LOVE BEACH

This is a very strange album. At first listen it comes over as plodding, boring, lacking in melody and lacking in a certain kind of genius. But repeated listenings have revealed to me a late 1960's kind of art rock sound, as if it were just there at the beginning of progressive/psychedelic rock. I've come to really like this album. Not because it's full of bombastic symphonic prog rock but because I find it rather quaint and attractive in a completely different way. I'm aware that it was recorded just to comply with contractual obligations but I think that inadvertently ELP have come up with an enjoyable little gem. Remember, these guys were very talented musicians/composers and that's not something that will desert them, no matter how rushed or carelessly they might have thrown this album together. Music tastes and directions in the late 1970's had changed (as is also evidenced by "And Then There Were Three" by Genesis) and perhaps ELP were trying to move with the times, albeit maybe sounding a bit dated. I'm tempted to give this album just three stars because but because it's really grown on me over the years I'm giving it four stars.