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Review by Bruce Eder
Fragile is Yes' breakthrough album, dominated by science-fiction and fantasy elements, and new member Rick Wakeman, whose organ, synthesizers, Mellotrons, and other keyboard exotica added a larger-than-life element to the proceedings. Ironically, the album was a patchwork job, hastily assembled in order to cover the cost of Wakeman's array of instruments. But the group built effectively on the groundwork left by The Yes Album, and the group had an AM-radio sucker-punch, aimed at all of those other progressive bands who eschewed the notion of hit singles, in the form of "Roundabout," the edited version (sort of "highlights" of the album version) pulled in millions of young kids who'd never heard them before. The single clicked, most album-buyers liked the long version and all the rest of what they found, and the band was made. Remastered in much-improved sound and graphics in 1995, look for the version of this CD with a reference to "digital remastering" across the top back of the jewel case. [The DVD Audio version includes the bonus track "America," and features both 5.1 surround sound and digital Dolby mixes.]
Fragile is Yes' breakthrough album, dominated by science-fiction and fantasy elements, and new member Rick Wakeman, whose organ, synthesizers, Mellotrons, and other keyboard exotica added a larger-than-life element to the proceedings. Ironically, the album was a patchwork job, hastily assembled in order to cover the cost of Wakeman's array of instruments. But the group built effectively on the groundwork left by The Yes Album, and the group had an AM-radio sucker-punch, aimed at all of those other progressive bands who eschewed the notion of hit singles, in the form of "Roundabout," the edited version (sort of "highlights" of the album version) pulled in millions of young kids who'd never heard them before. The single clicked, most album-buyers liked the long version and all the rest of what they found, and the band was made. Remastered in much-improved sound and graphics in 1995, look for the version of this CD with a reference to "digital remastering" across the top back of the jewel case. [The DVD Audio version includes the bonus track "America," and features both 5.1 surround sound and digital Dolby mixes.]
