WORKS VOL. 2

Emerson, Lake & Palmer's sixth record "Works Vol.2" from 1977 was my first encounter with this band. I found the vinyl in my grandfather's house after he had died and I listened some times. First I found it too jazzy for my taste but it has grown and now when I recognize the band and very good I find no reasons to say anything wrong about this record. I like what I hear and I have hard to understand why it is so low apreciated here.

The name, and coverwork is terrible! It looks like a live record or a collection of hit songs and I don't think it looks like a studio record. But it is - and a good one. What perhaps upsets people is that ELP here does something very else. I would say they where experimenting with the roots of jazz and they are quite unique with taking ragtime into prog.

The album starts with a rock'n'roll punch "Tiger in a spotlight" which is fast and the vocal is agressive. Listen to extracts from Charlie Parker's Salt Peanuts in the middle. I like the wild start (8/10). "When the apple blossoms bloom in the windmills of your mind I'll be your valentine" isn't really as fascinating as the title but they are experimental and wild (7/10). "Bullfrog" is almost perfect(9/10). It has taken the signs of the old jazz into 70s prog rock in a great way. "Brain salad surgery" then has an edge and the song and this song refers to last record(7/10). "Barrelhouse Shake down" takes us again too some musical roots, I think it's ragtime and I think even progers want to dance(8/10). "Watching over you" then is a beautiful ballad(8/10) and "So far to fall" is powerful and more progressive than the rest(7/10). The comes the ragtime anthem "Maple leaf rag" which surprises us with its traditional sound(8/10) and the ballad "I believe in father Christmas" is the album's most beautiful work. Grek Lake sings marvelous and the song is fantastic(10/10)."Close but not touching" marches to us in a very exciting way(9/10), "Honky tonk train blues" swings a lot but is perhaps predictable(6/10) and at last "Show me the wat to go home" is a pleasent ender of this praisable record(8/10).

I am aware of that Emerson, Lake and Palmer had taken a big step away from their prog rock patterns in this record but I think they manage to do it so excellent! I don't know a record like this. Even if I sound overwhelmed I don't think this is a masterpiece. But it is underrated and unique - and absolutely progressive. Four stars!

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