OLD LOVES DIE HARD

The least that I can say is that when you have heard "I Believe" you just can hope that you won't be confronted to any more tracks like these on this record. It is absolutely AWFUL. The new singer sounds really pityful. Press next as soon as you have heard the first notes of this masquerade.

We'll get rid of him for the second song which is an instrumental and spacey keyboard oriented-song. Spacey but also classical (like you know who) : virtuosity of course but emotionless. Somewhat dull. Did you say piano bar ? The finale is very much welcome. At least it rocks alright and saves this track. But it only lasts for about a minute (the great finale, I mean) ...

We'll finally get the traditional "Triumvirat" in "The History Of Mystery". This means a song a la ELP with all its splendour : bombastic, full of moog and synthesizers. Palmer (Barry, the new "singer" from "Triumvirat" not to confounded with the other one. You know the one from...) trying to emulateGregg Lake would do. The best song so far (but it is not really difficult). The good news being that it lasts for about twelve minutes.

We'll be reverted to the same poor vocals during "A Cold Old Worried Lady". Almost intolerable. What the heck is that you need to hire a new singer if it is to get such a one ? Mystery to me. But since he will still be in the band for their next release, I guess that they felt OK with him. But I don't.

The next track "Tarkus" is ... oups ! It's not "Tarkus", just "Panic On Fifth Avenue". Anyway, this is the sort of track I like very much from "Triumvirat". Derivative, right ? But at least it is a very good number. In those times, the masters (ELP of course) didn't release anything since "Brain..." in '73 and were preparing the awful "Works" so; I pretty much prefer to listen to a piece like "Panic" which sounds really great. Drumming and keys are just splendid. My fave from this album.

To summarize, what we'll have here is two great long songs (total of over twenty-two minutes), while the other ones are rubbish (except the average "A Day In Life"). I'm going to be generous and upgrade this from a five out of ten to a three stars album. But this is only thanks to those two outstanding numbers.