EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

From my experience,the experimentalism of true progressive rock oftenly results in beautifull masterpieces,but may also end in disorientated pieces of music,and honeslty,I don't think there are many exceptions concerning 'mainstream' prog.Experiments on studio may be incredible or complete disasters.

...Not that this debut applies to one of those two ending results,but I do find it a bit lost and somehow not as near as memorable as the albums that followed it.And incredibly overated in the site.ELP shows glimpses of power they would rather sooner than later develop,but I guess the killing flaw here is the absence of a true climax.Let's just say this album came close,but never made it.

It's clear that their debut was a chance for the band to experiment freely as they wish,as there are radical changes of mood as each new track starts,varying from pure classical form to pop flavoured acoustic ballads.The sense of experiment is shouting out loud for everyone who gives the album a listen.

If I had to pick one favourite,it would be Knife Edge.This is a hard rocking song with progressive fills all around,sang very darkly by Greg Lake.I'm very fond of this one,for it shows a rare heavyness in ELP.The song grows as the chorus comes closer,and in the last minute,a true revolution takes place,lead by a stunning Carl Palmer.

Take a Pebble is a Lake ballad,but the true spotlight here is Keith Emerson's grand piano.Lake is,as always,in a wonderfull vocal performance,but if the first and last minutes grant the song a very sad and melodic mood,the long and unnecessary mid-session gets lost halfway through.Well,this is still a very nice song.

Unfortunately there's not much more really worthy of attention.The album is consisted of long instrumentals with multiple time signatures and rich instrumentation,but it doesn't have a true character.The Barbarian is a nice opening and an agressive instrumental,but nothing more.The Three Fates may please prog fanatics,but it's a very demanding ten-minute classical suite.It's not bad at all,but I'm leaving a fair warning:it is NOT for everybody.The Tank is a boring drum solo with very poor complements.

As for Lucky Man,the big hit in the album,it is a nice pop ballad,but easily forgettable.It's quite catchy and has a great chorus,but a misplaced moog solo could have been kept out(Keith Emerson should know better than this).

A fair three stars it is.I've tried really hard to truly aprecciate the album,but the truth is Emerson,Lake and Palmer's debut is retired in my CD collection for a long time now.