Stream of Consciousness & Music Reviews

      This album has "it"; no clue what "it" is, but Fragile has got it. One of prog rock band Yes' most well known albums really earns its reputation, with its rich sound and inventive style that present a remarkable listening experience. The creativity shown throughout each track is astounding, with each song seemingly having its own completely unique identity while all still remaining a cohesive unit. Although I described Yes as prog rock earlier (as they are most known and classified as) the music is able to really break away from the title through its eclectic mix of styles and timbres while still maintaining everything together in a satisfying track progression (which somehow is pretty emblematic of prog, huh?). The main unifying factor is the composition, which I think every member had a hand in somewhere, and it is amazing. The overall atmosphere of the album is incredible, with it being one of the best examples of auditory storytelling I've heard, b...

      Steely Dan's first album is pretty summative of what Steely Dan is known for: soft rock infused with Latin rhythms that anyone can get into. The bands mix of Latin rock and jazz creates a relaxing yet energetic sound that you can't help but just groove to. The band showcases a good deal of technical prowess in the studio, both in composition and performance, as well as mixing/editing that makes the songs take on a wholly unique feel that I've not heard anywhere else. The sort of Latin percussion and strings that you expect are paired up with more "electric" sounding components that combine beautifully, such as the multiple guitar solos that are given a sort of rough, almost compressed timbre that goes oddly well with the backing instruments. Another area of note in the album are the lyrics/themes of the songs, which all have a similar theming along the lines of mistakes, regrets, and other sorts of "that's just how life is" that I don't kno...