Yes have long been a fan favorite of the progressive crowd. Along with King Crimson, ELP, and other popular bands that have helped to terraform today's musical scenery, Yes stands out due to their merge of styles. Incorporating orchestral works in varying degrees over the course of their long career, Yes redefined what rock music could be. With those fresh ideas and the ability to think beyond the standard chording that was rock, Yes released long standing classics. One of those classics is Fragile.

Although Yes had several albums under their collective belts at the time, they still had yet to make their mark. That would be accomplished with the pared down for radio, "Roundabout". Interestingly, "Roundabout" is an 8 1/2 minute jewel of a song that Atlantic Records felt had extreme breakout potential. Without consulting with the band, Atlantic magically produced a radio friendly edit that propelled the band into the Top 40 and into history.

But "Roundabout" wasn't the only gem on the album. The disc had 9 songs, several of them over the 8 minute mark and one clocking in at 10 minutes. But that didn't hamper the buying public from enjoying this uniquely positioned band that exposed a generation to classical influences.

With Fragile, the core of Yes introduced a new keyboardist, Rick Wakeman, who had played for Strawbs, and also introduced an expansive use of the moog synthesizer and mellotron into their style. This style became the signature that made a Yes song recognizeable. Wakeman also brought with him the before mentioned classical influence that elevated Yes.

With the distinctive and soaring vocals of Jon Anderson, the jazzy and rhythmic bass of Chris Squire, the delicate guitar of Steve Howe and the progressive drumming skills of Bill Bruford along with Wakeman, Yes was the next step. Producing lyrics that spoke of things springing from the collective minds of dreamers and sung in harmonies, the formula was complete.

"Roundabout", the band's claim to fame, is a tapestry of all that we spoke of earlier. Wakeman's effect and influence is felt in his singular "Cans and Brahms", daringly subtitled "Extracts from Brahms' 4th Symphony in E Minor Third Movement". It also shows that the band possesses serious musical chops. It only clocks in at a mere 1:35 but resonates long after the last piano fill.

"We Have Heaven" is a gorgeously rendered harmonic song that exemplifies Anderson's vocal range. Short, it also times at around 1:30 but leaves the same lasting impression. In creating songs for this album, the entire band left their mark. Some of the songs on this disc were individual endeavers in terms of song direction. "Mood For a Day" highlighted Steve Howe's effectiveness as a guitarist. "Five Per Cent For Nothing" revealed the jazz rock leanings of Bill Bruford who carried that affection far past his tenure with Yes. "The Fish (Shinleria Praematurus)" by Chris Squire is a bass dominated masterpiece accentuated by the band only sparingly so as to spotlight Squire.

However, it's the band pieces that shine here. "Roundabout", "Southside of the Sky", "Long Distance Runaround" and the ethereal "Heart of the Sunrise". Those songs reveal the compatibility of the members of Yes.

This DVD-Audio version of Fragile is a revisitation of the classics that make up this album. In the whole of this remix for 5.1, there is never a shuffling of the music to make full use of the available tracks. Instead, the effect is one of transitioning. When a piece reaches the point of fullness, it gradually expands to the surrounds to create an airy, yet understated effect. The use of surround channels never steals form the main focus of the primary 3 channels, left, right, and center. The 5.1 mix is very respectful of it's stereo father.

The stereo mix is a beautiful affair. Every note is clear and perfect. The instruments are heard in their full glory. The Advanced Resolution mix is the only way to hear this album. The comparison to the redbook standard CD is not even a topic for discussion. After listening to this version, the CD version paled in comparison.

I've said it all along. These high resolution mixes absolutely ruin your listening to standard CDs. Fans of Yes will delight in the multiple mixes available to them on this disc and in the quality with which they are able to hear the music.

This disc also provides a nicely designed and animated menu that adheres to the spirit of Yes. You can choose form the various mixes that you desire. Also available as extras, are a photo galley, lyrics, and a band timeline that only leads up to this album, not beyond. This disc also includes "America". The disc comes in a super jewel case with an impressive booklet. The booklet contains original artwork, an interview, expanded liner notes and photos as well as standard track listings and credits.

This is, at the present, the definitive "Fragile" and the only way to enjoy it. I highly recommend that you get this version. It represents a quality release that speaks for the DVD-Audio format.

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Yes
Fragile

DVD-Audio Quality

Released: November 19, 2002
Origination Year: 1972
Stereo RunTime: 52:00
Multi-Channel Run Time: 52:00
Tracks: 10
Stereo Mix Produced by: Yes & Eddy Offord
5.1 Mix Produced by: Robin Hurley
Re-mixed by: Tim Weidner
Mastered by: Steve Hall at FutureDisc Style: Studio
Format: DVD-Audio
Enhancement: Multi-Channel (5.1)
Label: Warner/Rhino
Website:
www.yesworld.com

Roundabout
Cans and Brahms
We Have Heaven
South Side of the Sky
Five Per Cent For Nothing
Long Distance Runaround
The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus)
Mood For a Day
Heart of the Sunrise
America