Fragile should always be considered a classic in the progressive rock genre, not just because the musicianship is virtuosic, tasteful and unique, but because the majority of it is catchy and accessible as well - something that's very rare in progressive rock as a whole. Jon Anderson's distinctly artistic upper-register, Chris Squire's crunchy basslines, Steve Howe's floating guitar leads, Bill Bruford's tasteful drumming and Rick Wakeman's versatile keyboard work here come together to make a unique, tantalizing brand of music. The album starts off with "Roundabout," which exemplifies what I was saying in the opening paragraph. This track is ultra-catchy and addictive. The grooves on here (mostly exemplified by Bill's drums and Chris' bass) are hard to resist. Definitely a classic that has aged, and will seemingly continue to age nicely. Next comes the first of five solo pieces: The first two of the five being my absolute favorites. "Cans And Brahms" is Rick Wakeman's impressive arrangement of bits found in the Allegro giocoso (third movement) of Brahms' 4th symphony. He did an excellent job on this (and for the record, Brahms is a favorite of mine amongst many classical composers, and I've heard and own his 4th symphony.) Next comes Jon Anderson's "We Have Heaven," which is a cerebral piece showcasing his vocal artistry. If you listen carefully, you'll find seven separate (but overdubbed) vocal parts by Jon on here. On the seventh one, he is heard saying "yes." The following track called "South Side of The Sky" seems to be a standout amongst Yes' many epic-length tracks. There seems to be a bluesy, down-home atmosphere to it, especially in Steve Howe's fluid guitar licks. While it's indeed spacy, it's not as otherworldly as most of their other epics, and seems to maintain a bit of earthiness that some of the other epics didn't. "Five Per Cent For Nothing" is a short track showcasing Bruford's drumming ability, but, don't expect it to be a virtuoso display, as it seems more like a steady groove-oriented workout. "Long Distance Runaround" seems to showcase a slight country influence, mostly heard in Steve's guitar. Other than that, the track is a short little ditty. "The Fish" is Chris Squire's bassline workout, which plays out in something of a 7/4 rhythm, while several overdubbed bass samples are exemplified. Quite a nice track. Catchy and addictive as well. "Mood For A Day" is Steve's acoustic workout. Quite virtuosic, atmospheric and tasteful. The last track called "Heart of The Sunrise" starts out with what may have been Yes' most heavy and aggressive moment up until _Relayer_. The crushing attack borders on classic metal. That theme plays out quite a few times within the 3 1/2 minutes of the instrumental opening, which then gives way to a host of trippy atmospherics and Jon Anderson's faraway-sounding vocals. There isn't much more that I can say. This is definitely a classic in Yes' catalog. In a weird sort of way, I could go as far to say that this is Yes' strongest album (of course, no one can claim to know what is and what isn't anything regarding appreciation of any kind.) There isn't another album quite like this one in their catalog. Highly recommended.
5
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