EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL: EMERSON, LAKE & POWELL
Emerson Lake & Palmer
•Symphonic Prog
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
![]() Good, but non-essential Write a review |
Studio Album, released in 1986 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. The Score (9:07) - Greg Lake / vocals, guitar, bass, co-producer
Artwork: Debra Bishop and to Quinino for the last updates Edit this entry |
Buy EMERSON LAKE & PALMER Emerson, Lake & Powell: Emerson, Lake & Powell Music
![]() | Pictures At An Exhibition BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd 2016 | $16.98 |

![]() |
Emerson Lake & Palmer - ELP - Live Concert LIST - Tarkus - The Nice - Powell |
USD $1.39 ![]() |
20h 34m |
![]() |
Lot of 9 EMERSON LAKE & PALMER/Powell & Lake Albums |
USD $30.00 [0 bids] |
1 day |
![]() |
Emerson Lake & Palmer Emerson Lake & Powell UK vinyl LP album record POLD5191 |
USD $22.37 ![]() |
5 days |
![]() |
Emerson Lake & Powell Heading For Glory 2CD EL&P ELP Palmer |
USD $30.00 ![]() |
7 days |
![]() |
ELP E.L.P. Emerson, Lake & Palmer Tarkus Pictures At The Exhibition & Powell Lot |
USD $25.00 ![]() |
8 days |
![]() |
Emerson Lake and Palmer Cassette Tapes Lot Of 4 live best self powell 3e |
USD $35.00 ![]() |
10 days |
![]() |
Pair of ELP Emerson Lake Palmer Powell LPs Original Vintage Vinyl |
USD $24.95 ![]() |
13 days |
![]() |
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER WORKS VOL.2 CD MINI LP OBI Emerson Lake & Powell rock new |
USD $12.90 ![]() |
26 days |
More places to buy EMERSON LAKE & PALMER music online
- DOUG LARSON IMPORTS — Buy prog rock music and rarities (Free shipping on orders over 10 cds)
- AmazonMP3: Search for EMERSON LAKE & PALMER DRM-Free MP3 Downloads @ Amazon.com MP3
- Try Amazon Prime Music (30-day free trial)
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER Emerson, Lake & Powell: Emerson, Lake & Powell ratings distribution
(430 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(6%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(24%)
Good, but non-essential (45%)
Collectors/fans only (17%)
Poor. Only for completionists (8%)
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER Emerson, Lake & Powell: Emerson, Lake & Powell reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk

Apart as to refill-up their bank account , was there any use for this album? Not too bad an album, though especially in those days ( Genesis and Yes were up to much less than that ). I remember even hearing Touch and Go on the radio a few times. The Mars track is impressive and can bring you back to the classic 70's albums. Powell has no problem filling Palmer's shoes , but my main gripe is that they chose a drum sound too typical of 80's sound.
An acceptable album but hardly essential!! Still worth investigating for the average proghead!
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

This album by ELP (even if it wasn't quite the right P!) found Emerson and Lake back to being inspired and coherent.
The tracks are generally more commercial and less progressive than in their early days, and Powell's drumming is of course more beat focused and much less instrumental than Palmer's.
The opening track "The score" follows on nicely from "Karn Evil 9 part 1", even to the extent of repeating the "Welcome back my friends.." lyric. It's a superbly crafted track, with a positive, upbeat feel. It is by far the most progressive track on the album, standing well alongside the ELP greats such as "Tarkus" and "KE9, 3rd movement".
"The Miracle" and "Touch and go" are the other standout tracks. Both are Lake driven songs, his voice sounding steady and clear, with a power to it which had been lacking on the immediately previous albums. "The miracle" is an out and out Lake ballad, while "Touch and go" features some inspired fanfare synthesiser by Emerson. Neither track could be described as particularly progressive, the band appearing to be searching for another hit single. The remaining tracks are more run of the mill, but there is an even quality throughout the album
In all this album was a welcome return to something approaching decent form.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Rating: 4.5 stars
PROG REVIEWER

PROG REVIEWER

The good news stops there. 'Learning how to fly' sounds like Dido at half speed. You can almost hear how bored Greg Lake is as he yawns his way through this mundane, characterless piece of muzak. The rest of the album is plain boring. Then you get 'Mars the bringer of War' Gustav Holst starts to breakdance in his grave as this ponderous trio tear his classic music to bits with synthetic pings, and fake orchestral boings! Then the crowing sh!t on the dung heap has to be 'Loco-motion' Yes, thats right it is THE 'Loco-motion' Done ELP style. Imagine it. Painful.
This is for ELP fans only, and I would imagine plenty of them must have felt somewhere between heartbroken and greatly amused at it.
PROG REVIEWER

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

"Touch and Go" is a simple rock track that once was popular in my hometown and some local bands covered this track in a program called "Legend of the Month" featuring ELP. This track is probably the easiest song to emulate and has a sort of up-tempo and energy with a touch of light classic music. "Love Blind" is a straight forward pop track with good vocal line and solo keyboard at background. "Step Aside" is an interesting track with heavy influence of jazz. Jazz lovers would love this track. It's probably due to this track is performed by ELP that makes me liking this track. "Mars, Bringer of War" composed in a classic ELP style with classical music influence, dominated by keyboard sounds. Drum stools are played like a mars to march troops for a war.
It's not the kind of "Brain Salad Surgery" or "Trilogy" or "Pictures At an Exhibition" or "Tarkus" music but this ELPowell is a good one to have. You still can hear the powerful voice of Lake and unique Emerson keyboard work. Rating 3.25/5. GW, Indonesia.
PROG REVIEWER

Even if this album is not a masterpiece it is way better than their infamous "Works" (I, II & Live). They have reverted to longer composition, very symphonic, pompous as usual of course especially "The score" and "The Miracle". But since it was their trade mark, the fans (to which I belong) can only be pleased by this return to the roots. During the former there will be several references to "The Show That Nevers Ends"... nostalgia I guess. Anyway these are excellent pieces of ELP music.
There are not really outstanding tracks. The album is well balanced and most of the songs are pleasant. "Touch & Go" is maybe harder than usual. The jazzy "Step Inside" is also weaker (but I am not really into jazz to be honest). We'll get the traditional tranquil Greg lake one with "Lay down Your Guns". A very nice ballad. It reminds me at times "Jerusalem", but it is not so strong. Still, it might well be my preferred song of the album.
"Mars, the Bringer of War" could have been the soundtrack of warrior movie. ELP in all its "grandeur". You can almost imagine the Roman army destroying anything they can on their way to glory. I had the same feeling during some passages of "Salisbury" from the Heep. This song is really too much. Kind of a "West Side Story" at times. This is a love / hate number.
"The Loco - Motion" is very much welcome. Dynamic and funny this cover won't be a memorable track, but it breaks the global mood of the album. A bit like "Nutrocker" did on "Pictures".
A good come back and quite a nice surprise actually. At least ELP sounds as ELP (which was not case for most of the giants of the seventies - except Floyd probably).
Three stars.
PROG REVIEWER

Along comes 1985, and apparently Greg Lake and Keith Emerson were just itching for a reunion. Unfortunately they couldn't get Carl Palmer to come aboard as he was enjoying success with Asia at the time. There were rumors at the time that Bill Bruford would be part of the lineup, but he was committed to King Crimson and his own group, Earthworks. So they found veteran metal drummer Cozy Powell who had been with a whole host of bands in his career, including The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Whitesnake, and others. So, how would a metal drummer fit in with the escapades of Emerson and Lake? Actually, a lot better than I would have expected as their sound gelled quite nicely. The obvious difference between him and Palmer, is that his drumming style on this album is almost machine-like.
Emerson, Lake & Powell was quite different from the ELP of old. Their sound was more modern this time, more structured, and typically 1980s-ish. But it's not like the rest of the stuff blasting from radios during this decade. Quite different indeed. It was one of the few truly symphonic progressive rock albums to come out and actually receive some attention from the music press and fans of the time. A gem amidst a pile of rocks.
This album is very keyboard oriented, and this can clearly be heard on the first four songs and the excellent remake of Gustav Holst's "Mars, the Bringer War." "The Score" is pure ELP, with all the energy of the old ELP. Emerson and Lake still had it in them. The Miracle, sounding more like neo-prog, was quite a powerful song also. Amidst these great songs, ELP created a number of more radio-friendly songs. They clearly were not immune to the musical movement of the time. Some of these shorter songs are okay, and some are just forgettable. "Touch and Go" was probably the best of the shorter pieces, filled with Emerson's bombastic keys and Lake's powerful vocal delivery. This one received much radio play on the AOR stations at the time and even made it briefly on Billboard's Top 100 in the United States.
Later releases on CD would feature two bonus tracks, which were poor and somewhat annoying, like the remake of "The Loco-Motion." I guess it was a sign of the times. When I first bought this it was an LP and ended with "Mars, the Bringer of War." Now that I have the CD version, I consider the bonus tracks as just that. They're bonus and not really part of the core album.
If it wasn't for the mediocre shorter pieces, I would be almost willing to give this five stars. It isn't as good as Brain Salad Surgery, but it was the best from ELP since then and clearly one of the best albums released during the dark 1980s. I'm leaning more towards 3.75, so I'm going to round it up to an even four stars. An excellent album from the bleakest period in progressive rock history. A must-have for ELP fans.
PROG REVIEWER

There is a story attached to this album that posits the original master tape recorded in England was destroyed in a fire/accident and forced the band to reconvene in the USA to start all over again at the behest of Polydor. Whether there is even a grain of truth in this is debatable, but I must admit to being more than sorry that a more 'anglicised' version of the album is not in existence. It might also help to explain why we are left with a document that loses much in the botched transatlantic translation of 'ELP' into 'AOR'.
What does seem abundantly clear however, are the internal tensions at work between the three protagonists and their anxious record label i.e Emerson and Lake were never exactly prog's 'Ken & Barbie' and we have the late Cozy Powell's testimony to their relationship at that time as being somewhat closer to 'Itchy & Scratchy'.
All the ingredients were now in place for an album that would make Love Beach sound heavier than a tone row poem by Schoenberg, but surprise surprise, the results are considerably better than we had even dared to hope. Apart from the engineered lapses into corporate 'rawk' territory to appease their paymasters, most of these tracks sound just fine and dandy to me.
Powell's proven abilities as a heavy rock drummer are well documented, but he is very much an 'in the pocket' player in contrast to say, a 70's Carl Palmer or the late Brian Davison, and this approach does have a commensurate effect on the music from Keith and Greg. Therefore it should not surprise you to find a stripped down backbeat beneath many of these songs. Keith has stated in interviews that he found this 'liberating' in his playing, knowing that Powell was always there, never allowing the pulse to get lost.
'The Score' - Keith often uses brass fanfares in his work and these are what drives this piece along so dramatically. There is a lengthy instrumental section before the vocals enter and we notice immediately he uses synth chording more frequently than the organ of previous years. (Remember this was 1985 and polyphonic synthesizers were commonplace) Greg's voice is ushered in bathed in about a swimming pool's worth of reverb, and like all the elements of this heavily processed recording, sounds artificially ENORMOUS. I suspect the track was originally intended to be entirely instrumental as apart from the reprised 'You're welcome back my friends' tagline, the remaining vocals appear utterly superfluous.
If you like your prog both pompous AND bombastic (with a hint of Camembert) then you will require at least one change of clothing long before the end of this.
'Learning to Fly' - With one foot in the stadium and the other in the cinema, Emerson straddles quite admirably two competing disciplines here and the result is a deceptively simple but dynamic song of which his own parts carry the melodic interest considerably better than Lake's. (After running repairs to another instrumental?)
The pace changes abruptly at the end and Keith's exposure to the soundtrack industry is evidenced by a quite magnificent piece of orchestral writing realised on unaccompanied synths that segues into....
'The Miracle' - OK I admit it, the lyrics here would probably even embarrass Fish when he was but a tadpole in short pants, but the music is thrillingly cinematic and for once, carries a truly spellbinding chorus. We get a rare glimpse of the Hammond from the front of the mix in an inspired solo that entails a visit to 'Goosebumps R Us' for me every time.
'Touch and Go' - Perhaps one of the only post 80's tracks by any permutation of ELP deserving of classic status. The harmonic structure is as basic as any simple folk tune, but the periodic injection of 'that' stupendous fanfare stated by Emerson, clever use of a choir pad and Powell's industrial percussion effects, transcend the humble foundations of this piece. For what it's worth, I think the fanfare 'hook' bears more than a passing resemblance to something I have heard before by composer Vaughan Williams? Whatever, just when you think Keith has run out of harmonic variations to put under this motif, he comes up with yet more to bring us to a giddy and swaggering conclusion.
'Loveblind' - Oh dear....why is there never a power failure when you could really use one? Apart from a decent synth pitch wheel excursion on the fade out, this is all the reason a man needs to throw some of his fellow creatures off a bridge. It sounds like a bad Asia song covered by an REO Speedwagon tribute band after their guitars had been stolen from the equipment truck. (If you play this song backwards you will NOT hear any Satanic messages, just Polydor purring)
'Step Aside' - This is one of those little hidden gems that seems to have fallen beneath the ELP radar. A very atmospheric and brilliantly composed jazz setting of a memorable tune featuring Keith's patented Oscar Peterson impersonation and some tangy harmonies on the classic intro. Although this is hardly Cozy's forte, he sensibly plays well within himself and contributes a tasteful if somewhat rudimentary swung groove. What little jazz the drummer may have had in his soul, it completely dwarfs that possessed by Lake, who just sounds ill at ease with this material.
'Lay Down Your Guns' - Keith and Greg have an unfailing knack of coming up with twee sub Elgar whenever they attempt 'majestic' paeans to pacifism. A similar, if slightly better attempt is represented by 'Farewell to Arms' from the Black Moon album. Do they have to write a pro war song before they eventually nail this sucker?
Whoops, that was clumsy as it's now time for......
'Mars, the Bringer of War' - Emerson has stated that he hesitated before embarking on an adaptation of this Holst piece as he felt it was 'just a bit too obvious' for a band like ELP to tackle. Regardless of his misgivings, I am glad he went ahead and, although I do share some of the reservations expressed by other commentators, do feel that this is a largely successful attempt.
As with all arrangements of music composed for scores of performers, much is going to be lost in transposing said parts for just three players. Keith has therefore learned to his cost, that he will we judged not only on what he does play, but also on what he chooses to omit and is forever trapped in a classic 'no win' situation. I believe he has to his credit, identified all the appropriate 'obbligato' parts on Mars and does a damn fine job of capturing the relentless fury and incendiary aspects of Holst's composition.
My only criticism would be that the palette of sound colours he chooses are predominantly synth heavy and without recourse to the more 'organic' elements like Hammond, piano, and clavinet with which to provide contrasting relief, the 8 minutes or so of unremitting synthetic textures can be something of a strain on the listener.
This is a very robust and often neglected album and, although it was transparent that this line-up would never endure, we should instead just enjoy a record that still manages to fan some progressive flames despite Polydor's strenuous attempts to douse the fire.
PROG REVIEWER

And so, what does this new incarnation of ELP bring us seven years after its dismal fall in 1978? If you guessed "more of the same," you nailed it on the head. The typical ELP formula was a number of longer pieces (sometimes suites or epics), a few Greg Lake ballads, some filler, and a lovely rendition of a classical music piece. Emerson Lake & Powell's self-titled album fits this description to a tee!
So, is this just like older ELP albums? Sort of, but not quite. On this album they upgraded their sound with the new synths of the day giving it that 1980s sound that most prog groups found themselves employing. The other notable difference is Powell, who doesn't try at all at being a Palmer-clone, but sticks with his metal drumming sensibilities. So, yes, that does add a new dimension, even if it sounds like a robot drumming for most of the album.
The Score and The Miracle are nicely done works of art, even though they sound kind of over-polished and lack the energy of earlier ELP epics. Learning to Fly and Touch and Go are nice songs too, but more in the AOR arena. Their rendition of Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War is probably the best song on the album, though sometimes that 1980s synth-sound is a bit too harsh of a treatment (i.e., too many keyboard stabs). The rest of the material is... well, rubbish.
Certainly the best album ELP had made since Brain Salad Surgery, and unfortunately the last decent one. If it weren't for the filler and dreadful Lake ballads, this could've been a nice four-star effort. This lineup of ELP never made a second album and I can't say if that was good or bad, but this would have been a nice finale because worse albums were to arrive in the 1990s. Three stars. Good, but not essential.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Before we start this review I have a confession to make. I originally bought the vinyl of this album as something of a joke. I really didn't expect very much of it, and here's why. It's from the 80s, it doesn't have the original lineup of a band whose name is the lineup of the band, and it's the successor to the massive flop, Love Beach. Well, let's just say that this album is a very pleasant surprise. It's largely a return to what ELP was doing in the 70s that made them so famous, and it really doesn't have any terrible moments. On the whole the album is solid, there's no individual tracks that get away from the rest, nor bog it down.
What's surprising is just how much the album still sounds like good ol' ELP. Although with Emerson's synths (now flavored to the tune of the 80s, although no less virtuosic) pressing hard in the foreground it's really no surprise that the album sounds classic. Lake's voice sounds just as sharp as ever and Powell makes a great contribution to the album with his hard rock background, although the other two seem to have put some restraints on him, because he never has the chance to really unleash and fly off the hook with his drumming skills. The melodies for the album are all surprisingly familiar, although hard to put a finger on just where they could have come from. The powerful The Miracle has a ripping synthesizer which sounds oddly familiar, but still very much ELP.
If not for the overwhelming amount of pomp still present on the album a lot of the material may have sounded flat. Though ELP often get criticized for sounding 'pretentious' there's no doubt that that element of their sound is part of what made the band great. Emerson's obligatory reworking of an instrumental, this time in the form of Mars, The Bringer Of War, sounds like a clash of the titans, put to the music of a synthesizer as sharp as a blade. The compositional work on the single Touch And Go is as impressive as much of the music made by the band in the 70s with their immense sound ready to crush anyone who gets in their way. Although some of the songs on the second side are a little bit out of the normal range of ELP music such as the slow and sappy Lay Down Your Guns, the balladic Love Blind and the almost 'pool-house' sounding Step Aside, they still fit within the context of the album and make for an excellent listen.
Lucky for the fans, there's also some excellent prog on the album. The first side is home to a mere 3 compositions, and with two of them being over 7-minutes, you know some good has to come of it. The opening The Score is a track that can be compared to some of the band's best with a driving keyboard and powerful shouting from Lake. The entire 9-minutes of the song has enough nostalgia factor to really nab the attention of any discerning progger and though some of that may be lot on the short, but no less impressive Learning To Fly, it will certainly be regained by the already mentioned The Miracle.
Overall a surprisingly good album from a band who hadn't produced much of note since the mid-70s. Don't overlook this one for the same reasons I did. If you enjoy ELP then chances are you're going to get a kick out of this hidden gem. Not for starters to the band, but certainly not the last one you want to own by them. A solid album that's going to get a good 3 out of 5. Recommended!
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams

Really, the only song I like a lot on this album is their version of Mars, The Bringer Of War from Gustav Holst's The Planets. It's not bad, but it seems an obvious choice for Emerson to want to cover. Nowhere near as obscure as Janacek or Ginastera.
2.5 stars.
PROG REVIEWER

The market recovered gradually in respect of business and there was a part in the main current at the time of the revolution in the latter half of the 70's, too. The appearance of Punk Rock and New Age that was the main current in the latter half of the 70's had the influence in respect of the fashion at the same time as strengthening the color of the message and emphasizing it in the market.
The existence of King Crimson that had revived in the flow in the 80's appeared in front of the fan and the listener with the purpose. There might have been a revival and a reprint to Prog Rock wished because the listener felt it at the time of the 80's. The activity of a band active in first lines such as Yes and Genesis on the boundary of King Crimson might have been movements for the fan of Prog Rock to have a presentiment of the next age exactly. And, it will have been a flow that had to be called that the appearance of "Asia" had a decisive attitude to the flow and was inevitable. Or, the flow has respect that was followed and succeeded to Neo-Prog Rock. Naturally, the activity of the band in the 80's shows the movement that actively makes inroads into the market while absorbing the counterplan at that time. And, the fan and the listener pay attention to the part where the trend of "ELP" gets into the news gradually. And, ELP's appearing in front of us to answer the expectation of the fan and the listener results. Moreover, in unexpected shape for the fan and the listener.
ELP that had announced "Love Beach" in September, 1978 was in the extreme condition. Respect of financial failure concerning "Works Tour" that leads orchestra and dares. Part of slump of sales in album when musical main currents such as Punk Rock and New Age show movement. Or, the part of no relations of the member dissolves the band as a result with the end of the tour in December, 1978.
It was related to the music for the movie and the music of the project and had Keith Emerson as a part of the activity of the member afterwards. And, Greg Lake announces the album with Gary Moore. It comes to take an active part Carl Palmer in the band that leads an active musician in the field of Jazz/Fusion and is called "P.M.". However, the activity of music by each member never contributed to sales of the album in the difficult situation. Carl Palmer only faced time when the activity by "Asia" had become active. Keith Emerson and Greg Lake plan the revival of the band in the flow. Carl Palmer never participated for the activity with Asia. Their participation was not achieved as a result though the name of Simon Phillips and Ian Paice rose as a drum player. Perhaps, it is guessed that the talk did not advance in money respect. And, the person who had risen to the candidate was Cozy Powell. However, the name of the band was not able to write the name of "ELP" legally because it was not able to obtain the permission of Carl Palmer. Therefore, the band starts up activity substantially as "Emerson,Lake And Powell". They exchange the management of Switzerland with the contract and begin the production of the album as a result in November, 1985.
Composition of tune to which age is taken. Or, the song that has the flexibility of Greg Lake. The Korg Co. that Keith Emerson took at this time, and making the sound with the keyboard of the Kurzweil Co. and part of the reformAnd, a powerful rhythm where the individuality of Cozy Powell appears enough is constructed. Part where Tony Taverner known on business by "Flash" of Jeff Beck was appointed to producer of cooperation. Part as album to execute chemical reaction as band. There might have been restructuring, dignity, and a reprint to which everything had been exactly done at this time.
As for "The Score", the sound in which the sequence is made good use of twines round a powerfully steady rhythm with the melody of a complete keyboard. The fanfare that gives the excitement and the presentiment as a new band will excite the listener. Melody with sense of relief. The melody of symphonic with the keyboard constructs a good flow. The song of Greg Lake that continues the atmosphere has the expansion. The melody and the composition constructed while exactly following the music character cultivated in the 70's are kept. Intermittent rhythm in close relation to melody with tension. The flow that shifts to 2 and the rhythm and the melody of three reams is also complete.
In "Learning To Fly", a powerful rhythm and the melody are features. It advances with the progress of Chord that there is a sense of relief in a steady rhythm. Sound of decoration with keyboard. Or, the music character is constructed with new machine parts. Especially, Solo and the sound of the keyboard are remarkably shown. The way to put up the chorus is also good each other.
The construction of a grand melody and the construction of a fantastic space of "The Miracle" are impressive. Part of powerful song in close relation to flow as straight Rock. Line of calculated Bass. The melody of grand symphonic continues. Processing of progress of original Chord that is and emphasized rhythm. The tune decides the impression of the album.
"Touch And Go" might be a tune where a grand melody exists together to an aggressive impression. Construction of overwhelming theme with keyboard. The rhythm that Cozy Powell produces might be suitable for the tune that gives a powerful impression. Construction of sound in which age is emphasized. Part of repeated theme. It is exactly a tune for men who have them emphasize the part of symphonic.
"Love Blind" is Rock that develops straight. There might be an element that is reminiscent of the music character that Asia did, too. Melody of Oriental sound with keyboard. Or, the sound in which the wind instrument is reminiscent is processed. The sound of the keyboard that expands the possibility contributes to the tune.
As for "Steps Aside", the melody of an acoustic piano is impressive. A city impression to which the flavor of Jazz is taken is given. As for the development of original Chord, the contribution of Keith Emerson might be large. Gentle rhythm of Cozy Powell that doesn't obstruct tune. In this album, the composition intermittently developed is different.
"Lay Down Your Guns" is a gentle exactly ballade for them. Song of Greg Lake with expansion. Or, the continued beautiful piano melody. The flow of the grand melody that they do expands the width of this album. Beautiful Solo with the keyboard also contributes.
"Mars,The Bringer Of War" makes it faithfully take up the tune from "The Planets" of Gustav Holst and arrange. Opening feelings of classics appears remarkably exactly in this tune. The construction of the tune in symphonic is complete. The taste of Keith Emerson that can express various music is splendidly demonstrated. The member of the band that piles up the performance advances in union.
It is ..tune of original symphonic that is.. finished complete "The Loco-Motion". The melody that there is a sense of relief in Intro with the tension gets on. It is likely to consist exactly as an interpretation of the tune that they think about. The flow of Chord with development and the tension of the rhythm that puts fast and slow is also splendid.
"Vacant Possesion" is a tune with the age. The melody with expression of feelings in close relation to a gentle rhythm that flows slowly might have the element of the Power ballade. The introduction of the part of a bright melody that appears in the latter half of the tune also has originality.
Their activities did not continue long as a result. However, this album will become a part of the history as a flow that dismantlement and the restructuring of the zeal that they had at that time and the music character are expressed.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team

The good news is its better than Love Beach and In The Hot Seat. The bad news is it is not much better. Cozy Powell entered the fray to replace the irreplaceable, though apparently not, Carl Palmer. Powell is okay but you may not actually notice he is there as Emerson simply dominates from start to finish. It is a delightful break from the mediocrity of the appalling Love Beach. The tracks are quite memorable especially the wonderful The Score and Touch And Go, the catchy single of the album, with melodic retro 80s Synth, a track played many times on live tours. The rest of the tracks are hard to remember as they blend together and can be quite a slog to get through. Mars, Bringer Of War is a brilliant rendition of the classic, better than King Crimsons version in any case, and I perhaps return to this song most when choosing to hear a Emerson Lake and Powell track. It builds ominously with pounding drums and a very threatening key motif, echoing the menace of alien invasion. The original piece of course was heard during the movie "Things to Come".
Other bonus tracks here are The Loco-motion, a strange one, and Vacant Posession, wth some interesting musicianship. In conclusion the album is worthy of 2 stars for the good bits, but as is often the case with late ELP, the music never measures up to the first few classic albums.
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams

But it was not so bad. I think it's clear that using "To the show which never ends" as chorus of the first track is quite a marketing operation, but the symphonic prog of "The Score" is exactly that: symphonic prog in that style heavily influenced by Aaron Copland but with a lot of rock and the stupendous vocals of Greg Lake which are a band's trademark not less than Emerson's keys. A good start indeed.
But what next? "Learning To Fly" is opened by a sound which doesn't have anything to do with Emerson. The first two minutes of the track are a disconnected 80s episode that Lake's voice is not enough to make interesting. Of course there are hints of the past glory, especially in the short keyboards solos, but I would have preferred a shorter album than having to skip this song.
A song which fades into "The Miracle". Also this one can't be mentioned as a song representative of the band even if it's not bad as the previous one. Also this pays a tribute to the epoch but it's not too far from the Lake's side on Works vol. 1. Acceptable.
For me a folk-oriented song like "Touch and Go" with Lake on his "hard" side like on "Living Sin" has been a good reason to later purchase the album. Just a three minutes song, but also "Lucky Man" and "From The Beginning" were just song. There's some electronic in the middle, of the kind used by David Gilmour the same year for "A Momentary Leapse of Reason" , but not as invasive as in the PF album.
"Love Blind" is one of the lowest moments of the album, instead. An 80s song which could have been sung, probably better, by Bonnie Tyler or Blonide....listen to this song and try to imagine....
"Step Aside" brings up the level a while. It's a jazzy song with some swing and Emerson's piano without falling in the usual ragtime. Much more better than "Show Me The Way To Go Home" on Works vol.2. More of that jazz, please.
"Lay Down Your Guns" is another Lake's melodic song which sounds like an anthem. I think it pays a tribute to "Jerusalem". Not my pot, really. It's a song that I'm used to skip but I can't say that it's absolutely bad, just too melodic for me.
The album is closed by the second truly symphonic track: "Mars, Bringer of Wars". It's an Emerson's orchestral. I really like Emerson's excursions into the classical music territory and I wish he had composed more true symphonic music like i.e. "Piano Concerto No. 1". As often happens, the orchestral works of Emerson are very close in the composing and arranging style to the "music for films" standards, but they are usually epic. This is Emerson how I like him.
In the end, what is disappointing is the alternance of excellent and weak moments in an album that was probably intended by the major as an attempt to relaunch and renew this dynosaur band, but where they succeed is where they are more adherent to the early things. Another album which shows how bad were the 80s for music and not only.
Half good, half rating but rounded up because of the goodies inside.
Powell? I don't hear big differences and I don't know if it's good or bad.
Latest members reviews
Seven years after "Love beach", a quite nice record, ELP returned with a better one called
"Emerson, Lake & Powell". Wherefore? Well, no the drummer's name was Cozy Powell and
not Carl Palmer. Perhaps they hade looked for a drummer with precisely the same initials. The
differencies in drummin
... (read more)
Report this review (#1157653) | Posted by DrömmarenAdrian | Saturday, April 5, 2014 | Review Permanlink
Always love this album, is a great musical work. Keith Emerson was at his best (the credits
tells that he write all the music) and Cozzy Powell, gave to the band a fresh new sound, less
musical than Palmer but really powerfull, and I like too much this addition. By the other side,
Greg Lake wa
... (read more)
Report this review (#1088688) | Posted by genbanks | Wednesday, December 11, 2013 | Review Permanlink
This is the ELP album that never was. P from Powell. After the low rated and well hated Love
Beach, this was the next step. At the first track, The Score, my first idea listening to it was racing
music, like Formula One OST. But it's actually good, a highlight from the post brain salad
surg
... (read more)
Report this review (#992103) | Posted by VOTOMS | Friday, July 5, 2013 | Review Permanlink
It is difficult to judge this album. Emerson, Lake & (Cozy) Powell plays a very good songs with
great tons of Emerson's self indulgent parts but without true Prog style. In fact the music is
more close to AOR than Prog but it is true that 'Emerson Lake & Powell' is a great album for
80's.
I
... (read more)
Report this review (#221019) | Posted by 1967/ 1976 | Saturday, June 13, 2009 | Review Permanlink
I think that this album is one of the most unappreciated in all prog-rock history.
Unsuccesful solo careers of Keith Emerson and Greg Lake forced them to reunite but last of the
former members - Carl Palmer said no. At that time he was drummer in Asia and he decide that his
new band (which was
... (read more)
Report this review (#186652) | Posted by Patiquee | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 | Review Permanlink
This is a solid effort from a band trying to make some good music in the 80's.
ELPowell formed when Keith Emerson and Greg Lake wanted to play together, but they couldnt inlcude Carl Palmer, as he was still
playing with Asia at the time. So, They found a new drummer who just happened to be Cozy
... (read more)
Report this review (#139555) | Posted by Tarkus31 | Friday, September 21, 2007 | Review Permanlink
I didn't even know this album existed until I happened to hear "The Score" used as part
of a figure skating routine on TV. I was thinking, "wow, that's a cool song". It sounded
somewhat familiar, then when I heard Greg Lake's voice I asked myself, "is this ELP?". I
eventually tracked the al
... (read more)
Report this review (#70414) | Posted by | Friday, February 24, 2006 | Review Permanlink
This is one truly underrated gem I never, ever get tired of. And nearly twenty years later,
it still surpasses most of the dreck people deem `progressive.'
The album is powerful and intense. `The Score' is a scorcher of an anthem,hearlding their
return in fine fashion. `Learnng to Fly' is a cat
... (read more)
Report this review (#53429) | Posted by Rowdyboy | Tuesday, October 25, 2005 | Review Permanlink
This is a fantastic ELP album, chronically underrated by fans of the band. And while this
1986 release features a streamlined sound characteristic of the 80s, it also boasts a
complex and satisfying progressive feel.
First, this is only two-thirds of the original Emerson Lake & Palmer, in t
... (read more)
Report this review (#51044) | Posted by | Sunday, October 9, 2005 | Review Permanlink
If you don't take this album as an ElP "album",and you don't know who are you listening to
then you won't be disappointed by this,a great album indeed.Beautiful melodies and a
great sound,it's one of the most underrated albums ever maybe just because it comes
from the 80's which lots of stupid
... (read more)
Report this review (#18897) | Posted by | Saturday, May 14, 2005 | Review Permanlink
This is easily one of the best efforts (next to Trilogy, my personal favorite) of Greg Lake and Keith Emerson. The added element of Cozy
Powell is the icing on the cake, in my opinion. I enjoy Powell's work from his days with
Blackmore's Rainbow. In truth, this was one of the first ELP albums I
... (read more)
Report this review (#18895) | Posted by | Thursday, March 24, 2005 | Review Permanlink
A great effort when you consider that Carl Palmer declined to join in because of his
invovlement with ASIA at the time. From the 1st track to "Touch and Go" it to me is high
energy turn it up as loud as you can play it ELP. Not too crazy about the rest.
I saw them at the Mann Music Center i
... (read more)
Report this review (#18890) | Posted by | Wednesday, September 22, 2004 | Review Permanlink
After a long period of lack of inspiration (the last album that I consider 100% ELP style is "Brain Salad Surgery"-1972), this is the first album that reminds me of them, adapted, of course, at the style of the 80'. Emerson is "in hand" on the keyboards, Lake is "in voice" and Powell is doing a real
... (read more)
Report this review (#18883) | Posted by | Thursday, February 19, 2004 | Review Permanlink
A very good album: Cozy Powel filled nicely the position of Carl Plamer with a very different style, Lake sings well here, and Emerson is... Emerson. The only aspect I don't like is the sound: boomy drums and voice with way too much reverb. Anyway, my advice is listen to it!
... (read more)
Report this review (#18881) | Posted by | Saturday, January 31, 2004 | Review Permanlink
Post a review of EMERSON LAKE & PALMER "Emerson, Lake & Powell: Emerson, Lake & Powell"
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE
As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.
You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).