Top 7 ELP Albums

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Posted: September 09 2022 at 04:25

Hrychu wrote:

Top 7 ELP albums? That's like their entire discography! :D

they got 10 studio albums + Pictures at an Exhibition

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Posted: September 09 2022 at 04:42

OK, I was talking about albums that people are likely to vote for; you are talking to a diehard ELP fan here - veteran of arguments on the back seat of the bus with Rush fans, punks, you name it in the late 70s (and even continue to this day with Atilla the Stockbroker!). I happen to like most of their post BSS output as well. I know very well how many albums they released but I also happen to know how they get up the noses of prog purists and the high priests of punk as well - good for them!!

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Posted: September 09 2022 at 07:03

I haven't actually voted in this poll yet:

1) Tarkus

2) BSS

3) First

4) Trilogy

5) Pictures

6) Powell

7) WBMFttStNE

I confess, it's been a while since I heard these and a reappraisal might bring about a slight reshuffle, but it's doubtful... and Tarkus will always be my fave.

I am also very pleased to be able to advise that I have never heard Love Beach, Black Moon or Hot Seat, neither do I ever intend to do so...

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Posted: September 09 2022 at 08:41

Top 7 update with Jared's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (304 points)

2. Tarkus (285 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (270 points)

4. Trilogy (234 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (143 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (83 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (58 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (33 points)

9. Black Moon (28 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (11 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points)

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Posted: October 27 2022 at 13:36

1) Brain Salad Surgery
2) Trilogy
3) Tarkus
4) Emerson Lake and Palmer
5) Welcome Back My Friends
6) Pictures at an Exhibition
7) Works Volume 1

Since live albums were allowed, I was able to list 7 albums that I like from ELP. If it was just studio albums, I really could only list 5. Personally, I think BSS and Trilogy are among the very best albums in the Progressive Rock genre. The title track to Tarkus is one of the great epics. The debut is quite good. Works is worth having just for Fanfare and Pirates.

Welcome Back My Friends was the first album I owned from ELP. It's a great live album let down a bit by it's production. Aquatarkus, Toccata and Palmer's drum solo alone is worth having this album.

As for Love Beach, my personal opinion is had the album cover been something like what was done for BSS or Tarkus it would get far less vitriol hurled at it. Canario is excellent and Memoirs has some good moments. That said, the rest of the album is very forgettable. Overall, it is not a good album. And it would be remembered as just such an album if the Bee Gee's cover was not a part of the package.

That album cover just put a huge target on it. It's quite regrettable. Sort of like Yes's Tormato album cover. Yes should have sued Hipgnosis for that atrocity. Atlantic should of never let the album be released with that album cover. If it was not going to work with Hipgnosis, they should have given Roger Dean a call. Because, Tormato, unlike Love Beach actually is a decent album. Future Times/Rejoice, Madrigal and On the Silent Wings of Freedom are good songs. Release, Release is pretty good too, just dump the audience cheering. With better production ( like what was found on the following album Drama), a better album cover and jettison Circus of Heaven for something else, Tormato would be remembered more fondly.

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Posted: October 27 2022 at 13:48

Top 7 update with Big Sky's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (316 points)

2. Tarkus (291 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (274 points)

4. Trilogy (242 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (145 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (84 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (61 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (33 points)

9. Black Moon (28 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (11 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points) - still not much love for Love Beach. Broken Heart

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - October 27 2022 at 13:49

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Posted: October 30 2022 at 02:43

Big Sky wrote:

Welcome Back My Friends was the first album I owned from ELP. It's a great live album let down a bit by it's production. Aquatarkus, Toccata and Palmer's drum solo alone is worth having this album.

Point taken although for me the later deluxe remasters have fixed most of the issues.

If you like seeking out ELP live recordings I would heartily recommend the Mar Y Sol festival (1972) as one to get hold of. Although technically bootlegs , the Transmission Impossible 3 CD set ( be warned though that the last and best disc from Italy 1973 is in MP3 format and doesn't play on all CD players) and the post orchestral Works tour performance Live At West Virginia are also very nice things to have.

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Posted: October 30 2022 at 15:24

Top 7?
I only ever listen to three
1.Tarkus
2.Trilogy
3.Pictures

I tried for years with BSS, I really did, but it did absolutely nothing for me.

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Posted: October 30 2022 at 19:10

Cristi wrote:

Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Cristi wrote:

^ so Trilogy and In the Hot Seat are on the same level? Confused

I think the best way of ranking my ELP Top 10 is by rating the albums out of 10.

1. Works Volume 1 - 10/10

2. Black Moon - 10/10

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer - 9/10

4. Emerson, Lake & Powell - 9/10

5. Tarkus - 8/10

6. Pictures at an Exhibition - 8/10

7. Love Beach - 7/10

9. Works Volume 2 - 7/10

8. Welcome Back My Friends -6/10

10. Trilogy - 6/10

oh My God, that's even worse. Ouch

Funnily enough, Brain Salad Surgery is one of only two ELP albums I own, even though it's not in my Top 10. Ouch

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Posted: November 07 2022 at 14:08

1 Brain Salad Surgery

2 Trilogy

3 Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1st)

4 Tarkus

5 Works, volume 1

6 Pictures at an exhibition

7 Emerson, Lake and Powell

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 01:28

Only have 3 good albums lol

All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 06:16

Top 7 update with LAM-SGC & Alain's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (328 points)

2. Tarkus (307 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (280 points)

4. Trilogy (258 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (153 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (87 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (61 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (34 points)

9. Black Moon (28 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (11 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points)

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 08:09

I'm not sure I know 7.

1. ELP (first)

2. Trilogy

3. Brain Salad Surgery

4. Tarkus

5. Emerson, Lake & Powell

6. Black Moon

7. Works Volume 2

Note: I only heard Pictures once which is why I didn't add it and I don't know the others.

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 08:19

Top 7 update with AFlowerKingCrimson's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (334 points)

2. Tarkus (311 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (292 points)

4. Trilogy (266 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (153 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (87 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (61 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (37 points)

9. Black Moon (30 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (12 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points)

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 18:36

1. Trilogy

2. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Debut)

3. Welcome Back My Friends...

4. Tarkus

5. Brain Salad Surgery

6. Black Moon

7. Pictures at an Exhibition

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of uncertain seas

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Posted: November 08 2022 at 18:39

Top 7 update with Hugh Manatee's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (337 points)

2. Tarkus (315 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (300 points)

4. Trilogy (278 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (154 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (87 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (67 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (37 points)

9. Black Moon (32 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (12 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points)

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Posted: November 09 2022 at 02:25

Their best albums are so good that it's difficult to put them in order, but here it goes:

1. Tarkus

2. BSS

3. Trilogy

4. Welcome Back My Friends

5. ELP (debut)

6. Pictures at an Exhibition

7. Works Vol. 1

8. Emerson Lake & Powell

9. Works Vol. 2

10. Black Moon

I also quite like Live at Mar Y Sol and Live at Nassau Colisseum.

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Posted: November 09 2022 at 02:48

Top 7 update with Gerinski's votes added:-

1. Brain Salad Surgery (345 points)

2. Tarkus (327 points)

3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer (303 points)

4. Trilogy (284 points)

5. Pictures at an Exhibition (156 points)

6. Works Volume 1 (88 points)

7. Welcome Back My Friends (71 points)

8. Emerson, Lake & Powell (37 points)

9. Black Moon (32 points)

10. Works Volume 2 (12 points)

11. Love Beach (7 points)

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Posted: November 09 2022 at 07:42

1. BSS

2. Trilogy

3. Tarkus

4. Pictures

5. ELP

6. Works 1

7. Works 2

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