BLACK MOON

If you except "Emerson, Lake & Powell" released in 1985 this is the first true ELP album since their very average "Love Beach". Forteen years ago! Is there still a place for ELP in those days ? Let's hear.

The opener strongly reminds the Genesis type of compositions while they were three. Over-powered drumming (a la "We will Rock You"), almost heavy-rock sounds. Not a great start for an ELP fan I'm afraid. After five minutes of this "heavy" treatment, ELP will propose a nice and more traditional finale. Light and sweet then hypnotic (like during their interpretation of the "Bolero", ages ago).

The same heavy mood goes on in the next song. "Paper Blood" has absolutely nothing to do with the traditional ELP we have loved in the seventies. I can understand that a band needs to evolve to avoid boredom but I can't cope with this type of (d) evolution. As usual, we'll get the classic sweet and gentle ballad to remind us "Lucky Man", "Still..." etc. No need to say that "Affairs Of The Heart" is far to reach the quality of its glorious predecessors.

Since ELP have definitely difficulties in creating great songs, why not pumping into the classic repertoire and re-arrange a Prokofiev song ? I am not at all a specialist of classical music and I do not know the original. I can only say that when ELP did the same excercise with "Pictures", I quite liked it. With this one, the same boring feeling prevails. Just like during the syrupous "Farwell To Arms". Really pityful. I have almost the same feeling than during "Works" (whatever version) : an extreme disillusion. When ELP almost meets folk...

Shall we finally a good ELP song on this album ? Well, once you are ready to lower your expectations, "Changing States" might well be the one. Somewhat pompous as in their glory days, this track has the seal of a classic ELP song. Finally ! Emerson is rather effective, and Carl has probably never played better on this album. A nice instrumental moment and by far the best song of this album.

A bit of uneffective pop moment with "Burning Bridges" just gets you back to earth. We are heading again the all-time lows of their music. Press next of course. You'll enter into the classical territories with a piano solo. Actually, with so many poor songs, this might as well be one of the most bearable ones available on this album. Still, it sounds more as a piano bar song than anything else. But to my ears, it sounds way better than the funkish / AOR "Better Days". Awful.

To close this album, ELP offer another slow ballad. Not too bad but just good to fall asleep.

This album is poor. Almost no tracks is bringing a little passion. One star. Just ignore this album from your ELP discography.