Yes Fragile - A Collage of Progressive Rock
It's been a long while since I've blogged so I thought I'd do it again. In this blog post I will actually talk about an entire album for a change, and the word is...Yes!
Particularly, I'm going to discuss Yes' 1971 record Fragile, one of my personal favorites which showcases the band at their finest. If you haven't listened to it, what are you waiting for?!?!
First let's briefly talk about what all went down in the years leading up to Fragile. Bass player Chris Squire formed a short-lived band called Mabel's Toy Shop in late 1967, which by 1968 had begun evolving into what we now know to be Yes. After a somewhat succesful self-titled debut in 1969, Peter Banks (guitar) left and was replaced by Steve Howe (who is still in the band to this day). The line-up of Anderson-Bruford-Howe-Kaye-Squire cut two more albums, Time and a Word (1970) and The Yes Album (1971) which many consider their "rising" album as it showcases their progressive rock at its finest.
Thereafter, Tony Kaye (keyboards) left the band. He didn't do melotron and didn't do synthesizer, which did not allow the group to expand the way Steve Howe and the other boys wanted. His replacement turned out to be Rick Wakemen (who in 1972 was ranked #2 in a Melody Maker poll of best keyboardists behind the guru Keith Emerson).
The lineup of Anderson-Bruford-Howe-Squire-Wakeman recorded Fragile which was released in late 1971. In fact, the release was held of until early 1972 for the States because The Yes Album was still fairly popular there.
Now then, let's take a look at the individual tracks themselves:
#1 Roundabout
This track was one that Jon Anderson came up with during a drive through the English countryside (I believe it was on the way to the studio). It starts out rather mellow before turing into a "driving rock" classic. Did I mention that Chris killed it on that bass?
#2 Cans and Brahms
Each of the five members of Yes at the time contributed a solo piece to this record.This one was componsed by Rick Wakeman containing experts from Brahms' 4th Sympohony in E Minor not to mention that Wakeman played everything by himself.
#3 We Have Heaven
This next "bridge" song as I like to call these short, standout pieces on Fragile was composed by Jon Anderson. A simple track consisting only of an acoustic guitar and Anderson's powerful, multi-tracked vocals, the production on this track is ahead of its time.
#4 South Side of The Sky
The meaning of this track is still somewhat of a mystery. Anderson himself said that this track was about climbing mountains (specifically the Swiss Alps) though there isn't much evidence to back it up. The track sounds rather cold and I can't help imagine a windstorm - particularly during the lengthy Wakemen piano solo which IMHO would make good video game music :)!
#5 5% For Nothing
What specifically did Bill Bruford mean with the song title is beyond me, but this 40-second "bridge" song is mostly the group playing percussion instruments. The chord progression is really interesting and, at least for me, garners the memory of playing Zelda as a child.
#6/#7 Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindeleria Praematurus)
I've put these two tracks together on purpose. They segue into each other and that's how classic rock radio stations play (or used to play) them. I find it shocking to thing that prog rock such as Yes and ELP doesn't get that much attention nowadays. Anyway the track was written regarding Jon Anderson's church services in which religion was never clear to him. The instrumental that follows, The Fish is a Chris Squire instrumental with some AMAZING cowbell. And that guitar lick at the beginning? Sounds a lot like Allman Brothers doesn't it?
#8 Mood For a Day
This is Steve Howe's solo composition featuring him playing his acoustic guitar (sounds like a Spanish guitar to me). The opening sounds rather depressing and most of the song tries to lift off in some sort of way or another. Other than that, nothing more to say about this one.
#9/#10 Heart of The Sunrise/We Have Heaven(reprise)
Ah yes the grand finale to such a grand album. Heart of the Sunrise is a very interesting piece consisting mainly of instrumentally crafted music rather dark (the Moog in the background with just the drums and bass gives sort of an "overcast" feeling) while the organ seems to resemble, at least for me, the dark of night. Suddenly the piano riff comes in representing, to me at least, sunrise!
As for the We Have Heaven repriese, that is not actually a TRACK it is somewhat of a hidden track actually. It starts towards the end of Heart of the Sunrise just when you think the album is over! I guess they wanted to do something of a Sgt. Pepper recreation.
Well that's about it. On the reissue there are two more tracks, their cover of America originally done by Simon and Garfunkel, and an early rough version of Roundabout which is rather interesting and I'll let you find for yourself.
Overall this is a great album, DO listen to it in full, in order, you will not regret it! I know I didn't.
Interestingly, Bachman Turner Overdrive released their 1974 album as Not Fragile to counter this Yes masterpiece :)
Particularly, I'm going to discuss Yes' 1971 record Fragile, one of my personal favorites which showcases the band at their finest. If you haven't listened to it, what are you waiting for?!?!
First let's briefly talk about what all went down in the years leading up to Fragile. Bass player Chris Squire formed a short-lived band called Mabel's Toy Shop in late 1967, which by 1968 had begun evolving into what we now know to be Yes. After a somewhat succesful self-titled debut in 1969, Peter Banks (guitar) left and was replaced by Steve Howe (who is still in the band to this day). The line-up of Anderson-Bruford-Howe-Kaye-Squire cut two more albums, Time and a Word (1970) and The Yes Album (1971) which many consider their "rising" album as it showcases their progressive rock at its finest.
Thereafter, Tony Kaye (keyboards) left the band. He didn't do melotron and didn't do synthesizer, which did not allow the group to expand the way Steve Howe and the other boys wanted. His replacement turned out to be Rick Wakemen (who in 1972 was ranked #2 in a Melody Maker poll of best keyboardists behind the guru Keith Emerson).
The lineup of Anderson-Bruford-Howe-Squire-Wakeman recorded Fragile which was released in late 1971. In fact, the release was held of until early 1972 for the States because The Yes Album was still fairly popular there.
Now then, let's take a look at the individual tracks themselves:
#1 Roundabout
This track was one that Jon Anderson came up with during a drive through the English countryside (I believe it was on the way to the studio). It starts out rather mellow before turing into a "driving rock" classic. Did I mention that Chris killed it on that bass?
#2 Cans and Brahms
Each of the five members of Yes at the time contributed a solo piece to this record.This one was componsed by Rick Wakeman containing experts from Brahms' 4th Sympohony in E Minor not to mention that Wakeman played everything by himself.
#3 We Have Heaven
This next "bridge" song as I like to call these short, standout pieces on Fragile was composed by Jon Anderson. A simple track consisting only of an acoustic guitar and Anderson's powerful, multi-tracked vocals, the production on this track is ahead of its time.
#4 South Side of The Sky
The meaning of this track is still somewhat of a mystery. Anderson himself said that this track was about climbing mountains (specifically the Swiss Alps) though there isn't much evidence to back it up. The track sounds rather cold and I can't help imagine a windstorm - particularly during the lengthy Wakemen piano solo which IMHO would make good video game music :)!
#5 5% For Nothing
What specifically did Bill Bruford mean with the song title is beyond me, but this 40-second "bridge" song is mostly the group playing percussion instruments. The chord progression is really interesting and, at least for me, garners the memory of playing Zelda as a child.
#6/#7 Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindeleria Praematurus)
I've put these two tracks together on purpose. They segue into each other and that's how classic rock radio stations play (or used to play) them. I find it shocking to thing that prog rock such as Yes and ELP doesn't get that much attention nowadays. Anyway the track was written regarding Jon Anderson's church services in which religion was never clear to him. The instrumental that follows, The Fish is a Chris Squire instrumental with some AMAZING cowbell. And that guitar lick at the beginning? Sounds a lot like Allman Brothers doesn't it?
#8 Mood For a Day
This is Steve Howe's solo composition featuring him playing his acoustic guitar (sounds like a Spanish guitar to me). The opening sounds rather depressing and most of the song tries to lift off in some sort of way or another. Other than that, nothing more to say about this one.
#9/#10 Heart of The Sunrise/We Have Heaven(reprise)
Ah yes the grand finale to such a grand album. Heart of the Sunrise is a very interesting piece consisting mainly of instrumentally crafted music rather dark (the Moog in the background with just the drums and bass gives sort of an "overcast" feeling) while the organ seems to resemble, at least for me, the dark of night. Suddenly the piano riff comes in representing, to me at least, sunrise!
As for the We Have Heaven repriese, that is not actually a TRACK it is somewhat of a hidden track actually. It starts towards the end of Heart of the Sunrise just when you think the album is over! I guess they wanted to do something of a Sgt. Pepper recreation.
Well that's about it. On the reissue there are two more tracks, their cover of America originally done by Simon and Garfunkel, and an early rough version of Roundabout which is rather interesting and I'll let you find for yourself.
Overall this is a great album, DO listen to it in full, in order, you will not regret it! I know I didn't.
Interestingly, Bachman Turner Overdrive released their 1974 album as Not Fragile to counter this Yes masterpiece :)
Comments
Post a Comment