TARKUS

A few months after their debut album, EL&P churned out their most famous Lp, "Tarkus", released in January 1971 and containing a suite, "Tarkus" precisely, that lasts the entire first side (almost 21 minutes): again EL&P are confirmed as precursors of prog ( few before June 1971 had already made a suite that would last all one side: perhaps only King Crimson with Lizard) and in fact their ability to reinvent cultured music, turning it into jazzed hard rock, and now, with Tarkus, the ability to produce a suite written by Emerson's keyboards, it was fondamental in the development of progressive rock. In addition, with this suite EL&P build a mythological story around a monstrous animal-machine, which will then become their symbol thanks to the design of the cover.

Side A. After a first instrumental, pyrotechnic, hyperfast movement, which acts as an overture, begins the second, beautiful, thanks mainly to the voice of Lake, which remains the strong point of the formation, then takes a short instrumental passage of Emerson that leads towards a new melody, however, which soon breaks up to give the group the opportunity to make a hard rock passage with electric guitar and overflowing drums. Around the 11th minute, the fifth movement, also hyperfast and instrumental, begins. So far the suite has not had any time to breathe. It's impressive how many musical notes EL&P grinds, they almost seem like a writer who, in order to prove his greatness, has to write the world's longest book in a short time. The instrumental piece, in fact an exercise in virtuosity, ends early and gives the baton to Lake's voice for Buttlefield (written by him) which almost always has a relaxing effect for the group. Lake seems the only hippie, while the other two of the musical machine species. This piece, in fact, restores a certain harmony to a composition that seemed dictated by performance anxiety. The final piece, unfortunately, at a pace, and driven by little atmospheric synths, is perhaps the worst of the suite, and describes the escape of the monster Tarkus after the defeat. Just before the end, the initial theme is taken up and pumped beyond measure.

This suite is good for the compositional effort but is not a masterpiece that, compared to "Lizard" (KC) that precedes it, and "Plague" (VDGG) that follows it, disfigures for lack of memorable melody and for atmosphere and creativity. It remains virtuosity and good compositional ability and, most of all, good pleasure to listen to it. Rating SIDE A: 7.5/8.

SIDE B "Jeremy Bender" is a very short song, retro honk tonk style, cute, resembling some vaudeville pieces by Paul McCarteny, only that here lacks a whole sound, and a real unfolding. Rating 5.

"Bitches Crystal" has a hyperfast rhythm, basic is a boogie, which prosergue becomes more and more frantic and hard rock, with Lake forced to shout. Rating 6.5.

"The Only Way" is brave for Lake's text, which professes an atheism that believes in humanity by quoting the 6 million Jews who were victims of the Holocaust, and all with Emerson's church organ in the background. The song is suitable for a musical, very narrated. Rating 7,5/8

"Infinite Space" is a pedantic exercise, rating 6.

"A time and a place" is a short song, three minutes, is perhaps the only song with a sound in line with the first front of the album, it is a very forced hard rock, where again Lake finds himself forced to shout. Vote 6+.

"Are You Ready Eddy" is yet another retro song, this is a Jerry Lee Lewis-style rock and roll, short, smooth, perhaps the most casual of the side. Rating 7.

Rating side B: 6,5.

It's an album that suffers for the diversity between side A and B, which are actually little assimilated. While the A-side is very well-groomed for the Tarkus suite, the second seems ragged, putting together, often retro short songs that are a step back from the sound and song form they were experiencing already on the previous album. Lake's voice is not enough to revive the LP's fortunes. Overall, the qualitalist level is similar to the previous Lp, which is more whole coese album, while this Lp can boast the compositional effort of Tarkus.

Rating album 7+; Three stars.