BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

It's been barely two months since I started listening to ELP and I have already woved it greatest symphonic prog band ever. All of their studio albums up to Love Beach are good, but this is definitely the finest work by the threesome.

One thing that really pleases my ears with this album is the Hammond organ. The way Keith Emerson uses it is clever. He uses it to paint the sections where vocals should be sung (not that it's anything very new, but it's clever) Carl Palmer is literally on fire with the drum kit and Greg Lake gives his best performance on vocals and his bass playing is excelent. Sometimes it's hard to tell is there more than three men playing since there's so much stuff like the synths. The cover is also fantastic, designed by the controversial artist H.G. Giger who has also designed the Alien creature for the film of the same name. And for the Music?

Brain Salad Surgery starts with "Jerusalem" a rock version of an English church hymn. It surely was a brave choice to include this on the album, knowing that it was a hymn known by nearly every English christian. It was well received by fans and critics alike. Keith Emerson's church organ works great and other synths back up nicely. Every time Greg Lake sings "Bring me the bows of buring gold, Bring me the arrows of desire" it gives me chills. Beautiful Anthem. Second Song "Toccata" is an adaption of Alberto Ginasteras 1st piano piano concerto. Performed with specialized synth effect and piano by Keith Emerson. Carl Palmer also adds some electric percussion. Great song in any terms of judging, the strange horn-synths and organ are the heart and soul. Emerson proves that he really is the greatest keyboardist in Rock 'n' Roll music ever.

"Still... You Turn me on" . This is the "must-have" ballad of an ELP album. Has a hippish feel on it (guys sitting on the grass eating grapes and drinking wine with hippie women singing to an acoustic guitar). Greg Lakes singing is just magnifying.

"Benny The Bouncer" is the humour-rocker of the album. An Underrated tune which many concider weak, but i think it's rather nice. Weakest of the album maybe, but it doesn't make it bad, no. Overal good song in my opinion. (Lake sounds a bit nasty).

And for the big one of the album "Karn Evil 9". The most greatest, and breath-taking epic in the history of all prog music. Story about human selfishness, birth of the world and the downfall of man as their own creation, the computers, take their place as the dominant race and ruler of the world. Split in to four parts. 1st impression part 1 starts with jazzy organs and tells about the birth of the world, going through ice age and to the growing greed and lust for money that man has in his heart. Soon the world is described as a Carnival (Notice how the words "Karn" and "Evil" can be pronounced as "Carnival". Clever, don't you think? Evil Carnival...) that's the symbol of the selfishness of mankind. Even the small rips of humanity are put in as circus sideshows (pull Jesus from the hat-line especially). 1st impression part 2 begins with the memorable "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend come inside come inside". Tells about the starting artificialization of the world where even real blades of grass are rare thing to witness. 2nd impression is consisted mostly of piano solo, acompanied with steel drums and other synths at certain points. Last part, the 3rd impression tells how the computers have started a revolution and won the place as the rulers of the world. The voice of the computers are highly dissorted and mechanic while the voice of man is clear and normal. Man cannot undertand how their own creation could turn against them and refuses to face the facts. Keith pulls nice organ solo around 24 minutes and the last lines am all there is NEGATIVE! PRIMITIVE! LIMITED! I LET YOU LIVE! But I gave you life WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO? To do what was right I'M PERFECT! ARE YOU? Really say it all. Karn Evil 9 ends with synths sounding like some Nintendo game.

So all in one what do we have here? He have an album that's clearly of the 10 greatest prog albums ever and this is certainly better than anything Yes ever recorded (yeah, even better than Fragile, Close to the Edge or Relayer, sue me).

You've got to hear the album, its a dynamo. You've got to hear the album, it's rock and roll ....