Back catalogue: Progressive Rock

Review: Canon-busting prog rock band Yes unleashed their fifth studio album Close To The Edge via Atlantic Records in 1972, at the height of the band's return fame after some initial flops - as well as of the prog rock genre's mutation out of prevalent styles such as import psychedelia and hard rock. Riffing on the many Orientalisms suffusing the music at the time, this record's centrepiece is its 18-minute title track, which takes its lyrics from Herman Hesse's novel adaptation of the story of the Siddharta Gautama. Yes would positively affirm their deservingness of inclusion among the prog rock greats with this record, with a crystalline live sound thoroughly improving upon their earlier, less sonically developed full-lengths. Also famous for its Roger Dean album cover, which established Yes' trademark bubble text logo, you can now enjoy this quality repress from Rhino, which contains remix fragments and bonus tracks by band member Steven Wilson.