LOVE BEACH

Only recently I had any wish to hear this CD again. At the time I hated Love Beach as much as anyone else I knew. Well, it was 1978 and with its hideous cover and title, what would you expect? Strangely, I remember seeing a ELP special on TV at the time. I´m still wondering why it was ever broadcast. Anyway, after 30 years it doesn´t sound nearly as bad as i thought at the time. After all, Greg Lake still had his wonderful voice intact and the band hasn´t lost their magic touch completely. Not that it was very good either. The album´s first side, very much Lake dominated, has some nice melodies but could be improve a lot with a (much) better production and stronger arrangements.

Side two has a more progressive approach and it is slightly better than side one of the vinyl. Their version for Canario always sounded pleasant to me, even if it is a pale attempt to reproduce their earlier success with Aaron Copland´s Hoedown. The 20 minute suite Memoirs Of An Officer and A Gentleman is probably the CD´s best track. Ok it is no Tarkus or Karn Evil: it has too many words and not enough memorable ELP´s trademark instrumental parts (it sounds good for a Broadway musical). Yet, it has its merits.

Conclusion: their weakest 70´s efford, little doubt about it, but not that horrible. Worth for fans and collectors, largely because of Memoirs...