CLOSE TO THE EDGE

I'll admit, I'm a sucker for progressive rock. I give out five stars to prog albums pretty sparingly, seeing that I personally don't hear any major flaws in the genre; sure, it at first appears to be a complete contradiction to 'rock n' roll', what with its complexity and complication and everything (I was a skeptic myself, at first), but you have to at least respect the instrumental talent of the band members. I mean, dear GOD, have you heard the way Chris Squire shreds that bass? He plays it more quickly and potently than Clapton plays the guitar! And what about Steve Howe? His guitar-playing prowess outranks some of the guitarists from the greats of rock music, including Pete Townshend of the Who and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. And Rick Wakeman on the keyboards? Man, he is a MONSTER! Some of his stuff is just mind-blowing, man! Not to mention how he helped popularize the instrument (along with Emerson). Anderson's lyrics, vocals, and songwriting...you know, it's all absolutely enchanting, and Close to the Edge is, without a doubt, the group's masterpiece, their chef d'oeurve, their magnum opus. Maybe even the greatest progressive album there is! Better than Selling England By the Pound, Dark Side of the Moon, the Crimson King? Arguably, yes. Even if it isn't the all-out BEST, it's certainly at least among the most quintessential records of progressive rock. The three things that define the genre: instrumental and lyrical complexity, often similar to that of jazz and classical, long (often overbearingly) songs, and (here it comes) pretension, are ALL staples of this record, this monolith, this absolute masterpiece. The group's previous album, Fragile, was a success in its own right, but this capitalizes on all it's weaknesses and shortcomings; the overt pretentiousness of "We Have Heaven" and "Cans and Brahms" is gone, but the lengthy, experimental epics (which were absolutely Fragile's centerpieces) are all here. That's the Yes song stereotype: long, self-indulgent, and decently epic. Unlike the almost unendurable (at some points) tracks of their next album (Tales from Topographic Oceans), each song on Close to the Edge keeps your attention, not a single moment makes you want to lift the needle off the record or push the 'stop' button (something a lot of progressive bands struggle with). All three tracks are prog classics, without a doubt, and each one has had considerable influence on rock music (at least this kind). I doubt Dream Theater or the Flower Kings would deny "Close to the Edge" (both the song and the album) to be generously influential to their sound, you know? I mean, they're all just absolute masterpieces, three of my all-time favorite songs.

Of all the five-star ratings I've given, Close to the Edge is arguably the most deserving. So I applaud Jon, Rick, Chris, Steve, and Bill, and I really, really recommend this album to any progressive fan, be you a collectionist or not.