Is it just me?

stegor wrote: Is it just me or is The Yes Album better than either one? It shouldn't be. There's no Wakeman or Roger Dean. In fact the cover is pretty lame. But it was the first one I heard and it occupies that same sweet spot in my memory as Aqualung and Dark Side.

The Yes Album ends up almost being their mission statement.

There's a palpable purity of purpose there that may never have appeared as intensely again.

Also, Fragile may be more interesting, yes. Less passionate!
Not that it was sans passion: Heart Of The Sunrise.

And also not that Close To The Edge was entirely lacking technically interesting material: The Solid Time Of Change, essentially a structured jam managed to be both passionate and challenging to the listener.

Do not sell Siberian Khatru short. Not just a rocker, "the" actual rocker on the album; the continuous morphing of the song from one place to another, one thing to another is something Yes tried to do many times in the course of their career(s) with varied but seldom as great success. This gives it the gravitas somehow to be a grand classic album's suitable and worthy conclusion.

Edited by Frankh - October 14 2017 at 00:04

Is it just me or is The Yes Album better than either one? It shouldn't be. There's no Wakeman or Roger Dean. In fact the cover is pretty lame. But it was the first one I heard and it occupies that same sweet spot in my memory as Aqualung and Dark Side.

I think both albums are quite different, but equally good an important. Fragile was first, and was the last step before the most creative, classic, progressive period of yes' music. CTTE was the first full album of that period, and it was an amazing era not only for Yes, but for progressive music in general, but without Fragile taking them into that direction, it would have never happened. 

While CttE is more polished and perfect, flows amazingly well, I have always felt way more connected to Fragile. The individuals, all, shine so well on all of the songs, not just the "solo" compositions. And there are many more "peak" moments on Fragile than on CttE (though there are also more lows). I have always rated and favored Fragile more highly.

Or is Fragile infinitely more inventive and dramatic than CTTE?