EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

The eponymous debut is the album that started the legacy of the first prog rock super-group. Surely with this much talent the instrumentation should be impeccably sharp. But this is where the problem lies. Much of this album relies on excessive noodling and showmanship.

The perfect example of this is on songs like 'Take a Pebble' and 'Tank.' The former is kind of messy and doesn't really go anywhere, while the latter also has some noodling, especially in the drum solo.

Three Fates' exhibits a similar problem, while 'Lucky Man' is just a throwaway track they added at the last minute.

'The Barbarian' and 'Knife Edge' show what the band is capable of when they concentrate and write a shorter, more concise song. The result is a complex, yet interesting and fun song.

Overall, despite the problems this album has with over-zealous instrumentation, it's still an enjoyable listen from beginning to end and certainly doesn't deserve just two stars.

5/10