BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

Emerson Lake & Palmer

Symphonic Prog

4.17 | 2122 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

I'm surprised that this album isn't as highly rated on this website as it seems to be in other places. Nevertheless, I believe that it truly deserves five stars.

Containing one of the best (if not the best) keyboard solo in prog rock history, "Brain Salad Surgery" is an energetic roller coaster ride full of classical influence, soaring synthesizers, complex melodies, and rocking riffs that'll ravage your ear drums. Opening with an old English melody, "Jerusalem" proves to be a gallant song that in my opinion aught to be the U.K.'s national anthem. "Toccata" then comes in to slap your face with electronically enhanced drums and Keith Emerson seizing on a bed of keyboards. But it's not unlike Pictures at an Exhibition as far as bringing classics back to life with new vigor and the use of newer technology. This is also very prevalent in the epic "Karn Evil 9", which spans across both sides of the LP. "Still . . . You Turn Me On" and "Benny the Bouncer" are not the highlights of the album, but without them I think the album would be too overbearing with all the complex classical passages. These two songs are a break from the chaos to merely have fun for a while, before the evil begins.

"Karn Evil 9" clocks in at just under 30 minutes and vigorously gives us plenty to listen to. The first movement serves as the rock anthem of the album (there's our keyboard solo). Movement two bridges the other two with excellent keyboard work and a lighter mood so as not to deafen the listener entirely. The third and final movement, which is about robots and man or something like that, is a well-crafted, brilliantly executed climactic finale to the "Surgery" as it were. No, it isn't a concept album.

In retrospect, I believe this album deserves a higher spot on our polls due to its pure prog rock energy and memorable solos/melodies. But this is just one man's opinion.

ebil0505 | 5/5 | 2012-12-8

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