WORKS VOL. 1

Bashing this album is an easy and popular thing to do. On first glance it is a very intimidating prospect, an entire side for each band member and one for the whole group is something that will put off any passive listener. I like to get through an album in one sitting but with Works Vol.1 this is a quite impossible task.

Keith Emerson's Side 1 presents a great piece of classical music which would perhaps have fit better onto a solo album as it is definitely not for the prog rock fan at the time with absolutely no connection to rock music.

Greg Lake's Side 2 is a weak and drab experience. C'est La Vie is the only real classic from this rather uninspired 20 minutes of Greg Lake love songs. Songs like Lend Your Love To Me Tonight offer a good deal of promise but this type of music unabridged is very monotonous and would fit much better onto an ELP compilation separated by more band accompanied songs.

Carl Palmers Side 3 is the biggest surprise of the whole thing for me. This was a point in the album that i was dreading pressing play once again, but what i heard was...FANTASTIC! Carl Palmer gives us a mix of Classical arrangements, original compositions and improvisation. Yes it actually sounds like ELP for the first time on the record!

Side 4 Emerson, Lake And Palmer - Here the album finally hits it's stride with the true classic popular arrangement of Fanfare For The Common Man and the still popular Pirates closing the album in emphatic style, but unfortunately after nearly 90 minutes you are still left feeling slightly numb by the end of this Double LP, 2 classic songs just feels like too little too late.

This album is still worth a listen to any ELP fan who has left it alone by popular demand. But after that first listen you may well be inclined to leave Disc 1 well alone and just stick on Side 3 and 4 if you want to enjoy some ELP in one sitting.