Artist: YES
Album: CLOSE TO THE EDGE REMASTERED (CD)

Year: 1972/ 2003
EAN/UPS: 0075678266621
Media type: CD

Close to the Edge set a trend for Yes of including a single epic song significantly longer than the others which was followed in the later albums Relayer (1974) (which featured "The Gates of Delirium") and Going for the One (1977) (which featured "Awaken").

The spiritual influences introduced by Jon Anderson, which later formed the basis of Tales from Topographic Oceans, are already evident in the music and lyrics of all three tracks on Close to the Edge. Renewal and repetition are other main themes; the title track starts and finishes with the same sound effects of running water and birds and in "Siberian Khatru" there is the repetition of two-syllable phrases.

According to the fans, the title track is inspired by Hermann Hesse's book Siddhartha, an explanation which can cast the cryptic and mysterious lyrics in a new light, tracking the awakening of Hesse's character "close to the edge" of a river (and, symbolically, of the serial lifetimes of his soul) where he experiences a spiritual awakening.

In June 1972, just as recording ended, drummer Bill Bruford suddenly left the line-up (to play with King Crimson), forcing Yes to find a replacement (ex-Plastic Ono Band drummer Alan White) before starting a new U.S. tour.

The cover art was by Roger Dean. Some of the photography for the album sleeve was by bass player Chris Squire's former bandmate in the Selfs and The Syn, Martyn Adelman.

The album is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Progarchives.com voted it the greatest progressive album of all time in 2006. Guitar World ranked it #67 in their (Reader's Choice) list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time.

Rhino Records issued a remastered and expanded version of Close to the Edge on August 26, 2003. It added four bonus tracks: single versions of "America" and "Total Mass Retain" and early versions of "And You and I" and "Siberian Khatru" (as "Siberia").

Close to the Edge (Atlantic K 50012) was released on Atlantic Records in September 1972. It reached #4 in the UK, and it reached #3 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 32 weeks. In the Netherlands it reached #1 on the Dutch album charts, the only Yes album to do so.

TRACKLIST:

"Close to the Edge" (Jon Anderson, Steve Howe) – 18:42
"The Solid Time of Change"
"Total Mass Retain"
"I Get Up I Get Down"
"Seasons of Man" (song sample - 176K)

"And You and I" (Anderson; Themes by Bill Bruford, Howe, Chris Squire) – 10:09
"Cord of Life"
"Eclipse" (Anderson, Bruford, Howe)
"The Preacher the Teacher"
"Apocalypse"

"Siberian Khatru" (Anderson; Themes by Anderson, Howe, Rick Wakeman) – 8:55



LINE-UP:

Jon Anderson – vocals
Chris Squire – bass, vocals
Steve Howe – guitars, vocals
Rick Wakeman – keyboards
Bill Bruford – drums, percussion