CLOSE TO THE EDGE

"Close" is maybe not Yes best effort cause I sometimes prefer "The Yes album" (more direct and should be a good beginning for new fans or those who still believe that YES is "Owner of a lonely heart"), "Relayer" (it includes their best track for me which is "The gates of delirium" even if the line bass strongly resembles to PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI's "Generale"), "Tales", or "Fragile" according to my mood but the musicianship on this album is perfect especially RICK WAKEMAN & BILL BRUFORD who were at the top of their game. I have the two versions : The Atlantic (remastered) & the Rhino (including bonus tracks) ones & believe me you should also buy the latter just for the last two tracks which were previously unissued i.e. "And you and I" which is more direct; rawer if I can tell it like that and especially an alternate take of "Siberian Khatru" which I personally to the definitive version; concerning the two other tracks don't waste your time to hear them closely since "Total mass remain" is only an extract taken from the long track "Close to the edge" and "America" is the single SIMON cover and not the long version which would have been a better inclusion ("Yesterdays" includes it and also various compilations). "Close to the edge" is similar to me to "Acquiring the taste" from GG and "Selling England by the pound" because it is stellar (listen e.g. to the chorus of "And you and I"); it seems that the music had been created by angels or divinely inspired; I gave it 5 stars but I think that humanly speaking no album could reach a 20/20 or 10/10 if you prefer even the better ones but when you listen to this kind of release from YES you are like tranported in an other dimension, like in a trance if I dare say where you are not only a listener but also an active part of the musical structure since the music affects you, soothes your soul, divide your feelings, transcends your preconceptions to become a new person, a new man; that is the reason why "Close to the edge" is one of the few albums you love or hate & I don't think that is only due to subjective reasons. "Close to the edge" will definitely remain one masterpiece of music and it's not only my opinion ... it is certain !; inspiration is the key word and if I had to keep only one cd in a desert island it should be this one ... definitely this one !!!