EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

This was, for me, a revolutionary album, very much in the vein of KING CRIMSON's Court of the Crimson King. That keyboards could be that expressive, and that dominant was totally revelatory to me. I had never before heard "rock" classical music--though with a jazzy flavor to it. Though I had not yet heard Aaron Copeland or Bach's compositions for church organ, I felt as though I were being introduced to the masters of old--Keith EMERSON provided a kind of bridge to classical music (which I would dive into whole-heartedly in the 1980s). 1. "The Barbarian" (4:33) is such an introductory bridge for me. (9/10)

2. "Take a Pebble" (12:34) has some of the most gorgeous vocal and bass melodies in all music. To think that Greg LAKE could even conceive of singing his beautiful lines over such odd musical background is still astounding to me. (10/10)

3. "Knife Edge" (5:08) is powerful for both keyboards and Greg LAKE's vocal. (Not much of a fan of the drumming here.) (8/10)

The three-part keyboard extravaganza, 4. "The Three Fates" (7:45) starts off so majestic and pompously with the awesome church organ, then goes into the amazing piano part--which, incidentally, feels as if it has three distinct personalities--before moving into the trio section. Awesome ride! (Pre-dating RENAISSANCE's comparable "Trip to the Fair" by a few years.) (10/10)

5. "Tank" (6:52). The world of electronic keyboards was so new to me, and this album had a lot to do with introducing me to the possibilities of said instruments. BTW, this song puts on display Carl PALMER's best drumming on the album. (Finally!) (9/10)

6 "Lucky Man" (4:36) is to this day probably my favorite all-time prog radio "hit" (rivalled only by FOCUS' "Hocus Pocus"). As much hate as it gets around here I find myself mystified: It is such a cool, gorgeous song with one of the greatest instrumental exits EVER! Prog's "Man of La Mancha"! (10/10)

I did not like this album--or ELP--so much when I first heard it but each and every successive listen to this album has helped to win me over and caused the band (and album) to grow in my esteem. I now feel that this eponymous debut album is one of the most important, foundational albums of all of progressive rock music. Amazing, start to finish!