CLOSE TO THE EDGE

Close to the Edge is the fifth studio album released by Yes in 1972. The lineup consists of Jon Anderson on vocals, Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Chris Squire on bass, Bill Bruford on drums, and Steve Howe on guitar. The album comprises of a side long epic in addition to two shorter ten-minute pieces of music. What else can I say about this album that hasn't already been said? Well, I guess I can try to write what this album means for me. When I was first introduced to Close to the Edge, I was very new to the world of progressive rock, only knowing a few albums. However, I believe that this album was the one that "opened the flood gates" for me. I'll be honest, it took me a couple of listens to fully get it, but once I got it... I was hooked. Since then, I've fallen in love with the genre and the creativity surrounding it.

The title track, Close to the Edge, cannot be anything else besides a masterpiece. The emotions that are delivered throughout this 18-minute track are simply mind-blowing, not to mention the great musicianship (Which is there throughout the album). From the songs chaotic beginning to its reflective and beautiful end, it grabs your attention and brings you into another world. A true masterpiece of progressive rock that remains to be my favorite song of all time. The first song on side two of the album is And You And I, which certainly demonstrates Jon Anderson's excellent vocals and ability to reach different styles and ranges. It opens with a beautiful acoustic guitar section which continues to build as magnificent keyboards are introduced halfway through the song. However, right when you think it's over, the acoustic guitar from the beginning has a reprise but is played with a bit more urgency. After a few more minutes of breathtaking melodies, the song ends with a retrospective guitar and vocal duet which perfectly capsulates the journey this track takes the listener on. The next song, Siberian Khatru, is a piece of music that has a mixture of so many different genres that it becomes hard to pin down which one stands out the most. From the psychedelic resembling ambient sections to the more rocking sections this track never becomes dull. However, it is definitely a departure in terms of sound from the two previous songs on the album. This time, the band takes a step back from the "grandness" found on the two other tracks and go for a different mood entirely. Don't get me wrong, I believe this is a masterpiece just like the other two tracks. However, it is a definitive tone shift.

Close to the Edge is a revolutionary album that remains impossible to top even to this day. Every moment displays truly incredible songwriting in addition to breathtaking musicianship. I would go as far as to say that every track found here is essential in its own right. The album in its entirety remains an undisputed masterpiece of progressive rock. Highly recommended! "I get up, I get down, I get up, I get down."

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