening experience rather than one song after another.. The instrumentals are very intricate and rich with many different elements and influences. I really like the vocal performances too, especially midway through the first track. Definitely an album I could see myself buying and spinning to fill the house.
Hell yes. This has set the mood for the whole day and I'm so excited for it. Prog for focus and relaxation and profit.
It’s ok. There are better Yes albums.
This is kinda a meh Yes album in my opinion.
Interesting album. Some of the segments are great, but it does ramble at times. Overall good, just not the easiest listening. 3/5 Might listen again
I like two songs by YES. Neither is on this album. But if you've ever heard Roundabout and thought, I wish this song was longer, 10 minutes longer, and more pointless - this may be the album for you. Not for me though.
Awful rubbish. Should be relegated to history
Not big on prog nowadays but this kept me VERY entretained troughout.
I have no aversion to progressive rock with its 10+ minute tracks and 9/16 timesignatures, quite the contrary, but if this album is the definition of it... Hear me out. Sometimes musical genres are like people. They get thrown into the world and spend a few years in playful innocence, childish and a bit dumb, maybe mimicking their parents for a while. And then they become teenagers, clumsily stumbling onto their own paths, full of occasionally cring– ... initially, I had yapped on for a bit and you might extrapolate where I was going with this but somewhere along crafting my witty comparison I discovered the Steven Wilson remixes. Seems like what bothered me greatly was the original sound which made the album a fairly disjointed, shrill experience, to my ears. Now it does not. Which leaves me with something that's sometimes more over-the-top, baroque weird than great, but there's plenty of great. It's weird, somehow I can't quite commit to loving this but as a matter of fact, I've been listening to this all day long, sooo...
no comment
I see where Wolfmother got their sound from. I really enjoyed this album. Pure progressive genius. My favourite song was And You And I due to its progressive acoustic feel; Close To The Edge came a close second. Would absolutely spin it again.
psychodelic rock der 1970er
Er en vibe
For prog rock it's not terrible!!
i am gen z and don't have the patience required to properly enjoy a 20m prog rock track on the first go around... Honestly really good for studying / working, it occasionally gets really good to the point where I have to put down what I'm doing and enjoy it for a minute (like rn) but I think it's not for me yk?
Boring and weird.
A wild ride
Never thought I’d find an album too “progressive”, but hey, if you are a fan of the genre, you’re going to love this album.
Wenn man das Konzept verstanden hat, dann hat das erste Stück wirklich einen ganz besonderen Reiz. Man muss sich aber auch die Zeit nehmen... Die Stücke sind episch. Es sind aber sehr schöne Themes
It's the master piece of Yes and probably of prog. I can see how some people will hate it bit its pretty much perfect is its scope ambition and influence.
If my kids ever ask what 70s prog-rock sounded like outside of radio-edited singles, I feel confident that I can point to this or Jethro Tull’s “Thick as a Brick” as representative examples. I’m equally confident that they will never ask that question. Prog-rock singles are just fine.
As with many orchestral songs, there are parts I like and parts I don’t. But at the end of the day, there was almost nothing memorable about this album, except for the concept.
Not my favorite Yes album, but And You and I is one of my favorite of their songs. 3.5 rounds to a 4.
I rather enjoyed most of this one. The WEEyooooo keyboard sound is a little grating, but the bass and drums are fantastic throughout. I do feel like “America” is a miss, and kills the journey of the first 3 songs. Pleasantly surprised over all.
I do love me some prog rock. And this is kinda quitessential.
It’s classic Yes…there is no mistaking it. They make it feel grander and bigger than I think it really is. I get the one side, one song thing broken up into parts. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it. They have a great sound at shows up in their more rock/pop songs later.
Interesting. I didn't hate it, but these hour long albums where the band mostly plays with some splashed in words is interesting and not my cup of tea.
pretty good, early prog.
This is genuinely excellent. I can see why people go nuts for it. Not enough to my taste for the full five though.
Sometimes albums are so tightly constructed, so gorgeously written and performed, that they zip by in the blink of an eye. So it is with Close to the Edge, a contender for Yes’s greatest work that takes three songs and presents them as a mindbending suite.
Three songs too many Rambling jammy hoopla No hooks, just endless
I'd heard of Yes, but hadn't listened to them. I'm not sure how that had happened but i'm glad it did. time saved
Not4me
Good. First track sounds like phish
This is overly long and too similar to Roundabout for me
holy shit
Close is undoubtedly one of the most engaging prog rock records if only for its incredible and sprawling opening self-titled track that features everything from the fast and aggressive guitar, bass, and drum playing of Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Bill Bruford respectively, the beautifully played church pipe organ in the third part of the song by Rick Wakeman, and an infectious chorus that is delivered throughout the track by the whimsical Jon Anderson. "And You And I" is one of the sweetest and most endearing prog rock tracks to be written, containing a wonderful opening part featuring Howe's 12-string acoustic guitar and a lovely refrain from Anderson, the spacey and almost otherworldly feel of its second part courtesy of Wakeman's keyboards and the guitar playing of Howe and Squire alongside Anderson's drawn-out vocals, to the graceful allusions to religion in Anderson's verse in the third part in an almost folk-like delivery before being capped off by Anderson singing the beautiful refrain one last time. Siberian Khatru is certainly the most straightforward track here, but even then it is a complete rocker, thanks to its upbeat instrumental featuring a killer bassline from Chris Squire, some great and intricate keyboard passages from Wakeman, and a catchy chorus delivered throughout the track. The only real nitpick I could make about the track is how it just fades out with the main melody in the end after the final part where the band starts to do a sort of chant. In short, Close to the Edge is one of the prog rock greats, and that is something that cannot be taken away from Yes, no matter what they did before or after this record. "And you and I climb over the sea to the valley And you and I reached out for reasons to call"
i feel like i'm being pranked but the prank is just some excellent music
it's one of my first/few so far ventures into progressive rock and I am not disappointed – it's some cool shit. definitely makes me look into the genre more
Fun album
I found this a bit of a chore to get through. I'm not the biggest fan of 15 minute + soundscape-esque songs but I can see how others would like this.
While this has the deluxe edition cover, I listened to just the original for the authentic experience (and deluxe culture sucks). Great album, I love prog stuff, Yes is fantastic (and at their best doing prog stuff).
I prefer other Yes albums. Never listened to this one before. Probably won't listen again...
I enjoy an occasional Yes tune but this was a bit overwhelming. Didn’t love it.
I didn't like this album as much as the first Yes album, but it was still very good. The first 3 minutes of the first song blew my mind, as it sounded very much like "math rock" and avant-garde indie noise rock from the 00's... decades ahead of its time. After that, it was very much 70's prog, but this album and the first Yes album have definitely made me a fan whereas I had only heard random stuff before and never dug into their discography.
Album 373 of 1001 Yes - Close to the Edge Rating : 4 / 5 No argument that Yes is an awesome band. While an unarguably great album, I think this is one I would have gotten more excited about in my younger years than now. Think it is probably worth listening again while giving more attention to the lyrics. As I've considered before, I may just not be as big of a prog fan as I thought.
Self-important and self-indulgent? Check. Complicated song structures (with incredible playing) bordering on the symphonic? Check. Dense, obtuse lyrics requiring a PHD to decipher their meaning? Check. Full of proggy goodness, ‘Close To The Edge’ frequently teeters but never quite falls off the edge. Instead, it’s an epic meditation on life and death that rewards repeated listening with something new to discover every time you give it a spin.
love that 70s Prog. Truly something special and often overlooked
One of my favorite bands, a pioneer band in the progressive rock scene along with early Genesis and King Crimson. I have loved this album since I was a teenager. This album along with, "The Yes Album" and "Fragile" are definitely on my desert island list, as masterpieces of prog rock.
::wanking motion::
I guess I just don’t understand what this adds to the list that the previous two Yes albums that cropped up don’t. 2.5
YES!!!
If this list had taught me anything it's that I really don't like prog. As a whole it confuses complexity for substance. I love mainstream music and art music and prog just sits in the uncanny valley between them. It's too complex to be mainstream but too boring to be worth deep analysis. That said, Close to the Edge seems to get it. The riffs and melodies ebb and flow. They come back transformed or together in new and interesting ways. The songs are long because they showcase many ideas into a cohesive picture (side eye at you Tarkus and your useless 20 minute opening track). Will I listen to this again? Maybe, but was it worth listening to? Very much so. Interested to hear more of Yes.
First listen Saved 2/3 Top track: Siberian Khatru
Sit down and prepare yourself for an 18 minute long progrock song as the opener.
I really didn't get this - it just wasn't for me.
steven wilson probably loves this album
Day76 - crazy that an album was released with just 3 songs
3+
Excellent! Although I did like the rock parts better than the Prog parts
Love YES
Meh. I like some other Yes but this didn’t do it for me.
So awesome. Yes is the f-ing coolest.
I feel like I am saying this too much across this whole project.: this is pretty good stuff. I love prog rock, but i dont think this is the best effort, even just within Yes' catalog.
Quintessential prog rock from one of the best bands who did it.
Beautiful album all around!
Love prog rock, but never particularly liked Yes. Maybe I didn't give them enough 'air time', so let's see.... Close to the Edge - good but too much synth And You and I - Better Siberian ... - No America - Mmm. So so. Need to listen again. Total Mass .. - Not for me Overall a little better than expected. A generous 4
One of the better ones from Yes.
Album opens with a whole-sided, multi-part title track in the purest of prog spirit. Initially we are presented with almost no noise, before the bass and guitar rip in without warning and with so much pent up energy. Other than a few brief vocal interludes, there is no relief until almost 3 minutes when it gives way to a more traditional form. Love the bass groove we enter around the 6 minute mark. Speaking of grooves, Siberian Khatru might be one of my favorite melodies Yes ever put together. Such a quality piece. I was distracted during most of this listen, but I love this album through and through. It gets in, gets out, and is chock full of complexity. Beautiful layering and multi-part orchestration, not to mention the meaty bass and colorful guitar work. This is a low-end 5 for me.
Interesting album. Not terrible but not really my jam. 2.5 stars
Loved The Yes Album. Excited for this one. Definitely a good album, but strictly compared to The Yes Album there is something missing from making it great. And You and I sounds like a Led Zeppelin song.
Love me some progressive rock so i am ready for our second Yes album here. Need to give this one another listen, but my first go through i did not like it as much as the Yes album. But it still had some awesome song structure with the two multi-part songs. The electronic noises that they use in their songs is always a cool feature by them.
One thing I’ve learned about my music tastes from this is that prog rock fuckin rules. Songs are so much fun and you never know what direction it’s going in. Fun listen.
Yes
Crazy how 3 songs can contain so much
интересные, особенно авангард кавер на Америку)
no
1972, Progressive rock 5th studio album by YES Single: And You and I This album is the definition of Prog rock. Whether that is good or bad is determined by how much prog rock is your thing. I'm not too much on the prog rock scene. I can appreciate the talent of the musicians, but it really does not excite me. 3.5/5
This is Yes' magnum opus. 37 glorious minutes of prog mastery, and yet still filled with catchy choruses
Boring
Worse than fragile, but still good
Amazing musicianship, but I don't come away humming Yes melodies.
Ziemlich fettes Album! Musikalisch ist yes natürlich auf höchstem Niveau
This is probably one of my top 20 albums of all time and it took lockdown for me to finally get it. And its important that the deluxe edition is highlighted here because the original vinyl only included three tracks, the wonderful cover of Simon & Garfunkel's 'America' has only been added to more recent versions although I think was released as a single at the time. Frustratingly this deluxe edition has an edited single version of 'America' rather than the many more minutes full version. In fact, the casual listener may be best to jump straight to track 4 onwards for edited versions of the best bits. Not the same as the real thing but more palatable for the first time listener. To the casual listener the first three minutes may, on first listen, appear a cocophony of noise but is, in fact, as technically proficient and avante garde as modern music has ever been. The title track was heavilly influenced, I believe, by Sibelius and doesn't really fall into the category a thousand albums to listen to you in your lifetime. Moreso even if you listen to this track a thousand times in your lifetime you'll still hear something new. Some versions willl break the track down into mini segments which really show its melodic and pop sensibilities. The hammond organ solo halfway through is beyond grandios and was written, unfathomably, by the guitarist and only offered to Rick Wakeman for his instrument later down the line. The 'I get up get down' section builds tranquilly into the aforementioned and is one of post-war music's most singe tingling moments. 'And You and I' is just lovely whilst 'Siberian Khatru' has a niggling melody once you get in your head you can't lose. Finally, if you want a cover version that is totally original yet - just about in there - you get the lovely melody the writers created, 'America' is that track. This is challenging music and , like I say, took me a couple of decades of regular listening to get into it properly. But I think its actually the true link between classical and modern music, Yes at their very peak.
Yes? That’s a no from me dawg.
Forgot pretty much everything this album presented to me the second it finished
Yes, thank you.
ni con tus orejas
Good vocals, harmonies, drums, and guitars. Great band from the 70s.
There's a notable lack of traditional music structure to the songs which increases immersion for me. Feels more like a concept album although if I'm being honest I had a hard time making out the lyrics so if there was a story I couldn't follow. I did enjoy the sound of the lead vocals. It gave off folk vibes. The solos on this album are very impressive. All around this album was interesting, enjoyable, and well executed.
Prog Rock. Not a huge fan of the vocals. Won’t run back to it any time soon
In German, we have the Expression "Gedudel". This is nice Gedudel. Doesn't even matter that the tracks so long, since it's all just dudeling.
liked 1st and second song but only downloaded the 1st. enjoyable
Как старый неинтересный фильм посмотрел, не понравилось.
Classic, if you like long songs
Not as strong for me as their first album. The first movement of the first song was pretty grating and annoying. After about the first 4 minutes it picks up and gets much better throughout. I listened to both the original version and the deluxe and have to say the second half of the deluxe is much better than the original pressing. All in all, it's very technically sound and has some interesting things going on but don't think I'd revisit this. Cool prog. rendition of America though on the deluxe! Standout tracks: And You and I, America
My third generated Yes album. Probably the one I liked most. Can't quite put my finger on why though.
This was tough to get through for me. The length of the songs and how they're drawn out just wore me out. Also, the deluxe edition was unnecessary for a first time through as at least 2 of the tracks were redundant. Give me 90125. Give me Big Generator. Don't give me this. It wasn't bad, I just wasn't really feeling it.
It was fine, but not my bag.
A good excessive but it sounds clearly like an exercise. Sounds like homework or an assignment. It’s good as I said tho.
The songs are quite long lol. THE FIRST SONG IS 18 MINUTES!!!!! I do like the music overall though. Good background sounds, kinda like a synthesizer of some sort? Very unique, and different. Transitions are really cool and unique, and it’s cool that they have more than one song in a song. Second song is really good too
Close to the Edge is a prog rock masterpiece. The open track, Close to the Edge in earlier days took up an entire album size and is a sprawling suite more akin to a symphony than a rock song. That's followed by another long form piece, And You and I. The latter is often excerpted for the radio or playlists and represents a mainstay of classic rock to this day. Siberian Khatru is a tour de force of amazing guitar playing. Despite all the long pieces and virtuosity, Close to the Edge is still an amazingly accessible piece of prog rock. The deluxe edition doesn't extend the album in a meaningful way. The alternative version of And You and I is not that alternative, and the studio run through of Siberian Khatru is only of interest to musicians. Neither add much tot eh listening experience.
5/10
I happened to have this one in my dad's old vinyl collection so I fired up the turntables to experience it the way it was originally intended. It was surprisingly good. Technical without being difficult to listen to, experimental without being unapproachable, high-concept without being inscrutable. I don't know that this is something I'll turn to on the reg but it was a fully enjoyable experience for a chill Saturday morning.
Virtuosismo a tope, y siempre te suenan más de lo que crees. 3/5.
One of those albums that makes you wish you understood what the fuck is going on
Totally tolerable
When I saw this was the album of the day I was like YES! If you don’t think that’s funny, my fiancée didn’t either
Yes doing what Yes does best.
Actually pretty good!
I really can't get into prog. Just so insipid.
It's got a groove that I can dig.
Yes
Great album, kind of weird sounds but not too hard to listen to
I usually like prog...
Weird album. 2
I’m not averse to a bit of prog when I’m in the mood, but to quote Joseph II this really has far too many notes for my taste. It opens with mad, free jazz style guitar noodling and never really calms down at any point. The 18 minute title track has some good parts, but it’s hard work to listen to. Apparently side 2 is supposed to be more folk and rock oriented, but it’s really more of the same, although the songs are a bit shorter. OK, I guess.
I was not expecting a second Yes album so close to the last one, and I was not thrilled (I had a better memory of the band than what I heard a few days ago). But... this one is so much better. It has the grit and the epic side that was lacking to the Yes Album. There are jazz/technical parts, but they are not overwhelming. It's intense but they kept it short (below 40 min) which is also great to avoid an overdose. This is the kind of prog I like.
A good, but not an exceptional prog album.
I really didn’t want to listen to another Yes album so soon, but ended up liking it more than the other one. Possibly because I think the longer form tracks work better with whatever they’re doing?
No.
prog rock meh
Was familiar with the band by name, but not its music. Understand why .... does nothing for me. Rendition of Simon & Garfunkle's "America's is junk.
Yes? No.
I love this, every instrument is fun to follow and the overall sound is so good. I love the changes throughout the album, and I think three long tracks works really well.
Yes, this album isn't for everyone, but it is for me. The opening (and title) track is an adventure, with some beautiful textures and vocal harmonies in part 3. The two other songs aren't as impressive from a structural view, but are often just as exciting. Overall a great prog-rock album, with a lot of value to unearth on repeated listens.
One step away from my personal favorite, Yessongs.
Sehr konzeptionell angelegt. Ein paar nette Passagen dabei, aber dann doch teilweise etwas zu abgehoben für mich.
One of my favorite Yes album.
Adventurous.
I say this a lot about many artists and many albums, but once I got The Yes Album, I eagerly waited, counted the days almost, until I was given the opportunity to talk about Close to the Edge. The Yes Album was my second review ever. It’s not great. But now, nearly 6 months later, I can form words in a way that can somewhat express how important this is to me. But I want to do something. I’m going to talk about each song in reverse order, starting with Siberian Khatru. This is most definitely the simplest and most rock forward song on the record. But that is not a bad thing at all. They manage to make it sound just as epic as the other two songs, and it still has one of the catchiest main riffs they ever wrote. It honestly makes me want to dance around furiously, especially with how the synth and guitar initially are synced up, and then break away to follow different melodies. Absolutely love this song for all it is. And You and I begins with Howe playing harmonics on a 12-string, and it instantly makes it clear that this song is a different beast. It’s so strikingly beautiful from the very beginning, and the way this song flows feels like the ascension to heaven after you have died. It’s serene and genuinely a very pretty sounding song, and is by far the least intense song on the record. But I just really love that section at the start. It’s so spacey, and I get this image in my head of Howe playing a 12-string guitar made entirely of glowing crystals. It’s so delicate it sounds fragile like glass. And then there is the title track. Of the numerous hundreds of songs I absolutely love, few can still to this day leave me as astounded as this one does. Even after countless listens, it still isn’t even close. If Wish You Were Here was the album that helped me ease into listening to very long songs, this song is the one that made me fall in love with them. I truthfully feel this is objectively one of the greatest, if not the greatest song ever written by any rock band. It’s both intense, but also gorgeous and magnificent in scale. It’s a multi phased movement of music that took me multiple full listens to fully digest. And every member of the band gives the best performance they ever recorded in their careers on this song, especially Wakeman, Bruford and Squire. The keyboard solo that happens after the church organ is my favorite solo of all time, and one of my favorite moments of music in general. I don’t necessarily believe in perfection, but Yes probably got closer with this one album of only three songs than any band ever did before or after them. It’s just another tier of genius, and I can’t even imagine being capable of creating something at this level. Rating: 10/10!
One song is 20 minutes long. Prog rock meets 80s was a chefs kiss.
Good album
No. Mere end 18 minutter er over kanten...
No
Wow. An 18 minute opening track? Don't hear that often... Deluxe version of classic album.
first listened to t his a bit ago and thought it was good, but not great. this listen changed that. what a blast.
Some of the greatest rock musicians in pioneer mode.
I was not expecting a sea of 5 star reviews here. The amount of interesting music summarily dismissed because it isn't straightforward rock music in this list is extremely high. So I naturally imagined this would get a rough ride. I don't know Yes. I haven't ever really heard their stuff, but I know they are largely the reason the music press turned on prog and convinced a young and impressionable me that it was unlistenable noodle wank, and so I didn't listen to any prog for many years. It later seeped in as I delved deeper into the output of crate diggers with niche radio shows and podcasts (and also, World Snooker Champion turned DJ Thundermuscle, Steve Davis, opened my ears to the wondrous Weidorje), and there is so much to love about it. I'm still not sure about Yes though. Some of this stuff sounds like Flaming Lips in places among other things. Particularly the midpoint in the opener. This isn't a bad thing, but my favourite stuff in prog is when a tune builds and builds on a rhythm and goes in different directions, expanding and contracting all the while. This does that, but chaotically, a little like free jazz, which I find a little harder to connect with. The apotheosis of prog? No. Get out. It is definitely 'interesting' however. Thanks, Steve.
enjoyed the music but not the singer
Hard to listen to
Pretty good! Only listened to the original tracks (the first 3) but I enjoyed all of them. Sometimes long tracks can be good. 8/10 Top 1: 1. Close to the Edge
My 100th! Cool! Sublime. My favorite Yes album. \"Fragile\" has the greater hits, but this is a much better listen and tight. Deluxe edition is great. Sit back, toke up if you like, and enjoy.
Great album! Have loved it for over 50 years.
I'm all for prog rock albums, but in my opinion after my first listen, I feel like this a weaker entry into prog. After listening, I didn't have a desire to listen to it again. I may give it another go soon to see if my opinion changes the 2nd listen, but for now I feel that it is a solid 3/5.
I mean it's alright... This album doesn't feel like it's meant for me. 3 songs in total for 37 minutes, just don't grab my attention. That being said, nice sound.
Ugh
Only three songs. And yet, all three of them are key songs in their repertoire, ones that have been played now for over 50 years. And I never tire of hearing them. They are perfect songs to me, each member working in perfect sync. It's hard to believe that this was it for Bill Bruford, but really there's nowhere else for him to go in that band. The only flaw in this album is that "Siberian Khatru" fades out, when the live versions have a better ending (at least for me). This is the album I would tell people if they think they know Yes, they truly have not heard them. One of my favorite albums of all time.
Solid album and proof that I really don't know Yes. But that's what happens when you grow up listening to radio and not albums themselves. Funny how much I love listening to full albums now. Parts of I Get Up I Get Down sounded familiar to me but I definitely do not know the 19min, 4-part sequence it is a part of (i.e., Close to the Edge, the song) or anything about this whole album or its prog rock legacy. I really liked the first song/sequence. The second one, And You and I (only 10min) was pretty good but not as good - my favorite elements were the soft parts with lots of plucking (first 90s, around the 6min mark). Siberian Khatru was a bit so-so for me. Maybe it's because it doesn't lead you in or lets you fade out, whereas the other two sprawling tracks feel more like a journey from start to finish - with a discernable start and finish. It might finally be time to listen to Yes albums and not just singles.
not a fan of prog. my adhd simply cannot handle an 18 minute song. the shorter songs were more bearable but i just wanted it to be over
Was not a big Yes fan when I was younger. Enjoyed listening to the album, but could not listen everyday.
Sorry but I really dislike prog rock
Nasowas: YES. Eine Band, die bei den Kritikern gerne durchgefallen ist. Prätentiöser Progrock, Realitätsflucht. Ich hätte ja das grandiose Triple Live Album Yessongs auf die Liste gesetzt. Ok, man kann nicht alles haben ;-)
What to say, a classic. 8/10
Not my jam, but I see the appeal
Again, not sure why this is considered a top album.
Personalmente, no soy fan de las tendencias progresivas en la música. De todas formas, el trabajo de Yes en este disco es bastante sólido y construye una verdadera aventura de 1 hora y algo más.
cara, esse álbum faz absoluamente nenhum sentido
Grower. Wasn't sure with the title track, it goes to 11 pretty quick and takes a little orienting. Definitely a program statement. The baroque musicianship is second to none. Every track has some pretty interesting places that push the boundaries in multiple directions. ALMOST Pink Floyd at some points.
Música psicodélica de los 70. Las canciones empiezan de forma lenta y se aceleran, algunas de ellas en mi opinión más de lo necesario
Yes is a fabulous band and I booed this so much.
Classic sound!
Prog rock with a lot of classic rock sounds. It's not really my thing (for some reason the closest thing to prog I can connect to is stuff like Frog Eyes), but I can see how some people might consider it epic.
Peak Yes (+ Fragile). Great prog rock that inspired a lot of my favorites and an amazing template for how epics should be structured.
YES? NO!
No le hago mucho al progrock, pero estuvo muy bueno
I didn’t like this.
No
Bring back saying your favorite song was 18 min long
No.
holy shit.