CHANGING STATES

Keith Emerson

Crossover Prog

3.31 | 31 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer

So far, Keith's solo career couldn't fill my musical expectations with a lot of enthusiasm.

To tell that I am totally satisfied with this one would be beyond my thought, but it is better than his previous outputs (which was not too difficult to be honest). The music from this album ranges from heavy /funky ("Shelter From The Rain", "Band Keeps Playing") to fully bombastic ("Another Frontier", "Church").

The latter being a subsequent ELP affair, but after all those years of very average music it was with some relief that I listened to such a good old composition again. His Excellence Emerson is really good in this number (which is an all instrumental, and I very much welcome this fact). If you are nostalgic of the grandeur of this very good band, this song is for you.

At least, it made the job for me. But to tell you the truth, there is nothing new since it IS a rework from an ELP song (as Iain outlined in his review). The closing number ("Abaddon's Bolero") is another example.

"The Church" is also the type of track that brings us nicely to the past. It can really compete with the best of ELP; even if as a solo artist, one doesn't feel it necessary to sound like one's previous band. But for the fan, it is always a pleasure (or you can call this nostalgia).

There are some subtle moments to expect on this "Changing States". No wonder that a track as "Ballad" hold these characteristics. Wonderful piano work (but we know the man, right). Same applies to the short "Interlude".

In all, this is a good album performed by Keith but in terms of truly new numbers, one could have expected more bearing in mind that fourteen years passed between "Nighthawks" (a soundtrack) and this album. Lack of inspiration, I guess.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 | 2009-9-2

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