CLOSE TO THE EDGE

I think any album in the first 10 places of prog is overrated. It is just too much weight over an album's shoulders. Still, even if a logical list of best prog albums was possible, and this album was in first place anyway, I would have to say this is the most overrated album ever.

Most "Close to the edge" die hard fans think Close to the edge is a great composition because it is a true side-long-song. But I wonder, is it a true side-long-song because it is composed of a single melody with a middle section?. That reminds me of any pop song. In that way, you could actually take "Tarzan boy" by Baltimora and make it an epic. That wouldn't make it any less poppy and repetitive. This Close to the edge song is indeed a true song, as opposed to Supper's ready, Thick as a brick, Tarkus and many others. However, in order to pull it out as a single song, they had to sacrifice variety, diversity and creativity. Yes !!...creativity, you read right...Or would you say there is less creativity in Supper's ready during the same minutes Close to the edge sings "I get up I get down" for the 15th time?.

It starts very entertaining after that unnecesary 3 minutes intro of cacophony and ultra repetitive playing. The bass and general feeling sounds rather strong and polished, it keeps you alert for at least the first 6 minutes or so, until the absurd and musicless middle section of poppy chorus and ultra repetitive lirics. By the way, the main theme is repetitive as hell too with the "Close to the edge down by the corner, close to the edge down by the river..." repeated over and over just like any pop song (making it so ironic since this is supposed to be the Proggiest song by the proggiest band). Now, you would expect that after the main theme and a musicless and poppy middle part, you would get a different theme or at least another mood, but no, you get almost the same main theme played almost as copy paste. So, yes, this is a true side- long-song, but my question is: Shouldn't the best prog song have way more diversity, changes of moods and atmospheres?. Shouldn't it not repeate a single chorus throughout?. ...And I think of Thick as a brick, Tarkus and Supper's, and I can't remember a single word repeated twice.

Something I find rather disapointing about this song, is that in order to appreciate it, I need to pay full attention on the playing and on specific instruments, being that the main point of interest. Not the structure of the song or the style or the energy or sutile elements you discover after several listens. With this song whatever I had to listen to, I already listened to from the very first time, and that's the chorus being repeated over and over. Just like a pop song, once you can sing along, there;s not much more to discover. For that reason, I've discovered a more precise genre for this album: "Prog- pop"....And who knows?, probably back in 1972 that was exactly what they were trying to do. After all, back in that time there was not such thing as "Progressive rock" as we now very well have it defined. Actually, they had tried very hard to get that effect with the ultra poppy-proggy number "Roundabout".

Now, I can listen to Close to the edge from begining to end with a smile on my face, however, I never get to feel that particular excitement that almost makes you cry. And I don't understand why they couldn't do it anymore. In their first albums their music was full of true feeling and passion. I think of "Astrall traveller", an overlooked song much better than anything in "The yes album", "Fragile", ...actually better than anything afterwards. Not for it's musicianship or anything, but for it's sincere and true passion, where feelings were delivered with conviction. I just don't listen to that in any of these 3 songs where every moment and feeling seems to be intentional and synthetic.

"And you and I" ..well, I could easily say this is a simplistic, poppy, repetitive and overlong tune with a single musical idea that could not stand a chance against any 3 minute song in "YES" (their first album). However, when an album is so highly regarded (and so overrated), you have to try a little harder to talk deeper about it. ....Oh man!!, this is hard, what can I say about a song of which I can only remember a poppy churus and a nice intro with some sincere feeling in it. But you know?, when a song is really a masterpiece you don't need to go that far and talk about tiny moments within 10 overlong minutes. Was this a 6 minutes song with the same number of ideas, it would be a great song, worthy of being part of "Time and a word" or "YES". This song shows everything it had to offer before minute 4, the rest is pure filler and copy-paste.

Siberian katru is probably the best song in the album. And I say it with some caution. In a way, it seems like they put more ideas and true feelings in it. They feel more open. I don't know how to put it. However, it is, as well as the other two, a little or very repetitive. I like the middle instrumental part, very inspiring and full of energy, though. But again, if you pay close attention you'll get to listen the same passages over and over...just like the "prog-pop" genre demands.

After all this, I should not give this album more than 2 stars. However, at this time in the very early morning I am too soft and I will grant it a full 2.7 close to the edge of 3 stars.