WORKS VOL. 1

A bit uneven throughout it's four sides, Works still reveals some great art in parts. Emerson's Piano Concerto is brilliant, and of course the closer "Pirates" is one of the best things they ever did. Greg's side has a few winners, though would certainly have been stronger if Emerson and Palmer had played through it with him. Probably the weakest section is Carl's, which despite the virtuosity falls short in the songwriting department. He should have left in his Concerto for Percussion because it would have fit much better within the concept. The famous "Fanfare For The Common Man " swings along and Keth's improvisations in it are a lot of fun . They probably should have added another significant band composition though, as it would have given the record more weight. If only they hadn't lost so much money on the subsequent tour, which led to their eventual break-up in 1979. ***1/2