Yes

With "Roundabout" and "Long Distance Runaround," Fragile was Yes' biggest commercial success, officially cementing their place in the annals of nerd history and blowing away any competition with radio-friendly prog rock. Each member contributes a solo composition but it's the ensemble effort "Heart of the Sunrise" (used to great effect by Vincent Gallo in Buffalo '66) that highlights the album. Fragile is also Yes' first record with Rick Wakeman and his signature synthesizer overkill.

The sure and steady pace at which Yes has progressed through their four albums seems to
suit them just fine, and in Fragile the fruit is at last beginning to ripen. Some problems
remain, however: They're good and they know it, so they tend to succumb to the show-off
syndrome. Their music (notably "Cans and Brahms" and "We Have Heaven") often seems
designed only to impress and tries too hard to call attention to itself. Is anyone r... More >

I certainly prefer Yes's rock-classical synthesis--in which tricky intros, swooping dynamics, and intense textures are integrated into a self-sustaining (and -propelling) electric framework--to ELP's flashy chopsmanship. "Round-About" is a triumph right down to its nature-mystic lyric, the rhythm players each contribute a viable composition, Steve Howe remains a marvel, and even the rearranged Brahms from new keyboard player Rick Wakeman is tolerable. But isn't there supposed to be more to art than great contrivance? (Grade - B)