EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

this is my favorite elp album, though I don't have trilogy. I do however have tarkus and brain salad to compare with and this one beats them both for me. There's no filler here people, only pure elp greatnes! The barbarian has an excellent hook; a distorted bass riff followed by some 'whole tone' keyboarding which I love. The rest of the song is a fast pased, piano driven classical 'runalong' (you feel like you're running while listening to this one!) Take a pebble has a beautiful intro with piano string strumming. It gives the song an original feel, quite appropriately so. Knife edge is a classic elp favorite with some cool echo effects in the intro theme. It's a perfect example of the trademark elp sound. The three fates is over-the-top awsome! This one starts of with an epic pipe organ intro that soon leads into a whir of piano soloing which eventually leads to a strange jazzy piano jam which is completely awesome! That one is probably my favorite. Next is tank which has some really cool bass work in the beggining segment and an awesome drum solo, which is not too long in my opinion. It is essential to the piece in that it gives a militaristic feel to the song, causing you to imagine a tarkus-like tank rolling by. The solo is followed by some futuristic soloing on the synth. To conclude the album comes lucky man, the acoustic hit. This is the most widely known elp song period! People who don't even know elp like this one, but that's not to say it's out of character for elp. It's all there, just a lot more subtle. An excellent song with excellent vocals. I finally understand the strange synth soloing at the end of the piece; it's the last song on the album. The solo serves as an 'synth bookend' for the album. Elp would not have left you hanging with an acoustic passage. they're elp for heaven sake! The album was destined to end with that strange, seemingly out of place solo. (only seeming out of place when the song is separated from the album) I have to give this one 5/5 because it's the best of elp. The progresiveness is definitely there, and so is the musicianship. Each piece fits nicely and keeps you well interested. A prog masterpiece! Get this one and you'll be a lucky man! (or woman of course!) yep, purplepiper gives it a 5!