WORKS VOL. 2

Emerson Lake & Palmer

Symphonic Prog

2.45 | 747 ratings

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snobb
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

Wow! So many one-star reviews there on PA for that album! And even some wishes for using 'Zero" mark, if it will be possible! Is this album really so bad? No way!

You can hear plenty of jazzy tunes, jazz fusion, some ragtime and big band sounds as well. There are some weak songs, but many of strong songs as well. More or less, as on any average album of great band. So, what is the reason some fans hate it?

I think, the answer is easy. Many fans like overproduced pseudo-orchestrated keyboards based synth scented symphonic rock. And it's always strange for me, how very average bands, playng this kind of music, receive high rates there in some reviews. OK, let say it's a question of taste.

So, I always liked ELP for their kind of symphonic rock - often bombastic, but always acoustic, never overproduced. In other words, played by musicians, not produced in studio by engineers and producers. This album is even bigger example of that kind of music: in fact all record is based in old-fashioned acoustic big band/jazz/ragtime/early r'n'r sound. No Philarmonic Orchestra imitation, no-one pretends he's a Frantz Lizt there. So, I believe, some part of public didn't find there their awaited desert of second-class provincial symphonic orchestra sound. And many hate this music because of that.

I never thought progresive rock should be based on simplified version of classic music. And it's even pity to hear, that sometimes people, who think that classic al music is to serious and complex, think, that one of the prog function is just to adapt ( read -simplify) that music to unprepared listener. I will never agree with that!

So, almost no chance to hear orchestra sound on that album, sorry. But for real fans, who likes acoustic sound of jazzy arrangements, plenty of moody pieces, this album should be really interesting. In total 3,5.

snobb | 4/5 | 2009-10-22

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