Fragile [Remastered] - Yes > Reviews > Classic yes

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	progressive rock classic
Disadvantages:	no

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Released back in 1972, "Fragile" is considered one of the greatest examples of the movement conventionally named as British prog/art rock. Unusually high trained rock musicians combine powers in order to produce an album that, for sure, has everything a good prog album needs. Sheer but controlled virtuosity, beautiful innovational melodies, complex but coherent structured music forms. A flavour of classical music is always being implied from times to times throughout the record, mostly due to Rick Wakeman's keyboard work. It was no surprise that Rick Wakeman followed a more "classical influenced" way in his solo works(check "journey to the center of the earth" to get a better idea of Rick's solo works). I think the title "Cans and Brahms" warns one clearly. What we actually have in this album, is a collection of progressive rock classics starting with "Roundabout", which entered the top 40, even though in a radio edited version, and ending with progressive masterpiece "Heart of the sunrise" ,that can, by the way, be heard on Vincent Gallo's classic movie "Buffalo 66". Excellent ,almost funky at times, bass lines by Chris Squire, all around guitar work by Steve Howe(Mood for a day) and complicated elegant drum rhythms by fusion pioneer and one of the masters of prog rock drumming Bill Bruford(Check also his solo works with Bill Bruford's earthworks). Classic. The end.