Thursday, May 13, 2010

Yes Fragile 1972


I'm (well I was and then I decided to take a break to write up a quick blog post) sitting here remoted into the domain controller at cost center 1031 in Denver, setting up their new DC and file server... ya know creating user groups and applying lots of layers of NTFS permssions and what not. Anyway I'm also listening to the YES 'Fragile' album from 1972 and enjoying the heck out of it. Man what an awesome album! It is just scratching my musical itch this morning in that special way that makes you go 'ahhhhhhhhhh yeah... that's it.... that IS in fact as they say... it.'

http://www.last.fm/music/Yes/Fragile

2 comments:

SQLFunkateer said...

Great album. I can see how a percussionist would really dig it, Bruford does some interesting (although usually somewhat simple) things on it. You do have to wade through some of the solo pieces...each band member has one. Anderson's one is insane (tell the moon dog, tell the march hare!). Bruford's solo spot is mercifully not very long, but maddeningly strange. Wakeman hadn't yet mastered the ability to integrate classical with prog so he did a straight up classical piece with synths. Steve Howe's Mood for a Day remains one of my favorite (semi) classical pieces, and at one point I could basically play the whole thing decently. But the best solo spot, not that I'm biased, is the layered bass groove The Fish (Schindeleria Primataurus). 7/4 is it? Done as a fantastic solo spot live, where Howe lays down the harmonic base of the groove, with building percussion and the bass taking the lead. Here's a great example:

The Feesh

As more a Brufordite than a Alan White fan, I would imagine, you probably are ready to check out Close to the Edge in depth, if you haven't already. Fragile is a gateway drug, err, album.

Percussivity said...

Nice live track! Yes 7/4 and nicely done.