FRAGILE

Fragile is the fourth studio album by yes, a prog classic, I have known this album through the series of "Jojo's bizarre adventure". It's an essential for every prog rock fan, it's an enjoyable record with fun songs, great guitar work and keyboards, and it shows yes ability in arrangement, energetic performance, and clever song-writing and vocals, and the contribution from each member. However, I think it's a bit of an overrated album, it has a distinct sound, or sounds, but it does not have any direction or depth, I think what's holding it that high is; first, Adding Rick Wakeman to the group; he is a talented musician with experience in different instruments, and extended Yes' sound. And, personally, it's some great pieces in it, such as "Roundabout"; it's the opener for the album, roundabout begins with this backward piano note and acoustic guitar, it's a vibrant, cheery song with evocative lyrics alludes to driving, and describing a natural scenery, i love the Hammond organ here. "Cans and Brahms"; Rick Wakeman's composition and adaptation to "the third movement of symphony No. 4 in E minor" by Johannes Brahms, replacing the original instruments with various keyboard instruments, it's a short, instrumentally brilliant symphony, the electric piano, grand piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, harpsichord and synthesisers, all are well arranged, and shows a lot of skill. "South Side of the sky"; It closes side A. It starts with the wind and thunder sound effect which give it a certain atmosphere, the lyrics is quiet cryptic, about climbing a mountain, it has a deeper meaning I think, I love the piano and vocal harmonies along with it, and the drumming. Then "Mood for a day", on side B, is Steve Howe's work, where he performs his solo on a Conde flamenco guitar, I like it as much as "The Clap" in Yes' Previous album, and it's a placid soothing song and guitar solo. "Heart of the sunrise"; the 10 minutes epic that finishes "Fragile", with a long instrumental introduction before the vocals start, I think it's about being lost in the city, or the energy of the sunrise, or the power of love? All those work, it's a beautiful song, I like the part when vocals start, and get much softer, with song-writing and great piano and Mellotron, and it's a gorgeous melody that finishes Side B and the album. Also I would like to include the bonus track; it's Yes' cover of America, a 10 minutes cover of "Simon and Garfunkel" song, I prefer this cover; it has prog quality to it, with long instrumental segments and changes in time signature. Besides that, more than half of the tracks in "Fragile" are filler, brief solo compositions that sound like an exercise, "We have heaven" "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" "Five percent for nothing" are nothing interesting, and "Long distance Runaround" is nice. Another factor is, the Roger Dean illustration; Fragile's Sleeve is Yes' first to be illustrated by Roger Dean, a very literal design that relates to the music and described the fragile state of the group at that time, the artwork depicts a fragile planet breaking with an ark flying over it. I think it's a fascinating and creative illustration by roger dean that draws the attention. "Fragile" sound more like a show for yes technical ability, besides that it's filled with filler.