CLOSE TO THE EDGE

I finally got off my lazy butt and listened to Close To The Edge, the song, in its entirety. Without falling asleep. Or dying....This is the first time I hear it, so you're getting a truthful review.

Close To The Edge, this is going to be a long review. I'm going to analyze the entire song, here goes.

The water and birds are very calming, but I can hear what sounds like keys in the distance. VERY cool. Woah, it went from very calm to prog fusion! This is amazing! I don't even know what time signature this is in! It's amazing! The protruding of Jon Anderson's harmonical voice is very cool too, reminds me of April Ethereal! Some wicked drum fills by Bruford and amazing bass playing by Squire, hard to believe he's self taught. The band is absolutely mind blowing here. Wow, I REALLY like that guitar line after the whole intro beginning. The band is really firing on all cannons here. This is very amazing, so far. I can't wait for the singing to start.

WOW.

The singing is amazing! THIS IS AMAZING! Man, I love that. Close to the edge, down by the river. The guitar solo is lackluster...they can do way better than that. The obvious country Atkins influences sticks out like a sore thumb in Howe's playing....I GET UP, I GET DOWN!

This part is amazing...It hit an emotional spot for me for some reason. This song is something else. It's not even near being halfway over either. Woah, they put the Close To The Edge lines to better use with some very amazing drumming from Bruford. The singing is amazing. I love that Seasons Will Pass You By! line.

Okay, the song has slowed down, with Wakeman repeating the main riffs on organ and the rest of the band playing some church like song. Woah...acid trip. This part is trippy. Very trippy. The keyboards in the background and the sweeping synth makes this part all the more enjoyable. The best part is...there's ten minutes left in the song.

:D

This what I would picture heaven to sound like. It's very calm and soothing. Reminds me of some of the music in this video game I love, Earthbound. Wow, I missed something while I typed. Something about crucifiction. I just love the slow singing from Jon Anderson and the repeating electric piano in the background. It's nostalgic for some reason, like I've heard it somewhere before. The background vocals really stun me. I thought Chris Squire couldn't sing at all. I guess I was wrong. This next part is beautiful! An interchange between some church organs and Jon Anderson. It's bringing tears to my eyes. This is wonderful! It really shows me where Keichi Suzuki got some ideas for the music in Earthbound. Sadly, there's only 5 minutes left in the song. I don't know how they're gonna top this part. Woah. Some funky moog power from Wakeman. WOAH WOAH. This music is jaw dropping. I mean, WHAT IS BRUFORD EVEN PLAYING. This song is absolutely an epic masterpiece, I love it to death now. I can't believe I ever thought it was overrated! More solos from Wakeman, he really rips it out on this song. Only 3 minutes left, can they make a zenith even better? Now were back to where we were before. It sounds better though, with some different keyboard playing and different pre-choruses. Jeez, I can't believe this, it's beautiful.I'm so sure now, I have a new entry in my prog top ten records of all time. This song is beautiful! I get up, I get down! Man, these words are forever imprinted in my head. The song then comes like a palindrome, back to the keyboards and flowing rivers. WHAT AN EPIC MASTERPIECE. (11/10)

Opposite to Close To The Edge, I've heard And You And I many times before. I know that nothing can top what I just heard, but I'll still review, because I know this song is one of my favorites.

I always loved the opening guitar lines, especially the rhythm guitar section. It always hits home for me. Nice bass line with Bruford's bass drum following. Funny story, I would walk into snowstorms last year, listening to this song, making a music video in my head for it. It's such a good song.

I really love the And You And I walk across the highest mountains parts. Those are really compelling and outlandish. The parts that come after with the moog are also very...how you say...Apocalyptic. Very out there, I love each minute of them. I can't get over these lyrics.

Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid, Emotion revealed as the ocean made

This is a very compelling song, I love every second of it. (10/10)

Siberian Khatru starts out with an awesome guitar line, and it gets even better. This song, i've heard a million times, It basically cycles over and over, but it's so good, I can handle it repeating itself. My personal favorite part in the song is the Harpsichord solo. Overall solid song, could have had a bit more substance, but i'm so satisfied from Close To The Edge, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER. (9/10)

Overall, these guys are one of the most musicallyinclined bands of that era, I absoloutely love this album, I was overdue for listening to it all the way through too. Boy, am I ever glad I did too, this is an amazing record. The only band who would've had as much musical fire as these guys at the time, would've been The Mahavishnu Orchestra. (Yes I stole that from the booklet) A landmark of progressive music, my favorite record as of now. 5.0 stars exactly.