By highest vibration I mean the composition that best embodies the spirit of the genre. None higher, or it goes to 11. I'm a believer in the idea of the big three. Yes, Genesis and King Crimson (sorry ELP), the three most seminal and lasting prog rock groups. I'm very much a Genesis fan first and foremost, but am starting to accept the fact that Yes wrote the most perfect composition of the genre. Think we can broadly agree that Suppers Ready, Firth of Fifth, Starless and Bible Black, 21 Century Schizoid Man and Close To The Edge are generally considered the loftiest lofts. Many would suggest that Close to the Edge is the pinnacle, but in the spirt of pitting things against each other, or VS threads, I think Awaken betters it, and even betters my beloved Suppers Ready. Awaken magically feels like it came out wholly formed, not a patchwork of riffs and bits edited together or ever outlasting its intent. It is about the song and emotion first, not a vehicle for trying to prove cleverness or showcase musicianship. I believe it has better riffs, writing and musicianship than CTTE (I'm an Alan White is the best drummer for Yes person) and is better produced. Everyone absolutely shines on this recording. Most importantly, I believe the emotional crescendo of Awaken is unmatched, emotion being of great importance to the above mentioned songs, and a quality that doesn't get mentioned too often in the conversation about Progressive Rock. Suppers Ready or Starless might give me more shivers down the spine, or better relate to my sense of aesthetic, but Awaken leaves me awestruck and renewed. If you like this kind of music, Awaken is wholly original, nearly perfect and transcendent. I don't quite understand how they did it.
Should have been called Awakeman. Still a great listen nearly fifty years later. But it doesn't transcend for me like the last few minutes of Gates does.
I think the genius of “Awaken” is in the approach to the bass notes during the cycle of fifths. Chris Squire plays the root, then the third, and then the fifth. That brings that simple progression, which can be found in most exercise books, to life. Try it. Play the cycle of fifths with root in the bass for every chord. Then play it with the root, then the third and then the fifth. You’ll see what I mean.
ELP forever. Then there was Yes, and, even, but far away, a place for Genesis. I would not forget Ekseption, Banco del Mutuo soccorso and Alquin, altough Gentle Giant and Camel could be placed before Genesis, too...
"Awaken" resides in my top five Yessongs, and that line-up is a big reason why. I know Broof is Broof, but he served King Crimson in a much better capacity. M'raz has a unique hybrid style that is a great boon to prog keyboarding, but I think he may have been a little "out there" for Yes. Yes IS Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman and Alan White!
I like Awaken, but don’t love it. And I love Yes. I could go 100 epics deep before even thinking about Awaken when it comes to the best prog rock epics, but that’s me.
Genesis are by far my favourites but for proggiest of the prog I'd go for Heart of the Sunrise, then maybe an outlier like One for the Vine.
What sets Yes apart from other prog bands to a large degree is Anderson's voice. It's so much higher and borderline effeminate than voices like Greg Lake, John Wetton, Peter Gabriel, Fish of Marillion. I really had to get used to it.
Thank you. I think you got to the nub of it in one sentence. Yes, Thee. Just as long as Dream Theatre isn't one of those 100 we're fine ; ) I might agree with you, but would suggest that while Gates is astonishing, it doesn't scan as nicely as Awaken.
Seeing the classic Yes lineup play this live, and nail it, was certainly the highest emotional peak of the many live concerts I've attended over the years.
I would say that at least it's among the very best songs that prog rock has to offer. But I think I personally would give the edge to ELP's "Tarkus" suite.
However, it was Bruford on the Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge. Arguably their peak three albums in which he added an awful lot. Also the three albums that the majority of their live set comes from.
So many great versions on YT. The Todmobile version with Anderson may be one of the very best. This version with Rabin is also very excellent.
I said I am a through and through Genesis fan first, but yes.... that is what I'm suggesting. It is a more perfect song/composition.
We're not fine then, since several of Dream Theater's epics would rank pretty high on my top 100 prog epic list (as would The Gates of Delirium and Close to the Edge).
