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Joined: May 12 2009
Location: Coolwood
Status: Offline
Points: 6472
Posted: March 12 2015 at 17:00
Two very different songs: the one short and energetic, the other a slow buildup. Copland vs. Ravel, in a way. Abaddon's Bolero is the one track I would like to have seen on The Return of the Manticore box set that was absent, the only one missing from Trilogy. It gets my vote, a glorious end to one of my favorite ELP albums.
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
Joined: March 12 2005
Location: Neurotica
Status: Offline
Points: 166183
Posted: March 12 2015 at 21:15
Bolero
Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
Joined: June 18 2009
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 12813
Posted: March 12 2015 at 22:45
I don't really like either song. Hoedown is rather annoying for me and an example of what I dislike in ELP. Abbadon's Bolero is OK, but whenever I hear it I wish I was listening to the classical Ravel piece (however, the live version of Abbadon's Bolero with orchestra is actually more enjoyable to me... though still not a match to Ravel's piece, of course). However, Abbadon's Bolero it is.
Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 29474
Posted: March 13 2015 at 03:59
It slightly depresses me that people don't see this as a classic album. I know ELP are not always loved but this album is just immaculate from start to finish. Playing of all concerned is spot on the money and it even has a pristine sound quality that has barely been bettered. Just like Pink Floyds Wish You Were Here this is an ensemble album with no one trying to grab the limelight or trying to outdo the other. Anyway to the tracks in hand.
Hoedown was first played by ELP in 1971 when the band started touring the states. From that point on it virtually never left their live repertoire. I have a ridiculous number of live versions! The one on the triple album is the one that ELP devotees gravitate towards but the album version is solid.
Abaddon's Bolero was a very deliberate attempt by Emerson at doing 'a Walter Carlos'. Composed as an orchestral piece with all the instruments replaced by synths. I love it especially the apocalyptic finale. The angel from the abyss rises! Yep that gets my vote.
Joined: February 07 2009
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 18446
Posted: March 13 2015 at 14:31
My thoughts as well, but put them up against each other and I'd have to say 'Abaddon's Bolero'. Both tunes have better versions in the live arena than the studio takes. Funny that this poll appears now, I just started the process of digging through my bootleg collection trying to put together a Live Trilogy album.
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Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 20660
Posted: March 13 2015 at 15:08
Dellinger wrote:
I don't really like either song. Hoedown is rather annoying for me and an example of what I dislike in ELP. Abbadon's Bolero is OK, but whenever I hear it I wish I was listening to the classical Ravel piece (however, the live version of Abbadon's Bolero with orchestra is actually more enjoyable to me... though still not a match to Ravel's piece, of course). However, Abbadon's Bolero it is.
^this
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin
Joined: January 02 2005
Location: Portugal
Status: Offline
Points: 463
Posted: March 13 2015 at 20:35
Trilogy is definetly my favourite ELP album, with such an elegance and sophistication that was never reched again in their history, although not so bombastic like the previous albuns.
Joined: July 13 2005
Location: Essex, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 20032
Posted: March 14 2015 at 04:58
richardh wrote:
I know ELP are not always loved but this album is just immaculate from start to finish. Playing of all concerned is spot on the money and it even has a pristine sound quality that has barely been bettered.
I couldn't agree more, my favourite ELP album and without doubt their best production.
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
Posted: March 14 2015 at 07:22
richardh wrote:
It slightly depresses me that people don't see this as a classic album. I know ELP are not always loved but this album is just immaculate from start to finish. Playing of all concerned is spot on the money and it even has a pristine sound quality that has barely been bettered. Just like Pink Floyds Wish You Were Here this is an ensemble album with no one trying to grab the limelight or trying to outdo the other. Anyway to the tracks in hand.
Hoedown was first played by ELP in 1971 when the band started touring the states. From that point on it virtually never left their live repertoire. I have a ridiculous number of live versions! The one on the triple album is the one that ELP devotees gravitate towards but the album version is solid.
Abaddon's Bolero was a very deliberate attempt by Emerson at doing 'a Walter Carlos'. Composed as an orchestral piece with all the instruments replaced by synths. I love it especially the apocalyptic finale. The angel from the abyss rises! Yep that gets my vote.
I think Trilogy is their best album. As with the debut it's consistently good throughout.
Hoedown is my fave out of these two. A great fun track full of energy.
Joined: February 10 2010
Location: Barcelona Spain
Status: Offline
Points: 5154
Posted: March 14 2015 at 11:29
Their best album and one of the best Symphonic Prog albums of all times, the culmination of their sophistication and tasteful musicality blending rock and classical composition principles. And as has been already noted, their most band-oriented effort.
Abaddon's Bolero is deliberately and purposefully long, it would not be what was intended to be if it was shorter, the repetitive, slow crescendo and the gradual addition of synth layers was precisely its reason of existence. I like it quite a lot, but voted for Hoedown, a classic in how can you throw huge amounts of energy and speed in rock without distorted guitars, and spectacular to see live.
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46838
Posted: March 15 2015 at 16:07
Gerinski wrote:
Abaddon's Bolero is deliberately and purposefully long, it would not be what was intended to be if it was shorter, the repetitive, slow crescendo and the gradual addition of synth layers was precisely its reason of existence. I like it quite a lot.
yep... my favorite.. from my least favorite ELP album though probably their best funnily enough.
The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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