FRAGILE

Yes's fourth album, Fragile, is considered to be a cornerstone of progressive rock. While I like the album a great deal, I feel it's too inconsistant to warrant a 5 or even 4 star rating. While it does have some superlative tunes (Roundabout, Heart of the Sunrise, The Fish), while others are ones that are nothing but filler (Five Percent For Nothing, We Have Heaven, Cans & Brahms).

Roundabout is such a huge song, both from history and from playing, that it is not only a brilliant song for progressive rock, but its crossover ability to the classic rock area cements its legendary status. Heart of the Sunrise is another brilliant piece, with the massive juxtaposition between the loud and soft moments that cause one to sit up and notice. The Fish is Chris Squire's solo extravaganza featuring a veritable multitude of bass lines.

The remaing songs (Mood for a Day, Long Distance Runaround, and Southside of the Sky) are all very well done, but not at the level of the main songs.

All in all, a solid but not spectacular album, and a harbinger of things to come as the group moves closer to the edge.