posted: 2021-11-26 Fragile ⭐Yes

“If not exactly their peak, Fragile was as perfect a record as the group would ever make, and just as flawless in its timing as its content. The science-fiction and fantasy elements that had driven the more successful songs on their preceding record, ‘The Yes Album’, were pushed much harder here, and not just in the music but in the packaging of the album: the Roger Dean cover was itself a fascinating creation that seemed to relate to the music and drew the purchaser’s attention in a manner that few records since the heyday of the psychedelic era could match. The opening minute of “Roundabout” was dominated by Steve Howe’s acoustic guitar and Bill Bruford’s drums, and only in the middle section did the band show some of what they could do with serious amperage. Elsewhere on the record, as on “South Side of the Sky,” they would sound as though they were ready to leave the ground (and the planet), between the volume and intensity of their playing. “Long Distance Runaround” was probably the most accessible track here apart from “Roundabout,” but they were both ambitious enough to carry most listeners on to the heavier sides at the core of this long-player.” - Bruce Eder, AllMusic