EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL: EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL

This is easily one of the best efforts (next to Trilogy, my personal favorite) of Greg Lake and Keith Emerson. The added element of Cozy Powell is the icing on the cake, in my opinion. I enjoy Powell's work from his days with Blackmore's Rainbow. In truth, this was one of the first ELP albums I listened to when I first got into them. Powell's solid rock drums could give Carl Palmer a run for his money, (no offense Carl, you're still the best) not to mention Greg Lake's voice and Keith Emerson's keyboards sound better than ever in places. Anyway, here are my thoughts on the tracks.

1. The Score-A very nice opener. Sounds almost reminiscient of Karn Evil 9, thanks to the added lyric of "It's been so long, you're welcome back my friends...to the show that never ends" I imagine that when they performed that number in concert the audience went up in cheers and applause. The ending of the song is the most powerful point of the song.

2. Learning to Fly-A track that shows that Greg Lake's voice is obviously getting older and therefore deeper. Good nonetheless, I found my senior quote for the yearbook in this song ("You stand in the shadows or reach for the sky, this time the promise is not just illusion, I'm heading for glory, I'm learning to fly")

3. The Miracle-Arguably the album's finest moment. A good, long song that kinda lets your imagination go to work, I like to just chill after a long day at school and listen to this song super loud.

4. Touch And Go-The hit from the album. This was another one of those that is fun to listen to loud and sing along to.

5. Love Blind-Another good Greg Lake ballad.

6. Step Aside-A kind of jazz attempt by Emerson. The piano phrase makes this song pretty killer. One of my favorite cuts off the album.

7. Lay Down Your Guns-THE Greg Lake ballad of the album. His powerfull vocals, Keith Emerson's killer piano and Cozy Powell's slow rock beat are a lethal combination to make one of the finest ELP(owell) ballads these ears have ever heard.

8. Mars, The Bringer of War-The traditional instrumental no. of the album. A cover of the Gustav Holst piece from "The Planets". All in all, a great way to end a great album.

This is one of those things that grows on you after a short time and a few listenings. To those who haven't even heard this album yet, what are you waiting for?!?! This album is definitely worth the $10 you might pay to get it online somewhere.