CLOSE TO THE EDGE

Close to the Edge is the first genuine attempt by Yes to branch out into really extended tracks and the title track is an utter masterpiece. It is full of tremendous melodies and instrumental virtuosity, particularly by Chris Squire who shows why he's the daddy of them all on bass. Wakeman's keyboards avoid the overblown excesses of later albums and Anderson sings with real feeling. The second side is competent enough but pales by comparison; I almost never bother with it, though And You and I has some memorable moments. Sadly, they seemed to take the praise so generously and justifiably heaped on this album to mean that they had to try and outdo it on subsequent releases, resulting in some utter rubbish such as Tales from Topographic Oceans. They should have left this album as a one off and testimony to how good they really were at their peak.