EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

Just did the review of the BSS release and referred there to this album. I compared the two epics for instance and concluded that the title track of this album suited me much better than Karn Evil as a whole. Well, in fact the difference in appreciation is not really black and white. Karn Evil also had good moments same as this Tarkus is far from perfect to me. But I agree this is a milestone in prog history. And the magnum opus for the band as well. This is a very versatile epic both in melodic aspect as in tempo shifts and alternation between vocal and instrumental passages. It all secures that this epic is far from boring. All things considered it scores about 4 stars in my book.

The short songs on the other side of the vinyl are a different matter though. Less experimental, so more mainstream than those on BSS but not much better I have to say. Some ragtime piano on Jeremy Bender, again piano on Bitches Crystal as main feature, the nice hymn tune The Only Way (my favourite of the short ones), Infinite Space proves that this album is mainly about Keith Emerson. I wonder when Mr. Lake steps up to take his turn (!?) , A Time and Place is a bit heavier than the others but the vocals are at least debatable, Are you Ready, Eddy ? is a short rock 'n roll track in Jerry Lee Lewis style. On average these short tracks score about 2,5* for me. So this can only result in a 3 star outcome for Tarkus (3,25).

Roughly this release in the early seventies is similar to their album Tarkus. One great epic and several insignificant short songs. At least that's how it works on me. Biggest difference between the two albums is that BSS is far more experimental and all things considered the epic appeals to me far less than Tarkus.

In fact if I analyze it more detailed I conclude that the first 13 minutes (1st Impression) of the Karn Evil epic do the job really. This is memorable, nicely flowing music. Second impression is more mr. Emerson demonstrating some piano play with a bit of structure but it sounds more like a piano solo on a live gig, showing off what he is capable of. But that's something else than playing a great song. Last nine minutes (3rd impression) the structure returns slightly but it's not my favourite part by any means. Sounds distorted especially towards the end.

The short songs are very experimental but not in an enjoyable way as far as I'm concerned. It's probably the reason why this is a controversial album even amongst prog reviewers. A typical love or hate album. I join second option if you don't mind. Not my cup of tea this one. But I do understand why many call it a masterpiece. That is when I put my personal opinion aside. One thing is certain. This is not a dull, 13 in a dozen album. But that's still something else than enjoyable music. So I will have to give 2 here because of required taste. Mainly for fans.

I wasn't quite as wowed by ELP's debut album as I thought I was going to be, seeing as how it is so highly regarded here at PA. The only other ELP album I (currently) have is Brain Salad Surgery. When I first purchased Brain Salad Surgery it was love at first listen. It knocked my socks off and set up sky high expectations. Brain Salad Surgery is aggressive and challenging, but importantly it is a focused effort. When I listen to the self titled album by comparison, I get the distinct impression that ELP are kinda just noodling around; which isn't necessarily a bad thing when you consider this is their first album and how else are they supposed to find their feet. It just doesn't always make for the most entertaining listening experience unfortunately. They seize on bits and pieces that are really entertaining and sort of scattered about the album.

So what is there to like about this album? For starters, I'd have to say probably Greg Lake's vocals. The only bit of trouble is that he doesn't sing quite enough for my liking. You honestly cannot speak ill of the calibre of the musicianship which ELP possesses everything has that nice perfectionist feel too it even though musically it has a jam session quality to it. The two strongest tracks on the album are, in my opinion, Knife Edge and the impossible to hate Lucky Man. Both are solid from start to finish.

This album is for people who like jazz influence and a more improvisational style or are totally taken by the ELP sound. 2 for 5.

Of all the prog super groups and major title holders, ELP has always seemed to espouse a certain illness in me, never really knew why, having never seen them in concert. Until this DVD showed up in my collection. Yes, their first 5 albums are meritorious classics and have undoubtedly shaped the things to come but I always had the impression, perhaps erroneously, that the trio were surfing after BSS (as the Love Beach album would highlight) and living handsomely off their glorified reputations. Of course, Genesis, Yes and Tull were all guilty of the same lackadaisical affront to their fans and their second wave recordings are marginally interesting at best. So with almost 40 years of at times grudging respect, I have finally seen the light and can now properly vent my long dormant feelings. Emerson is a fantastic player that somehow eschews any kind of elegance and grace, a superb yet some how soulless technician. His "antic-waited" buffoonery is legendary and yet comes across as cold and humorless (he should have taken lessons from Ian Anderson, Fish or Peter Gabriel). These comments also revive my thoughts about Palmer, a fascinating drummer technically but missing a certain humanity, always having the impression that a drum clinic is taking place. As for Greg Lake, the man with the once gifted voice has constantly disappointed me in terms of his drafty solo work and his job-like lack of performance on this DVD is rather proof positive. Going through the motions with little regard for the audience or his band mates, nary a smile or warmth, rather surprising for such a powerhouse musician, he seems only to shine on tracks that are purely his ("From the Beginning" and "Take a Pebble" are very successful only because they are classic tracks). The opening track is a clear example of their duplicity (Welcome Back my Friends is a crass dynamo at best), a stiff entrance from the wooden Lake and Emerson noodling to no effect, Palmer at least keeps things vibrant. The dull and tired "Tiger in the Spotlight" is laughably lousy, while the pedant "Hoedown" was never more than slightly clever. Prog by numbers, exercise 14, with some lewd pyrotechnics to boot. Visually totally silly! Oddly, the Emerson, Lake and Powell track "Touch & Go" is where the situation improves, as if some hidden spark had emerged from the ether to warm the Swiss audience. The grandiose 'running with devil' theme is energetic (hmmmm!) and convincing, a true fanfare to the glories of synthesized orchestral rock music. While Lake looks unconvincing in his retirement Caribbean resort shirt , "From the Beginning" comes across live with the same genial magic that made it such a monument back in 1972 and hence a DVD highlight , the whistling synth solo still magnificent after all these years. "Knife's Edge" retains its original debut album eloquence, symphonically gloomy and lyrically austere as Emerson's hairy arms rummage through the black and white jungle as Palmer hacks away machete- like. "Bitches Crystal" is just so-so while "Dance Creole" and "Honky Tonk Train Blues" are more Professor Emerson solo spots , where he shows off (exact term, BTW) his considerable piano chops, leaving this uncanny impression of "Korn Evil" egotism. Ballroom to Saloon in a turn. Darn, are you ever fast, the Alvin Lee of Ivory. Wow! Really not my cup of tea and remindful of those clinics we talked about earlier. Allelujah! From now up to the end, we finally return to real music with the majestic "Take a Pebble", a classic prog epic which in many ways was closer to early King Crimson than anything remotely trio- esque. Moody piece with more evidence that Lake's voice has lost a lot of its knife edge, missing quite a few high notes throughout. Emerson's piano work is scintillating though, because he instills some heady jazzy fantasy that suits the arrangement perfectly, a definite voyage into the Pleasuredome! "Lucky Man" remains the Big Hit and a smirking Lake does not do it fully justice, too close to the studio version but I guess that's precisely what the people want. Could have used some more inspired Palmer work here IMHO. "Tarkus/Pictures At An Exhibition "reverts to what they do best, just pure no holds barred Hammond rampages, driving bass and pounding drums, ruined by a few more very wonky vocals to fret about . The final medley is the hallmark bright spot and redeeming finale to this uneven performance and hence somewhat unhinged review. In parts, this show is utterly brilliant, in others mundane and drab, musical masturbation at its finest. I am reminded of Robert Fripp's comment when asked what was the hardest note he ever played? He replied "silence" as an answer and admonition. Cheeky bastard! Three solo egos doing their solitary thing in 1997 Montreux , in a country renowned for its cheese and clockwork, how befitting! As our kenethlevine so correctly stated today, with his "too much cheese" volley, no one really wants to disparage such a stalwart icon but the dispassionate proof is visually apparent here, for all to see. Too many holes in this Gruyère for this fan! 3 Smokes on the Water

Works Vol 2 was comprised of tracks that did not match the character of prior releases so had sat on the shelf. Another way to put this is that it consisted of tracks that actually had character so couldn't fit onto their prior releases.

Finally we see the variety of musical interests of the members of the group and a sense of genuine fun with the material, particularly those not self-penned. Whether it's the Scott Joplin standard "Maple Leaf Rag" the devotional "Watching over you", the honky tonk of "Honky Tonk Train Blues", or the PROCOL HARUM -esque "Show me the Way to Go Home", here is a sense of closure and respect for the past, a realization that the group is past its peak and its time to savor the remains of their own work and those of their myriad and timeless influences as never before.

Unfortunately, the problem here is lack of overall album cohesion and too many "fun" tracks in the style of "Hoedown" or "Benny the Bouncer", like "Brain Salad Surgery" and "Barrelhouse Shakedown", not a typical prog fan's bill of fare. So, while this "Works" works on more levels than many of their acknowledged classics, it's a mitigated success as a unit. 2.5 stars rounded down.

I rue the day that Greg Lake walked from KING CRIMSON to join up with Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer, sending KC down the path to jazzy and metallic glory. Lake's voice, properly deployed, is a joy to behold, as in the first couple of KC albums and a handful of ELP tracks. But for the most part he was buried in Emerson's keys that were beyond bombastic. While ELP redefined the makeup of a rock band, their best material was that which more closely followed the dicta of the genre, which was seldom on display.

By the time of "Brain Salad Surgery", the dinosaur was flailing big time. This is an even more polarized effort than the uneven "Trilogy", with few examples of even the level of songwriting and restraint shown on that effort. Apart from a reverent version of "Jerusalem" and the emotional ballad "Still You Turn me on", here we have virtually non stop histrionics and grandstanding that helped to epitomize what a few loved but most hated about progressive rock, even some of its biggest fans. The absolute low point is Lake disingenuously screeching something about "rock n roll", as if to say, hey we're elite intellectuals but we still have machismo.

I do feel a twang of regret at the idea of rating such a historically significant group so poorly, but then I force down a mouthful of this salad and realize two stars is all I can muster. Too much processed cheese.

The first and the best

Emerson, Lake and Palmer got together from their three previous bands - Emerson's The Nice, Lake's King Crimson and Palmer's Atomic Rooster. They released their debut album - homonymous Emerson Lake and Palmer, to a dreat commercial success in 1970. In my opinion, this one will eventually remain their best album. The musicianship is perfect. These musicians are magicians, but regretfully their composer's skills are not of the same high quality as their musicianship. Despite that, all songs are memorable and interesting. The album is highly influenced by classical music, most notably in Take a Pebble and The Three Fates. Piano solos by brilliant Keith Emerson are exceptional moments all around the album. The voice of Greg Lake is of high quality, especially in vocal-oriented song - Knife-Edge and famous ballad Lucky Man. The opening track - The Barbarian contains darker themes as well as the third part of The Three Fates. Tank is captivating mixture between different ideas, including eastern influence and contains drum solo by Carl Palmer. It's quite experimental album, highly recommended for classical fans and quite recommended for prog fans with dynamic taste. 4 stars!

Honestly, i can't believe that Welcome Back is rated higher than this, one of the brilliant live albums here. When i first heard it, i think that it was "a good concept and slight virtuosity" but after i listened to Mussorgsky's original, i can't stop thinking "wow, they really nailed it" and constantly listening it in my playlist.

Let's start from "Promenade" the organ intro, it provides a good beginning followed by "The Gnome" striking drums from Palmer, later accoompanied by the others and brings a dark sense, then back into "Promenade" again, with brilliant vocals from Lake (and his bravery to put lyrics on Pictures must be mentioned). After that is Lake's solo, "The Sage" which in my opinion overpowers most of his other solos slightly.

I noticed that there is "The Old Castle" on the tracklist, but where is it? Emerson really nailed it in an extraordinarily unlikely way, making it sounds like "the jam of a futuristic castle", followed by "Blues Variation", a group effort which shows Emerson's virtuosic solo, and it blends well to the rest.

Then we go back to "Promenade" again, this time with drums. "The Hut Of Baba Yaga" strikes well and overall a great opening to "The Curse Of Baba Yaga" another group effort, and a more brilliant one with vocals and followed by "The Hut Of Baba Yaga" again. But next is "The Great Gates Of Kiev" the most pleasing track for me, and the one that bears most resemblance with Mussorgsky's original, with the exception of the "wheeee!" and "fuzzz!" sounds, coated by Lake's quasi-religious lyrics. This is the end, though the encore "Nutrocker" also pleased me, and is another good track too.

Another 5 stars.

Masterpiece?

When people talk about the classic progressive rock groups, ELP is always mentioned. While I won't dispute their significance in the progressive rock world, they have never excited me as much as other classic prog bands such as Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and Genesis.

This was the third ELP album I had purchased after Trilogy and then Brain Salad Surgery. I find both of those albums moderately enjoyable (probably 3 star albums), but I did find them overrated. When I bought their debut album I was really expecting something great, but I was very disappointed. Whereas the two above mentioned albums have many redeemable qualities behind the excessive noodling, this album never really did much for me. I don't think I'll ever understand what is so great about ELP, and why I'm unable to discover it. This album certainly didn't do me any favors from that aspect, and makes me question their music even more.

For those of you who have never heard ELP, this is progressive rock (though I wouldn't nessacerily label it "symphonic" prog) with many classical influences. There are some hard rock leanings mostly because of the heavy dependence on Hammond organ. The music has a lot of weak transitions, and is focused mostly on Keith Emerson's virtuosic keyboard abilities. The skill and talent is present on all of these songs, but the memorable melodies and consistency is only present for brief visits.

THE MUSIC:

"The Barbarian"- The first starts with a distorted guitar riff, that soon turns into heavy and dark organ chords. I remember the first time I heard this I was immediately in love. Keith Emerson's talent on the organ shines right here, and Carl Palmer does an excellent job as well. Almost out of nowhere, it turns into a classically-influenced piano section. I think the song would have faired much better without it, to be honest. The transition into this section is weak, and the section itself is nothing too memorable, and seems directionless. Luckily the original section soon returns, and Keith Emerson amazes me again. The organ soloing is truly excellent. Overall, this is a mixed bag, though. It definitely has its moments, but it is lacking in consistency.

"Take A Pebble"- The first song opens up with a beautiful piano melody. The opening is really good and when Greg Lake's vocals enter it's pure magnificence. Soon a classical-sounding piano section enters. It sounds really good, even if it doesn't really fit. Soon a folky guitar section enters. This entire section (and trust me it's pretty long) doesn't fit at all, and seems almost pointless to me. It gets absolutely nowhere, even if the guitar playing is solid. When the classical piano enters again, too much of it seems like noodling for my tastes, but the musicianship is excellent. It builds well into the ending. Again, this is a very uneven song, and only about half of it is really worthwhile. This is much longer than it needs to be.

"Knife-Edge"- After the fairly boring and overly long previous track, this immediately brought my attention back. After the bombastic organ opening, it goes into a bluesy-section with just bass, drums, and Greg Lake's vocals. Much of the song builds off of these two sections, and it does it excellently. This has some great soloing from Keith Emerson. This is my favorite song from the album, and I wish more of the album would be like this.

"The Three Fates"- We all know the saying that good things never last. Well this is a perfect representation of that. After the magnificent previous track, this just strikes me as boring, pretentious, and unnecessary. The opening church organ solo is decent enough, but it does nothing for me. It goes into a piano section that is just pure noodling. Nothing more, nothing less. The church organ shortly returns and just plays the same chords over and over again. A weak transition brings us into a complex piano section with drumming. This whole song is completely pointless in my opinion, and it just seems like Keith Emerson showing off. Needless to say, it doesn't impress me.

"Tank"- This is Carl Palmer's solo spot, and he shows his chops clearly. This is a weak composition, though. The musicianship is spot-on as always, but the songwriting does nothing for me. That's usually my main problem with ELP. Their talent is undeniable, but the music is often questionable. This is another fairly useless track.

"Lucky Man"- This is often the most scolded track on the album, but I must say that it is one of my favorites from the album. Unlike most of the other songs, this actually has memorable melodies and it is consistent from beginning to end. I love the synth solo near the end especially. This is a great closing track, though I'm sure many will be quick to deny it.

Conclusion:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer is a pretty overrated album in my opinion. The musicianship is excellent, but the music often is directionless and leaves me cold. ELP's music just never interests me as much as Yes, Jethro Tull, or Genesis, and this album is no exception. I enjoy some of their later albums, but their debut is flawed in various ways. I don't consider myself an ELP fan much at all, but this is one of my least favorites from this era. If you're interested in ELP, I recommend going to their next couple albums, as I find them moderately enjoyable. This album is lacking terms in consistency and memorable moments. I know many will disagree, but I can't give this more than a 2 star rating. I don't think I'll ever understand what's so great about this album.

2 stars.

ELP exemplifies all that is good and bad about prog. There is loads of instrumental prowess, classical and jazz influences, and feeling here, but there is also a lot of overblown, pompous displays of "look how good I am". The debut isn't exactly one of my favorite ELP releases, but it's still good. It's main problem is consistency and filler- while Tarkus was an engaging journey, with not a note wasted, some of the songs here seem to be stuffed with filler, usually along the lines of Emerson shoving in a piano part wherever he can.

The Barbarian is a classically-influenced rocker, with muscle and menace- Lake's bass romps around like an angry dinosaur, as Emerson's organ flies around overhead. Around the middle, Emerson turns it into a keyboard piece (surprise, surprise), before it reverts to its original state a bit later. Take a Pebble begins with Emerson's piano and Palmer's tinkling percussion, with Lake singing over it, though the singing blurs the line between the earnest and the pretentious. After that, it dissolves into nothingness before turning into another piano part, until Lake and Palmer come back, and it ends like it began. Knife Edge is the best song here, being a powerful, aggressive rock song with more classical influences- however, the organ parts seem a tiny bit inconsistent with the overall "mood" created during the vocal parts- this isn't a big problem, because both sequences are very well-made. And then, the Three Fates; if you like long keyboard exercises, you'll love this, as Emerson flies solo for five minutes, until Palmer comes in and makes things a bit more interesting- not really bad, but not great either, and nothing really memorable here. Tank is a good instrumental, with a really nice drum solo in the middle, because we all totally needed convincing that Palmer had massive amounts of talent. And finally, ELP's best-known song, Lucky Man- once again, not bad, but nothing really mind-blowing, either- however, it's more memorable than a lot of the stuff here, the vocals are good, and there are nice guitar and Moog solos, so it's got my blessing. All in all, ELP's debut is a good start, but they're not quite there yet- though there's lots of fun to be had here, they still need to learn to cut back on useless instrumental performances in the middle of otherwise good songs. Good, but not great- three stars.