CLOSE TO THE EDGE

CTTE to me was created during a perfect storm. The lineup of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford and let us not forget Eddy Offord was now fully comprised of virtuosos at the most creative time of their careers at the most creative period in rock music history. Yes had just produced two amazing albums in The Yes Album and Fragile. The latter always felt more like an EP or a set up to CTTE with its emphasis on solo material showing off the talents of each member separately. Both of those records hinted that something great was coming and Yes delivered on that promise.

Close to The Edge is when it all came together. The sound, playing, songwriting, production, creativity and the intangibles that make the whole much more than the sum of its parts. Brash and subtle. Loud and dissonant. Soft and tuneful. The ensemble playing is perfect here. Nobody fighting for space like on subsequent albums. The songs themselves are served rather than being a vehicle for show-offness. Yes would never achieve the perfect balance of CTTE again.

The best prog album of all time? It gets my vote.