Published on Jan 7, 2004
Fragile is an odd album, even for a group that’s gone
through as many metamorphoses as Yes. The fact that it’s also the
album that broke them to a global audience is just one more
milestone along the unpredictable path tread for 35 years now by
this groundbreaking prog-rock juggernaut.
Two important elements of the Yes mystique made their debuts on
Fragile — Rick Wakeman’s keyboards and Roger Dean’s
visuals. Wakeman was already a minor star in Britain as a solo
artist when Yes came calling, looking to fill the keyboard slot
with a player on par with recently recruited guitarist Steve Howe.
For his part, Dean was just the cosmic illustrator to bring the Yes
sound into a third dimension with his sprawling sci-fi
landscapes.
One of the most unique elements of
Fragile was driven by the most straightforward motivator —
money. Wakeman’s recruitment saddled the group with substantial
financial obligations — synthesizers weren’t cheap in 1971! — at
the same time they were under pressure to deliver their next album.
As a result, the album was somewhat of a rush job, consisting of
four pieces composed and played by the band, and five tracks
composed — and in some cases performed — solo by each member.
This could have been a recipe for a disjointed disaster if not
for one simple fact — the three longer band pieces, the eight- to
10-minute mini-opuses “Roundabout,” “South Side Of The Sky” and
“Heart Of The Sunrise,” are three of the strongest tracks this band
ever rolled tape on. If you need evidence, consider this: all three
tracks were staples of the regular set on their 2002-03 world tour,
more than thirty years later.
Though “Your Move” from
The Yes Album is currently making a move for this title
thanks to a spate of movie soundtrack and trailer placements, as of
today the single track most non-Yes fans identify with the band is
Fragile‘s dynamic opener, “Roundabout.” Its quirky
combination of sharp, concise acoustic and electric licks, flashy
organ and synth figures, and Chris Squire’s bounding bass line are
all characteristic of the best Yes works — a cacophony of virtuoso
playing that still manages to incorporate strong pop hooks,
creating a whole that’s both dazzling and much more than the sum of
its parts.
“South Side Of The Sky” has been regarded by fans for years as
the proverbial one that got away. Hard-edged, guitar-heavy verses
frame an extended bridge that features Wakeman’s lyrical
piano-playing under complex, gorgeous harmonies from lead singer
Jon Anderson, Howe and Squire. For more than thirty years, fans
begged fruitlessly to hear this overlooked nugget played live,
until the band finally gave in and tackled it — to thunderous
response — on their 2003 tour.
“Heart Of The Sunrise” is Yes at its most hard-edged (if you can
truly use that phrase when describing a band containing Jon “if we
were flowers…” Anderson). The opening section is Squire in
his prime, propelling Howe and drummer Bill Bruford through a
hammering sequence that shifts, grows, cycles and repeats until
Anderson finally comes in with a soft, delicate verse around 3:35
— right about the time most “pop” songs are finishing up. The
contrast is striking, and remarkably effective.
Wakeman and Howe’s solo tracks are impressive if somewhat
one-dimensional showcases for their instrumental prowess. Anderson
and Bruford’s pieces are brief and somewhat puzzling, if
entertaining. Squire’s piece, “The Fish (Schindeleria Praematurus)”
is the standout among the solo segments, a showcase for his unique
technique on the bass guitar that manages to be both amazing and
evocative in a primal way.
While by its nature uneven in places,
Fragile remains a superb album, as well as the logical
stepping-stone to what came next — the band’s masterpiece, the
boundary-shattering opus
Close To The Edge.