THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII

This album as very much any Emerson, Lake & Palmer album, is led by the keyboards, yes the whole deal: synths, piano, church organ, hammond organ, harpsichord and mellotron(they're SIX! haha). So don't expect guitars nor your usual Prog Rock album. While the musicianship is top-notch however the songs as compositions are, while musically virtuosic, mainly aimless which is the only, though big, weak factor.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII should be for Prog keyboard players their 'holy grail', this album is repleted of stunning solos from all the already mentioned variety of keys, as well as featuring very demanding piano pieces. However for the common Prog listener, while the music may sound Symphonic and sometimes similar to that from Yes, it's by no means an easy ride since the songs are lacking direction and in almost all they end nowhere, despite having been amazed by the playing, that alone does not make much of a great album.

Anyone looking for an album full of outstanding keyboard playing, this album should be the one. This album and one from ELP, should be fighting in the #1 position of most innovating keyboard playing and virtuosism of the instrument, however in respect with the already mentioned song-writing, this album is also pretty much like an ELP album, in which the band(in this case the artist) decides that musicianship goes first, then composition in last place.

As for musicianship: 5 stars. As for songwriting: 2 stars Average: 3.5 stars rounded down because I truly consider that good songwriting should go first, while musicianship if the songs are well composed, then I really don't care if they're not technical or anything outstanding.

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