Yes - Fragile - Review

Songs: Roundabout, Cans and Brahms, We Have Heaven, South Side Of The Sky, Five Per Cent For Nothing, Long Distance Runaround, The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus), Mood For A Day, Heart Of The Sunrise. 

Type of Music: Prog/Rock

Comments:

This was the 4th Yes Album and the first one with Keyboard Player Rick Wakeman who thoroughly enhanced the sound of the band. Without any doubt this is one of the best and most successful prog-rock albums in history. And you know why? I’ll tell you. Firstly because it’s one of the few prog-rock albums that’s not only progressive but also accessible. Just a bunch of excellent songs packed in art-rock arrangements. And secondly because Yes scored a big hit single with Roundabout, something very rare indeed in the Prog-Rock world. But the public loved the short version, went on to buy the album, adored the original version and liked the rest of the album as well. It went Gold in the USA. 

Is it the perfect album then? Well, No. The reason is that five from the nine songs on Fragile actually aren’t songs but rather short musical impressions. Each member of the band contributes with one such an impression, naturally focused on the instrument the particular band member is playing.

Thus Rick Wakeman does Brahms. Jon Anderson showcases his voice on the Chant We Have Heaven. Bill Bruford gives us a very short percussion based theme while Chris Squire provides a bass riff that’s called The Fish. Finally, Steve Howe’s Mood For A Day is a very gentle Spanish influenced acoustic guitar tune.

And while none of them is actually bad, I could have easily lived without them with the possible exception of Cans and Brahms and Mood for a Day. 

Still they only serve as a link between the four real songs on Fragile. Of course everybody is familiar with Roundabout. To me this is the perfect rock song. I simply enjoy it every time I hear it, no matter how many times it is played on Classic Rock Radio Stations. The interplay between bass and drums is just great. The song ranks number 2 in my Classic Rock Top 1000.

The same magic of bass and vocals can be heard on Long Distance Runaround. And the melody is real strong as well!

The album closer Heart of the Sunrise is eleven minutes long but it’s worth every second of it. I’m sure you recognise the Sharp…….Distance part of the chorus if you hear it. The last of the great four is South Side of the Sky. It’s faster and a bit more furious. Like Emerson Lake & Palmer on the Rocks!

The Album was Re-Mastered in 1995 and the sound quality is great!

But do I really need to make propaganda for this album? You already own it don’t you? What? You don’t? Shame on You!

Rating: ********* (9 out of 10)

Black = Good Songs

Green = Great Songs

Red = Could Be Better

Who should buy this Record: Everyone! This is Essential Yes and one of the great Prog-Rock Albums of all times.