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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The DVD-A version is well worth your money., August 15, 2004
This review is about the DVD-Audio version - if you're even looking at this version, I'll bet you're already familiar with the music.
Let me tell you, if you've got the right equipment, then you really have to get it! The sound quality is amazingly clear - I've purchased other DVD-A's where the enhanced sound showed up limitations in the source tape or unintentionally showed where seperate musical parts came in and out. Not this one! Right from the beginning, when that famous acoustic guitar intro kicks in, you'll be impressed by use of 'space' in the sound. The surround tracks has a real feel of space without it sounding like the remixers were trying to show off. I can't reccomend it enough - I'd been listening to this album for years, but hearing the DVD-A gives me a whole new level of appreciation for it.
I have to admit, it took me awhile before I broke down and bought this. I can understand if any of you are hesitant to buy another version of this CD, much as you may like it. But now I wish I'd bought it much sooner. So in a word, BUY IT! It's definitely worth the money! If you're buying it for the first time, and have the right equipment, THIS is the version to get. And if you already own it............ well, it's got the full-length version of "America" as a bonus track, and it's not any more expensive than the "Fragile" *CD* remaster, so what could possibly be holding you back??? :)
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Progressive rock - made accessible, June 18, 2003
_Fragile_ should always be considered a classic in the progressive rock genre, not just because the musicianship is virtuosic, tasteful and unique, but because the majority of it is catchy and accessible as well - something that's very rare in progressive rock as a whole.Jon Anderson's distinctly artistic upper-register, Chris Squire's crunchy basslines, Steve Howe's floating guitar leads, Bill Bruford's tasteful drumming and Rick Wakeman's versatile keyboard work here come together to make a unique, tantalizing brand of music. The album starts off with "Roundabout," which exemplifies what I was saying in the opening paragraph. This track is ultra-catchy and addictive. The grooves on here (mostly exemplified by Bill's drums and Chris' bass) are hard to resist. Definitely a classic that has aged, and will seemingly continue to age nicely. Next comes the first of five solo pieces: The first two of the five being my absolute favorites. "Cans And Brahms" is Rick Wakeman's impressive arrangement of bits found in the Allegro giocoso (third movement) of Brahms' 4th symphony. He did an excellent job on this (and for the record, Brahms is a favorite of mine amongst many classical composers, and I've heard and own his 4th symphony.) Next comes Jon Anderson's "We Have Heaven," which is a cerebral piece showcasing his vocal artistry. If you listen carefully, you'll find seven separate (but overdubbed) vocal parts by Jon on here. On the seventh one, he is heard saying "yes." The following track called "South Side of The Sky" seems to be a standout amongst Yes' many epic-length tracks. There seems to be a bluesy, down-home atmosphere to it, especially in Steve Howe's fluid guitar licks. While it's indeed spacy, it's not as otherworldly as most of their other epics, and seems to maintain a bit of earthiness that some of the other epics didn't. "Five Per Cent For Nothing" is a short track showcasing Bruford's drumming ability, but, don't expect it to be a virtuoso display, as it seems more like a steady groove-oriented workout. "Long Distance Runaround" seems to showcase a slight country influence, mostly heard in Steve's guitar. Other than that, the track is a short little ditty. "The Fish" is Chris Squire's bassline workout, which plays out in something of a 7/4 rhythm, while several overdubbed bass samples are exemplified. Quite a nice track. Catchy and addictive as well. "Mood For A Day" is Steve's acoustic workout. Quite virtuosic, atmospheric and tasteful. The last track called "Heart of The Sunrise" starts out with what may have been Yes' most heavy and aggressive moment up until _Relayer_. The crushing attack borders on classic metal. That theme plays out quite a few times within the 3 1/2 minutes of the instrumental opening, which then gives way to a host of trippy atmospherics and Jon Anderson's faraway-sounding vocals. There isn't much more that I can say. This is definitely a classic in Yes' catalog. In a weird sort of way, I could go as far to say that this is Yes' strongest album (of course, no one can claim to know what is and what isn't anything regarding appreciation of any kind.) There isn't another album quite like this one in their catalog. Highly recommended.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Yes' Best Works, July 2, 2004
The reviewers below really hit it dead on: this is not Yes' most cohesive or best album, but it still is one of the essential albums in any rock collection. Every member of Yes is incredibly talented: Jon Anderson's raspy voice sounds like two people singing at the same time; Chris Squire plays bass as if it was a lead instrument; Steve Howe's guitar at times rings with classical underpinnings and at other times rips out overwhelming lightning fast rock riffs; Wakeman's only peer on keyboards is Keith Emerson; and I suspect Bill Bruford is one of the few drummers who could possibly anchor this much talent.Without reviewing the songs individually, the music is some of the most complex to be produced by a mainstream rock band with extended instrumental passages which paint great musical landscapes. The lyrics are pure poetry, the meaning of which is not always ascertainable. In a way this enhances the band in that it allows Jon Anderson's voice to be a musical instrument communicating pure emotion without the necessity of resorting to the meaning of the words he is voicing. Amazingly, 30 years after this album was released, YES! can still fill the 2500 seat Universal Amputheater in Los Angeles, with seats going for an average of $... a pop. That says a lot for the quality of the musicians and their compositions. And that is why this album is essential to a music collection. Why buy the DVD-Audio? CDs are harsh and brittle. They produce listening fatigue in minutes, and have always left me fiddling with the trebble in a feeble attempt correct the uncorrectable sound. Nothing worked. So, for serious music appreciation, I needed to resort to the long playing vinyl album. These have their own problems such as limited dynamic range, transient distortion, poor pressing quality, tape hiss and noise, scratches and thousands of pops and ticks, rumble, wow and flutter, and expensive playback equipment which needed care and tuning. And worst of all, I had to get up to flip the album half-way through! DVD-Audio and SACDs fix these problems. Initially, I put on the CD of Yes' "Close to the Edge" just to assure myself that CDs aren't for extended listening. I then played the DVD-A and the vinyl of Fragile at the same time and flipped back and forth. The stereo track on the DVD-A revealed instruments which were burried on the vinyl: Steve Howe's guitar has a beautiful warmth to it which is missing on the vinyl -- the ring and sustain of the guitar notes at the beginning of Roundabout held on longer; the echo from the room in which Anderson was singing became more apparent; Wakeman's synthesizers sounded crystaline without harshness; and you could hear with clarity the wood of Bruford's sticks as they hit the rim of a drum. The 5.1 track reveals even more, most notably in "Cans and Brahms" when Wakeman hits a deep bass organ peddle and the room vibrates. A must have album. If you have a DVD player, I also recommend Yes Live at the House of Blues and Keys to Ascension.
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