EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

This review refers to the recently released three disc deluxe edition and the question is: is it worth the double dip of buying it when you already have the original? I would say definitely yes.

The 5.1 mix alone is a revelation. You can hear things you were not too sure were there and hear them very clearly. It's not a gimmicky mix, there is not much in the way of surround effects with instruments flying around the room ala Brain Salad Surgery DVD Audio. The focus is more on dimensioning and ambience with a result that is quite stunning. Greg's multi-layered vocals just fills the room expecially on Take A Pepple and Lucky Man. Keith's Hammond almost sounds as if he were playing two of them with the high- ends coming out of the rears and the mid and low-ends out of the fronts. Carl's drums are pretty much spread evenly across the fronts with some going to the rears occasionally particulary the gongs and tympanis.

Now for the new stereo re-mixes and the extra tracks. While disc one includes the original LP, discs 2 & 3 carries the new mixes and the 5.1 surround mix (disc 3 DVD Audio). It's somewhat a mixed bag of goodies. The new stereo mixes really don't provide much of anything new except on Knife Edge where the tape manipulations on the original are gone. I'm talking about the speed up on Keith's organ just before the final verse kicks in and the slow down at the end. What you do get at the end of Knife Edge is an extended improv with Keith tweedling around on his Hammond which is interesting. Also included is an unreleased loose instrumental titled Rave Up that eventually evolved into Mass on Tarkus which is pretty good and shows that can really jam on the fly when they want to.

Other extras included are a cut of Promenade later used for Pictures At An Exhibition. Carl's studio drum solo that's a little different than the one we're familiar with. And there are various alternate takes on other songs including Greg doing Lucky Man solo. Keep in mind that because of the lack of the multi-track masters, Tank and the opening church organ segment on Three Fates are not included on these remixes either stereo or 5.1. Which is a disappointment for me, I would've loved to hear Carl's drums phasing at the end of his solo in 5.1 surround.

All in all, I would say it's worth an extra purchase for this title especially if you got a surround system.

5 stars for the title 5 stars for this edition 'nuff said