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Mar 17, 2025 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

In 1972, Yes found the key to the prog rock kingdom. With Close to the Edge, as the band reached the height of their early phase’s unique and invaluable synergy, they also created one of prog’s essential albums. Spread over five CDs, an LP, and a Blu-ray, the Super Deluxe Edition offers an intriguing immersion with an album has lost none of its power as both a prog achievement and an engaging and rewarding rock record.

Close to the Edge found the band at a professional and commercial peak, evolving further from their breakthrough with Fragile, which was released in the U.S. earlier that year. Striking a popular balance, their instrumental mastery involved songcraft that was both complex and accessible while displaying a strong melodic sense. Each of the players shine throughout, between Steve Howe’s guitar work, Rick Wakeman’s keyboard heroics, Chris Squire’s thundering, rhythmic bass playing, and the next-to-peerless, inventive drumming of Bill Bruford, with Jon Anderson’s vocals and lyrical contributions at the crest of the instrumental wave. They sound staggeringly self-assured from the album’s start, tearing through the blinding complexity of the title track’s opening section into movements that are alternately stately and soaring. Along with the album’s two ambitious, multi-section pieces, “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I,” some of the band’s richest interplay is found in “Siberian Khatru,” which also became an enduring concert inclusion.

The box set provides an all-around deep dive into the Close to the Edge period and experience. Along with a newly remastered version of the album, there’s a collection of Steven Wilson’s 2025 remixes and instrumentals. A rarities disc includes a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” that had appeared on an Atlantic Records compilation, along with alternate versions, mixes, and edits of various tracks. Spread across two CDs, a 12/16/72 concert at the Rainbow in London has a dream setlist, with the band performing highlights from their previous albums as well as the entirety of Close to the Edge. With Bruford having left Yes to join King Crimson following the completion of Close to the Edge, the Rainbow show features new drummer Alan White, who would remain a member of the band for nearly 50 years. And the Blu-ray rounds out the package with mixes by Steven Wilson in Dolby ATMOS and 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA, as well as his stereo remaster, remix, and instrumental mix. (www.yesworld.com)

Author rating: 10/10