WORKS VOL. 1

The problem with the bands that are based in the ego of their members more than in the music itself is that they reach the point when each one tries to be the leader, and nothing can work with two or three heads even when all the members are virtuoso musicians and talented composers as in this case.

It's worthless to describe this album song by song because it was released in the old LP format to be listened side by side or more precisely author by author.

Keith Emerson's side consists in Piano Concerto N°1, which IMO has no head or feet, of course the listener notices the talent of Keith, but the structure, influences and development of the concerto are not clear even to the author. I believe Emerson has by far more talent and imagination than it's revealed in this pretentious concert.

Greg Lake's side is full of soft songs that try to recreate the more successful and commercial ELP songs like Lucky Man or From the Beginning, but without the force and quality of their previous hits, "Ces't La Vie" and "Closer to Believing" are the strongest tracks of the side.

Carl Palmer's side is IMO the stronger of the three first ones, he plays Bach and Prokofiev's music with amazing quality and imagination, plus his own music with a clear jazzy edge, his strongest tracks are "The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits" and "Tank".

The last part of the album contains two ELP epics (It was about time to listen some songs created by all the band), "Fanfare for the Common Man" adapted from Aaron Copeland, a song that has turned into a classic played in most of their concerts and the endless "Pirates", a good song with Orchestra that would have been much better if it only lasted 7 or 8 minutes, sometimes less is more.

A good album released when the peak of their creativity had already passed, not a masterpiece but has a place in every prog' collection.