IN THE HOT SEAT

In the hot seat is Emerson, Lake & Palmer's tenth and last studio album. Perhaps they'll reunite and do something more. I'm not sure I want that, at least if they can't make anything better than this, cause this wasn't enough. The cover picture shows a train approaching with the "ELP"-sign in the top and it's not wrong to compare Emerson, Lake & Palmer with a train. This record sounds like the band just follows a staked out trail where nothing unexpected happens.

I guess it's possible to find short passages where the former glory is present, but as a whole the songs are just average and in the best case a bit good. I also find the sound of the record noticeably fatigue. In the 70s, these three guys could fill the air with their three instruments. Twenty years later, they unfortunately couldn't. As as some other's have stated, in one way it's sad they produced these last mediocre releases instead of ending with a partially lovely bit as "Love Beach".

Even if this record wasn't so interesting, we must remember how important ELP is for the creation and development of the prog rock. For an inspiring and pleasant journey through their production I recommend you to begin with "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" and continue with "Tarkus", "Trilogy", "Brain Salad Surgery" and "Works Vol. 1-2". I think that will be enough. Two stars!