CLOSE TO THE EDGE

What can I say about this album that hasn't been said? In many people's opinions it is the best prog album from when prog was in its peak, but I beg to differ.

Agreed that this album has the guitar-oriented Siberian Khatru and the famous title-track, and both are masterpieces of Yes and the genre in whole, but And You and I is, in my opinion, one of the worst songs ever written.

It's dull, in the vain of Wonderous Stories, which is also very dull, it has no soul AT ALL! It's acoustic-12-string-guitar-eighties, which sucks, and the lyrics are just plain cheesy. Gibberish cheesy. "And you and I, climb over the seas to the valley, and you and I reached for seasons to call.". That's one too many season in this album!

"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace, and re-arrange your liver to the solid mental grace!"

I would recommend this to all proggers, because it's an excellent addition to any prog music collection, but the only thing stopping me from giving this a five is the boring third of the album, AYAI.

4/5, subject to change in the future.