LOVE BEACH

This album is the ultimate whipping boy of Prog. Everyone seems to hate it with a passion-die-hard ELP fans,, casual fans, critics and most tellingly the band themselves. Most of the objections seem to focus on the album title and the cover ("How can this be the same group that produced Tarkus" "they look like the Bee Gees on a bad day" etc blah blah blah) Of course the "lighter" pop-rock approach proved unacceptable to fans who simply wanted them to carry on recording endless variations of Karn Evil 9 for ever. Also, there is a general feel that because the album was effectively a "Contractual Obligation" album ie they were basically "forced" to produce it by the Label boss the album was always going to be a compromise anyway. The truth is ELP had already been moving away from their intense-hammond organ heavy Prog roots with the two Works albums. I actually had more problem with both those albums than Love Beach especially the songs by Greg Lake which I found intolerably dull. I find the Greg Lake songs on side one of the later album infinitely more enjoyable especially as the three members are providing the music without being drenched by incessant strings as they were on Works. The closing track on side one also features a superb re-working of Canarios and I personally think it stands up well compared to other instrumentals like "Fanfare For The Common Man" (which I find a little tedious to be honest) and "Hoedown".It is a shame that most fans will probably never hear it because it is on "that album". The side long suite "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman" is also excellent. Greg Lakes' vocals are particularly strong here. Keith Emerson also provides some very pleasant piano soloing and there is a some excellent fusiony instrumental playing on the "Letters From The Front" section. Overall while I can see why so many people just cannot deal with this album and while it is certainly no Classic it is still an enjoyable listen.

4 stars