HONKY

Something of a change for Keith Emerson from the bombastic full on prog of ELP to this quite 'laid back' offering.The music has a much more rounded,melodic and 'warmer' approach then the hard nosed technical innovation of somthing like say Toccata or Karn Evil.This is chilled out Emerson and the album photos are indicative of that as he plays with his kid.

Thats not to say there isn't something interesting going on.Hello Sailor (ft Bach Before The Mast) shows Emersons undoubted ability on the piano as he mixes a Sailors Hornpipe with Bach before going onto the Hammond for the finale.Great stuff! (5/5) Salt Cay is also a very good composition featuring some excellent drumming and more top notch hammond work (4/5).

Green Ice sounds like it was intended to be a film soundtrack.Quite a repititive peice where the piano is more to the fore.(4/5) Big Horn Breakdown (4/5) is back to the Honky Tonk piano style that Emerson is fond of while Yancey Special is perhaps the most uninteresting track for me (2/5). Rum A Ting (along with Hello Sailor) is my other favourite peice here (5/5) while the final track is a bit of a throw away (Jesus Loves Me (1/5))

Overall as I said before perhaps best not to expect ELP like fireworks.Mixed bag with a few goodies - 3.5 stars.

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