Yes - Fragile
Talk about a game-changer. I can only imagine how many heads exploded when this album hit record stores in the fall of 1971. Chris Squire's thunderous bass riffs alone can make your change your shorts every few minutes, but the entire band is on fire from the start to the finish, and it is worth noting that this was Rick Wakeman's first album with the band. All four full band songs are major classics, especially Roundabout, a classic rock mainstay, and Heart of the Sunrise, a prog fan's wet dream. Throw in some really cool solo pieces like Mood for a Day and The Fish, and it's no wonder that nearly five decades later, this is still considered one of the best progressive albums ever.
I was 4 when this was released, so I can't speak intelligently about the impact of an album like this. I agree somewhat with Ben. Having each band member do a "solo" track is interesting in theory, but those tracks are very hit or miss. I dig The Fish, but I'm not sure how popular that opinion is, and Mood for a Day is an incredible piece of music. Cans and Brahms is and always has been just "meh," and We Have Heaven was initially interesting, but I can't listen to it anymore (even as short as it is). The one and only redeeming thing about Five Per Cent for Nothing is that it's only 35 seconds. It is otherwise a steaming pile of garbage.
The rest of the album, however, is a half hour of absolute epicness. Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise are the stars. Absolutely perfect songs in every way. Long Distance Runaround is a sneaky prog song in a radio-friendly format (listen to Bill Bruford hitting the snare on every 5th beat of a 4/4 song). Finally, South Side of the Sky is the underrated contributor that brings it all together. This was probably one of the first "real" prog records I bought.
The run of The Yes Album, Fragile, CTTE, Topographic Oceans, Relayer, and GFTO is one of the most epic runs of music that I'd put up against just about anyone (only a handful of skipable tracks, and half of those are the Anderson, Wakeman and Bruford "solo" pieces on Fragile).
Speaking of 'Classic Yes', the live version of Roundabout on that little hits CD is my definitive version of the song.
Absolutely LOVE that version of the song!
I still hate LDR and Roundabout because of the singer, who is the weakest link of this band and it's not even close.
This make me want to surround your car with shopping carts....