FRAGILE

Yes' Fragile features the best line-up known from this band and maybe one of the best line-ups in the world, ever! Sadly it would ONLY be featured again in their next album, the masterpiece Ctte, but similar line-ups are also great, though. Compared to their previous release, "The Yes Album", the presence of Rick Wakeman here is happily noticeable.

The album starts with one of its three highlighs, the rocker Roundabout, which opens with a warm and soft acoustic guitar introduction, then follows with the explosion of an incredible rythmic bass line by Squire. From that point the song gradually grows in complexity and beauty. I used to like the live versions of this song better because of the rather "static" sound of the recording, but then I realized there is nothing really bad about that. Roundabout has everything you can expect from a symphonic rock composition. Really. On the other hand, it features the typical Heavy sound that represents that Yes era, so it can be an acquired taste for someones.

The next track is an an arrengement from a classical Brahms' composition made by mr. Wakeman, and named "Cans and Brahms". Really impressive, this piece has both virtuosism and beauty on it. The classical influences on Rick Wakeman are seen through this album and through his whole carreer as well. Next comes a vocal solo from Jon, who sings everything by himself, creating a heavy-going but also nice track called "We have heaven".

"South side of the sky" is the second of the three masterpieces found in Fragile. Heavily jazzy in some moments and soft, celestial, classical, FRAGILE in some others, this songs lifts you to the skies with no warning. Energically sung by Jon, and energically played by the band as well, highlighting the stunning drums by Bruford and the classical piano part by Wakeman again. Incredibly beautiful.

A short one, "Five percent for nothing" is a jazzy drum solo by Bill Bruford, followed by the three minutes, catchy and acoustic song "Long Distance Runaround". One of the best, since not at the grade of the first or last songs. Hooked to it, comes the bass solo from Chris Squire "The fish", almost what Jon did with his singing in "We Have", but with the bass this time :P incredible melodies and chorus. As the title says, his track has a strong underwater atmosphere. Another solo! Now it's the time for great guitarrist Steve Howe, with an acoustic, "mediterranean" piece of GREAT beauty titled "Mood for a day". Finally, the real glory, the true gem of this unique album unleashes with a electrical storm. "Heart of the Sunrise" is the perfect Yes song. Emotional, high-pitched vocals by Jon, dynamic drumming by Bill, explosive bass by Chris, Steve's incredible guitars, and the very classical influenced keyboards by the master Rick. Not much to say about this one.

Overall, I think of Fragile not as a "conceptual" album but something very similar. It takes you to another world, full of colors, textures and fantastic landscapes. The green fields and mountains of Roundabout, the blue sky of "We have" and "South side", the undescribible journeys of "long distance", the deep underwaters of "The Fish", the mediterranean shores of "mood for a day", the golden dawns of "heart of the sunrise", etc etc.

Giving it less than 5 stars would mean that it may lack something, and I don't think it does. The including of solos between the main tracks doesn't bothers me, they are just fantastic.

Not necessarily their best, but one of them.

Share this YES review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to mort2112
• Report this review (#97335)
• Buy YES music online with PA partners
• Show all YES MP3/Stream
• Go to YES page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Fragile page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for YES related discussions