Yes – Fragile (1971/2015)
Blu-Ray: MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080p, 23,976, 16:9, High Profile 4.1 -> 37.41 Gb
LPCM Audio 2.0, 24/96, 4608 kbpst / LPCM Audio 5.1, 24/96, 13824 kbps
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 24/96 (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
FLAC: 2.0 Stereo | Tracks 24bit/96kHz(192) – 2,49 GB
Progressive Rock

Fragile was Yes’ breakthrough album, propelling them in a matter of weeks from a cult act to an international phenomenon; not coincidentally, it also marked the point where all of the elements of the music (and more) that would define their success for more than a decade fell into place fully formed. The science-fiction and fantasy elements that had driven the more successful songs on their preceding record, The Yes Album, were pushed much harder here, and not just in the music but in the packaging of the album: the Roger Dean-designed cover was itself a fascinating creation that seemed to relate to the music and drew the purchaser’s attention in a manner that few records since the heyday of the psychedelic era could match. Having thrown original keyboard player Tony Kaye overboard early in the sessions – principally over his refusal to accept the need for the Moog synthesizer in lieu of his preferred Hammond organ – the band welcomed Rick Wakeman into its ranks. His use of the Moog, among other instruments, coupled with an overall bolder and more aggressive style of playing, opened the way for a harder, hotter sound by the group as a whole; bassist Chris Squire sounds like he’s got his amp turned up to “12,” and Steve Howe’s electric guitars are not far behind, although the group also displayed subtlety where it was needed. The opening minute of “Roundabout,” the album opener – and the basis for the edited single that would reach number 13 on the Billboard charts and get the group onto AM radio in a way that most other prog rock outfits could only look upon with envy – was dominated by Howe’s acoustic guitar and Bill Bruford‘s drums, and only in the middle section did the band show some of what they could do with serious amperage. Elsewhere on the record, as on “South Side of the Sky,” they would sound as though they were ready to leave the ground (and the planet), between the volume and intensity of their playing. “Long Distance Runaround,” which also served as the B-side of the single, was probably the most accessible track here apart from “Roundabout,” but they were both ambitious enough to carry most listeners on to the heavier sides at the core of this long player. The solo tracks by the members were actually a necessity: they needed to get Fragile out in a hurry to cover the cost of the keyboards that Wakeman had added to the group’s sonic arsenal. But they ended up being more than filler. Each member, in effect, took a “bow” in mostly fairly serious settings, and Squire’s “The Fish” and Howe’s “Mood For a Day” pointed directly to future, more substantial projects as well as taking on a life of their own on-stage. If not exactly their peak, Fragile was as perfect a record as the group would ever make, and just as flawless in its timing as its content.
by Bruce Eder, AMG

(more…)

Yes – The Yes Album (1971/2014) [High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-Ray Disc]
Blu-Ray: LPCM 2.0 & 5.1 24bit/96(192)kHz and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 24bit/48kHz | 21,6 GB
FLAC: 2.0 Stereo | Tracks 24bit/96kHz(192) – 5,49 GB; Includes Extras | Complete Scans – 247 MB

part15 downlod link fixed!

The Yes Album is the second in a series of remixed and expanded Yes classics. The album has been mixed for 5.1 Surround Sound from the original studio masters by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and is fully approved by Yes. The Blu-Ray features 5.1 PCM Surround Sound and High Resolution Stereo mixes and in DTS-HD MA 5.1. The Blu-Ray also features the original album mix in a hi-res flat transfer from the original stereo master tape source as well as a complete alternate album running order drawn from live tracks, singles edits and an extended mix. And if that wasn’t enough, the Blu-Ray exclusive features include full album instrumental mixes, a full album needle-drop of an original UK A1/B1 vinyl pressing, additional singles edits and live tracks. Original artwork expanded with new sleeve-notes and archive material.

With a series of songs now regarded as band classics & frequently performed in concert, it takes some imagination to think of The Yes Album as a ‘difficult third album’. Yet, as the interviews conducted for the sleeve-notes for this edition make clear, the recording took place against a backdrop that was far from ideal. Despite a fine live reputation & two well-received albums, Yes had not made the commercial breakthrough to a wider audience that some of the band’s British label mates on Atlantic had achieved.

However, with the arrival of Steve Howe as guitarist, a better concept of what the band was trying to achieve in the studio with engineer/co-producer Eddie Offord & a focus on material that could be played live with the same punch as the studio recordings, The Yes Album proved to be that vital step to a much wider audience in Europe & America.

From the opening notes of “Yours is No Disgrace” to the final fade of “Perpetual Change”, the sound is of a band that is brimming with musical confidence. As Bill Bruford recalls “You gave it your best but it was a fast-moving world and you had to give more than your best.” The band may have been down to its last few pounds, the management may have been changing, the record label concerned, but there was no compromise in the studio as Yes produced the band’s first classic album, in a year where there was plenty of healthy competition for that much over-used term.

A full forty-three years on from the album’s UK chart debut, YES will be back in Europe – starting in the UK – performing a show that includes the album performed in its entirety.

This edition coincides with that tour. As with last year’s release of Close to the Edge, the CD features a completely new stereo mix, while the DVD-A features new stereo & 5.1 surround sound mixes all by Steven Wilson, a flat transfer of the original album master & a complete alternate album with tracks drawn from a mixture of singles edits, live tracks & an extended mix.

With expanded artwork & new sleeve-notes this is the definitive edition of The Yes Album and the second in a series of remixed and expanded Yes albums. (more…)