WORKS VOL. 1

I become more and more impressed by Emerson, Lake & Palmer for every record i go through. This record: Works Part I from 1977, the band's fifth studio album has been hard to understand fully. The first impression of course is boredom over the cover and an insight that 87 minutes of music isn't easy to achieve immediately. It is rated low by other's and the first time I heard the record I was a bit confused; it didn't felt like the former ELP. The different songs didn't feel connected to each other. Though, I couldn't let this record go and I listened many times. Of course that gave me another perspective. Works Part I is a very competent and comprehensive record. The band takes the epithet pretentious to a new level; it feels like every song here is a unique concept and the three virtuoses do it great.

Keith Emerson (keyboards etc.), Greg Lake(bass, guitar and song) and Carl Palmer (drums) here take help from symphony orchestras do make their music extra symphonic. Well, they don't need that of course, but Works is something else than their earlier works. It's fascinating that this rock band does music that is quite long way from rock music. On Works II then they take another step away from the symphonic rock and experiments with the oldest jazz. Also this record contains some jazz elements but mostly the feeling is classical. The first piece for example is "Piano Concerto No.1" by Keith Emerson, a classical work that I feel contains some ideas from former ELP' songs and then comes some rock songs sung and composed by Greg Lake. They have a great feeling and are very sweet to listen to. The second disc perhaps is even better. It starts with some short classical and jazz pieces and are followed by two giant tracks in the end that almost reach the bands biggest potential, especially "Pirates", a wonderful song with great symphonic melody and vocals.

I hesitated much after my first listenings but after this last one I am mostly fascinated of this band. On "Works I" Emerson, Lake & Palmer proves what an extravagant and glorious band they were and all big intentions and different combinations of songs work out very well. I understand that this record perhaps is too much for many, and that people think the band had totally lost what they had created. I don't agree. I find this music amazing. Okey it doesn't reach the highlight such as "Tarkus", "Take a pebble" and "Karn Evil Part One" or "Pictures on an Exhibition" but I think this music is so important it shouldn't be forgotten. My favourites here are "Pirates", "LA Nights" and "Hallowed be thy name" but it is best as a whole. I don't longer hesitate: this is a very good prog rock record! Four stars!