LOVE BEACH

I sum this album up as a miss ojn most counts. The mix is very poor reducing Emerson and Palmer to bar band sidemen on side one. Greg Lake proves why he should never be the lead character in ELP. It is a wonder they lasted so long with this cheesy balladeer in their ranks. Awful Lyrics and pub singer delivery damn side one. The instrumental tracks on the end of side one and 2 are cpompetent enough but lack spirit and again the mix is pathetic compressing and reducing everythig to a glossy low contrast radio hum. The long suite on side 2 that everyone says saves the album is again a poorly realised mess. Some valiant piano playing by KE cannot hide the terrible 6th form noodles of the lyrics. Sinfield was under pressure? Yup, and he couldn't hack it. Embarassing crap. The original album ends with the instrumental, but who the hell made it so toothless in the mixing? No bass no feel or presence. I originally saw this album in the cut out racks and wondered what the hell it was, bought it and realised that even as an ELP devotee, I really didn't need it. Oh the pain. Well ocassionally I take it out dust it down and point to the east, no, sorry it always fails to please.