In short, the Tarkus suite is awesome. Let me explain. The sonic structure varies from heavy electric edge to lyrical bliss, which informed the sensibilities of both the metal and arena rock of its time. Keith Emerson's keyboard is at perhaps its punchiest ever, sounding much more relaxed on both the preceding ELP and the succeeding Trilogy. I might argue that the trio is at their virtuosic peak here as well. 

Comparatively, Karn Evil 9 feels slicker overall, with fewer of the sharp edges that give Tarkus its unmistakable character. While Tarkus had a relatively uniform hard-hitting synth sound, Emerson begins to experiment with other settings on Karn, occasionally playing with a synth voice that sounds . . . well, silly. A high-pitched whine coupled with tremolo weaves in and out of the first impression, while a cartoony Sega Genesis-esque faux horn carries the day. The second impression approaches musical brilliance, and instead of feeling out of place, the distorted synth sound works well here contrasting with the acoustic piano, but by the third impression, the goofy sounds come crashing back in. Some of the playing on the third impression is pretty damn impressive, however. 

As far as the concept of the two suites are concerned, I feel Tarkus is stronger still. I've heard theories about the tank-beast representing the Western military-industrial complex, which is quite possible, but not confirmed as far as I know (someone please tell me if you know!). My own reading is simpler: it's an indictment of war machines in general. Perhaps not a terribly original concept, especially in the time it was written, but my, what a creative way to express that sentiment. 

Karn Evil 9 bounces all the hell around and I can barely figure out what greater message the band was trying to send. We begin, in the first impression, with a grim carnival, followed by a wordless second impression, and the third finishes in a showdown with an AI supercomputer. What? Now, the speculation goes that it's a tale about entertainment blinding people to the reality of their enslavement, which I suppose is valid, but I think the execution could be cleaner.

The other tracks on their respective albums are pretty varied, so I'll just mention the standouts, as I see them:

Jerusalem opens BSS, and I love it. It's orchestral and beatific and terribly British! Everything wonderful about ELP, one of their best. Toccata follows, and while an absolute technical showboat, never really goes anywhere or develops much. Benny the Bouncer is great . . . but feels oddly out of character on such a serious, almost dark album. Perhaps a bit of comic relief is necessary, eh?

Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready Eddy? serve as bookends to side B of Tarkus, and both exemplify ELP at their most lyrically frivolous: fun tunes that don't say much. One more track needs to be addressed: Regardless of whether or not you agree with the humanist (atheist, borderline anti-religious?) sentiment of The Only Way, I feel like a bit of respect is necessary for coming forth with such an unpopular opinion, especially during the 70s, all while singing about the Holocaust over Bach's compositions.

So, fellow ELP nuts, what do you think? Am I totally wrong? Is Tarkus or BSS the better album? Your own interpretation of the suites? Or maybe do you prefer Trilogy, ELP? Love Beach  ?? 

Just as good as the first, I say.

I adore their first album too, but to me it's more classical than rock, didn't really hit the sweet "prog" spot between the two.

Bang on! After the incredibly dense Tarkus suite, Jeremy Bender's absolute nonsense lyrics and frankly haphazard drumming are welcome respite for listeners like me. 

Are You Ready Eddy?, if I remember correctly, was just a little improvisation that the band threw together as a celebration after finishing recording of the Tarkus suite. Just for fun!

             I have never understood the reverence for Brain Salad Surgery. Tarkus is much better. It's side one is the best music ELP ever did. 

Maybe it's just down to a simple thing. Some bands pass through the ages and still sound as fresh as the day they were spawned whilst others like ELP seem destined to fall completely out of favour. Most of this is bollocks incarnate but one can't deny the fact that many rock and prog fans to have come on board 'after the event', for some reason, find ELP nigh on ridiculous. Many of us (like myself) do fully understand and respect the impact they had on rock music during the 70s, which is something that no one can ever take away from them.

I still never listen to ELP though apart from Tarkus which I absolutely adore. 

I'm not sure you can blame it on the priests of cool either. I take pride in listening to unhip music and know quite a few likeminded brethren. 

Ha ha!  I get it!  I read somewhere that Genesis's management didn't want to put out 'The Cinema Show' as it sounded too much like ELP...

Having lived through the dissolution of ELP, I recall the venom of the music press in the late 70s and how trendy it was to Sl*g them off ('Welcome back, bell-ends... etc)  In retrospect, they seem to set themselves up a bit although arguably the cover to Love Beach was a triumph of post-modern irony.

I would third that 

I'd say they are evolutionary, and it is hard to pick one over the other.  

I'm inclined to agree with you. I only feel the need to offer an apologia for Tarkus because so many people seem to think BSS is "better." It's all subjective, at the end of the day, of course.

Agreed.

For the time it was released, I think that TARKUS is a much more important album, and its strength is it's power.

By the time of BSS, I am not sure that ELP was as important to me, as other bands were (specially in Europe), and while I do not dislike the piece and just recently listened to it again (after listening to some classical music!), and it stood up fine. But of all ELP's work, the album that hits me best ... is TARKUS ... don't tell me lies ... pound ... pound ... pound (the bass drum!), and it really tells you what ELP was about ... it wasn't just music! It was rock music at its very best!

Amen to that. I simply can't distinguish between the two albums. In fact, I simply can't distinguish between the first five, with the possible exception of Pictures, because of relying too much on blues in places... (I could take Isle of Wight or Mar y Sol in its lieu anytime!)