CLOSE TO THE EDGE

Beginning with a gentle ambient mix of natural sounds, instruments begin to imitate, building a crescendo to a slightly lumbering then temporarily chaotic wall of sound halted by short sporadic vocal interludes before resolving into an orderly melodic/rythmic bridge to the first verse of the lyric narrative content of the album. As side one settles into the central theme of the album it ebbs and flows with cascading walls of sound with beautiful vocal/instrumental arrangements til it ascends fading back to the stream and singing of birds.

Hearing this in the early 70s, it was both weird and wonderful. Along with the beautiful song And you and I and finishing with Siberian khatru, the compositional arrangements allowed all the musicians to excel without excess. An eclectic mix of classical, folk and rock with its own unique elements, fused to their unique sonic textures, Yes played with dexterity and the confidence of classically trained musicians. This was Yes in full flight; a celebration of a watershed in music history that satisifed the yearning nature of musical ears longing for a fusion of their favourite sounds, with challenging compostions, musical arrangements and instrumental competence. It was a refreshing disembarkation from the traditional formulas and it said to the world, we are going to do it our way. Jumping in the face of the powers and authorities who wished to conrol and direct the shape and fortunes of music in the modern era, Yes's album, Close to the Edge', may owe some debt to earlier innovators of progressive music, but simply put, this album was one that helped to consolidate the genre.

A watershed album and catalyst for the future of progressive rock music.