TARKUS

There are 260 reviews from this album in the site,most of which say basically the same thing:Tarkus is a an album that is on it's fist side an unquestionable masterpiece,and in the other,a bunch of banal numbers. I can't say I agree with this.Here's why.

The Tarkus suite is,indeed,a masterpiece,if ever there was one.It is,however,extremely demanding,specially considering ELP is a 'mainstream prog' band.It may take the casual prog fan a good 5 or 6 listens all the way through to get the big picture.If you're not used to prog,that number can be substantialy increased.Plus,unless you're willing to like it and show good will,there's a risk of this lenhgty piece become a boring 20 minute epic.I find important to say so,because the way people talk about this song in reviews,may pass the impression that this is love at fist sight.Trust me,it isn't.When one finally gets to understand it,Tarkus proves to be a wonderfull suite of changing moods,variating between extremely agressive and wonderfully melodic,in the apocalyptic last minutes.It's very hard to describe this song,as I think many will agree.The best clue you could get to how it sounds is hearing the rest of early ELP's work,but even that sounds very distant to Tarkus,a song that seems to have a life of it's own at times.

And as it fades away and the vynil side must be switched,a dramatic changing of mood,to which most people seem to hate.I actually like Jeremy Bender,a song very close to Trilogy's The Sherif.But if one happen to find that awfull,there's not much to worry about:it clocks around 2 minutes.The following track,Bitches Crystal,is a wonderfull trip through jazz,but one that people don't seem to aprecciate.I guess they're just so busy complaining about the album's Side B that they automatically despite every song on it.Just ignore them,this is a great prog song.

The two following songs are really nothing special,but they don't bother me that much.My only complain is that as soon as Bitches Crystal is over,there's really no motivation to hear the album to the and,aas all the following songs are very weak.Are You Ready,Eddy? is easily the worst track on the album,if not in all of the band's early repertoire.It is simply annoying,I wonder what was the band thinking when decided to close the album with this.

Tarkus alone would probably be enough to grant the album four stars,but there's at least one VERY good track in the second half,despite what people would have you think.I'd take a shot and say that Bitches Cystal matches anyrhing in their debut.