CLOSE TO THE EDGE

Like every other Yes album, I could not stand Close to the Edge. It was pompous, pretentious and far too long to require proper listening from a boy who grew up listening to three-minute Beatles pop songs. As with Tales from Topographic Oceans, I had to come back to it and I found myself experiencing the same musical orgasm. While Bruford's drumming is excellent, it doesn't seem to be at the same level as on previous albums. Wakeman however, along with everyone else, have never been better.

The first track begins with the sound of birds singing but soon rushes into a rising crescendo before bringing us to the first movement 'The Solid Time of Change'. The lyrics, 'Close to the edge, down by the river' are first seen here and will be revisited several times throughout the song. 'Total Mass Retain' has a much more forceful feel to it, with Squire's bass driving the melody and we occasionally hear glimpses of Wakeman's organ. The third movement 'I Get Up I Get Down' is very quiet with only the mellotron in the background and possibly a synthesiser. Eventually a piano, playing one note comes in with Anderson singing. The final lyrics 'I get up, I get down' repeated several times brings us to Wakeman playing the church organ. There is a pause for more singing and then it comes back. The fourth movement 'Seasons of Man' begins with the Hammond organ, percussion and guitar all playing the same forceful rhythm just in time for Wakeman's beautiful fifty second organ solo... And now I just feel like I'm waffling on too much.

I think it is best to leave it to the listener to discover the small beauties in each song. Personally, And You And I is the best ten minutes of music ever written. It is entirely deserving of five stars and is truly a masterpiece of progressive music.