Best album ever created by man. I've said this before, I'm almost 70 years old and this has been my favorite for about 52 years. I've always hoped there would be an even better album than this appear from somewhere, sometime before I leave this world. Don't think that's going to happen. I'm fine with that. Lots of fun watching people experience it for the first time. Thanks!!! for the reaction. Big rabbit hole waiting for you. Enjoy.
Those three albums seemed to be a kind of 'triple peak' for YES, The Yes Album, Fragjle, and Close to the Edge, released in 1971 and 1972. Tbe follow-up, Tales from Topographic Oceans is a beautiful double album comprised of four epic pieces. It is very austere and lugubrious at times, alot to take in. But it is worth the time, some of YES's most sublime moments can be found there.After Tales came 'Relayer', which many fans, myself included, cite as the favorite. This is followed by another classic masterwork, Going for the One. These albums were the golden years for YES, tbey never quite reached such musical heights in the decades that followed, but they were always a smoking hot band of topnotch players!
@@glennwisniewski9536 That's hilarious! I always tbought Lugubriuos meant Lack of clarity or a bit of a mish-mash! If it means sounding sad or sorrowful then it doesn't describe YES at all....my bad, Lol!
Great to see someone react to an album as it was intended in one sitting. This album is ART from a time when listening to an album was a 100% experience, not to be snipped into little pieces and dropped into a playlist for doing the washing up to. (We could barely do that anyway unless you transferred it to reel to reel tape) A new album was an event and the first listen a moment to cherish and savour. Bands knew this and put the effort not only into the music but the presentation of the sleeve through the artwork and sleeve notes. Thanks and enjoyed your reaction.
"I" don't have to "imagine that live". Now, 52 years later, I still consider this THIS the best album ever created. It has, and will, stand the test of time. I GREATLY appreciate you doing the whole album at one time. If you didn't, I'd have to go listen to the rest. Not to be "nit-pikey", BUT, It's "Close to the edge, not "Closer to the edge". Thanks for reacting to the YES comments so quickly and satisfactorily! Rick Wakeman (keyboardist), really "changed the game", didn't he? May I suggest "Awaken" next.
Yes is a journey. The next albums you do should be The Yes Album, then Fragile and you'll see how they got to Close To The Edge. Close To The Edge is the high-water mark; it's where their grasp finally matched their reach.
Thank you, we need this music kept alive and in front of each generation. I've seen them 7 times starting in 1976. You always knew the stage was going to be full of the best musicians to ever play together
Full album is the only way to go. Probably should have gone in order starting with The Yes Album - Fragile - Close to the Edge - Tales from Topographic Oceans (a real trip) - Relayer (another trip) - Going for the One, then Yessongs, which is not the best live recording but contains amazing performances of these older Yes songs. In order really shows their musical progression.
I totally agree with you. Many fans want reactors to go straight to CTTE, but I was alive to witness this music as it came out and it feels much more organic to listen to "The Yes Album" "Fragile" then CTTE because there is a definite progression in the sound, IMHO. ("prog" in more ways than one). Maybe I expect too much from "reactors", but a little bit of research doesn't hurt - to me its like watching the Star Wars films in order, or reading "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy as they were written.
A man conceived a moment's answers to the dream Staying the flowers daily, sensing all the themes As a foundation left to create the spiral aim A movement regained and regarded both the same All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you Changed only for a sight the sound, the space agreed Between the picture of time behind the face of need Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid Emotions revealed as the ocean maid All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you Coins and crosses (Turn round tailor, assaulting) Never know their fruitless worth (all the mornings of the interest shown, presenting one another to the cord) Cords are broken (All left dying, rediscovered Of the door that turned round) Locked inside the mother Earth (To close the cover, all the interest shown) They won't hide, hold, they won't tell you (To turn one another, to the sign at the time float your climb) Watching the world, watching all of the world Watching us go by And you and I climb over the sea to the valley And you and I reached out for reasons to call [II Eclipse] Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid Emotions revealed as the ocean maid As a movement regained and regarded both the same All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you [III The Preacher, The Teacher] Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time Insane teacher be there reminded of the rhyme There'll be no mutant enemy we shall certify Political ends as sad remains will die Reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you Oooh, ooh I listened hard but could not see Life tempo change out and inside me The preacher trained in all to lose his name The teacher travels, asking to be shown the same In the end we'll agree, we'll accept, we'll immortalize That the truth of the man maturing in his eyes All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid As a moment regained and regarded both the same Emotion revealed as the ocean maid A clearer future, morning, evening, nights with you [IV Apocalypse] And you and I climb, crossing the shapes of the morning And you and I reach over the sun for the river And you and I climb, clearer towards the movement And you and I called over valleys of endless seas
My two cents YES Album and if You really like The Close to the Edge Album then you would be ready for Relayer. Great part is you will find that you won't be disappointed with any of what you choose next. Just an Amazing band!
Hearing the YES album all those years ago changed everything for me, consider myself privileged to have been to so many concerts. But I first heard this two weeks before it was released at an open air concert at the Crystal Palace Bowl, it was an unbelievable experience, and I will always remember it. There is only one YES.
Close to the Edge is their finest album and the eponymous track is my favourite song of my 67 years. BTW, it's not CLOSER Tod the Edge but CLOSE to the Edge. Thank you for doing this, I really enjoy seeing youngsters discover this recently buried treasure! "Fragile" is fabulous, I also like "Tales from Topographic Oceans", "Relayer" and especially the four-disc "Yessongs" live album. The best tracks on Yessongs are "Perpetual Change", "The Fish" and "Yours is no Disgrace".
Next time you listen to this album be staring at the inner gatefold painting the whole time. Without drugs. It will all make sense. 😉 All kidding aside, Craig (BTW, are you acquainted with Eleanor Morton's entertaining 'Craig the Scottish Tour Guide' videos?), Yes always had a huge following 'up north', especially in places like Glasgow. Maybe cuz Jon Anderson is from Lancs himself, but for some reason this music really connected with people up your way. Maybe you can explain it. BTW, the live version of "Siberian Khatru" (as heard on 'Yessongs') has a great, stomping end. But going from this album to 'Fragile' is a step back but will still work. 'Fragile' is overall a more grounded and less grandiose record, so you might like it even more. It's definitely an easier first listen. And yeah, do full albums. From 'The Yes Album' up through 'Going For The One', Yes albums always work better as a complete listening experience. Sure, they can be a LOT to digest on the first, second, third, or even 10th listen. But by about listen 20 or so it'll all start clicking. These songs are like multi-dimensional paintings: get through one layer and there's another just behind it. And another behind that. Your ears will find different things going on with every listen, which is why these albums are still being discovered and appreciated 50 years later.
I was listening to this band whilst attending school ,in the early/mid 70’s. This kind of music was so important to many of us that albums would be taken in ,just as a kind of badge of honour. There wasn’t anything to play them on,but it was a statement to everyone else . “Look how cool I am “ . The prog bands logos would be hand stitched into our school bags also. I don’t think current music means as much to young people as it did then . I am getting on a bit now,so maybe I’m wrong
I really enjoyed your reaction, Craig. I encountered this in my early teens and even though that's a billion+ years ago -- and hundreds of listens ago -- I still get goosebumps. In fact, I was laughing at myself about getting goosebumps during Wakeman's pipe organ.... just before you lifted your arm to show yours. 😂 You've got so many glorious YES songs ahead!
In the 4th section of this song, there is a decent sized keyboard solo. It is the greatest keyboard solo ever. Why? Because it does not ever sound boring or dated & the band is so tight.
A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace, And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace, And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar, Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour And assessing points to nowhere, leading every single one A dewdrop can exalt us like the music of the sun, And take away the plain in which we move, And choose the course you're running Down at the edge, round by the corner, Not right away, not right away Close to the edge, down by a river, Not right away, not right away Crossed the line around the changes of the summer, Reaching out to call the color of the sky Passed around a moment clothed in mornings faster than we see Getting over all the time I had to worry, Leaving all the changes far from far behind We relieve the tension only to find out the master's name Down at the end, round by the corner Close to the edge, just by a river Seasons will pass you by I get up, I get down Now that it's all over and done, Now that you find, now that you're whole My eyes convinced, eclipsed with the younger moon attained with love It changed as almost strained amidst clear manna from above I crucified my hate and held the word within my hand There's you, the time, the logic, or the reasons we don't understand Sad courage claimed the victims standing still for all to see, As armored movers took approached to overlook the sea There since the cord, the license, or the reasons we understood will be Down at the edge, close by a river Close to the edge, round by the corner Close to the end, down by the corner Down at the edge, round by the river Sudden call shouldn't take away the startled memory All in all, the journey takes you all the way As apart from any reality that you've ever seen and known Guessing problems only to deceive the mention, Passing paths that climb halfway into the void As we cross from side to side, we hear the total mass retain Down at the edge, round by the corner Close to the end, down by a river Seasons will pass you by I get up, I get down In her white lace, you could clearly see the lady sadly looking Saying that she'd take the blame For the crucifixion of her own domain I get up, I get down, I get up, I get down Two million people barely satisfy Two hundred women watch one woman cry, too late The eyes of honesty can achieve How many millions do we deceive each day? I get up, I get down I get up, I get down In charge of who is there in charge of me Do I look on blindly and say I see the way? The truth is written all along the page How old will I be before I come of age for you? I get up, I get down I get up, I get down I get up, I get down The time between the notes relates the color to the scenes A constant vogue of triumphs dislocate man, it seems And space between the focus shape ascend knowledge of love As song and chance develop time, lost social temperance rules above Ah, ah Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place On the hill we viewed the silence of the valley, Called to witness cycles only of the past And we reach all this with movements in between the said remark Close to the edge, down by the river Down at the end, round by the corner Seasons will pass you by, Now that it's all over and done, Called to the seed, right to the sun Now that you find, now that you're whole Seasons will pass you by, I get up, I get down I get up, I get down I get up, I get down I get up
When Rick Wakeman got to the Royal College of Music, he found out that his skill on keyboards was not that extraordinarily rare. He figured out that the secret to the melotron was to only depress so many keys at a time, so he secured a place as a session musician by keeping the secret to himself. Jon Anderson was looking for a guy who was on top of keyboard technology. Edit: grammer
As far as the classic five member " rock band" this is musical composition at its highest level. Every member is a master Craftsman at their instrument, including the vocalist. Not only are they technically advanced but they are each mature musicians who know exactly where and when and how to play their instrument. Go back 100 times and listen to the subtleties of the guitar and the keyboard. the different tone changes in the bass, the spot on brilliant drumming, the vocal harmonies. These guys were composing music that was next level and transcended "rock". The rolling Stones play rock and roll, these guys were playing Mozart.
Saw Wakemans show in NJ a few days ago. He sounds amazing still. He did a medley of 18-20 Yes songs in about 10-15 minutes. He said he mixes up the order and exact songs each show. Can't wait to see Jon with Band geeks again in the summer. If you are going to do a full album again, I'd suggest going back to The Yes Album, because it's their first amazing album and a breakthrough for their style. Then do Fragile, and everything after. Relayer and Going For The One will blow your mind.
Somehow hearing a person as young as yourself express the comments that you made reinforces what us old duffers have known all along but it’s also very rewarding that young folks understand a group like Yes. Definitely go to Fragile please.
There is no other prog band that can duplicate what Yes has created. The inflections of the movements and the scope of the musicianship is just unmatched. Start at the beginning, so you can hear the development and musical layers as the years pass. As a fan, there is no bad album as each has at least one if not more amazing composistions.
Not a fan of RUSH at all, but I understand because YES were an inspiration to MUSIC on every level. This album was the pinnacle of modern music creativity of 72 and still is. it's the greatest album of all time, even though they repeated it with the next two albums. OK the 2 albums prior are the excellent foundations leading up to CTTE so they are prerequisite for any fan.
Yes, CttE is an amazing album, tho for me i consider Relayer to be a slightly bigger epic - it's an odyssey. There are proponents to both - and rightly so.
"Fragile" is my fav Yes album. Would absolutely watch it with you! Bill Bruford's kit is so hip-hoppy, big woody "thonks" and jazzy feel - big influence on my playing. It's lovely to see someone reacting to this stuff, it still sounds 'new' to me too because there's so little like it. And 27:49 really does feel/sound like jumping off a cliff and finding out you can fly. 40:12 starts an out of body experience.,
If you LOVE Siberian Khatru, and want to hear one of the most blistering guitar solos by Steve Howe just listen to YESSONGS live triple album. They take the song to an entire other level.
You probably know it but if not then your next full album react should be to Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark side of the Moon’ which has equal standing in the progressive rock pantheon.
Probably already seen it but when Yes was inducted into the hall of fame they did a little concert and because of the passing of Chris Squire, Geddy Lee played bass very cool! It's on You Tube somewhere if you haven't
If you're looking for the greatest prog songs, CTTE is one, a couple others would be Tarkus by Emerson Lake and Palmer and Firth of Fifth by Genesis. Bill Bruford, drums, Rick Wakeman, keyboards, Steven Howe, guitars, Chris Squire, bass, Joh Anderson, vocals. It's like the who's who of the greatest rock musicians all in one band.
Ladies and gentlemen, YES, the greatest show on earth. Wonderful reaction! Enjoy your divine journey with YES. My favourite song is the one I'm listening 😊 Got your notification 3 days late, so in the future ALWAYS put the band name first, then the song, not Craig 😊. That way us silver tops will show up. Since you started with CTTE 5th album do the 4th FRAGILE next then the 3rd YES ALBUM. ✨️🎶✨️🍁
If you want to listen to the whole guitar solo at the end you have to listen to one of the live versions, since they ran out space in the vinyl they had to fade it out. Close to the Edge is a perfect album, and nothing compares in any genre.
This is possibly the greatest progressive rock album of all time. If you want to do another full album I recommend Relayer. If you want a good live one and another great song there's a great live version of "Awaken": ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nDXccU0xgNo.html
The greatest band that has graced this planet. Only The Gates of Delirium and Awaken comes close to CTTE . The best album of all time with the inimitable wonderous voice of Jon Anderson the greatest voice in music.
Can't go wrong with *Fragile.* During this Uber Clasic Period of YES recordings *(The Yes Album, Fragile, Close To The Edge)* listening to the studio versions are a must, which you are going to get by doing these whole albums. After Fragile, definitely *The Yes Album,* which has two of their all-time masterpieces on it, plus other great YES music on it...
I would recommend you look at awaken by yes. Specifically Jon Andersons Live concert version with Todmobile. That Epic takes you on an amazing journey as well .
Anytime anybody says, "should I do a full album" (of YES)... you know what my answer is? YES! Do Fragile! Then do The YES album, Relayer, Going for the One, Tales from Topographic Oceans,. After that...take your pick.
THE GREATEST experience EVER!!!!!! but I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOO SICK OF hearing RUSH mentioned in the same breath as YES. Many bands were influenced by YES and Rush music can NOT hold a candle next to the brilliants of YES'. There are lots of incredible groups far more closer to the stature of YES than Rush... GENESIS, ELP, PFM, KING CRIMSON, GENTLE GIANT & HAPPY the MAN to mention a few pure prog-bands that are far better, unique and original
