EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

Since 1978's insipid "Love Beach", which ended up wearing out and distancing the members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the trio did not manage to pull themselves together and replicate in the studio the structures or developments that would bring them even partially close to the compositional and instrumental quality of their fundamental works from the first third of the 70's. And unfortunately without much enthusiasm, E,L&P concluded their studio adventure with the faded "In the Hot Seat" (1994), their ninth album.

It is a difficult task to rescue some tracks, perhaps fragments of "Hand of Truht" with a few crumbs of all the magic that Keith Emerson was capable of extracting from the synthesizers, and perhaps also the painful emotionality of "Daddy", but not much more. An album that navigates aimlessly between a combination of industrialised synth pop ("One by One", "Man In The Long Black Coat", "Street War"), with syrupy and insubstantial eighties ballads ("Heart on Ice", "Give Me A Reason To Stay"'), and sinks straight into melodic intrascendence ("Thin Line", "Change"', "Gone Too Soon").

The addition as a bonus track of the very good studio version of "Pictures At An Exhibition" of more than 15 minutes, is not enough to save the general mood of an album that does very little for the history of the legendary trio.

"In the Hot Seat" is an expendable work of the genre, and whose consolation may be that at least its cover is better than that of "Love Beach"...

1.5/2 stars

Yes, the first half of the nineties was the time of the return of great bands. Apparently, record companies decided to make money on rock dinosaurs once again while they were still alive. The returns were different. Loud, like the Rolling Stones with Voodoo Lounge, ambiguous like Pink Floyd with The Division Bell and Genesis with We Can't Dance, disappointing like Yes with Union, not very convincing and scandalous like Deep Purple with The Battle Rages On.

In the case of ELP, the band's reunion happened after a very long period - the last time the band in its classic line-up released a new album was back in 1978. In 14 years, the world and music have changed. A new generation of listeners has grown up, grunge and alternative rock ruled music, and the best times of progressive rock remained in the seventies. Probably, the band, led by their producers, took this into account, making their music more simplified and accessible, albeit on a prog-rock basis. Progressive pop or pop- progressive? It doesn't matter. Did they manage to do it? With some remarks, but I think rather yes than no. Although it didn't turn out quite what was expected of them.

The beginning of the album could have been close to ideal, if not for the drummer playing the world-famous rhythm from We Will Rock You in the first song. Why is that? It's Carl Palmer, who can play anything, as if he had four hands. The situation is saved a little by a magnificent march of keyboards in the best traditions of Keith Emerson, but in a modern way, but the overall impression is already a little spoiled, especially since this triple "knock knock knock" accompanies the whole song. Nevertheless, the almost hard rock Paper Blood picks up and maintains a high tempo, and then comes the obligatory lyrical song with a guitar, where Keith Emerson carefully accompanies with an elegant keyboard part and smoothly leads to the apogee - the luxurious pulsating Romeo And Juliet. A great arrangement and a fantastic performance (I think this is where I first got to know ELP, thanks to Radio Roks, which introduced me to many interesting bands in the 1990s). Unfortunately, there aren't many highlights. The only ones that stand out are the instrumentals. Close To Home, a slow, sad and slightly unsettling piano solo. And Changing States, monumental and majestic, with changes of tempo and mood, like in the best of times. But in the past, Keith Emerson was given one side of the record. And in vain, because he is the only one who really shines on this album.

The rest of the songs strictly follow the verse-chorus principle, they would be great to listen to on the radio or at a party. But that's not ELP's style at all. If you can live with that, you won't have any problems listening to this album to the end. If not, then maybe it makes sense not to expect miracles and enjoy any ELP album from their 1970s catalog. I liked it, and I think it's fair to give this album 3 stars.

I am surprised by such a low rating and criticism of this album. Apparently, I am not a biased connoisseur of purity of style and not a very picky critic. But I consider In the Hoat Seat a very worthy work, although not ideal. And you can greet it more warmly if you forget for a while about the greatness of ELP and their brilliant albums of the first half of the seventies, do not expect them to return to the level of Tarkus or Trilogy. Those who are now 50 years old and older, remember, how much of what you do 20 years ago do you allow yourself now, are you as active and energetic in your creativity as you were then?

Perhaps my assessment is influenced by the fact that, given the appropriate mood, I can equally comfortably listen to King Crimson or Asia. The main thing is the mood. Maybe all three of ELP were tuned to the Asian wave, considering where Carl Palmer returned to the group from. And perhaps the health problems of Carl Palmer and Keith Emerson, and the crisis of ideas played a role, someone wrote above about the influence of the record company, which wanted an album with a more commercial sound. Most likely, a combination of reasons was to blame, but remember, it was not only ELP that made such music at that time. I can recall Union and Talk by Yes, We Can't Dance by Genesis, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, where little remained from the classic sound of the bands that once wrote the history of progressive rock.

So in the case of this album, the music only in places resembled the great virtuoso and expressive ELP, except for the magnificent high-speed and full of drive Hand Of Truth with an instantly recognizable keyboard part, and Thin Line, also with a little improvisation by Keith Emerson. The songs are mostly leisurely and minor, the musicians do not demonstrate their fantastic improvisational abilities, sometimes it really seems that they are just practicing. And songs like Daddy, Give Me A Reason To Stay, Gone Too Soon, Street War seem like they were written by another group and for another group. But if you tune in to this wave and accept the rules of the game, then personally this album is much less disappointing than the average score of 1.78 out of 5, which is relevant at the time of publishing my review, shows.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the remake of Pictures At An Exhibition, a bonus track that completes the album. A good way to remind a new generation of their listeners about world classics and their own classic album of the same name. Even if only fragments of it are heard here, even if Greg Lake's voice has changed almost beyond recognition, and the sound of Keith Emerson's synthesizer has become completely synthetic, the orchestral imitation sounds dignified and majestic. This is the very thread that connects ELP with their origins and reminds of them in every chord. An ending that harks back to the beginning. The circle is closed. A fitting way to end the last album.

This was the second ELP live album that I bought and listened to in the late 90s. The first was Pictures at an Exhibition of course. And the first impression was completely different from what it is now. At that time, I liked the Now Tour '97/'98 concert more, due to the better recording quality and a larger number of diverse songs covering the entire classic period of the band's work. In addition, the 1974 concert was full of improvisations, which at that time seemed too complicated to me.

Probably, combining two concerts in one album wasn't the best idea. Although for fans of the band in my country it was a real gift, considering that the mp3 format was not widespread then, and it was difficult to get discs with such music in Ukraine then. But I ignored the 1974 concert for a long time, and listened more often to the second part of this album.

But over the years, my perception has changed, and now, I think, we can try to make an objective review of these two CDs. It is in the first part, at a concert in 1974, that we are offered real progressive rock in its original form, exactly that signature ELP sound, thanks to which they entered history. The concert opening Toccata with the signature heavy guitar sound of Greg Lake, the enchanting psychedelic synthesizer special effects of Keith Emerson suddenly gives way to the melodic Still... You Turn Me On and Lucky Man, which Greg Lake sings soulfully accompanied by his guitar alone. Then follow 10 minutes of keyboard magic from Keith Emerson. Well, he does not torture his synthesizer, as it happened at concerts, but plays in an almost academic style, complementing his improvisation with excerpts from the classics (the album notes mention Fugue by the 20th century Austrian composer Freidrich Gulda and Little Rock Getaway by jazz pianist Joe Sullivan). I don't know the original, but there are definitely elements of jazz here! Next, Greg Lake performs another soulful song, Take a Rebble, this time accompanied by drums and keyboards. The concert ends with almost half an hour of Karn Evil 9, with Carl Palmer's improvisation on drums, incredibly fast and energetic. I found a video of this concert on YouTube, where the moment when he simultaneously plays the pedals with his feet, hits the timpani, and even strikes the bell, hooking and pulling the rope with his teeth, stands out. Who else has done that? In general, the live performance of this masterpiece of progressive rock looks even better than the studio version, it is longer and more powerful, and gives the musicians more space. If Greg Lake worked on the guitar in the songs, then here Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer compete with each other, and I don't know who won. The concert ends with the theme The Creat Gates of Kiev from their concert Pictures at an Exhibition, which also sounded more large-scale and with excursions into other musical themes. As a resident of Kyiv, I am especially pleased that ELP performed this theme. But in modern transcription, its name is correctly written as Kyiv. The video shows how Keith Emerson, while performing the final chords, along with the piano, was lifted above the stage and turned over several times. It is incredible how he never stumbled or went out of tune!

Excellent concert. I enjoyed listening to it again while writing this review. Maybe there were better ones, I don't know. (But only because of the length. After all, 40 minutes for this kind of music is criminally short.) But it's good that it was released on CD. Many people were able to listen to it at a time when music was not as accessible as it is now. Hopefully, if YouTube works in your country, you can find this performance under the title Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- California Jam (1974)

The second part consists of fragments of concerts from 1997 and 1998, and takes up about 13 minutes on the first CD and the entire second CD. In total, about an hour and a half. Not very convenient if you want to listen to the whole thing. Some of the classic ELP suites are also played in snatches. For example, only a fragment of Karn Evil 9 is played here, and only the final part of the monumental Piano Concerto No. 1 is played. But there are a few surprises. For example, A Time and a Place from Tarkus is performed in a very unusual and solemn way, completely different from the studio version. I also really liked Touch and Go - in this live version it is very juicy compared to the studio recording. And of course, pure pleasure is the mighty Fanfare For The Common Man, which lasts for more than 20 minutes thanks to numerous improvisations and a medley of classical themes and another incredibly killer drum solo. Again and again I am surprised how only three people can create such meaty music? An orchestra is needed here! 21st Century Schizoid Man is also performed very well, fortunately without the manic technogenic special effects that have probably scared more than one generation of music lovers. You can also be convinced of the obvious changes in Greg Lake's voice by listening to Take A Pebble and Lucky Man from the 70s and 90s. For me personally, there is no answer to the question of which version is better. It is also strange why this concert collection doesn't include any numbers from the later albums Black Moon and In The Hot Seat. Probably, something was played during the concerts of the 97/98 tour. But we have to accept it.

After all that has been written, it is extremely difficult to give an adequate assessment of this disc. If only California Jam '74 were assessed, it would get 5 stars from me without the slightest doubt. But the concerts of 97/98 do not reach five stars. Up to four stars, perhaps. Therefore, this entire album gets the same. I think it is fair.

My acquaintance with ELP music began here about 30 years ago. I still remember the musical ecstasy that the first part of the album plunged me into for 20 minutes. A powerful and, at first glance, chaotic wall of sound, in which a mighty guitar-synthesizer squall combined with a furious drum roll periodically transforms into a driving onslaught, then into calm lyrical vocal parts in the form of ballads. Like an ocean wave that becomes distinguishable and tangible as it approaches, and then picks up and carries you away, powerful, but safe. But at the same time, there is a constant feeling of some kind of restraining power, which the musicians periodically restrain and then release. From time to time, Keith Emerson's keyboards seem to go out of control, but this is a controlled spurt (at that time I did not yet know that the real out of control accompanied ELP concerts, where Keith Emerson put on a show in the style of Jimi Hendrix). This perception of ELP's music is correct for me in relation to a number of their albums of the classic period up to the obscure Love Beach. One of my acquaintances at the time described ELP this way: it's a band where the keyboards periodically go crazy. Yes, the first part of the album with the same name is a great way to start getting to know ELP, it's like the band's calling card. And although the first minutes are more like a tsunami, if your musical preparation includes 21st Century Schizoid Man from King Crimson's debut album or The Gates of Delirium from the Relayer album by their colleagues Yes, which is very similar in musical structure, then you will endure.

But then it is impossible to maintain the set tempo. Jeremy Bender with a good interaction of vocals and keyboards and the dashing rock and roll of Are You Ready Eddy sound like they were recorded in a pub, the only thing missing is the clink of mugs and drunken conversations. They are good and interesting in their own way, but their appearance on the same album with such an incredibly monumental rock-classical suite seems out of place. They seem to be from another dimension. The general line and level set in the first part of the album are picked up and maintained by generally good Bitches Crystal and The Only Way (hymn), but they seem torn out of the main suite and the general context. Perhaps, if they were to be placed separately, it would be necessary to do so right after Tarkus. The remaining compositions add little to the innovation and grandeur of the first part of the album. The monotonous Infinite Space looks like a keyboardist's warm-up before a concert, and the expressive A Time and a Place can no longer save the overall impression.

I don't know what prompted ELP to resort to the "suite + songs" album structure. Pink Floyd turned to a similar formula in Atom Heart Mother and Meddle, Mike Oldfield in Islands and Discovery. I haven't read the comments to these albums, but I think there are opinions there too that this combination didn't do them any good. But what's done is done. As a result, I can't rate this album 5 stars. The first part alone is definitely 5 stars, it's one of the pinnacles of progressive rock and one of the best examples of the style. But the second part spoils everything, here my rating fluctuates between 3 and 4 stars. Therefore, I consider the final score of 4 stars to be quite adequate.

I agree that this is one of the top works of ELP. The structure of the album is the same as in Tarkus: it is a complex and multifaceted suite, where splashes of synthesizer and pressure of drums periodically give way to calm lyrical songs with guitar as accompaniment, an obligatory element in each album. The difference from Tarkus is that this album is not divided into two parts, but is created as a single whole, where each composition is in its place and does not look lost. Starting from the gorgeous multi-part The Endless Enigma, which can be safely put on a par with Тarkus as an illustration of all the incredible performing and composing capabilities of the group. How it sounds, what delightful transitions from calm to expression! Such contrast has always been a distinctive sign of ELP, and it is in Trilogy that it is ruthlessly embodied. Even in the lyrical From the Beginning and especially in the hooligan The Sheriff, where the keyboards manage to change the tempo several times. And in the rock interpretation of Hoedawn by the famous American pianist, conductor and composer of the 20th century Aaron Copland, the keyboards seem to have broken loose and are rushing about in search of a way out. It is not surprising that this was one of Keith Emerson's favorite concert numbers. Another magnificent keyboard suite is Trilogy, deceptively calm at first, like the first drops of rain falling on a still surface of water, then gradually increases the tempo in order to fall in a devastating downpour at the finale and sweep away everything around. Keith Emerson plays the first part in this piece, only temporarily giving way to Greg Lake so that he can sing a few lines. Another wonderful find is the enigmatic Abaddon's Bolero, which again appears from nothingness, starting very quietly, and then gradually builds up and accelerates in order to reach a climax and explode in a stunning wall of sound. Classical music has probably never been so organically combined with rock music. A great way to end a great album on a positive note.

This music cannot be listened to as background, this is progressive rock in its best, original, classic form! It seems to me that the band did not stay at this highest level for long. Only the next album Brain Salad Surgery corresponds to the level of Trilogy, after which ELP was no longer able to repeat this magic and rise to such heights. Thank you for this and for us to hear it.

I am calling myself a level 3.5 on this going in. I have had it in one format or another over several years, but it has been a while since I have listened in its entirety. I have always felt it is their best. I was very surprised that it is falling just outside of the top 10, instead of in it. Here we go with a deep dive.

Track 1- Jerusalem

As I understand it, this is a song that children sing at school in the UK. Some of my British friends may need to elaborate on this. We begin with a majestic organ and drums. When the vocals begin the drums drop out and the organ is the only accompaniment. Bass and drums kick back in after 1 minute. There is a wonderful Bach trumpet tone on the synth in the second verse. The song is very short but provides a grand opening for the album.

Track 2 - Toccata

This is an adaptation of a modern classical piece by Alberto Ginastera, who gave his blessing for the band to record their version. The tempo is fast & exciting. Emerson shows his agility on the Keys, while Palmer plays tympani as well as standard drum parts. Lake does a great job, of course holding down the bottom end during Emerson's gymnastics. At around the 3-minute point, Palmer takes over on tympani with some occasional cymbal sounds. At around 4 minutes, tubular bells join in. At around 4:30, there is a low-end staccato part. While around 5 minutes there are some crazy synth sounds then Palmer begins grooving on the kit. A theme returns with around a minute to go. As the piece nears its conclusion, there is a chaotic crescendo followed by precision staccato rhythms.

Track 3 - Still?You Turn Me On

Here is the obligatory Lake acoustic based song. I truly enjoy those songs on the ELP albums. We begin with 12 String and vocals with some subtle keyboard tones in the background. I love the wah-wah electric guitar in the choruses. The second verse makes more of the keyboard parts. I love the big bass at around 2:15. This is another quickie.

Track 4 - Benny the Bouncer

Now we have the also obligatory silly honky-tonk style tune. This one has synth, bass, and a jazzy drumbeat, while Lake sings in a distorted voice tone. The honky-tonk piano solo comes in about halfway through. This is another very short song. I can't help but thinking that 3 of the 4 opening tracks (excepting Toccata) are there to just build up to the main event. There is a second verse and a false ending, before the silly honky-tonk style ending.

Track 5 - Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 1

Now here is the main event of the album. Karn Evil 9. Think- Carnival. The 4 pieces of this major epic are a collaboration between Emerson and Lake with former King Crimson lyricist Pete Sinfield. The First Impression is prog rock ecstasy. It begins with Emerson playing counterpart lines on the organ. Bass & drums join at around 15 seconds. Lake begins singing nor long after. It's a call & response between the vocal lines & the instruments, excepting the low piano lines under the vocals in the first verse. After an instrumental interlude, the second verse is varied from the first, by the fact that it is not as call & response in style. At around 2:30 a slightly longer instrumental section happens. When the vocals return the tempo and feel changes. I like the "I'll be there, I'll be there, I will be there" part. Then a different musical theme kicks in at a faster tempo for a more extended instrumental section. The trio is playing very tightly. I like the next tempo change before 5 minutes. At around 5:20 the vocals return with a melody that is well known to the Part 2 section of the song. The lyrics here are just amazing. Gotta love the "roll up?roll up?roll up ?see the SHOW!" part. The instruments take back over at around 7 minutes, and Lake plays a guitar solo against a great odd-metered prog groove. A more melodic theme that will return in part two takes over to help bring part one to a close. A sequenced keyboard part joins the 2 parts together. This was needed in order to turn the album over.

Track 6 - Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, Pt. 2

This track, along with Lucky Man, is probably the best known of ELPs tunes to general classic rock radio listeners. The keyboard sequencer part brings us back in, then Lake sings the famous "Welcome Back My Friends to the Show that Never Ends," line. This was my intro to ELP, as I am sure it was to many others. I love the organ solo starting around 1:20. Emerson was certainly a master of his craft. Lake plays the melodic guitar lines alluded to earlier. Then Palmer takes over with some great drumming as Lake comes back on vocals. Note the "Tiger Rag" reference as Lake sings about Alexander's Ragtime Band at around 3:20. The next line references "Seven virgins and a mule (keep it cool, keep it cool)." Then we get the "Big Finish". Palmer hits the tympani again before Lake belts "see the SHOW!!" and Emerson hits an ascending closing note.

Track 7 - Karn Evil 9, 2nd Impression

This impression basically begins with the band performing as a Jazz Piano Trio, to show off Emerson's jazz piano skills. Lake and Palmer make a fine rhythm section. Emerson plays a percussive sounding synth part around 1:30 that Palmer grooves with. The tune pauses at around 2:55 and comes back quietly at a slower tempo. Emeron's piano and Lake's bass are doing call & response parts initially. The dynamics begin gradually building, then they go back to a more rhythmic part. They get back to piano trio mode at a very fast tempo as this section reaches a conclusion. The level of playing is simply astounding.

Track 8 - Karn Evil 9 - Third Impression

We begin in a dramatic fashion here before settling into a melody on the organ as the vocals begin after around 25 seconds. Synth joins in on occasion, as Lake & Palmer lay a nice foundation. Lake sings a very regal melody. It becomes more menacing around 1:45 as he begins to tell us to "Let the great computer speak!" We go into a bit of a dystopian future here. (did they predict correctly?) Emerson returns with majestic brass-like tones at around 3 minutes for a melodic solo. A staccato odd-metered theme from earlier in the journey returns next. Then the tempo picks up for an organ solo with L&P cooking on the rhythm. More staccato themes return following that. Palmer plays a snare roll just before 7 minutes, and the musical merriment & mayhem continues, punctuated with the staccato themes. At around 6:50 it starts to begin like a storm is building. There are then some Palmer drum features, before the closing section begins with a closing verse of arguing between humans & the computer. Then there is a note sequence that gets faster and faster while panning left & right to close it out.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A great album indeed. But upon a close listening, Benny the Bouncer, brings it down a bit. Still, it lives up to its reputation as one of the finest classic prog albums. I'll give it 4.75 out of 5 stars.

Clicking 5, but really 4.75. 4 is too low.

So, I will rank myself a level 2 on Tarkus, as I think I've heard most of the tracks, if not all of them, individually, but never all in order in one sitting. ELP, of course, is one of the all-time great classic prog bands, so what's not to love here? Let's find out.

Track 1 - Tarkus

This is a 20 minute + side-long suite in 7 sections as follows:

- a. Eruption (2:44)

- b. Stones of Years (3:44)

- c. Iconoclast (1:16)

- d. Mass (3:12)

- e. Manticore (1:52)

- f. Battlefield (3:51)

- g. Aquatarkus (4:04)

We fade in with synth sounds and go into a terrific 5-8 riff of pure prog ecstasy. Emerson is the star so far on this track. As we get into part b, the tempo slows, and we go into a moderate 4-4. Lake's vocal joins in as smooth as butter. Emerson takes over on organ again at around 4:20. There is a reason that he's regarded as one of the finest rock keyboardists of all time. We return to the odd meters on section c. Palmer is getting quite the workout on the drums here. Part d brings us a pentatonic rock riff then Lake's assertive vocals. Palmer gives us some "more cowbell" in this part as well. Outside of Jon Lord (Deep Purple), does anyone make an organ sound heavier than Emerson? Part e returns us to some odd-meter madness at a very fast tempo. (9-8 perhaps?) Palmer has some featured drum fills that bring us into the next section, f. This is in a moderately slow 4-4. Lake plays a guitar solo at around 14:45. Lake is in fantastic voice on this song. Part g sounds a bit like a victory march, with an unusual synth sound. Things fade out briefly around 19 minutes for a marching snare drum to be featured. Then everything comes back in grand style for the big finish. I love the sound of the final chord! Excellent track!

Track 2 - Jeremy Bender

Emerson kicks it off on a honky-tonk piano. Lake sings a silly tune with a funny story line. Just a quick little ditty.

Track 3 - Bitches Crystal

An organ part fades in slowly before the band goes into one of their signature proggy riffs. Lake begins singing at around 40 seconds in. This is a bit of a wild ride. The honky-tonk piano returns in the instrumental breaks. This has some of Lake's most aggressive singing since his King Crimson days. I like the big dynamic ranges in the instrumental break around 2:50.

Track 4 - The Only Way (Hymn)

A grand pipe organ starts us off here. I believe there is some Bach influence here. Lake's vocals are very peaceful on this one by comparison to the previous track. This one references the loss of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. The second part finds Emerson on piano rather than organ.

Track 5 - Infinite Space (Conclusion)

This track was meant to lighten the mood following the seriousness of the preceding one. There are some great shifting time signatures. The three of them seem to be playing live as a piano/bass/drum trio here with little to no overdubs. Nicely done.

Track 6 - Time and a Place

The Hammond returns as this one gets going. Lake starts singing and hits some high falsettos. He is using the type of vocal style we'd hear a couple of albums down the line on Karn Evil 9 (Roll up!). While I think most people who listen to prog know that Lake was a great vocalist, I don't think he gets enough credit for the diversity of his singing styles. The song ends with a high synth note.

Track 7 - Are You Ready Eddy?

The Eddy in question is Eddy Offord the great producer/engineer known for his work with both ELP and Yes. This is just an old 50s style rocker as an homage to Eddy's shills on the board. Just a bit of fun to close the album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

The title track is definitely the showpiece of the album. It is a very quick 20 minutes due to the way it's structured in 7 small easily digestible chunks. The songs that make-up side 2 of the original LP version are a bit of a mixed bag in terms of quality, but I enjoy them all even the silly bookends of the album side. I still don't think that this is their finest overall album, but if I was judging it based on the Tarkus suite alone it'd be really close. However overall, I give this a 4.25 out of 5, which I believe ties it with Trilogy in my ratings if I recall correctly.

Clicking 4, but really 4.25!

I am rating myself at a level 3 as I begin this listen. I had this on LP years ago, so it's been a while since I have heard it straight through. I am very familiar with From the Beginning, Hoedown, and the title track. The others I am a bit rusty on. Of course, this is classic ELP, so I know its quality, but just how great is it? Let's see.

(The first 3 tracks comprise the Endless Enigma Suite)

Track 1 - The Endless Enigma, Pt. 1

We begin with a heartbeat, joined by high pitched synth sounds. Some low-end piano notes followed by bongos and other percussion sounds sporadically entering. Next, is an instrument that sounds bagpipe-like, then some schizoid keyboard playing. The band then locks into a groove that features Emerson's organ. Then we have a big organ part that ushers in the vocals at around 2:30. Lake's vocals begin softly, accompanied by the organ in a very hymn-like manner. Softer and louder sections alternate, with drums in the louder sections. At around 5:50, Lake plays a repeating bass note at a quick tempo and the band plays a brief, high-tempo section which creates a crescendo, followed by a brief pause and then a piano solo, which leads to?

Track 2 - Fugue

The piano continues playing lovely melodic lines until around 50 seconds, where he begins the "Fugue" (a baroque era format, similar to a round). Lake's bass joins in on the fugue. They continue as such while leading to?

Track 3 - The Endless Enigma, Pt. 2

Which begins with an emphatic rhythmic section, then church bells join. The organ brings us back to the hymn-like singing. Lake holds this final note ("Here?.") on a fairly high pitch (for him). Afterwards the song concludes with some quintessential Emerson flourishes and Palmer drumming.

Track 4 - From the Beginning

A folky acoustic number that became a staple of classic rock radio. It is in the vein of the earlier "Lucky Man" and the later "Still?You Turn Me On." Lake shows that he is not only a fine bassist/vocalist, but a wonderful 12-String acoustic player as well. The intro starts very much like Yes' Roundabout at the very beginning, but quickly diverges from that. There is also a bass and bongo part during the first verse. It sounds as though the guitar part was doubled on the second verse. There is a clean electric guitar solo that begins around 2:15. So far this has been very much a Greg Lake feature. Emerson finally joins at around 3:05 for a synth solo (a-la Lucky Man.)

Track 5 - The Sheriff

We start with a Palmer drum solo, joined by Emerson & Lake with a funky groove. The lyrics tell the tale of a Sheriff pursuing an outlaw named Big Kid Josie. There is an organ break at around the 2-minute mark. As the tale concludes, we have a bit of honky-tonk piano silliness.

Track 6 - Hoedown

Based on a piece by famous American composer Aaron Copland, who gave the band permission to record their arrangement, this is a quintessential example of ELP's musical prowess in an instrumental. Emerson takes the lead, playing Copeland's melodies on the Hammond, with Lake & Palmer providing a tight rhythm underneath. There are occasional synth parts that replicate the sound of fiddles from the original work. More synths come in and take over the sound for a bit at just before 3 minutes. The band plays a tight ending to close the track.

Track 7 - Trilogy

This is a contender for my favorite ELP track. The melodies in this are stunningly beautiful. Lake's voice is absolutely immaculate along with the dazzling piano parts played by Emerson. This opening section would not be out of place in a classical concert hall. At around 3 minutes, Emerson establishes a 5-8 rhythm, before switching to synths as Lake & Palmer join in on bass & drums. An extremely proggy instrumental break ensues, with Emerson featured on the synths. Next, Palmer gives us a tricky, fast, 6-8 drum part, accentuated by Lake's bass. Emerson keeps up the rhythm on the organ with twiddly synth parts on top. Lake returns with vocals in a variation of the opening melodies. We have another instrumental break with Emerson on synths with a more muted tone at first, followed by a more cutting sound. Another verse follows. Then we lead up to a big bluesy finishing riff. If I wanted to encapsulate the ELP sound in one track, this might be it (although Karn Evil 9, First Impression, Pt. 2, is off to the side shouting, "oh, really!").

Track 8 - Living Sin

Emerson starts off with a high tempo organ part. Lake joins on vocals in the lowest notes I've ever heard him sing. Meanwhile, Palmer is keeping a steady rock beat on the drums. Lake is practically screaming, sounding more like he did on King Crimson's 21st Century Schizoid Man, than what he normally does in ELP. There is a closing section that reminds me a bit of the instrumental bridge of Yes' Siberian Khatru to wrap up the song.

Track 9 - Abaddon's Bolero

A marching snare beat slowly fades in, joined by flute-like melodies on the organ. Some subtle bass notes start joining in at around 1:15. Emerson begins playing a synth melody at 1:55. We have a very slow and gradual crescendo in the music as we go along. Emerson harmonizes the melody at just before the 3-minute mark, while other keyboard backing parts are added. Every repetition of the melodic theme grows slightly louder with the addition of more parts. At around 5 minutes, a tuba-like tone enters. At 5:15, the melody of the traditional song "The Girl I Left Behind Me" can be heard on flute-like synth tones. By around 6 minutes in, I am getting the impression of the cavalry riding their horses to victory. At around 7 minutes, Emerson brings his favorite lead synth tone into the mix. The sound is becoming very dense. A rhythmic pattern played by the band closes out the piece.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A very strong album, indeed. But it's not my favorite ELP album, even though it contains 3 of my favorite ELP tracks in From the Beginning, Hoedown & Trilogy. The rest of the album is good but doesn't connect with me as much as Brain Salad Surgery does. Still, though, there is a lot of prog juice to enjoy. I'll give it a 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Clicking 4, but really 4.25!

Some may be surprised, but I am actually only a level 1 with this album. I know Take a Pebble and Lucky Man, but that's it. So here we go!

Track 1 ? The Barbarian

A powerful fuzz bass followed by awesome Emerson organ playing kicks us off here. I love the panning effects in my headphones during the intro. Palmer has some wonderful drum fills as well. Then Emerson swaps to piano for a partly honky-tonk, partly classical feature. We return to the organ with seriously fuzzy bass from Lake. Palmer is all over the drums as we near the end.

Track 2 - Take a Pebble

I believe we are strumming piano strings with a pick for part of the sound here. We get Lake's first vocals of the album here. A beautiful piano solo takes over at about 2:30. Lake and Palmer are such a wonderful rhythm section. At roughly 4:30 Lake switches to a quiet acoustic guitar. Then we literally get a hand clapping rhythm as the guitar volume increases and becomes steady. While Lake is best known as a bassist and vocalist, his guitar skills are nothing to sneeze at. The piano takes back over in a 7-8 rhythm. After 8:30 they turn into a Piano-Jazz trio and get swinging. At around 11 minutes in, Palmer takes to using tympani drums overdubbed with his cymbal work. A final vocal verse concludes ELP's first epic.

Track 3 - Knife- Edge

After the band hits with 3 big chords, Lake's bass establishes a riff joined by his vocals and some percussion from Palmer. A big interlude with the whole band (Emerson on organ) happened between the first and second verse. Then another interlude and then a bridge. Odd time signatures abound during the organ feature. The riff and Lake's vocals return in a heavier way, reminiscent of King Crimson, which Lake had just departed. A descending figure and sound effects close out the song.

Track 4 - The Three Fates

This one begins with a dramatic pipe organ then it quiets down to a more playful part before turning ominous again. These two feels alternate, before classical style piano takes over. Emerson actually sounds a bit like Wakeman here. About halfway in, and it's been 100% Emerson so far. The organ returns at about 4:45. Then back to piano and then Palmer joins in and we go into a 7-8 riff. I have not heard Lake as of yet. The piece ends with a literal bang!

Track 5 - Tank

We begin with Palmer playing an intricate drum pattern, later joined by Emerson and Lake on bass & keys. I believe we are in 7-8 again. Palmer has several featured drum fills which alternate with parts with the other 2. Then we get a full-on drum solo. So, it seems that each of the final 3 tracks feature one member of the trio. Cool panning effects before the band joins back in with a bit of a bluesy groove. I believe this is the first synth we hear on the album, as the keys had been primarily organ & piano up until now.

Track - Lucky Man

Ahh, the folky 12-string ballad that may be ELPs best known song. I believe that Lake claims he wrote the song as a youth, and they needed one more track to close the album, so he pulled this out. And of course, we close it out with a big Moog solo from Emerson.

And thus, the world was introduced to ELP.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A worthy debut and I'd say essential prog. Not my favorite ELP album, but still excellent. 4.5 out of 5 stars.