About Fragile
Fragile is the fourth in a series of remixed & expanded Yes classics. The album has been mixed for 5.1 Surround Sound from the original studio masters by Steven Wilson & is fully approved by Yes.
In addition to the main album, Steven unearthed a virtual treasure trove on the multi-track tapes, allowing him to mix full length & acapella versions of “We Have Heaven”, an earlier take of “South Side of the Sky” & – in perhaps the most exciting discovery of this series to date – a previously unheard segment of a piece now called “All Fighters Past” which incorporates ideas that would later form parts of “The Revealing Science of God” (Tales from Topographic Oceans) & “Siberian Khatru” (Close to The Edge) performed in the style of Roundabout! With a further two additional tracks – alternate takes of “Roundabout” & “Mood for a Day” & numerous exclusive to Blu-Ray edition features, including the complete album in instrumental form mixed by Steven Wilson, this is the definitive edition of Fragile.
In keeping with earlier releases in this series, Steven Wilson’s approach to this album for new stereo & 5.1 mixes is to faithfully retain the spirit & sounds of the original album mix, while applying modern mix techniques to bring further clarity to the individual instrument, vocal & overdubs for each track. The songs, instantly familiar to a multitude of Yes fans, remain so, with the new mixes – especially in 5.1 form – providing a greater sense of space for each voice to be heard, Anderson’s voice seems to join the listener in the room, Howe & Wakeman’s solos glisten with clarity & Bruford/Squire remind all that they were unmatched as a rhythm section during that period.