Banco de Gaia - Apollo

Disco Gecko: 2013

It sure hasn’t felt like seven years since a proper full length from the World Bank came out. True, Marks also gave us a live/cover album in Memories Dreams Reflections and an odds ‘n’ sods one in Songs From The Silk Road, but compared to the blistering pace he’d release during the ‘90s, this is a long gap. Then again, perhaps it couldn’t be helped - priorities change, inspiration fades, that sort of rot. Somehow though, ol’ Toby got his mojo back, and now we have a new Banco de Gaia album to enjoy! Or at least I’ll enjoy. Maybe you will too, if my review sells you on it.

Actually, if you’ve enjoyed Mr. Marks’ music in the past, I shouldn’t need to sell you on Apollo. This is about as close to recapturing his late ‘90s sound (which was his peak, as far as I’m concerned) in a very, very long time. The only vocals come care of ethnic samples and singing, anything of a political bent has been jettisoned, and genre experimentation is almost non-existent. Instead, we have somber ambient pieces, dubby downtempo, and stompin’ dance-jams, all marinated in that ‘worldly vibe as heard from space’ prog-rock way that’s been a Banco staple since Big Men Cry. In fact, were I to compare Apollo to a prior album (and of course I’m gonna!), it’s most like Magical Sounds, though arranged differently; whereas the older album started big and fun, this one’s more contemplative and reflective (would a song titled Lamentations be anything else?).

There are quite a few other things on Apollo that reminds me of that era. Lead single Wimble Toot features the returning saxophonist Matt Jenkins, who along with Pink Floyd saxophonist Dick Parry played on Big Men Cry’s Celestine. Later in the album, Ted Duggan, who first lent his drumming talent back in Igizeh, shows up in Hu! - and like so many Banco tunes to feature live instruments, both tracks sound like they’d kick ass in concert (c’mon, Tobes, bring the band to Canada sometime!). And though there’s no credits confirming it, Eternal Sunshine comes off like a collaboration between Banco and psy trance act Eat Static, something that could have potentially occurred back when they still shared the same label (a shame it never did); it’s also the only track that breaks the ‘conventional Banco’ mold on Apollo, but not by much.

Still, this album doesn’t reach the heights of his best albums, for the unfortunate reason that its overall theme seems muddled. A booklet linking pictures to the songs is included with the hard copy (plus tied to the digi-files should you go that route), but I’m at a loss what message is conveyed, beyond a romanticism of cultures past (similar nostalgic feelings for his career?). Also, some could argue the lack of apparent musical growth hampers Apollo, but considering few even make music like Marks these days and fresh Banco material’s rare, I’ll take falling back on successful formulae anytime.

Various - Fabric 61: Visionquest

Fabric: 2011

*cover art brought to you Fabric’s “Bubbles! Fuckin’ Bubbles!” period*

And so we come to the end of the Fabric Project (on a budget). Perhaps I’ll do something like this again later down the road, as who knows what else may end up available for a pittance. Heck, I could probably find at least a dozen if I searched outside the Canadian Amazon sphere (at a glance, American Amazon has at least seven more under the fifty cent price!). However, I don’t want to get stuck reviewing Fabric mixes all the time. I’ve mentioned before they’re seldom all that interesting to write about anymore, and I’ve plenty other music I’m itching to get to.

So, who do we have to take us out? The American-based group Visionquest, a collection of four chaps that run the label of the same name. Most of their work entailed remixes, but as their output gained plenty of hype throughout the year 2011, it was only natural Fabric would come a knockin’.

And right they should, as Visionquest includes superstar DJ Seth “He So Crazy” Troxler! There’s also What’s-His-Face, Who’s-Its-Sack, and Lee. No, not Foss, some other Lee. Look, there’s a lot of Lees in underground house music these days, I can’t remember them all. Coincidentally, this is the second Fabric mix I’ve done that’s featured a DJ voted #1 at Resident Advisor. Does this mean I can eventually expect Jamie Jones’ Fabric contribution in the bargain bin too?

Anyhow, as Troxler’s a part of this mix, you can guess what kind of music you’re in for: lots of low, heady groove, occasional drug references, ‘come together’ soul proclamations, and oddball tangents to spice things up. The Visionquesters also provide ample examples of the music they enjoy promoting on their label: ‘underground pop’. Huh, to these ears, it sounds like dubby prog remixes of synth pop played at minus-ten, but that’s not such a bad combo.

Now for the problem with Fabric 61: too many jocks in the booth. Having an epic tag-team session sounds fun, and usually is when playing out live with a good four-to-six hour timeslot. For the concise mix-CD format though, you gotta get in with what you want, then quickly get out to let the next guy have his fun. Sure, there may be a few tracks when all four are operating on the same wavelength (like the stuff promoted by their label), but for the most part this mix doesn’t flow like that. Heck, it practically peaks with Cassius’ The Sound Of Violence, dropped not even a third deep into the mix. Some DJs would use such a moment to launch the set into a higher gear, but not Visionquest. Because they have a vision, taking you on a quest! Somewhere. I think. I dunno, the mix goes nowhere after that. Nice tunes though.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Probably. I didn’t hate anything, but the arrangement seldom makes this a thrilling listen either.

Various - FabricLive 60: Brodinski

Fabric: 2011

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive’s …“Seafood …On Face” period? What’s wrong with you!?*

So this throws the ‘FabricLive series features broken-beats’ theory out the window. True, there’d been a few others with an emphasis on house or techno before, but wouldn’t surprise me if the folks at Fabric figured they’d get a form-fitting set out of Brodinski, as his prior mixes often held ample amounts of electro and hip-hop. Nope, FabricLive 60 ain’t gettin’ that; just house, techno, acid, and …is that prog I hear?

I guess I should explain who this Brodinski chap is. Good question, as it forces me to look for an answer (yes, I was quite content to remain ignorant on this one). His profile at Lord Discogs claims he’s “the most exciting DJ and producer to explode onto the scene in recent years.” I think that was written sometime around 2008. Seeing how I hadn’t heard of Mr. Rogé until embarking on my Fabric Project (though I do remember that damned cover), it’s safe to assume that was a lot of bupkis. And even if I’ve just been ignorant of his success, it can’t be that much if his FabricLive entry - not even eighteen months old now - is practically begging to be taken off of someone else’s hands.

That said, if this CD’s anything to go by, I’ve missed out. Early in his career, Brodinski was getting named-dropped by the likes of Erol Alkan, Soulwax, and Tiga, and I can hear why, as his style suggests the same free-wheeling disregard for genre allegiance as they’ve often shown. However, unlike some of the sets those other style-benders have made, Brodinski exhibits a smoother flow between his jumps, almost to the point you’d swear we’re in the same musical territory from beginning to end despite the clear evidence to the contrary.

If anything, FabricLive 60 reminds me of, well, a live set, one played out at an ‘up for anything’ party. Want something bass heavy and groovin’? Brodinski’s got it. Want something fierce and jackin’? Brodinski’s got it. Want something quirky and goofy? Brodinski’s got it. Want something that’ll get your trainspotter’s g-spot all a-twitter? Yep, Brodinski’s got it (congrats if you recognize where the vocal in Riton’s Dark Place originates). Personally, I’ll take the acid cuts over anything else, but tribal murk care of The Soloist’s Samuel L. Session or shufflin’ Chicago house provided by T. William’s Hearbeat (UK funky? What kind of silly name is that?) may be your thing. Point is there’s variety on this mix, but it’s not varied for the sake of smashing a bunch of tunes into the set. Brodinski has structured his set with the proper ebbs and flows that makes DJ sets enjoyable.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Frankly, I was sold right at the beginning, with a brief, silly intro from Mr. Rogé that includes the phrase “let the beat control your body”. Yeah, I’m easily pleased that way.

Various - FabricLive 50: D-Bridge & Instra:mental Present Autonomic

Fabric: 2010

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive's “Stuff On Table Is Art” period*

Okay, this is a surprise. Folks offloading their sterile minimal-tech mixes, I can understand - unless you have a profound love for the sound, it's just not gonna make the cut when culling your CD collections. But a mix featuring the likes of Instra:mental and D-Bridge? On FabricLive's fiftieth entry, no less? Then again, Fabric 50 had a ton of pre-hype going into it: speculation over who’d get the honor, what sort of music it might feature... the works. I can’t recall anywhere near the same amount of buzz about FabricLive 50. As with the series itself, it was relegated to the sidelines, an interesting after-fact for those curious about it.

Or maybe folks didn’t quite know what to make of it. For the prior year leading up to this mix, D-Bridge and Instra:mental had been, erm, instrumental in pushing a new form of d’n’b that eschewed all conventions of the genre. Perhaps as a counter to the super-popular ‘rock’n’bass’ Pendulum sound, their music became incredibly stripped down and minimalistic. There was still that sense of bassline groove and urgency, but instead of everything being intense bedlam, music was given space to breathe, bass filling in all the aural gaps. The original dubstep aesthetic is a definite influence, but this stuff was more free-flowing and rolling. No one knew what to call it either. Autonomic, for the label that spawned much of it? Minimal jungle? Personally, I’m going with microfunk, but feel free to come up with something else (always fun times, coming up with new genre names!).

Their mix for FabricLive 50 prominently features this sound, and it can be disconcerting when first thrown on. Many times you (re: me) feel these are all tracks serving as intros, that they’re building anticipation for your typical tear-out jungle session to drop. It never comes though, instead keeping things at similar pace and tone throughout. At times it’ll dip closer to ambient techno or future garage, but mostly Instra:Bridge stick to dubby ‘not-quite-d’n’b’ microfunk.

This isn’t a main room sort of mix, and as our featured mixers provide a bulk of the tracks themselves, some may be let down by the lack of artist variety. To be fair, not many were even pushing this sound in 2010, though a few familiar names like Scuba, ASC, and Genotype help round things out. Apparently these are all exclusives to FabricLive 50, provided upon request from D-mental if they were interested. It’s a definite chill sort of CD, proper headphone material to get a sense of the space these tunes provide. An odd choice for a fiftieth edition of a series, but not a bad one.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Definitely, though I can understand why someone would offload it on the quick and cheap. It’s a mix that forces you to take on its own terms, and some still don’t know what to make of microfunk.

Various - Fabric 47: Jay Haze

Fabric: 2009

*cover art brought to you by Fabric’s “Abstracted Photos On Pastel” period*

And thus we jump a year and a half forward for our next offering of bargain bin Fabric mixes, to the likes of… Jay Haze? Huh, a surprise there, but then he’s long had a ‘love it or leave it’ style. Guess whoever had this copy had no love for it; ironic, considering his roots lay in Philadelphia, the City Of Brotherly Love (mind, I think Philly's slogan's meant to be ironic, if their sports fanbase is anything to go by).

Anyhow, Mr. Haze himself had quite an eclectic career during the ‘00s, despite at times coming across as yet another minimal deep-tech chap from Berlin. It didn’t hurt that a number of his releases and aliases hinted at a love for sleazy ghetto tech, perpetuating a rep as the bad boy of that scene. Don’t let a rough exterior fool you though, as he’s done plenty of charity work in his time as well. In fact, all the money earned for his Fabric contribution went towards relief aid to the Congo. Which… makes me getting this for pennies kind of dickish, now that I think about it.

This mix is also rather eclectic, though still carrying the tropes of underground house music of the time. Oh yes, we're in the thick of the hisssssss era, and it's just as pointless and annoying today as it was then; fortunately, ol' Jay don't dwell on too many tracks with it. There's also more of a Chicago (Philly?) groove to a number of these cuts, the dry sterility of Berlin-based tech-house having been flushed away by classic revivalism that began the year prior. And Haze himself provides a nice example of that “don't call it prog or trance” neo-trance sound that bubbled about for awhile, on Burning under his Fuckpony guise. Round things out with assorted dabblings of jazz, Afro-house, and whatnot, and you have yourself one of the most varied tracklists featured on a Fabric throughout the series' history. Shame Jay ain't much of a DJ.

To be fair, this was his second ever commercial mix (the first a label showcase for his Tuning Spork print), and boy does it show. There’s no real structure to this set, tunes and genres coming and going as Haze sees fit, and thus no rise or drop in energy as the CD plays through. The way these tunes are arranged, it’d almost work better as a mixtape, but as there’s a dancefloor flow between tracks, I don’t get that mixtape vibe from it like I do with some DJ-Kicks offerings. Number 47 exists in a weird zone between the two: interesting for the track selection, but a struggle to get hooked into it for the duration.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Hard to say at this point. It may be one of those ‘needs repeated listens’ sets. Check back in half a decade, when I might do a 2018 Update.

Various - Fabric 38: M.A.N.D.Y.

Fabric: 2008

*cover art brought to you by Fabric’s “Weird Masks With White Backdrop” period*

If you were a fan of tech-house in the mid-‘00s, it was your duty to consume all that Get Physical Music put out. No, there was no debating the issue. The label that M.A.N.D.Y. and Booka Shade built was your God, and that was that. Nice of them to release occasional good music too, but as time wore on, the bouncy, minimal deep-tech aesthetic they popularized grew watered down as pretenders and imitators flooded the market. It was up to Get Physical’s heroes to take charge, planting their flag as the preeminent tastemakers for all things rooftop shufflelicious. Except they didn’t. Booka Shade got tired of the same ol’ shtick and started exploring synth-pop, of all things. Meanwhile, M.A.N.D.Y. did… um… er… well… hmm.

Well, maybe they felt taking a step back from the limelight would allow their label’s new talent to enjoy the spotlight (like Samim!). It didn’t stop the demand for their DJing talents though, and with minimal deep-tech the trendiest shit throughout 2007, it made sense that Fabric tapped one of the original promoters of the sound for a mix. Trouble was, as the following year took form, folks were itching for something fresher, and M.A.N.D.Y. just wasn’t providing it anymore.

I know a single mix CD is hardly enough to judge a whole scene on, but their contribution to Fabric sure does capture what it was like listening to this stuff in 2008. It has a promising start – oh how many mix CDs have a promising start – with a decent groove established, quick mixes between tracks so nothing lulls for long, and enough hooky variety to keep you engaged. Somewhere in the middle though (well, for me, Audion's remix of Dubfire's I Feel Speed), all momentum is lost, M.A.N.D.Y. taking their set into plodding k-hole monotony. There isn't even any of the atmospheric murk that at least occasionally makes this stuff interesting on a head level. Nope, just dry, minimal tech-house, sapping away whatever energy the set had as each track goes by. Not even a last gasp of interesting tunes at the end is enough to rescue this mix.

Why were DJs making sets like these? Were they trying to be the anti-trance brigade? Making sure when your ketamine bumps started kicking in, you wouldn't worry about tripping over your feet with rhythmic intensity? God, does it ever suck if you're not interested in diving down the k-hole. M.A.N.D.Y.'s Fabric mix is like having sex when you're incredibly drunk. The initial thrill and excitement eventually wears away, but you keep muddling along in the hopes of hitting a climax eventually – and when it does, it's but a pathetic dribble of release that hardly makes it worth the effort in the first place.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Not even. Tons of DJ mixes like this are out there for free, and you don’t see many recommendations for those.

Various - Fabric 36: Ricardo Villalobos

Fabric: 2007

*cover art brought to you by Fabric’s ‘We Cans 4AD Too’ period*

As far as very important people in the world of techno go, Ricardo Villalobos wasn’t just very important, he was the most important for a while. Still, how important could he have been if his contribution to the Fabric series has been relegated to the bargain bin? Eh? Eh? Ah, hahaha! Hahahah!

HAHAHAHAHAH!

That’s it then. My whole Fabric Project (on a budget) has been leading to that one moment. There’s nowhere else to go but down. Might as well end it here. What, there’s still five more to do after this? *sigh*

Seriously though, Villalalobobos was a big freakin’ deal in the mid-‘00s, such that when it came time for him to offer his DJ skills for Fabric, he made the bold (audacious?) move to feature his music only (with the odd collaboration and remix thrown in). Some saw it as the height of hubris to turn the respected series into a personal showcase, but it’s not like DJs hadn’t flooded prior editions with their own material before - number 27 had half-a-dozen Audion tracks alone. And if ol’ Ricardo hadn’t done it, someone probably would eventually (Frankie Bones?). May as well get it over with.

And truthfully, Richie Vile Wolf has such a distinctive sound that not only can he make it work, but it’s difficult to imagine a mix CD without heavy contributions from himself. Though regarded as an excellent jock live (when relatively sober), he’d only made a couple In The Mix sets for Cocoon in the years prior. By and large, he has the hallmarks of a DJ feeling constrained by the lack of runtime and crowd intimacy that comes with making mix CDs. Small wonder this was his last such commercial disc, and even calling it a proper DJ set’s a stretch.

The music on number 36 features many of the sounds most came to associate with ol’ Ricardo. There’s your minimalistic tech-house, with more than enough groove to keep you engaged even when there doesn’t seem to be much going on. Sure enough, quirky, worldly tangents crop up, including an extended detour with Andruic & Japan, a twelve minute stretch of dialog and taiko drums to a beat. The requisite “I’m from Latin America” track comes near the end, a fun capper to the set. Everything sounds spacious, with percussion and effects given plenty of breathing room should you have suitable playback gear that allows it (Ricky Villainous Bus is quite the audiophile). Throughout it all, a slow, steady rise in pace (though not BPM) and mood is maintained, always a plus for any kind of set.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
It’s a very important Fabric by a most important person in the world of techno. It should be enshrined in the Techno Hall Of Fame (some old warehouse in Detroit) for all to see, not purchased for piddly amounts of Canadian currency.

Various - FabricLive 32: Tayo

Fabric: 2007

*cover art brought to you by FabricLive’s ‘ARTIST IN BIG FUCKING LETTERS’ period*

First off, what exactly is the difference between Fabric and FabricLive? Most point to a difference of genre highlighted between the two, the main series sticking to techno, house and the like, while the other one features music of the broken-beat variety. That might have been true from the outset, but as the series has evolved, so too has its selection of DJs, genre specification be damned. Are FabricLive mixes actually mixed live at the club itself or in the studio? Kudos for doing so if that's true, but it seems like a funny gimmick for CDs this day in age.

Oh well. With Tayo's contribution to FabricLive, the vinyl crackle throughout his mix is a clear indication we're dealing with a proper live set. Damn but would I love to hear this one out. I'd never heard of Mr. Popoola before this, a crying shame if number 32 is anything to go by. The Almighty Discogs informs me his turn-of-the-century career was defined by breaks of the nu-skool sort, yet judging by the tracklists of his Y4K series, little of it would have stood out from the pack; or maybe so. There's a definite reggae dub and dancehall influence in Tayo's sound, which is spliff-bliss nectar to my ears no matter what incarnation it comes in. If his other sets offer this bent, I should check them out.

He’s adept at mixing things up throughout a set too. For sure there’s your nu-skool, with familiar names like Bassbin Twins, Aquasky, and Tipper cropping up. This being a 2007 mix though, the influence of grimey UK garage is also felt; and yes, there’s dubstep here, but it’s good dubstep. This was when the sound was blowing up with crazy amounts of potential and diversity, and what Tayo brings to 32 would have made even the most ardent doubter weak in the knees. Example? How about the transition between More Than Money from Sarantis and Warrior Queen into Skream’s Lightning? Those sorts of moments, mang, gave dubstep all the thrills and excitement missing from so much other electronic music of the time.

Of course, it helps to have a competent DJ creating such moments, and Tayo’s set is superb for his chosen sound. Momentum is continuously maintained, with expertly placed lulls for your breathers before coming back fiercer than before. There’s enough genre diversity to keep the music fresh and varied throughout, and plenty of memorable anthems you’ll be anxious to hear play out again.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
Fuck yeah, it was! Admittedly I’m biased towards reggae dub, but Tayo’s set is so much fun, only a right dullard couldn’t vibe to this. I’m actually dismayed someone offloaded this CD for such a pittance. Is it because the cardboard is lightly frayed? Neverland skips when played straight from the disc (no problems came up with the rip)? Whatever, their loss.

Various - Fabric 27: Matthew Dear As Audion

Fabric: 2006

*cover art brought to you by Fabric's 'Deconstruction Of Photography Destruction' period*

In the mid-'00s, if you were given a birth name of Matthew, you stood a good chance of being a very important person in the world of techno. Thinking about it, I can recall only three such folk of significant prominence, but it sure seemed like an invasion of Matthews for a while there; kind of similar to all those Jameses taking over prog-glitch.

Of the Triple-Matts, Dear's career seems to have languished in the middle of the pack of prosperity. He's still a recognized name, but interest in his style of music doesn't garner as much buzz as it once did. Listening to his Fabric mix, I'm still baffled how it generated buzz in the first place. Yeah, yeah, minimal was the fucking trendiest shit in the world back in 2006, but good lord does it offer some of the most utterly wank moments electronic music has ever produced (and this is coming from a guy who's digested copious amounts of dark psy).

That’s jumping ahead though. For Mr. Dear’s contribution to the Fabric series, he chose his Audion guise, where he often indulged in the most minimalicious of minimal’s aesthetic. Though it wasn’t the first time Fabric tapped a producer of such ilk, number 27 came out around the time the sound was surging out of backroom obscurity, so I guess some kudos to the label for capturing the trend on the rise (unlike nearly everyone else the following year). As such, there’s some good stuff early in this mix, hinting at the fun potential of minimal tech-haus. Dubby, dark, and just enough groove to keep your attention whether on a dancefloor or with headphones.

Then he ruins things about a third of the way through, going on a tedious tour highlighting all that makes minimal-tech a chore. It doesn’t seem like at first, as Ruede Hagelstein’s Keep Us Away choice of quirk-sound reminds me of charming, cheesy ‘50s sci-fi UFOs. After that though... g’uh. Plinky-plink in Sweet ‘n Candy’s Tacky Wakeup, retarded vocals in Claude vonStroke’s Deep Throat, swishing water in Ali Khan’s Waterbomb, and aimless nonsense in Argy’s A Rhino In A Glass Shop. There’s no atmosphere or rhythmic foundation in these tracks; just sound-effect showcases, and not very interesting ones either.

Even Mr. Dear seems aware of the go-nowhere tangent he’s taken, as he abruptly shifts gears on Robert Babicz’s Battlestar, taking things into sludge tech-house territory. And I quite like this part, what with a return to groove, mood, and even an actual melody in Âme’s Rej (not yet overplayed when this was released). With an easy lead-out featuring other prominent names like Troxler, Villalobos, and Luciano, Fabric 27 ends well enough.

Was This Worth The Pennies Paid For It?
I suppose. Two-thirds of the mix sound fine by my ears, and Dear’s mixing is clinically clean, as most minimal mixes typically are. Doubt I’ll reach for this again anytime soon though.

Yes - Fragile

Atlantic/Rhino Records:1971/2003

Generally considered the best Yes album, but only if you’ve a passing fancy for the ‘70s prog rock style. The super-long, technical mastery of later albums is only hinted at here, with more radio-friendly melodies spaced out between sonic doodles each member got to indulge themselves with. There are still long songs, but nothing eating up one side of an LP record - half of one, yes, definitely.

This was also their most commercially successful album under the ‘classic’ ‘70s lineup, and with a lead song like Roundabout, it’s easy to hear why. The hook is introduced almost immediately, and even though the actual melody only gets repeated a few times thereafter, you can’t wait for Jon Anderson to sing “I’ll be the round about;” again. Perfect tune for your rock radio stations, and even better for the DJs playing it in need of a bathroom break, as the whole thing lasts eight-plus minutes. At the other end of the album is Heart Of The Sunrise, a true technical masterpiece of every band member jamming, soloing, blah blah blah. Hey, I love this tune, but I’ve been spoiled by live renditions of it, and the album version sounds stiff and tinny compared to them. That’s my bias, but don’t let it be yours! (unless you prefer Heart Of The Sunrise live as well - if so, *fist bump*)

If it seems like I’m glossing over what everyone but fans of ‘80s Yes considers their best, it’s because there ain’t a damned thing I can say about it that hasn’t been said forever. All I can offer of insight are the few little things that readers of a (mostly) electronic music blog might be interested in, and ridiculously talented musicianship probably doesn’t register too high on such a list. I should know, I used to be like that!

Anyhow, Fragile was the album Rick Wakeman made his debut with the group, and everywhere you can hear the classically trained keyboard virtuoso’s influence. A solo ditty with Cans And Brahms seems inspired by that Carlos character’s work, great organ sounds in Heart Of The Sunrise, and lovely piano diddling on South Side Of The Sky. That kid, he can play him some keyboards. Even Jack Black gives him a nod of approval in School Of Rock, and that guy’s only known for stupid-fun cock rock! (also of note: Roger Dean’s Yes artwork debuts here as well, who’s psychedelic sci-fantasy style would become as synonymous with the band as anything music related would)

In a nutshell, Fragile is a fine introduction to the group and what they’re capable of on both ends of the music spectrum. If you want more musical mastery, dig deeper into their other ‘70s output; catchy hooks, their ‘80s. If you want just a little more convincing on Fragile, check out perma-member Chris Squire’s solo piece The Fish. For a bass guitar track, sweet Jesus does it ever have some awesome, trippy sounds in it!