THEN AND NOW

I always preferred the studio albums, 'cause live records -many times- don't reflect all the musical potential. In the case of once great ELP, here we have two cds recorded at different tours of the band history. The first part of the first cd -from 1974, time of ELP apogee- show us pretty decent versions of band's classic themes. Second part and second cd -from the last years of '90 decade- give us noisy moments and the actual and pathetic Lake's voice, with a forgettable version of KC "21st Century Schizoid Man" closing the album. If somebody, rookie in the prog world, ask to me if this double cd can demonstrate what ELP music was, I must say absolutely no. Ok, here we have more than two hours with the authentic Keith, Greg and Carl, their most well known songs, etc., but listening the first trio albums and comparing them with this, the musical and quality difference is notorious.