PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

How do you face Emerson, Lake & Palmer's music? I have to admit it's quite extreme. There is something arrogant and very proud here so there is a risk you can be suffocated. Imagine a scene with three superstar's and romantic instrumentalists, and a croud seing their rock stars, performing everything else than rock.

Pictures at an exhibition is a live record, but not a usual one. I don't like live record, commonly, but this isn't a performance of hits, this is art! The music is inspired of Mussorgskij's classical work with the same name which as un entity is one of my favourite classical pieces. Therefore this listening could have been dangerous. What if ELP had destroyed master Modest's work?

Well, they didn't. They did something very new of it and you nearly have to love it if you are a progger. This is so good. The best of Pictures have been exposed to three rock musicians extravagance and here we can gorge in excellent drumming and organ playing. Greg Lake does some vocal achievements too which are awesome. Music is varied, pleasent and both fixed in time and timeless. The whole record works as a unite with the "Promenade" that's returns in preserved glory and in between there is glorious variations. Be also aware this isn't ELP doing Mussorgskij. Many parts of the record hasn't anything to do with Mussorgskij. It isn't as free as Los Canarios "Ciclos" though.

Can I name anything less fantastic? Well, ELP is too much. When I listen to them, I want it too much, but I don't want too much of it. With that paradox I also mean sometimes it's not so much more than Keith Emerson's organ. Only organs! But such organs! And other times it's not so much more than Carl Palmer's drums. I am trying to find arguments for giving this four stars- as I feel I want, but it's hard. Even the bad sides of "Pictures" turns to good in description. I most admit it. This, if anyting is essential!