Emerson, Lake & Palmer [Import]

emerson, lake & palmer [import]

Track Listings
1. Barbarian [Instrumental]
2. Take a Pebble
3. Knife Edge
4. Three Fates: Clotho/Lachesis/Atropos
5. Tank [Instrumental]
6. Lucky Man

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese pressing of their 1970 album. Comes packaged in a miniature LP sleeve and has been remastered. JVC. 2005.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer,Lake & Palmer Emerson,Jvc Japan,Album Rock,Pop,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop,Synthesizer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer [Import]
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • This is a "Tank" nothing can get in its way.
  • Great CD
  • "REMASTERING", AD INFINITUM, AD NAUSEUM, AD WALLET
  • own this album
  • ELP's Debut Album Finally Gets Remastered Right!
 Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Lake & Palmer Emerson
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Tarkus
  2. Trilogy
  3. Pictures at an Exhibition
  4. Brain Salad Surgery
  5. Out of the Blue

ASIN: B000NVL9FQ
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

  1. The Barbarian
  2. Take A Pebble
  3. Knife-Edge
  4. Medley: The Three Fates/Lachesis/Atropos
  5. Tank
  6. Lucky Man

Album Description

Debut album Emerson Lake & Palmer marked the beginning of a progressive rock movement that continues to influence countless bands and musicians. On songs like "The Barbarian" and "Knife-Edge," ELP presented classical pieces in a completely new context. And with "Lucky Man," the band had a popular hit that immediately made them a worldwide sensation. Remastered from the original master tapes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This is a "Tank" nothing can get in its way........2007-06-30

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

Rockerusa2002 (Thank you) should be credited for setting the record straight about the ELP remasters shifting from label to label isn't about greed. If people are aware of the history of the group they are totally understanding of the endless pursuit Keith, Greg, and Carl had for the perfect sound in the studio and live environments. One of many examples was Emerson's displeasure with the inability to recreate the studio sound of "Abaddon's Bolero" on the Trilogy tour.

The debut record from ELP was a stunning achievement. From the opening notes of the "Barbarian" sending shockwave's through your system to the final verse of "Lucky Man" it is one of the finest initial recordings from any band.

Could Emerson equal or surpass the ground breaking sounds of the Nice? Would Carl Palmer be able to excel the same way as he did on the first Atomic Rooster LP? Could Greg Lake justify leaving King Crimson?

The musical diversity and brilliance of the six tracks answered every question with a resounding "YES." "The Barbarian" with the down and dirty sound reaches for your lungs and places an everlasting choke hold.

"Take A Pebble" is one of the finest vocals every witnessed. Lake's voice is in perfect harmony with Emerson's piano. The lyrics are majestic and the composition brings all things to an immediate stop. Your ears fixated on the wizardry never believing what they have heard but ready for a second listen the moment the masterpiece ceases.

"Knife-Edge" brings to the forefront Greg's bass with intense musical direction. Numerous live tours would see this in the set list for obvious reasons.

"The Three Fates/Lachesis/Atropos" Emerson's piano style of mixing classical style compositions with progressive rocks freedom of expression has kept a legion of fans salivating on every note.

"Tank" lets Carl do his thing but that doesn't mean the band is taking a rest. Listen to the well constructed musical passes that only enhance Carl's ability to be complex and tasty. Many drummers know their theory but leave you as bored as a rainy summer day. Palmer can be adventurous in a ballad or a rocker.

"Lucky Man" would give ELP entry into the singles charts and become one of the most recognizable tunes from its era. Don't sweep this under the "Commercial Rug." The acoustic guitar that Lake beautifies each time out resonates with brilliance and the words are some of the best ever penned.

Any ELP fan would agree from the first release through Brain Salad Surgery you couldn't go wrong. Many will add Works 1 and Works 2 (They should) in their collections as well. If you use this album as a starting point, you'll love the journey in the proper sequences. If you decide to skip around that's fine too. Either way the legacy will be there for the listening.


Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2007-05-23

Whoever "Bob" is, he'd better get some B-vitamins and omega-3 oils into his diet fast, because he's absolutely wrong about ELP "cash-milking" their fans. If you want to know the real reason why the band took their catalog from label to label and reissued their albums so often, it's because recording technology has advanced over the years, as a cousin of mine who's a record producer has told me at family gatherings. Truth be told, the band was not totally satisfied with the remastering job that Rhino did with their work in the 90s, and have said themselves that if you want to get rid of clutter as a way of looking good for your significant other and/or your favorite celebrity, you should get rid of the Rhino ELP CDs and get ready for the Shout!Factory reissues, because look at how well ELP's current label has done with the Marshall Tucker Band. The subliminal messages that were on the AJK versions of the Marshall Tucker albums implying that Sarah Michelle Gellar is ugly were filtered out in the remastering process; a similar issue existed on the Rhino ELP remasters, unlike that label's other reissues, and has been corrected here. THIS is the version of ELP's self-titled debut that you should own.

1 out of 5 stars "REMASTERING", AD INFINITUM, AD NAUSEUM, AD WALLET.......2007-05-16


I can't think of another catalog that has been "remastered" more times than ELP's. Every few years since the early 90's, as ELP caravanned their catalog from label to label, we were presented with another set of supposedly superior mastered versions, and were expected to dutifully re-purchase them.

When you include the MFSL and Japanese dual-K2 efforts, where are we at now, at least seven different remasters of just the individual studio albums over the past 15 years? And how many "remastered" compilations? I've stopped counting, I'm beginning not to care anymore, and I suspect the fab trio and/or their management are now just cash-milking the fans.

Vowing not to be a seven(?)-time, complete-catalog-re-purchase sucker, I bought only the 2007 Tarkus RM and compared it against the 2005 Japanese K2HD mini-sleeve version. I'm staying with the K2HD, and I'm here to tell you: The dichotomy between the two is so non-trivial that I don't need to buy any more Shout! Factory ELP titles for comparison.

There are ELPists that dislike the K2's for "harshness". But, where fingers point at the K2 processing, I have always held the opinion that Are-You-Ready-Eddie Offord was rather level-meter-monitoring-challenged on his ELP and Yes engineering. If you accept that premise, then yes, the K2's do especially emphasize that flaw.

Even if you've heard these recordings hundreds of times, and even if you don't own the K2's, if you carefully listen to any ELP remaster with my Offord postulation in mind, I believe you'll hear what I do.

However, there is certainly additional detail and clarity in both the K2's that I've never heard on either Shout! Factory's Tarkus, or any of the earlier remasters, including the MFSL's. So, once I realized what I was actually hearing, I've dismissed "harshness" for what I believe are distorted passages in the original recordings, greatly amplified in the K2 mastering.

In addition, I found a bit more detail in the K2HD's over the original K2's; it's very VERY slight, and it is there to be heard, but probably only if you have really good gear/interconnects/speakers, or great headphones.

I've also seen original-ELP/K2-owners bad-mouthing the K2HD's, but primarily in eBay ads where they're attempting to jettison their K2's, so consider the source. It's expensive, replacing K2 catalogs (ELP, Kinks, Costello, Creedence, Focus, Rundgren & PFM, to name a few) with K2HD's (especially if you don't know how to pre-order them at the cheapest prices directly from Japan prior to release), but I suck it up and don't complain about it.

So, at least for the ELP catalog, I'm a K2HD guy, and I'm sticking with them. Inevitably, there will be someone with one of the umpteen other remastered versions who will disagree with me, and that's fine, because I'm stating my own opinions and personal preferences, and I welcome the discourse.

Lastly, however, a piece of advice: All Japanese mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, so if you're even tempted to pick up one to compare, don't wait until they're OOP and +$50 on eBay. As of this writing, there are still reasonably-priced ELP K2HD's out there (and even greater deals on the older K2's!).

And I will take those fabulous Japanese original album sleeve replications over their jewel-boxed counterparts any day of the week. It's tré-kewl having an actual album cover collection again, albeit in miniature!

Link to the K2HD version of Emerson Lake & Palmer.

5 out of 5 stars own this album.......2007-05-02

Emerson, Lake and Palmer's debut is a really awesome listen. Even though plenty of rock bands out there have mixed rock with classical bits, the results were never as interesting and as close to classical as this album. This is not only a pretty impressive debut for a band, but a groundbreaking debut from a band that never quite was able to come up with the same level of brilliance ever again.

"The Barbarian" is a great keyboard-dominated fast-paced track that sort of resembles Deep Purple. "Take a Pebble" really changes course by featuring soothing vocal melodies and lush keyboards. There's a short boogie jam in the middle. I forgot to mention that the entire album is dominated with keyboard solos. It's not just a few short solos here and there- it's a pretty lengthy and complex listen.

"Knife-Edge" again reminds me of Deep Purple (the two bands must have been friends). The track 4 medley almost sounds like something recorded in the 1800s with its really powerful and old-fashioned sounding keyboard work. "Tank" actually reminds me of a tank rolling over the hills, though I will admit it's probably the only track here where you can tell it's 70's music. "Lucky Man" is just a beautiful and popular song that doesn't really resemble the rest of the album, but managed to make the band known to the public. To me this song remains fresh even after thousands of listens.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer was never able to come up with another album as enjoyable as this one, though honestly they did come close with their next album. Buy this one first, then the second one.

5 out of 5 stars ELP's Debut Album Finally Gets Remastered Right!.......2007-04-25

From the booming bass that kicks off "The Barbarian" through the final Moog synth squiggle of the "Lucky Man" outro,"Emerson Lake & Palmer" is the powerful opening salvo of ELP's mixture of classical,jazz and hard rock-best known to the world as "progressive rock"-that presented such obscure classical pieces as Bela Bartok's 'Allegro Barbaro'("The Barbarian") and Janacek's 'Sinfonietta'("Knife-Edge")in fresh contexts.Other highlights-on an album featuring nothing BUT highlights- include Greg Lake's 12 minute-plus epic "Take A Pebble" and Carl Palmer's fusion-esqe drum piece "Tank".This record has been remastered on CD a few times,first on the dismal-sounding Atlantic one from the 80's,and again on the Victory and Rhino in the 90's which,while an improvement from the first one,were pretty below the standards of most remasters from that period.This Shout! remaster(done by Andy Pearce at Masterpiece London)is right in the class of the Yes Rhino remasters and the Genesis CD/SACD/DVD hybrid's,with Lake's bass guitar sounding big and beefy,Palmer's drum work crisp,and Keith Emerson's keyboards as clear as pure mountain water.Despite the lack of bonus tracks,ELP and prog-rock fans should not hesitaite in picking up-or upgrading with-this reasonably-priced remastered jewel.
The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • After Years: The Most Complete Anthology of the Band!...
  • A Great Distillation Of ELP's Career
  • out-dated high concept
  • Beware!
  • Is it just me or....?
 The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Lake & Palmer Emerson
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000LPR5AM
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Tracks:

  1. The Barbarian
  2. Take A Pebble
  3. Knife-Edge
  4. Tank
  5. Lucky Man
  6. Tarkusa) Eruptionb) Stones Of Yearsc) Iconoclastd) Masse) Manticoref)
  7. Bitches Crystal
  8. Nutrocker
  9. From The Beginning
  10. Hoedown
  11. Trilogy

Tracks:

  1. The Endless Enigma, Part One
  2. Fugue
  3. The Endless Enigma, Part Two
  4. Jerusalem
  5. Toccata
  6. Still ... You Turn Me On
  7. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression - Part 1
  8. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression - Part 2
  9. Jeremy Bender / The Sheriff (medley)
  10. I Believe In Father Christmas
  11. C'est La Vie
  12. Fanfare For The Common Man
  13. Honky Tonk Train Blues
  14. Canario
  15. Peter Gunn
  16. Black Moon
  17. Paper Blood

Album Description

A comprehensive, career-spanning collection from one of progressive rock's most popular groups.

On 2 CDs crammed with nearly 160 minutes of music!

The fully remastered 28-song set, compiled with ELP's participation, brings together their biggest hits, including "Lucky Man," "From The Beginning," "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression - Part 2" and "I Believe In Father Christmas," as well as other must-have recordings drawn from all of the albums they released in their '70s heyday--their self-titled debut (1970), Tarkus (1971), Trilogy (1972), Pictures At An Exhibition (1972), Brain Salad Surgery (1973), Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends (1974), Works, Vol. 1 & Works, Vol. 2 (both 1977), Love Beach (1978) and Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert (aka Works Live) (1979)--and the reunion album Black Moon (1992).

Comes with a fully-illustrated booklet containing color photos, detailed liner notes and complete track info.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars After Years: The Most Complete Anthology of the Band!..........2007-07-12

Just at first sight, this anthology contains some of the most interesting music material of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, covering all the spectrum of their music in seventies from the easy listening songs of the first albums "Lucky Man" to their most experimental progressive side like "Toccata". But with a double look, we can observe this:

1. the soft Country-folk side with "Lucky Man", "From the Beginning", "Still... You Turn Me On" and "C'est La Vie".
2. the dynamic Western side with "Jeremy Bender", "Hoedown" and "The Sheriff".
3. The most progressive side with the long tracks "Tarkus", "Take a Pebble", "Trilogy", "Toccata" or "Black Moon"
4. The Classic covers like "Peter Gun", "Nutrocker", "Fanfare For The Common Man" or "Hoedown"
5. The absence of the great experimental track "Infinite Space", and "Karn Evil 9" Third Impression that is better than the first part.
6. Maybe some diferences in vocal lines like "Jerusalem", but a curious object of collection.
7. The commercial side with "Knife Edge", "I Believe In Father Christmas" or "Paper blood"...

And with a great remastered recording, this anthology maybe is the most complete and representative anthology of the band!... so Good Luck!

5 out of 5 stars A Great Distillation Of ELP's Career.......2007-05-23

THE ESSENTIAL EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER is a great distillation of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's career, but this isn't all that Shout! Factory is going to do for the band's legacy, as they are planning to reissue the band's entire catalog. I hope to get the self-titled debut, TRILOGY, and BRAIN SALAD SURGERY in their own right, in addition to this collection. Whoever is complaining about the mixes on certain songs is someone who's kids' teachers should assign them summer homework as punishment for their parents' sins. In fact, the people who carp and peeve over minor points regarding this anthology are in desperate need of B-vitamins and omega-3 oils to improve their moods. This is a great collection for those who don't want ALL of the original CDs. If you buy this one, the self-titled debut, TRILOGY, and BRAIN SALAD SURGERY, you'll have all the ELP you need.

2 out of 5 stars out-dated high concept.......2007-05-03

Having only heard the pop hits on the radio before, I bought this collection, seeking out a favorite like BLACK MOON in particular, to find the 2-CD collection is mainly screechy whiney instrumentals that are faux jazz and badly conceived and executed. A friend advised me ELP was in the category of ART ROCK, along with ELO, which is another band that hasn't fared well over time. If you like high-pitched instrumentals, this collection is for you, but if you don't like instrumentals of the high-pitched or standard variety, skip this. If you're looking for their few pop hits, which are well-done, even if the lyrics are pretentious - and this trio exhibits a truly schizoid personality, in their pop realizations vs the jazz - it would be better to find anthology collections which include the song or songs you're looking for or buy one of their individual CDs.

3 out of 5 stars Beware!.......2007-04-14

Something is horribly wrong with the mixing of the Brain Salad Surgery tracks on disc two. They sound atrocious. I don't understand how this was missed by Shout Factory. If these songs were the right mixes, I would have given a higher rating, but this foul up is unforgivable. You may be better off to search for the older Rhino releases. I don't know if this will be remedied when Shout Factory re-releases Brain Salad Surgery later this year. I for one will wait to read reviews on whether the proper mixes are on there or not.

4 out of 5 stars Is it just me or....?.......2007-04-03

Dittos on what everyone says about the collection- I am a BIG fan, but... The mastering on Karn Evil 9 is diasterous! The kick drum is brought up way too far in the mix and has a distracting tubby sound that is noticeable even in the Amazon demo stream. This is not the band's fault, but my favorite song has been rendered very irritating now!
Trilogy
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • ELP's Most Accessible Album Remastered Right!
  • Another Great ELP CD
 Trilogy
Lake & Palmer Emerson
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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  1. Pictures at an Exhibition
  2. Tarkus
  3. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
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ASIN: B000OPO6VU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

  1. The Endless Enigma
  2. Fugue
  3. The Endless Enigma
  4. From The Beginning
  5. The Sheriff
  6. Hoedown
  7. Trilogy
  8. Living Sin
  9. Abaddon's Bolero

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars ELP's Most Accessible Album Remastered Right!.......2007-06-27

Emerson,Lake & Palmer really hit it's stride with "Trilogy".From ambitious epics("The Endlees Enigma" and the title track) to playful Americana-spiced numbers("The Sheriff" and "Hoedown"),from sensitive and mellow("From The Beginning",their sole Top 40 hit)to dark and brutal("Living Sin"),this record neatly encapsulates the full range of everthing ELP had done up to this point into a cohesive,impressive whole.Like the other Shout! Factory ELP reissues Emerson, Lake & Palmer,Tarkus and Pictures at an Exhibition,the remastered sound quality(which,like the other three,was done by Andy Pearce at Masterpiece London)is both stunning-sharp,warm and crystal clear-and a big improvement over the dull-sounding,outdated Atlantic,Victory and Rhino versions of the 80's and 90's.And despite a lack of bonus tracks,no fan of ELP or prog-rock should hesitate to upgrade with this reasonabley-priced remastered jewel.

5 out of 5 stars Another Great ELP CD.......2007-06-26

TRILOGY is another great ELP CD. Shout! has proven that it can do ELP the same justice that it did the Marshall Tucker Band, with this CD being just another example of how a great remastering job can overcome the limitations of the original source. Even the Rhino remaster didn't do right by this album, but Shout! finally did.
Tarkus
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Rhino Re-Masters, SHOUT ,K2HD??
  • "REMASTERING", AD INFINITUM, AD NAUSEUM, AD WALLET
  • what a great listen
  • A Landmark Prog Gem Gets Remastered Right!
 Tarkus
Lake & Palmer Emerson
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000NVL9KG
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

  1. Medley: Tarkus - Eruption/Stones Of Years/Iconoclast/Mass/Manticore/Battlefield/Aquatarkus
  2. Jeremy Bender
  3. Bitches Crystal
  4. The Only Way (Hymn)
  5. Infinite Space (Conclusion)
  6. A Time And A Place
  7. Are You Ready Eddy?

Album Description

On the strength of an epic 20-minute opening track, ELP's second album, Tarkus, set the gold standard for progressive rock upon its release in 1971. Though the "Tarkus" medley is the album's centerpiece, it is only one half of a great album that demonstrates what these incredible musicians were capable of. Remastered from the original master tapes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Rhino Re-Masters, SHOUT ,K2HD??.......2007-07-13

I am one who had these great ELP albums on vinyl. I also only have bought ELP,PICTUES, TRILOGY through the Rhino Re-master series. I have BSS on regular CD, but would like to find a definitive CD on that one. I also bought WELCOME BACK twice on disc. One on the original CD and the other, I believe, was a Japanese import because the sound on the first is awful. Really, it wasn't cleaned up much on the Japanese import either. Now that explanation is over.......on to Tarkus. First of all, I listened to the ELP album (Rhino re-master} right before it. I believe this disc is very well done. You can hear Lake's bass up front along with vocals and the crashing of Carl Palmer's symbols. The piano parts on Take a Pebble are wonderful. This is the first Tarkus I have been able to find outside of vinyl at a reasonable price. As for volume on re-masters and that controversy of loudness issues.....I left the volume in the same place for the Shout Tarkus as the Rhino ELP. For my ears, the Tarkus was exactly the same for loudness. Since I haven't listened to my vinyl Tarkus in awhile, I can say it sounded like listening for the first time in a long time. I thought the Shout sounded very good also. Is it better than the Rhino ELP, Trilogy or Pictures? I don't here much of a difference. As far as Bob's review below. I have not suffer through all these re-masterings. I am now quite happy with my Rhino reproductions only bought once. I hear no major sonic difference with the Shout Tarkus as opposed to the Rhino's. In most cases, Rhino does a pretty darn good job with everything. As far as the K2HD's, Bob links the Tarkus for 45.49. I have never heard them so I won't comment. Though, I will say, I'm sure for some audiophiles it might be worth it. For me, I'm not sure how much better production you can get from master tapes than what Rhino or Shout has done. I hope this review helps someone in their choices. By the way, Tarkus is a wonderful choice in music. I have loved it since I was a teenager. There isn't much music around like this or Yes anymore.

1 out of 5 stars "REMASTERING", AD INFINITUM, AD NAUSEUM, AD WALLET.......2007-05-15


I can't think of another catalog that has been "remastered" more times than ELP's. Every few years since the early 90's, as ELP caravanned their catalog from label to label, we were presented with another set of supposedly superior mastered versions, and were expected to dutifully re-purchase them.

When you include the MFSL and Japanese dual-K2 efforts, where are we at now, at least seven different remasters of just the individual studio albums over the past 15 years? And how many "remastered" compilations? I've stopped counting, I'm beginning not to care anymore, and I suspect the fab trio and/or their management are now just cash-milking the fans.

Vowing not to be a seven(?)-time, complete-catalog-re-purchase sucker, I bought only the 2007 Tarkus RM and compared it against the 2005 Japanese K2HD mini-sleeve version. I'm staying with the K2HD, and I'm here to tell you: The dichotomy between the two is so non-trivial that I don't need to buy any more Shout! Factory ELP titles for comparison.

There are ELPists that dislike the K2's for "harshness". But, where fingers point at the K2 processing, I have always held the opinion that Are-You-Ready-Eddie Offord was rather level-meter-monitoring-challenged on his ELP and Yes engineering. If you accept that premise, then yes, the K2's do especially emphasize that flaw.

Even if you've heard these recordings hundreds of times, and even if you don't own the K2's, if you carefully listen to any ELP remaster with my Offord postulation in mind, I believe you'll hear what I do.

However, there is certainly additional detail and clarity in both the K2's that I've never heard on either Shout! Factory's Tarkus, or any of the earlier remasters, including the MFSL's. So, once I realized what I was actually hearing, I've dismissed "harshness" for what I believe are distorted passages in the original recordings, greatly amplified in the K2 mastering.

In addition, I found a bit more detail in the K2HD's over the original K2's; it's very VERY slight, and it is there to be heard, but probably only if you have really good gear/interconnects/speakers, or great headphones.

I've also seen original-ELP/K2-owners bad-mouthing the K2HD's, but primarily in eBay ads where they're attempting to jettison their K2's, so consider the source. It's expensive, replacing K2 catalogs (ELP, Kinks, Costello, Creedence, Focus, Rundgren & PFM, to name a few) with K2HD's (especially if you don't know how to pre-order them at the cheapest prices directly from Japan prior to release), but I suck it up and don't complain about it.

So, at least for the ELP catalog, I'm a K2HD guy, and I'm sticking with them. Inevitably, there will be someone with one of the umpteen other remastered versions who will disagree with me, and that's fine, because I'm stating my own opinions and personal preferences, and I welcome the discourse.

Lastly, however, a piece of advice: All Japanese mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, so if you're even tempted to pick up one to compare, don't wait until they're OOP and +$50 on eBay. As of this writing, there are still reasonably-priced ELP K2HD's out there (and even greater deals on the older K2's!).

And I will take those fabulous Japanese original album sleeve replications over their jewel-boxed counterparts any day of the week. It's tré-kewl having an actual album cover collection again, albeit in miniature!

Link to the K2HD version of Tarkus.

5 out of 5 stars what a great listen.......2007-05-03

Emerson, Lake and Palmer once again gives the world another satisfying listen. Again, the keyboards are everywhere, just like on the debut. This time, though, they sort of changed gears and gave us some shorter and catchier tunes on Side 2.

The first half of the album is one GIANT medley of keyboards. It's really surprising to me how, even before I got into lengthy prog pieces and jams, I was STILL able to enjoy this song. It's because the band knows how to make their jams melodic and interesting. That was something they did very well back in the day.

It's a shame most people ignore the shorter songs on the second side of the album. There's some good stuff there, and entirely worth hearing if you're a fan of the band.

5 out of 5 stars A Landmark Prog Gem Gets Remastered Right!.......2007-04-26

I admit it,I don't know what a "tarkus" is,other than that tankadillo thing on the cover that,according to its gatefold painting,hatches from its volcano,destroys some beasts in its path,faces ELP's mascot manticore and the slides in some unknown state.(Or something like that.)The 20-minute track depicting this saga is such an involved,intense,mesmerising experience that don't have to follow the convoluted story to get hooked and exhilarated in the process.The second half isn't as tight as the biggie that took up a whole LP side(the 50's-rock thowaway closer "Are You Ready Eddy" being the main thorn on its side),songs like the sinister "Bitches Crystal","A Time And A Place" and "The Only Way(Hymn) with its companion piece "Infinite Space(Conclusion)are all strong on their own.Like its other Shout! reissue Emerson, Lake & Palmer,the remastering is a big improvment over the outdated 80s and 90s masters.Despite the lack of bonus tracks,fans of ELP or prog-rock shouldn't hesitate to pick up-or upgrade with-this reasonably-priced gem.
Pictures at an Exhibition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Remastered "Pictures" Done Right!
 Pictures at an Exhibition

Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Trilogy
  2. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  3. Tarkus
  4. Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969
  5. Brain Salad Surgery

ASIN: B000OPO6UQ
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

  1. Promenade
  2. The Gnome
  3. Promenade
  4. The Sage
  5. The Old Castle
  6. Blues Variations
  7. Promenade
  8. The Hut Of Baba Yaga
  9. The Curse Of Baba Yaga
  10. The Hut Of Baba Yaga
  11. Medley: The Great Gates Of Kiev/The End
  12. Nutrocker

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Remastered "Pictures" Done Right!.......2007-06-27

Prog-rock supertrio ELP didn't just turn long-deceased Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky's music into rock,they turned him into a rock star.Before this came out,most people were only aware of the classical composer's music in the form of his "Night On Bald Mountain" via Disney's "Fantasia".Most people had never heard of the "Pictures At An Exhibition" suite until ELP's version and 'yes,found their way into a deeper interest in and appreciation for classical forms through this experience.What matters now is how well ELP's interpretation holds up 35 years later.This Shout! reissue,like Emerson, Lake & Palmer,Tarkus and Trilogy,is a major improvment sound quality-wise over the weak Atlantic,Victory and Rhino versions.At a reasonable price,no ELP or prog-rock fan should hesitate to upgrade with this remastered jewel.
Works, Vol. 1
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This album makes you feel bad...
  • Details on this reissue here
  • ELP reaches the heights of self-indulgence (and it works)
 Works, Vol. 1
Lake & Palmer Emerson
Manufacturer: Sanctuary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Works, Vol. 2
  2. Works V.2
  3. Works Live
  4. Tarkus
  5. Pictures at an Exhibition

ASIN: B00064VL1C
Release Date: 2004-12-06

Tracks:

  1. Piano Concerto No. 1: First Movement: Allegro Giojoso/Second Movement: - Keith Emerson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  2. Lend Your Love to Me Tonight - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Greg Lake
  3. C'est La Vie - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Greg Lake
  4. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Greg Lake
  5. Nobody Loves You Like I Do - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Greg Lake
  6. Closer to Believing - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Greg Lake

Tracks:

  1. Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  2. Nights - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  3. New Orleans - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  4. Two Part Invention in D Minor - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  5. Food for Your Soul - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  6. Tank - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Carl Palmer
  7. Fanfare for the Common Man - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  8. Pirates - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  9. Tank [Live][*] - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  10. Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits [*] - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  11. Nutrocker [*] - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Album Description

UK remastered reissue of the progressive rock supergroup's 1977 album with 3 live bonus tracks 'Tank', 'The Enemy God Dances With The Black Spirits' & 'Nutrocker'. 2001.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars This album makes you feel bad..........2006-09-30

... You question the Almighty: why didn't you give ME gifts like you gave these dudes? Why make me a mere mortal? The talent that's exhibited here, both in terms of composition and performance, is simply breath-taking and not a little inducive of life-cursing. Having "lost" this album for some time, I was glad to be able to revisit in the last week. It made me close my eyes and smile. There's some earth-shattering music here, despite what one ignorant (not to mention 'deaf') fellow reviewer would have you believe here in Amazon. For "M. Harris" to say that the Greg Lake side is "like Lucky Man 5-times over" is a mystery and downright unforgiveable ("M." must stand for "Moo"). Look: this may not be the best music that ever happened on the planet earth, but both the music and the lyrics are fresh and inviting. Dig the tasteful nostalgic turn on the accordion by Keith on C'est La Vie (accordion - French - get it?), or the urgency of Greg's delivery on Nobody Loves You Like I Do. How about the evocative mood set by I Believe In You? If this isn't good music, I'll just pack up and listen to bubble gum. And those who say this is "indulgent" - what does that mean? M. Harris didn't like Topographic Oceans either - that says a lot. There are those who haven't the time, or attention span, or intelligence to absorb and digest works of art. Oh well. If "indulgence" means showcasing your God-given ability, let me borrow Mr Lake's words, "Lead me to temptation..."

4 out of 5 stars Details on this reissue here.......2006-02-20

This last great ELP project preceded their rapid decline but itself gets better with age. Emerson's Concerto proves what I always thought, that his compositions are perfectly suited for orchestra. Lake's songs are lovely and show off just how good a ballad singer he is (and what a pop star he is at heart!). Palmer's tracks take the longest to appreciate but are also the most rocking material on the album next to that last superb set of ELP performances, Fanfare... and Pirates. Comparisons to Floyd's Umma Gumma and the Beatles' White Album are fitting, as is the cliché that there's a terrific single album lost within the indulgences of most double albums. But all that's been said before, so my review will concern itself with the specific qualities of this re-issue (the Castle / Sanctuary / Phantom version).

Sound: There's no substantial sound improvement over the original Atlantic release, and though I can't be certain, I believe that this series uses the same remasters that came out on Leadclass / Rhino in the 90s.

Manufacture: Annoyingly, the Emerson Concerto is now burned as a single track, so you can no longer play the three movements separately (unlike on the original Atlantic issue). Worse yet, a glitch noticeable on headphones, also one not on the original version, now appears at the start of Nobody Loves You. Finally, the bonus tracks are good performances but of seriously bootleg quality. They're from the same 1978 US tour concerts as the live tracks on the Works 2 reissue but are much muddier sounding and offer nothing new musically except for a brief bluesy intro to Nutrocker.

Package: As in the rest of the Sanctuary series, the booklet has great pix and informative liner notes, but it no longer offers Peter Sinfield's lyrics or any musician credits at all, hence it's still maddeningly unclear who plays what. In a nutshell, don't buy this version if you already have an earlier release; it's great music in an inferior presentation.

5 out of 5 stars ELP reaches the heights of self-indulgence (and it works).......2005-05-04

"Works, Volume 1" might be one of the most indulgent albums in history, but for my money Emerson, Lake and Palmer carry it off, both individually and collectively. On vinyl when this album came out in 1977 you had each of the progressive (nee classical) rock trio getting one side with the final side being a group effort:

Keith Emerson begins the self-aggrandizement on Disc 1 with his "Piano Concert No. 1," in three movements (I still do not know what Andante Molto Cantabile means, but I suspect I am not along in that regard). Since I have always preferred Emerson on piano rather than synthesizer/organ, I am inclined to like this solo jaunt into the classical realm. The third movement (Toccato con Fuoco) is the best, so there is a strong finish to the entire thing. I should also note that I have been waiting for "Piano Concert No. 2," but to date, no luck in that regard.

Since I have always wanted to have Greg Lake's voice in my rock and roll fantasies, I am gratified that his set of tracks are songs that feature his voice rather than musical pyrotechnics (granted, there are not a lot of opportunities for bass players to display their virtuosity with their instrument, although Chris Squires had some moments with Yes). These are orchestrated songs, rather than the acoustic approach inherent in his two hit singles "Lucky Man" and "Still You Turn Me On," and I think that Lake's vocals on "Lend Me Your Love Tonight," "C'Est Las Vie" and "Closer to Believing" are as fine as anything he has ever recorded, even though the lyrics are pretty inane.

Certainly the Carl Palmer tracks on the first half of Disc 2 feature his drumming skills more so than any previous ELP efforts, ranging from Bach's "Two Part Invention in D Minor" to the driving "The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits" to a remake of "Tank" that best represents the strong jazz influence on several of these tracks. Come to think of it, I do not know if I have really heard a drummer being featured like this since the glory days of Buddy Rich.

The two tracks that comprise the ELP section of the collection are a perfect combination of their best effort at presenting their own version of a classical work, in this case Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," and what may well be their best "suite," the 13-minute "Pirates." Of their earlier attempts at such grandeur, "Pirates" is more reminiscent of "Karn Evil 9" than "Tarkus" or "Trilogy," and has what certainly seems to me to be a strong Copeland influence, which extends beyond the use of a symphonic orchestra. I find the track somewhat amazing simply because who else would ever think about writing something like this first person narrative about being a pirate? It is a very unique piece of work from ELP.

"Works, Volume 1" made it to #12 on the Billboard Pop Charts, which is not bad for something that is both indulgent and a double-album. Final note: "Works, Volume 2" is really just a collection of leftovers and not a continuation of the high standards set in Volume 1, although it does contain their classic holiday single, "I Believe in Father Christmas," which is sufficient justification to add it to your collection.
Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends
    Lake & Palmer Emerson
    Manufacturer: Sanctuary
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Works Live
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    5. Trilogy

    ASIN: B0002HSE18
    Release Date: 2004-09-06

    Tracks:

    1. Hoedown
    2. Jerusalem
    3. Toccata
    4. Tarkus: Eruption/Stone of Years/Iconoclast/Mass/Manticore/Battlefield/E
    5. Take a Pebble/Still...You Turn Me On/Lucky Man

    Tracks:

    1. Piano Improvisations: Fugue/Little Rock Getaway
    2. Take a Pebble (Conclusion)
    3. Medley: Jeremy Bender/The Sheriff [Medley]
    4. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression/2nd Impression/3rd Impression

    Album Description

    Full title 'Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends - Ladies and Gentleman'. UK reissue of 1974 live album, digitally remastered from the original tapes. Two CDs in a slimline double jewel case. 2001 release.

    Album Details

    Digitally Remastered Edition. In the Wake of the Successful Tour Behind their "Brain Salad Surgery" Album, Elp Recorded These Monumental Shows for What was Originally a Triple LP Set, Now a Double CD. Includes Songs from all of their Early Albums.
    Brain Salad Surgery
    Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    • Still Wrong
    		 Brain Salad Surgery
    Lake & Palmer Emerson
    Manufacturer: Sanctuary
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000IY0G4S
    Release Date: 2006-11-20

    Tracks:

    1. Jerusalem
    2. Toccata
    3. Still...You Turn Me On
    4. Benny the Bouncer
    5. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 1
    6. 1st Impression, Pt. 2
    7. 2nd Impression
    8. 3rd Impression

    Album Description

    Limited Edition reissue of this 1973 album comes packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. In the '70s, ELP were THE Progressive supergroup at the time and their musical flamboyancy was embraced and accepted by Prog fans, Hard Rock fans and anybody with an FM radio nearby. Features plenty of rare bonus tracks including a medley of song excerpts originally only released on flexidisc. If you're looking for an album that defines a musical era, then this is the one. Castle. 2006.

    Album Details

    2006 Digitally Remastered Edtion of the Trio's Debut Release on their Own Manticore Label. This was an Extravagant Concept Album, Regarded as their Most Ambitious Studio Work.

    Customer Reviews:

    2 out of 5 stars Still Wrong.......2007-02-10

    This is still the wrong mix of this album. Hopefully, Shout! Factory will find the correct master.
    Brain Salad Surgery
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • what can I say?
    • Very good even if...
    • Sheer, talented genious...
    • ELP - At Their Peak
    • I'm Perfect, Are You?
    		 Brain Salad Surgery
    Emerson Lake & Palmer
    Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B0000033TE
    Release Date: 1996-07-16

    Tracks:

    1. Jerusalem
    2. Toccata
    3. Still...You Turn Me On
    4. Benny The Bouncer
    5. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression-Part 1
    6. Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression-Part 2
    7. Karn Evil 9: 2nd Impression
    8. Karn Evil 9: 3rd Impression
    9. The Making Of Brain Salad Surgery

    Amazon.com

    With orchestral swells and symphonic arrangements, Emerson Lake & Palmer put the Prague in '70s progressive rock. There was something of that dark, European artistry in their compositions that always made their music more grandiose than their stateside counterparts. Brain Salad Surgery was a conductor's wet dream. Works like the "Impression" study in four movements were epic to the nth degree. Influenced by Mussorgsky and Stravinsky, ELP wreaked havoc with the conventions of what rock and classical music could and could not be. In typical fashion, the trio included one highly accessible cut, in this case the haunting "Still... You Turn Me On." The CD also contains the enigmatic favorite, "Karn Evil 9." --Steve Gdula

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars what can I say?.......2007-05-19

    What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said?

    This is one of the best rock albums ever and should be in anyone's collection. You know the songs, you know the lyrics, you know the great art work done by HR Giger and you know the legacy attached to this great album.

    SO, buy this if you do not have it. If you have this listen to it again (like I am right now) and let it take you again.

    4 out of 5 stars Very good even if..........2007-04-17

    Even if I am not a die hard fan, one must admit that this album is really great and played by amazing musicians.
    Keith Emerson, what a keyboard player !
    This is ELP at its best.

    5 out of 5 stars Sheer, talented genious..........2007-03-02

    This is one of my favorite all time albums, as is the case with almost every ELP release. This is one group that you can't easily go wrong with.

    'Brain Salad Surgery' doesn't seem to stay in one place for very long, but every category that it touches, it does so with exceptional precision, originality, and taste. 'Brain Salad Surgery' generally has a dark, damp vibe throughout. Even though most of these songs are very heavily concentrated on Palmer's extremely elaborate and creative work on the keys, there is (as always) more than plenty to keep you interested. This is one of those albums that is extremely technically intricate, but still listenable enough to say, read a book, or go to sleep to. A top notch preformance and a definate must-have for anyone looking for something experimental, well crafted, and very pleasant to listen to.

    5 out of 5 stars ELP - At Their Peak.......2007-02-12

    Just about anyone who is a fan of classic progressive rock probably already owns this album. It is considered one of the all time classics of the genre and from a commercial standpoint was ELP's high water mark. The single from the album "Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2" (can you imagine a single with that title today?), with it's famous opening line "Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends" is still played in sports stadiums and on highlight reels throughout the world to this day. Some fans say this is the band's best work, some don't. For critics this album contained everything that they hated about prog rock. Bombast, pomp, epics, long instrumental excursions, and sci fi lyrics, it's all here. The album starts out with a cover of the British classic hymn "Jerusalem". This is followed by "Toccata" which is an adaptation of Ginastera's 1st Piano Concerto, 4th Movement. The highlight of this piece is Carl Palmer's use of what was then pioneering percussion synthesizers. At the time no one else was doing anything like this. Greg Lake's "Still You Turn Me On" is next, serving as a very cool little ballad as only Lake can sing them. "Benny The Bouncer" is a throwaway track with honky tonk piano. Then the band get out the big guns for the almost 30 minute "Karn Evil 9" that tells the story of the battle of man vs. machine. This is ELP at their best with the incredible keys work of Keith Emerson, the frenetic percussion of Carl Palmer, and the churning bass and vocals of Greg Lake. Lake even throws in a rare electric guitar solo. Listing to this today it all sounds a bit dated, but at the time this was ground breaking stuff. If you ask ELP fans it is usually a tossup between "Karn Evil 9" and "Tarkus" as to which is the band's masterwork. If you are not familiar with ELP and are looking to explore them this would be a good place to start.

    5 out of 5 stars I'm Perfect, Are You?.......2007-01-31

    The perfect progressive rock masterpiece just got better, with a better sound and an interview about the making of the album and meeting Swiss artist Giger. Karn Evil 9 is the best prog song of all time and is worth the price of admission here. All 30 minutes of Karn Evil 9 must be played
    LOUD!
    Emerson, Lake & Powell
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • ELPowell is worth the time
    • ELP is not a surrogate for .... ELP
    • Now were talking! Welcome back Keith
    • As good as vintage ELP....
    • A Different ELP
    		 Emerson, Lake & Powell
    Lake & Powell Emerson
    Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000001FJR
    Release Date: 1990-10-25

    Tracks:

    1. The Score
    2. Learning To Fly
    3. The Miricle
    4. Touch and Go
    5. Love Blind
    6. Step Aside
    7. Lay Down Your Guns
    8. Mars, The Bringer Of War
    9. The Loco-Motion
    10. Vacant Possession

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars ELPowell is worth the time.......2007-05-14

    ELPowell features a band that is really only 2/3 ELP. Drummer Carl Palmer was off with ASIA when this album was made, but thunderous drummer Cozy Powell sat in with positive effects. This album is worth purchasing if you like ELP because the old ELP sound is definitely present. While Powell is no Carl Palmer, that is no insult as few drummers are (Stewart Copeland is the only one close in my view). And Powell does a great job, along with the great vocals from Greg Lake and the untouchable keyboards of Keith Emerson. Furthermore, there was at least one classic hit on this album- "Touch & Go."

    4 out of 5 stars ELP is not a surrogate for .... ELP.......2007-02-20

    With the P now standing for heavyrock drummer Cozy Powell instead of original bandmember Carl Palmer, whose drum and percussiontechniques are no match for Powell, Emerson teames up again with Lake after a hiatus of almost 7 years and desintegrating after the final album "Love Beach" (with its horrible name and cover). Always known for their brand of technorock they do just that on this 1986 titleless album and with great effort. Original 8 strong tracks, 7 of them own compositions by the band nucleus (strangly all the music is credited to Emerson solely, with Lake getting those for the lyrics, joined by Steve Gould on "Lay Down Your Guns" - slightly reminiscent of the later ELP "Black Moon" albumtrack "Farewell to Arms" - while Powell is left out totally) with the addition of an adaption from Holst's magnum opus, the classical 'Planets': "Mars, The Bringer Of War", the new ELP offered the fans a fine piece of music that filled the gap between the bandsend in 1979 and the reunion in the beginning of the nineties. Every song is a classic in it self. From the epic "The Score" and the grandiose "The Miracle" to the equal strong melodic "Learning to Fly" to the mighty "Touch and Go" (later covered by the "real" ELP on the 4 CD boxset "The Return of the Manticore" and live on "Now and Then" as a tribut to the than late Powell) and the jazzy "Step Aside". There is no real weak material, no fillers (never has on any ELP album, at least to my opinion) although the second halve of the disc is somewhat lesser. But everything falls in place, this album can stand against anyone the original ELP has released before. Not only that, it is stronger in fact than say "Works vol. 2" which was not an entire bandalbum. As far as I know this ELP Mark II has been playing live and of course songs from this album were included in the set, some concertmaterial is (was?) available through the website of Emerson. Anyway, this certainly is a fine return to form and sadly no following up was recorded or at least released. The later "Power of 3" with Palmer on the drumstool but without Lake pales to this collection. The latterday CD offers 2 bonustracks, the wellknown Goffin/King "Loco-Motion", made famous (twice a number one hit) by Little Eva and of all groups Grand Funk Railroad, but sounds out of place here as an uninspired instrumental. it lacks convincion. The other added outtake "Vacant Posession" makes things up. But even without those extras this album is a true classic progrockalbum which 20 years after its release stills sounds fresh.

    5 out of 5 stars Now were talking! Welcome back Keith.......2007-01-31

    This is classic 70's ELP recorded in 1986. I'm surprised more proggers don't know about it. I'll put it in the top 3 ELP albums of all time after Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery and thats a high recommendation.

    5 out of 5 stars As good as vintage ELP...........2006-06-16

    As we well know, Emerson and Lake decided to reunite sans Carl Palmer, who had contractual obligations with Asia, a vastly inferior band. Many ELP junkies do not really care for this album, but I digress strongly. I think it's as good as anything they put out. There's not one bad song on this entire album. The Touch and Go single is really good. It sounds like ELP, but still sounds modern enough and new. Cozy Powell acquits himself quite well with Emerson and Lake. Powell is not Palmer, but he doesn't pretend to be. He has a more heavy metal style to his drumming, but he was one of the best, most solid British drummers out there, doing time in Rainbow and Dio, among other projects. Considering this album was made in the 80's, when progressive rock was officially (at least in the eyes of critics) a "dinosaur", it's cool that ELP started with a 9 minute track (The Score), and ended with an adaptation of Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War. Despite having a record company that would have liked them to be blatantly commercial, their intelligence shone through anyway. This albums is very good, vastly superior to Emerson and Palmer's album 3, the follow up to this sans Greg Lake (replaced by Robert Berry). Excellent stuff....

    2 out of 5 stars A Different ELP.......2006-03-24

    This album came out in 1986, a time where lots of reverb and synths were commonplace in many pop songs. With this album, ELP (with Cozy Powell on drums here) tried to take a similar track that Yes took three years earlier. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but when listening to this album, one can't help but feel a lack of inspiration in many of the songs. The single, "Touch and Go", is just about perfect - great lyrics, catchy melodies, and just a powerful vibe overall. Unforunately, the rest of the record does not follow suit. There is a lot of good musicianship here, but it just feels very bland, and there is so much reverb in the mix, the sound almost feels distant. But, despite all these flaws, there are prog elements all over the record, the band is still keyboards/bass/drums/vocals, and even the first song breaks nine minutes. In addition, this was probably the last record where Greg Lake had great vocal delivery. So why does this album get only two stars? Simply because of the fact that it just doesn't have the same sense of wonder and fantasy that the older records had. Sometimes a change in direction is good for a band, but for ELP, it was a turn for the worse.

    Rock Music:

    1. Escape [Import]
    2. Fifth [Import] [Original recording remastered]
    3. Fire Fire [Import] [Original recording remastered]
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