Fra

Overall Album Score: 9.5 out of 10

It's pronounced Fraj-il-ley.

Not really. I saw that on an episode of The Rugrats. Early '90s Nickelodeon was so awesome.

Yes, but I'm here to talk about Yes. And "Yes" is what I say to this freakedly awesome album. "Yes, I like Fragile by Yes!!"

The album begins with "Roundabout," which could be the most exciting moment of prog-rock. I don't say that for sure, but it's got to be pretty damn close. It's an exciting rocker when it wants to be, but it also takes moments to slow down and still be awesome. It's quite complex, and it also has very good flow. Not one single hiccup.

The second lengthy prog-rock 'epic' is "South Side of the Sky." A style obviously imitated by later progsters Rush, but this track is actually exciting and ***gasp*** CATCHY!!! Imagine! A catchy prog-rock song!!!!!! (....granted, there's plenty of catchy prog-rock songs, but I'm coming from having recently reviewed seven Rush albums in a row.)

Finally, there's "Heart of the Sunrise," which easily beats both of those in terms of 'dramaticism.' That one has a pretty distinctive mood throughout and even features Jon Anderson trying to sing with passion. Hmh. But it also features some of the finest instrument playing on the album, which is really saying something. They not only use Steve Howe's flawless guitar chording as far as it could possibly go at the beginning of the song, but Wakeman is featured all throughout! ... Well, that's only a positive thing right?

Even though the two longer tracks are unmistakably classics, I'm going to have to say the album's defining characteristics are the shorter ones....... Some of them are quirky and others are just meant as show cases for their world-class performers (and no drum solos)! "Cans and Brahams" is a rather off-kilter piano-led number. "Mood for a Day," easily the most normal song of the effort, features Howe just piddling along with a Spanish guitar. Well, he's a good piddler! And it's pretty dang hooky too.

"We Have Heaven" is certainly something ........... it's very unusual, but it manages to work for reasons I that I can't really determine. "Long Distance Round" is the poppiest song of the album that sounds very similar to a radio hit by Supertramp. ... Well, they started out as a prog-group, too, eh??

Fragile is regarded as one of rock 'n' roll's greatest album. I'm not going to disagree with that assessment. This is a highly enjoyable album. I never professed to be a Yes fan, so I'm sorry if this review wasn't too insightful. But, as someone who doesn't think Yes is God's greatest gift to rock 'n' roll, I can tell you that this is a great album. So there.

Overall Album Score: 9.5 out of 10 (Everybody in the world loves this album. It's true.)

Average Song Score: 9.5 (The songs are universally excellent ... long or short.)

Album Tilt: 9.5 (Even and diverse. What's not to like?)

Artist Rating: 9.5 (It's innovative and spawned quite a few imitators! It's not rock's greatest artistic statement, but it's definitely up there.)

Track Reviews

Roundabout 20/20

This is a really neat song. It starts out with some acoustic guitar piddling, and then this really awesome harder rock section starts (with a bass riff that's to die for!!!!!!!). The melody manages to be extremely catchy and a tasty guitar riff comes in after awhile. Good old guy Rick Wakeman comes in a few times with his intense keyboard scales. I guess songs like this is what prog-rock is supposed to be all about! ..... Except this sure as hell is a lot more exciting than I'm used to. I guess that's why Yes is the world's most popular prog rock band! Hm!! This is a complex song with excellent flow, contrasting moods throughout, instrumental work correctly identified as "legendary," and ....... hell, I'm just enjoying myself.

Cans and Brahams 9/10

A two-minute instrumental that I guess was designed to show off the fact they took David Bowie's pianist. (I always thought it was funny that Bowie would release such a piano-heavy album Aladdin Sane directly after Wakeman left ..........) It sounds like pretty off-kilter piano music to me! Strange but delightful.

We Have Heaven 10/10

Even more brief than the previous song! Really odd, too... It seems to consist of a chant and some odd melody chimes in on the background. Usually, I wouldn't think a song like this is any good, but there's an indescribable lunacy to it that manages to capture my attention!

South Side of the Sky 19/20

SCREW RUSH!!!!!!!!!! Why did I review those early Rush albums before this? ... This song starts out with sound effects but then goes directly into an off-kilter rocker that's actually catchy. What would Rush do? Take 8 trillion years with the sound effects and then go into an off-kilter rocker that isn't catchy whatsoever. The guitar work here is tight and excellent ....... this is a wonderful song!!! Wakeman shows off in the middle of this with some real piano proving that Tony Banks wasn't all that hot (but we knew that already, right?) This track is no better than "Roundabout" just for the fact that lightning can't strike twice, but ... it's still pretty great for other reasons. It's enjoyable!!!! Who said prog has to be boring and bloated?

Five Per Cent For Nothing 4.5/5

Very brief... It reminds me of those crazy 30-second off-kilter instrumentals that Frank Zappa would always do. This isn't so bad. I can't even say it's pointless... It just adds to the quirkiness!

Long Distance Round 10/10

The song starts with some pretty neat guitar-work ... nothing extremely inspiring but it's fun to hear. That eventually turns into what could be the poppiest song of the album (I'm thinking of those piano chords that sounds eerily like Supertramp in the late '70s). Gosh, that melody is catchier than anything. These guys aren't the world's greatest melody writers, but they sure seem to be on fire here... They insert some twinkly passages that leads to...

The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) 9/10

...this song that doesn't seem to be one of the album's more inspired songs. But you've got to love that running guitar line! ... This song mostly trudges along the same rhythm throughout as it slowly gets more off-kilter. For some reason, I'm trying to not like this song, but I can't. It's just too engaging.

Mood for a Day 9/10

Give me the Spanish guitar!!!!!!! This is a show-offey song where the guitarist gets to play around with the guitar. It's only three minutes long, and he's pretty dang good! Not only that, but he runs across a few pretty dang good hooks. The song shifts rhythm throughout so it never gets dull. Yes, I like even this song.

Heart of the Sunrise 19/20

The third "prog-epic." This one is very creepy! They create some very good moods thanks to that wonderful Mellotron they have. (Whoever doesn't like the sound of the Mellotron can bite me!) A lot more violent than the other tracks ... and the beginning proves to be an excellent showcase of the guitarwork! So busy, but it's so solid and polished. It gets more acoustic in the middle and Anderson starts to sing a pleasant, tuneful song. They keep a very interesting and creepy mood throughout ....... it was expertly done, it seems. The pacing of this section is rather slow, but that's not a bad thing!! No!!!! Poor Anderson was never the greatest singer, but he does his best. (It's certainly a positive thing this is the only place in the album where you can hear him trying to sing dramatically.) ... Anyway, I'm rambling. I'll just let this song speak for itself. I'm sure you'll hear it one day. Right???

Your comments will be the specialest of them all here.

hat the hell???? why did you erase my joke????? anyway good job on fragile album but i got news for you. if you are into college so much why don't you review zz top or black sabbath or blue oyster cult? you are one step ahead from reviewing the king of prog rock albums: close to the edge. i know you do not have time for this because you got college but hey i even got a job working at the stupid park cleaning garbage and stuff. good job you are one review away from pet sounds and smile. remember that joke was a song called bob, an homage to dylan.. did you hear the words oh no don ho? that laughed my butt off!. anyway call me a nerd but i am looking for someone that is a beautiful woman and that is tifa lockheart. hey, before you laugh at me i just wanna make sure that she is the most beautiful, sexual, sensual, ethereal women i have ever seen in my life. i want you. i need you. i miss you. i love you. do you still have a girlfriend or are you in love with kate bu! sh? anyway gotta run and oh, kill that faggot bolton for me?.

jeez you like the phrase "off-kilter" a whole lot, huh?