TARKUS

While Tarkus was introduced to my class upon its release by the music teacher at my middle school--and I was impressed--my subsequent purchase of it proved less than successful. At the time, my ears were not, I admit, well attuned to the sounds and stylings of classical music and, to my ears, Keith Emerson's work always felt steeped in "classical" traditions. It was when prog "died" and the techno-80s left me bored and void of the richesses that the 70s had nourished me that I did begin to explore and educate myself into the worlds of both "classical" music and jazz ("the American classical music"). Thus, upon revisiting ELP and other more-classically influenced or trained musics was I able to begin to grow in my appreciation and enjoyment of these 70s prog artists. But, the whole train of my personal evolution kind of backfired on me as my now classically-familiar "snobbery" made me feel disdain for the often electrified, bombastic transmogrifications of classical themes, pieces, and styles put to vinyl by Emerson, Wakeman, Jarrett, Tomita, et al. Classical music had now become, for me, relegated to the realm of the beauty and honesty of acoustic instruments and acoustic ensembles, was only cheapened and bastardized by the electro-pop world. Thus, I have had trouble getting comfortable, much less pleasure from the works of Emerson, Wakeman, and many of the Italian proggers. (Oddly enough, the works of John Tout within Renaissance never bothered me.) Still, I go back and listen; ELP has slowly climbed into my realm of approval and esteem and this album, though a sprawling mishmash of many styles and sounds, is one of the reasons. While I've never liked the songs on Side B much, I've always had a soft-spot for the epic title song. I just don't like the campy wild-West feel of those bouncy upright barroom pianos or the way Keith liked to use organ/church organs, though "A Time and a Place" is pretty decent. The effect that ELP albums have on me is quite similar to that of Steve Hackett albums--too much variety of styles represented. I'd love to hear more consistency in single albums. Yes, go for the campy cabaret-style--but on an album--or the jazzy, world, experimental, or theatric bombast or abrasive avant--but contain them to one album, please.

The beast that is "Tarkus" is worth everything. (36.25/40)