Yes - Fragile
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On November 12, 1971, "Yes" released their fourth studio album, "Fragile".
It was the moment when the band stopped being a promising progressive rock act and became one of the defining forces of the genre. After the breakthrough of "The Yes Album", the group experienced a lineup change — keyboardist Tony Kaye was replaced by the young virtuoso Rick Wakeman, who brought an entire symphonic universe with him. Together with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Bill Bruford, this became the classic Yes lineup — five musicians whose chemistry turned complexity into art.
Recording began in the late summer of 1971, with Eddy Offord co-producing. The band was running short on money, so they came up with a creative solution: each member would contribute a solo piece alongside the main group compositions. The result was an album that balanced individuality and unity — a showcase of technical brilliance wrapped in celestial imagination. Roger Dean’s artwork, depicting a small, breaking planet, mirrored the album’s vast soundscapes and cosmic reach.
"Roundabout" bursts open like a sunrise over misty English fields — Steve Howe’s acoustic intro evolving into Chris Squire’s thunderous bass riff the music world hasn't heard before and Anderson’s soaring high pitched voice. Jon Anderson and Steve Howe wrote the song while traveling through Scotland near the end of a tour. Inspired by the breathtaking landscapes on the road from Aberdeen to Glasgow, Anderson began crafting the lyrics. The full version of the song lasts 8 minutes and 29 seconds, but it was shortened to 3 minutes and 27 seconds for the single release, which reached No. 13 on the U.S. Hot 100 — becoming Yes’s biggest hit until "Owner of a Lonely Heart" surpassed it in 1983.
"Cans and Brahms" follows, a brief but dazzling display of Wakeman’s classical training, transforming Brahms’ Fourth Symphony into a whirlwind of Moog and organ. "We Have Heaven" is Jon Anderson at his most ethereal — layers of vocals looping into infinity, his voice floating like a mantra in space.
Then comes "South Side of the Sky", a monumental piece that fuses heavy rock with haunting piano interludes. It tells of a mountaineering expedition as a metaphor for human endurance — the climber’s struggle between life and death reflected in the music’s contrast of ice-cold riffs and warm harmonies.
The playful "Five Per Cent for Nothing" — Bill Bruford’s 35-second rhythmic experiment — is a burst of humor and precision. Its brevity is deceptive; every hit and rest are calculated to perfection.
"Long Distance Runaround" brings the album’s pop sensibility to the surface, with its catchy rhythm and cryptic lyrics about faith and confusion. It seamlessly blends into "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)", Chris Squire’s bass-driven odyssey that turns low frequencies into a symphony of their own. "Mood for a Day" is a moment of quiet brilliance — Steve Howe’s classical guitar solo feels timeless, a gentle interlude between the storm and the stars.
And then, "Heart of the Sunrise" — the eleven-minute finale that encapsulates everything "Fragile" stands for. Dynamic, emotional, and expansive, it builds from thunderous riffs to serene calm and back again, capturing the tension between chaos and beauty. It remains one of the defining pieces in progressive rock history.
Upon its release, "Fragile" reached No. 7 in the UK and No. 4 on the Billboard chart in the U.S., propelling Yes into global stardom. Critics praised its ambition and technical mastery, while fans were captivated by its grandeur. It was the beginning of "Yes’s" golden era — soon to continue with "Close to the Edge", but "Fragile" was the album that truly defined their sound.
Decades later, the album still feels alive — a fusion of mind and heart, intellect and emotion, precision and dream. It is not just a milestone of progressive rock; it’s a universe of its own, orbiting endlessly in the imagination of anyone who has ever listened.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music