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Happy 50th Birthday...Brain Salad Surgery
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Criswell View Drop Down
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    Posted: December 07 2023 at 07:16

…released December 7, 1973…

It’s still a head-scratcher to me what regard this album has amongst the voters at progarchives. BSS doesn’t even place in the top 100 prog albums, let alone the top 10. It stands at the absolute pinnacle on the high alter of prog rock for me…

Cheers!
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4.16 | 2094 ratings | 218 reviews 
A high rating IMO, top 100 ends with a rating of 4.25 (around that), so close enough. Tongue

Well respected and beloved album usually around here, I've rarely seen anyone dismiss this album. 
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A fantastic album, superb artwork. Thumbs Up
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My favorite ELP record! I'll listen to it right now
The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...
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Why am I disappointed that I bought Brain Salad Surgery instead of Love Beach? Wacko
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Why am I disappointed that I bought Brain Salad Surgery instead of Love Beach? Wacko

LOL  Tjah, but I guess, many of us are not suprised by now. Big smile
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Why am I disappointed that I bought Brain Salad Surgery instead of Love Beach? Wacko

If I had a nickel every time someone mentions Love Beach around here, I could retire a few years earlier...LOL
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Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Why am I disappointed that I bought Brain Salad Surgery instead of Love Beach? Wacko

LOL  Tjah, but I guess, many of us are not suprised by now. Big smile
I only bought Brain Salad Surgery because it was on sale for £1 at a charity shop and I've only listened to it once. Still You Turn Me On is a nice song though, which includes the immortal lyrics, "Every day a little sadder, A little madder, Someone get me a ladder." Ermm



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - December 07 2023 at 08:06
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BSS is not one of my most favourite ELP albums, but I find it to be quite an achievement, even vocals could be better.
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I find 'Toccata' to be the weakest track on here, and even then, it's a great piece. The album's atmosphere is darker, perfect for the artwork. Of course, the centerpiece of the album is the epic 'Karn Evil 9' (which is superior to Tarkus in my opinion) but all the other songs are good as well. 10/10 record, it has bonus points for Benny the Bouncer. Love this album. 
The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...
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Originally posted by Frets N Worries Frets N Worries wrote:

I find 'Toccata' to be the weakest track on here, and even then, it's a great piece. The album's atmosphere is darker, perfect for the artwork. Of course, the centerpiece of the album is the epic 'Karn Evil 9' (which is superior to Tarkus in my opinion) but all the other songs are good as well. 10/10 record, it has bonus points for Benny the Bouncer. Love this album. 

Some here dismiss Benny the Bouncer as a throw-away track. This album introduced the Moog Apollo, a prototype of the Polymoog, which was the first polyphonic synthesizer. I’ve always considered BtB to be a showcase for this new instrument’s sound.
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My favourite album for many a decade and most of my life.

Possibly though was this a missed opportunity for ELP to nail down a prog album that was prog and nothing but prog. A more consistent and satisfying listen for me can be found by skipping a couple of tracks. Then you have:

Jerusalem
Toccata
Karn Evil 9

this is maybe 36-37 minutes just on it's own and you can find a whole plethora of albums in PA's top 100 that have this running time.

The dark sci-fi narrative is perfectly kicked off by the opening track with Blake's lyrics about dark satanic mills that were destroying England's green and pleasant land. Fast forward to the far future and you have a master computer handing humanity it's collective backside on a platter.

This version of the album could have been released with the other BSS session tracks Brain Salad Surgery and When The Apple Blossom Blooms right at the end. Nowadays this is pretty much how I listen to it although I don't feel the need skip Still You Turn Me On or BTB. They are part of ELP and their personality but I don't believe they fuel the sci-fi narrative I love.

In recent times Carl Palmer has been suggesting that ELP were not (just) a prog band but were in fact eclectic. He has a point. Light and Dark is something they did well.
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Originally posted by Frets N Worries Frets N Worries wrote:

I find 'Toccata' to be the weakest track on here, and even then, it's a great piece. The album's atmosphere is darker, perfect for the artwork. Of course, the centerpiece of the album is the epic 'Karn Evil 9' (which is superior to Tarkus in my opinion) but all the other songs are good as well. 10/10 record, it has bonus points for Benny the Bouncer. Love this album. 

I find BSS to be a bit over-the-top, like Thick as a Brick from the same year, just not as much as The Brick. 
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by Frets N Worries Frets N Worries wrote:

I find 'Toccata' to be the weakest track on here, and even then, it's a great piece. The album's atmosphere is darker, perfect for the artwork. Of course, the centerpiece of the album is the epic 'Karn Evil 9' (which is superior to Tarkus in my opinion) but all the other songs are good as well. 10/10 record, it has bonus points for Benny the Bouncer. Love this album. 

I find BSS to be a bit over-the-top, like Thick as a Brick from the same year, just not as much as The Brick. 


ELP were over the top Smile
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by Frets N Worries Frets N Worries wrote:

I find 'Toccata' to be the weakest track on here, and even then, it's a great piece. The album's atmosphere is darker, perfect for the artwork. Of course, the centerpiece of the album is the epic 'Karn Evil 9' (which is superior to Tarkus in my opinion) but all the other songs are good as well. 10/10 record, it has bonus points for Benny the Bouncer. Love this album. 

I find BSS to be a bit over-the-top, like Thick as a Brick from the same year, just not as much as The Brick. 


ELP were over the top Smile

No doubt it's over the top, that's why it's amazing
The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...
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I always thought it was such a shame that the title track was dropped (probably because of space limitations on the original vinyl release) and actually released on a flexi-disc given away with the NME which I remember buying back in the day, however my digital track listing for BSS with a playing time of 48mins is:

Jerusalem
Toccata
Still You Turn Me On...
Benny the Bouncer
Brain Salad Surgery
Karn Evil 9

[which I think works well]


Edited by Progishness - December 07 2023 at 11:11
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

ELP were over the top Smile

As you surely know, one of my absolutely favourite bands - if I should have some. Smile
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

I find BSS to be a bit over-the-top, like Thick as a Brick from the same year, just not as much as The Brick. 
ELP were over the top Smile

I don't find the earlier albums to be over-the-top. 
                      quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:

I find BSS to be a bit over-the-top, like Thick as a Brick from the same year, just not as much as The Brick. 
ELP were over the top Smile

I don't find the earlier albums to be over-the-top. 



I think everything up to BSS is quality stuff (both the studio and live releases)... the jury is still out on Works vol.1 for me... and as for the rest of their output, the less said the better.
"We're going to need a bigger swear jar."

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I remember buying NME which had this free flexi disk, many, many years ago. Smile

Totally Vinyl Records || Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Brain salad surgery / Excerpts from Brain salad surgery 7 inch Flexi Disc Special Cover
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