Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well?

Close to Edge for me. While I absolutely adore Heart of the Sunrise and South Side of the Sky, And You and I and Siberian Khatru really put my mind at ease. It's one of those "Sunday morning" albums that I like to spin along with some early Johnny Cash, Neil Young's After the Gold Rush and the first W.A.S.P. album. So completely relaxing.

Yeah,,,Im probably a Close to the Edge kinda guy myself..

Its tough though,, both albums have their good points.

Very tough call, but probably Fragile in the end because of the plethora of different sounds and movements. The solo works were a neat idea too.

But then there was And You And I.....

CTTE for sure for me.

I've always felt that Siberian Khatru was the quintessential Yes song.

I'll also take the Yes Album over Fragile.....

Siberian Khatru is the only way to begin a road trip. It gets you going like nothing else (except maybe Born To Be Wild when you are drunk, and then you should not be driving!). But it is too hard to say that the entire two albums are better or worse. They are inseparable, kinda like saying do you prefer blood or a heart. Both are complementary to one another

I agree with Elys, they're more complementary than comparable. On the other hand, CTTE goes more into long-form compositions that continue into the next few albums.

If I HAD to vote...Close to the Edge.

"They are inseparable, kinda like saying do you prefer blood or a heart. Both are complementary to one another."

Nicely put Elys,

But if I HAD to choose, CTTE for me.

I always used to enjoy the opening of the song "Close to the Edge" because you can place the speakers outside and crank the volume, and wait. I've done this camping and at outdoor parties. No one really notices as the bird sounds join the normal outdoor sounds... things build and still no one notices, until...sssshhhhhwwwWWWWWWAM! on comes Yes in their full glory, producing one of my favorite effects, the Group Headrush.

DRAMA!

Nah, just kidding. Close to the Edge for me, then The Yes Album, Drama, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Fragile, in that order. Not that I think these are the "best" albums, just my favorites.

What a toughie! But, Close To The Edge here too. Now if you were to ask me what SONG actually moves me the most, believe it or not, that would be easier. In a word, "Awaken".

Harry, Drama is always the first one I reach for when getting into a YES fix.

When people ask what the best Yes album is I have to answer Close to the Edge.

When they ask me what my favorite Yes album is I say Relayer!

As a Yeshead here are my ratings:

Yes - * * *
Time and a Word - * *
The Yes Album - * * * * *
Fragile - * * * *
Close to the Edge - * * * * *
YesSongs - * * * * *
Tales From Togographic Oceans - * * *
Relayer - * * * * *
Yesterdays - * * * *
Going For The One - * * * * *
Tormato - * * * *
Drama - * * *
YesShows - * * * *
90125 - * * * * *
9012live - * * *
Big Generator - * * *
ABWH (I call it a Yes album) - * * * * *
Union - * *
Talk - * * *
ABWH live - * * * *
Keys to Ascension 1 - * * * *
Keys 2 - * * * *
Open Your Eyes - *
The Ladder - * * *
Live from House of Blues - * * *
Magnification - * * *

Favorite album is Relayer but any of the 5 star albums could be "best".
I hate with a passion Open Your Eyes. A blight on this world.

That's cool, Brad. No one is ever forced to listen to something they hate (are they?), but I like the Squire / Sherwood stuff, which is essentially what OYE is, and I like the OYE songs that were included on "Conspiracy" in their early form. I also like the Cinema version of "It can happen" from the Rhino CD.

A long time ago, I noticed something interesting about the series of Yes albums from the first one through 90125. If you start with "Tales" as a center and then pair the records off working in each direction (ie., CTTE & Relayer, Fragile & GFTO, TYA & Tormato, etc...) an intersting pattern develops, as if they are working toward and then away from a common point. Just my observation...

Fragile has always been my favorite, but there are so many close seconds, including Drama, which I love, and The Ladder. As a professional sound engineer of twenty years, I know that Fragile and 90125 are almost sonic perfection; as a musician, I am still in awe of almost everything they've done. And I think we have more to come... Chris?

Quote - "I'll also take the Yes Album over Fragile"

Me too. In fact I may also take Relayer and GFTO over Fragile too, although that may depend on what day of the week it is.