CLOSE TO THE EDGE

This album is widely regarded as the best progressive music album ever. I disagree; this is a huge album, but there is so many different styles of progressive music that at some point it's non-pertinent to compare a progressive rock album like this one to Canterbury or symphonic albums. At some point, it's only a matter of taste and it's difficult to tell what album is the best of all!

Close to the edge is an absolutely fascinating rock-prog album: its repetitive structure helps creating a climax with some counter-tempo breaking and re-breaking the rhytm again and again. Is this weird music for the genius or genuis music for the weird? That's what this album is all about. As some people noted, "Close to the Edge" is a killer anthem; Anderson's voice stays in your head, not leaving you, and you start wondering: "Am I crazy or is this really what's all about?"

This is very complex music, not always very symphonic. I personnaly prefer symphonic music, but I enjoyed this album a lot. This is a masterpiece in its style, but at some point if I could only critic something on that album is maybe... somehow some lack of emotion and some "over-technique".

"And You and I" is a great song too, much more harmonic than the first song. "Siberian Khatru's" ending is really the best thing on this album. It's somehow a reminder of the beginning of the album, completing the circle, and this is why this album should be listened from the beginning to the end. Because this is all what progressive music is all about... Isn't it? 4.4/5.0

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