CLOSE TO THE EDGE

This blew my mind when I first listened to it. I had no idea what progressive rock, or prog, was. The only prog I had ever listened to was Pink Floyd and some of Rush's songs, which, while fine examples of prog, are dimmed by comparison to this masterpiece. The only Yes song I had ever heard was "Owner of a Lonely Heart", a song that my mom told me real Yes fans didn't like. Whatever, I thought at the time, I don't even know what Yes is. Then I listened to one of the songs off this album, "And You And I". STUNNING. So soaring and majestic, I felt like I'd died. To me it is the stand-out track. I listened to the full album later. "Close to the Edge" is a real roller-coaster ride, as many of you have said. The first part to me is like a volcano erupting; the organ solo in "I Get Up, I Get Down" is awesome; "Seasons of Man" is a beautiful, down-to-earth ending to this mad, frantic, song. The last track "Siberian Khatru" kind of falls flat compared to the others; this is why I prefer the order they play it live; that being said, it's a good song. The entire album is great! It totally merits repeated listens. I recommend it to anybody; I guarantee even non-prog fans will become hooked!