EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

What a great debut! Emerson is not just a great keyboard virtuoso but also a knowledgeable composer. His skill in harmony and theme developement is undeniable. Also remarkable are his smooth transitions between composed and jazzier improvised parts. This is just the essence of prog rock - breaking style barriers in an artful way! The skill of the other two members is debatable. I think Lake is a decent vocalist and bass player. The problem with most people seems to be Palmer. He may not be the most accurate drummer but he has the chops that fit the music well. ELP's debut album is very diverse with a lot of dynamics.

The first track "Barbarian" is a reference to a energetic work by the classical composer Bela Bartok. If you want to like ELP you have to like classical music. It's so much presented in their style.

"Take a Pebble" is one of the best prog songs with piano. It's more lyrical in mood. The band finds expression in interplay and Lake's voice is very captivating. Lakes acoustic guitar solo isn't the same class as Howe for example but it adds to the dynamics with it's quiet tone. As a pianist I find Emerson's piano parts outstanding! The playing is virtuosic but unpretentious and concentrated in creating an atmosphere. I wish ELP had gone more in this direction.

"Knife Edge" is a good proof that a band without a guitarist can really rock. The riffs are quite heavy. Suprisingly the song is based on Janacek's Sinfonietta. But what's happening in the middle? A Bach's suite quotation. An intertaining move. Great Hammond playing here. The only bad thing is that their quotations on this album aren't credited.

"The Three Fates" is the Emerson's instrumental showcase. These sophisticated and complex compositions lean towards classical music and display high lelvel of musicianship. At first this three-part composition may sound self-indulgent and bombastic but I think it is not the case. It's just an elaborate piece of music. It focuses my attention up to the end.

"Tank" is the only weak track. The intro and the end didn't really grab me and the drum solo in the middle is a bore. Too much of plain bombast for me.

"Lucky Man" was a hit single but it's by no means cheezy. ELP lacked back vocals and Lake was dubbed to get the vocal harmonies. Lake's lyrics are about absurdity of war. A nice ballad with a folky melody and a Moog solo at the end.

This is maybe my favorite ELP album. It's more consistent and has less sheer bombast than their later stuff. It's a good starting place and it deserves 5 stars. As I said before, you have to like classical keyboard music from baroque to 20th century to fully appreciate ELP. This elements are not only in their classical qutations but also in their original style. There are also some jazzy moments. If you regard prominent keyboards and don't mind the lack of guitar you should try this album!