Close to the Edge - Yes - Summer of Prog скачать в хорошем качестве

Close to the Edge - Yes - Summer of Prog

Extended version on Patreon:   / jtcurtis   Continuing Summer of Prog, JT Curtis reviews what many consider to be the greatest Progressive Rock album ever made: Close to the Edge by the band Yes released in 1972. The album contains the epic title track, And You and I and Siberian Khatru. But is it truly the greatest prog rock album ever? Special thanks to Nick Patrella. #yes #closetotheedge #progressiverock #historyofrock #summerofprog #rock #albumreview Despite the band being one of the most loved progressive rock bands ever, The history of Yes in very complicated. The band began in 1968 with singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire and drummer Bill Bruford along with original guitarist Peter Banks and keyboardist Tony Kaye. Their influences ranged from rock, folk, jazz and even classical. Signing with Atlantic records, they released their debut album in 1969 and Time and a Word in 1970. The later featured a full orchestra which alienated guitarist Peter Banks. Steve Howe took over on guitar for 1971's The Yes Album which featured classics like "Yours is No Disgrace" and "I've Seen All Good People." It was also their first collaboration with engineer / producer Eddie Offord. The album gave the band some notoriety on both sides of the Atlantic. Another lineup change came when Tony Kaye was replaced by virtuoso Rick Wakeman who could play piano, organ, mellotron, and synthesizer, sometimes two or three at once. With the lineup established, Yes recorded Fragile which included the epic "Roundabout," a surprise hit for the band, even considering its 9 minute length. "Heart of the Sunrise" was also 11 minutes long. Their complicated arrangements and desire to expand their sound could lead to disagreements over the band's trajectory. In September of 1972, the band released Close to the Edge, their magnum opus. Roger Dean, who had designed the cover art for Fragile, returned to design Close to the Edge. The title track originated out of Jon Anderson reading the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha, and including its themes of spiritual enlightenment "down by a river" and coming of age. The piece was difficult to work on considering the complexity of the title track, recorded in segments and stitched together through Eddie's brilliant editing work. The B-side included two shorter epics: the acoustic driven And You and I and the funk-style rocker Siberian Khatru, featuring some of Steve Howe's best guitar playing. However before setting out on tour, Bill left the band to join King Crimson and was replaced by Alan White. Songs from this tour were included in the live album Yessongs. December of 1973 saw the release of Tales from Topographic Oceans, a double album. Rick Wakeman felt alienated from the album's concept and would eventually leave the group. 1974's Relayer featured Patrick Moraz on keyboards. After working on solo albums, the band, now with Wakeman back in the group, released Going for the One in 1977. Tormato was released in 1978 and saw the departure of Eddie Offord and was not as well received. The band was divided between more commercial material or more artistic so when Drama came out in 1980, Anderson and Wakeman were replaced by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of The Buggles. Yes disbanded in 1981 but would regroup in 1983 with Chris Squire, Alan White, a reunited Tony Kaye and guitarist Trevor Rabin and set to record a new album with Trevor Horn producing. Jon Anderson was invited to join the project, which became a Yes album called 90125 and featured their hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart". Over the 80s, the band once again came to disagreements, even leading to a separate Yes group called Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe named after their respective members. But the 1991 album Union would see the many members all come together for a reunion. Over the years, the lineup would continue to change. Chris Squire died on June 27th 2015. Alan White died on May 26th 2022. Members of Yes continue to tour and perform their material in multiple incarnations, Close to the Edge remaining one of their crowning acheivements.