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Yes' fifth album, Close to the Edge, continued the band's early winning streak. The 1972 release - their final album of the decade to feature drummer Bill Bruford and first to feature the band's now-famous "bubble" logo type - featured just three songs (two of which had multiple movements). But they were sufficiently power-packed as to propel the LP to top five berths in both the U.K. and U.S. and eventual Platinum sales status. On March 7, Rhino will revisit Close to the Edge as a 5CD/LP/Blu-ray set anchored by new surround (Dolby Atmos and 5.1) and stereo remixes by Steven Wilson. This Super Deluxe box follows in the footsteps of similarly lavish reissues of The Yes Album and Fragile.
Lead vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Bill Bruford, guitarist Steve Howe, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman teamed with engineer and co-producer Eddie Offord at Advision Studios to record Close to the Edge. Offord sought to recreate the band's powerful live sound in the studio, encapsulating the band's majestic prog style on just three tracks. The opening title track, at over 18 minutes in length, was the longest Yes had recorded. Incorporating sound effects, tape loops, and improvisational jams, "Close to the Edge" brimmed with ambition. Though Anderson reportedly gained initial inspiration from composer Sibelius and author J.R.R. Tolkien, he based his lyrics on themes from Hermann Hesse's Siddartha. Anderson and Steve Howe merged disparate songs into the four-movement suite which occupied all of the original LP's Side One. The second side opened with a 10+-minute epic, also with four distinct sections. "And You and I" incorporates folk and country influences; the track featured Bruford and Squire's only songwriting credits on the album. The closing "Siberian Khatru," composed by Anderson, Howe, and Wakeman, was a thrilling slice of heavy riff-rock borne out of collaboration within the band.
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Generally recognized as one of the greatest prog-rock and guitar-rock albums of all time, Close to the Edge has been newly remixed by Steven Wilson (who previously tackled the album in 2013 for the Panegyric label). The original 1972 mix has been remastered by Bernie Grundman on CD 1 while Wilson's remix and bonus instrumentals comprise CD 2. The third disc of rarities contains the single edits of "America" (a cover of Paul Simon's moving Simon and Garfunkel ballad), "Total Mass Retain," and "And You and I," as well as various alternative versions and three new Wilson edits. The band's December 16, 1972 concert at London's storied Rainbow Theatre (still standing today and in use as a church) debuts on CDs 4 and 5. The box set is rounded out by a Blu-ray with Wilson's Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround remixes plus high-resolution stereo versions of both the 1972 and 2025 mixes; and a remastered LP of the original mix.
Liner notes in the 12-page booklet are provided by Syd Schwartz of the popular Jazz and Coffee blog. Look for the expanded super deluxe edition of Close to the Edge on March 7 from Rhino. If you want to say Yes to this collection, you'll find the track listing and pre-order links below, including a Rhino-exclusive bundle with a print signed by designer Roger Dean. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Yes, Close to the Edge (Atlantic (U.S.) SD 7244, 1972 - reissued Atlantic/Rhino, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com (with signed lithograph)
* previously unreleased
CD 1: Original Album (2025 Remaster)
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Siberian Khatru
CD 2: Steven Wilson 2025 Remix and Instrumentals
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Siberian Khatru
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man) (Instrumental)
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse) (Instrumental)
- Siberian Khatru (Instrumental)
CD 3: Rarities
- America (Single Version) (Atlantic single 2899, 1972)
- Total Mass Retain (Single Version) (Atlantic single 2899, 1972)
- And You and I (Promo Radio Edit) (Atlantic promo single 2925, 1972)
- Siberia (Studio Run-Through of "Siberian Khatru") (originally released on Close to the Edge: Expanded and Remastered, Rhino 73790, 2003)
- Close to the Edge (Rough Mix) (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)(originally released on Close to the Edge: Definitive Edition, Panegyric GYRBD50012, 2013)
- And You and I (Alternate Version) (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse) (originally released on Close to the Edge: Expanded and Remastered, Rhino 73790, 2003)
- America ("Dry" Mix) (from The New Age of Atlantic, Atlantic UK LP 20024, 1972)
- Siberian Khatru (Steven Wilson Edit) (*)
- Cord of Life (Steven Wilson Edit) (*)
- Total Mass Retain (Steven Wilson Edit) (*)
CD 4: Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72 (*)
- Siberian Khatru
- I've Seen All Good People
- Your Move
- All Good People
- Heart of the Sunrise
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
CD 5: Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/72 (continued) (*)
- Excerpts from "The Six Wives of Henry VIII"
- Roundabout
- Yours is No Disgrace
- Starship Trooper (Life Seeker/Disillusion/Würm)
Blu-ray (Steven Wilson Remixes in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 DTS-MA, and Hi-Res Stereo; Original Album in Hi-Res Stereo)
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
- And You And I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Siberian Khatru
LP: Original Album (2025 Remaster)
Side 1
- Close to the Edge (The Solid Time of Change/Total Mass Retain/I Get Up I Get Down/Seasons of Man)
Side 2
- And You and I (Cord of Life/Eclipse/The Preacher The Teacher/Apocalypse)
- Siberian Khatru
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I’ll buy this just for the 2 live discs!
Am I right in thinking the prior SDEs in the Yes catalog featured the the original mix on the LP, and this one deviates from that pattern with a new Steven Wilson mix (2025)?
This edition features the remastered original mix on the LP, as well.
in 2014 Yes released 5 albums including the above Close to the Edge in a cd & bluray edition in surround sound as well. You get 8 different mixes & plenty of extras, i'll give you the details as follows here goes
1 Stereo Mixes 2 5.1 Surround Sound Mixes 3 Original Stereo Mixes 4 America a 5.1 Mix b Stereo Mix c Original Mix 5 Alternate Album 6 Single versions & edits 7 Stereo Instrumental mixes 8 UK Vinyl transfer as well. In other words you get around an extra 6 hours of Yes music on the special edition. all in 5.1 surround sound!
As usual, the Yes/Rhino camp give us very little information as to where this previously-unknown-to-still-exist live recording came from.
Brian Kehew was one of the head engineers behind the Progeny: Seven Shows from 72 release, and when prompted about the December 72 Rainbow Theater shows said “I have not seen them.”
That statement implies they weren’t included with the batch of tapes recovered for that boxset (which is said to have included one other inferior Hartford 72 show that was not used for the set.)
This is the first the public has heard of one of these December 72 shows since that release around a decade ago.
What’s interesting is that there is no Steve Howe solo acoustic song included here.
In the Yessongs video footage, the solo was “clap” (apparently played that day as a tribute to little Dylan Howe’s birthday) although the usual song played during the tour was “mood for a day.”
In the Yessongs album the performance was taken from Nassau Coliseum Nov 20th 72.
The audio and video footage for the Yessongs film was compiled from both the December 15th and 16th Rainbow Theater dates.
It’s unknown currently what sections from what swings were used from what night.
However, it’s certain the versions of Close to the Edge and Starship Trooper from the filming dates (often said to be Dec 15th but we won’t know until this comes out) were used for the Yessongs album release.
Whether the Steve Howe solo from Dec 16th happened at all, whether it was clap or mood for a day, whether it was the Dec 15th or 16th performance that was used for the Yessongs film, all just another figment of yesoterica now that will likely never be solved.
This would be much more appreciated if one could buy those separately. What if someone wants the Blu-ray with surround mix?
It is hugely disappointing that only a 'super duper deluxe edition' and no other version are available. Previously, one could purchase a CD/DVD or CD/BD combo—please reinstate those. Not everybody needs vinyl! Or maybe I already have a good copy!