BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

Oh, Yeah ELP, you blow my head apart !! I read the reviews here and decided to buy "Brain Salad Surgery".This is my first ELP album and I'm still impressed by this masterpiece. It gives me lots of energy, as well as the music is incredible, with a lot of memorable melodies and classics. The musicianship is incredible. I have never heard before any of ELP (wait, I'm 15), and I'm very impressed by the quality of the musicians (I predicted that), I heard some of people say "Hey, have you heard ELP ? Emerson keyboard playing is out of this world !! " Well, they're right !! Along the whole album he does and incredible job, with much (a lot!!) technique and melody. I love to hear the things he does on his keyboard, the creative use of effects, synthesizers, organ, melodies, etc. Lake has not all that technique, but he can accompany every thing that Emerson does, and he has a nice voice. And Palmer is a beast of drum. He can create even melody with his drum, like he does on "Toccatta", using it of a very creative way, and the power he gives helps with the incredible energy and technique this band has. Most of the tracks have much technique, but at same time are very accesible and catchy. Here goes a description song by song of this masterpiece:

We introduce to this journey with "Jerusalem", that is originally an English patriotic song from the beginning of the XX century. The adaptation á la ELP is very well done. Emerson can adapt everything to his piano. The vocals are very catchy and obviously I have a classical feeling when I hear to this song. The moment when it says: "Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand" is imposing. Beautiful opener.

The first crazy track here is the instrumental "Toccata", another adaptation of the Carlos Ginastera classic, who was amazed by the way ELP adapted it. This (I must say) composition is very dark and technical, with lots of intrincated rhythms that influenced then technical bands like Dream Theater. Emerson's keyboards shine here, with lots of effects, some of them like 'robotic', like the crazy one "wuuuuuaaaaa, wuuuuuuaaaaa, wuuuuuaaaaa ....". Here we've got some great and potent drumming by Palmer, that uses a kind of electronic (?) drum that accompanies the synthesizers odd effects. Crazy and mindblowing song.

"Still... You Turn Me On" is the follower and the most commercial song of the album. It features nice acoustic guitar and catchy and deep vocals by Lake, and the characteristic "wah, wah" effect on the chorus. I can here some bass to emphasize the more melodic moments of the song, and the nice Emerson's arrangements. The most melodic side of "Brain Salad Surgery".

Then goes the big musical journey epic of "Karn Evil 9", which has three movements called 'impressions' and lasts totally around 30 minutes and it's a masterpiece itself. I never got bored during the 30 minutes. The First Impression starts with a cool keyboard riff, that opens the entrance of the nice bass lines, and powerful drumming. When I hear this, it gives me a lot of energy, I can't explain it much better, you have to listen to this song if you haven't yet. On the Frist Impression Emerson does the vocals. Here we've different dynamic transitions, like the "Roll up, roll up, roll up ..." and excellent keyboards, arrangements and solos. At the end of the First Part there is an excellent guitar solo and the only one of the album, which is repeated then on the 2nd Part and has its very technical moments. I love the rhytmic sections here. Excellent !! After this unloading of adrenalin, some effects introduce me to the Second Part of the First Impression and Lake starts singing: "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, come inside! come inside!", and some moments then: "Come inside, the show's about to start, guaranteed to blow your head apart". As I said before, yeah, ELP, you blow my head apart. The adrenalin this has is impressive: "You've got to see the show, it's a dynamo. You've got to see the show, it's rock and roll ....", OH YEAH IT ROCKS, and then goes an amazing keyboard solo. Incredible !! The Second Impression is instrumental and features the incredible Emerson's hability on piano and a jazzy feeling. You've got to hear this !! To finish, goes the Third Impression which is very symphonic and has catchy vocals and some memorable classical melodies, nice !! The album fades out with an effect that increases speed more and more until this masterpiece album finishes.

No more to say. If you haven't bought this masterpiece you should buy it. It's one of the best records I've ever heard and very high quality technical Symphonic Prog. You'll not be dissapointed, believe me !! ELP, keep on rockin' !!

Rating: 5/5

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