b o b

This album kind of creeped up on me. When I first bought it, I wasn't too impressed so it got filed away and forgotten. Much later, after hearing all the other ELP albums, I pulled this one back out and realized what a good disc it is. In fact, it's now one of my favorites from ELP. The album is split into three "song" tracks and three "showcase" tracks (one for each band member). Of the songs, "The Barbarian" and "Lucky Man" are great. I have to admit to being a little tired of the latter after hearing it on classic rock radio dozens of times, but Emerson's twiddly keyboard bit at the end still makes me smile. The other song track, "Knife-Edge", seems a bit too repetitive and dull to me. On to the showcase tracks: "Take a Pebble" includes a lengthy middle section where Lake noodles around on acoustic guitar. As usual, Lake is the weak point - the album really bogs down during his solo. "The Three Fates" is a fantastic keyboard extravaganza from Emerson, featuring an organ section, a piano solo section and a piano trio section. "Tank" is a full band instrumental which makes good use of Palmer's energetic style and includes a drum solo section. If you're new to Emerson, Lake and Palmer, you may as well start at the beginning. The first album makes as good a starting point as any, and you could certainly do a lot worse. review by Bob Eichler — undated —

j o n f

Emerson, Lake and Palmer's debut album was in many ways their most interesting; there seems to be have been very little development after this release, just refinement of the existing elements. Both extremes of ELP, instrumental bombast and and syrupy ballad, are present here: while "The Barbarian" may be the noisiest piece the trio ever recorded, "Lucky Man" ranks among their very lightest. Greg Lake's vocals on "Knife-Edge" indeed have a great edge to them, reminding me of his work on King Crimson's debut. Carl Palmer plows his way through his percussion parts with precision and energy, while Keith Emerson bangs away again and again at his keyboards and organ. Those that complain that ELP are too pretentious or over-the-top seem to miss the point; yes, these guys will suffocate you with their machismo, but that's precisely the charm of this type of music (for me, at least). Emerson, Lake and Palmer is a classic of progressive rock, and in my mind is second only to Trilogy in the band's catalog. Be warned, though, not all versions are created equal: the original Atlantic release should be avoided, if possible, for the minimal liner notes and bland sound. review by Jon Fry — undated —

c o n r a d

Emerson, Lake and Palmer's debut album brought together three virtuoso musicians and set about making a showcase for their talents. The result is therefore a little disjointed in places, with each member very deliberately being given his time in the spotlight. There are, however, moments when all three musicians act beautifully together and indicate why the group went on to become such a phenomenal success. Of course, it's Keith Emersons keyboards that make this album. "Tank", ostensibly a piece to show off Carl Palmer's drumming, is most memorable for the keyboard work at the start and end of it. The piano on "Take a Pebble" is absolutely glorious and ranks among the best of anything that appears on an ELP album. About the only place where the keyboards are a detriment is at the end of "Lucky Man," where the moog solo is not in the spirit of the rest of the song. Greg Lake's vocals aren't the worst he's done, and both "Lucky Man" and "Take a Pebble" profit from his wistful tone. His lyrics also avoid sinking to the stunning depths of some later albums, but they aren't exactly as high art as he aims for. On the whole this is a very good album with a couple of flat patches, the odd interlude about five minutes into "Take a Pebble" being one of them. In fact, none of the first five ELP albums are without their weak spots, and yet they form a very impressive body of work. While the album doesn't have the same power as Brain Salad Surgery, it still sits very comfortably among ELP's best work. review by Conrad Leviston — 4-1-03 —

s e a n

The first album from Emerson, Lake and Palmer must have been an absolute revelation. The first keyboard trio, ELP brought together three variant forces and allowed them to wreak havoc together. The album contains a lot of things which the band would become known for throughout their career. "Barbarian" is based on a piece by Bartok, while "Knife Edge" takes its cues from Janacek. "The Three Fates" allows Emerson to demonstrate his extreme virtuosity, "Lucky Man" is a typical Lake ballad (with a fairly awkward moog solo at the end) and ended up being the song the band is remembered by in the classic rock world, while "Tank" is the showcase for Palmer's percussive prowess. The most successful song from my vantage point is "Take a Pebble", with its lengthy piano solo between the vocal bookends. Sometimes it seems like the album isn't a unified effort, as there is a sense of "Here is Lake's part, and now it's Emerson's part, and now Palmer's...". They seem to have never really gotten over that, although they improve on later albums. ELP was one of the most important bands of the progressiev rock era in terms of influence. This album is a suitable demonstration of their strengths, while limiting the visibility of their weaknesses. A good introduction to the band, then, for those who still need one. review by Sean McFee — undated —

j o e

Banding together three virtuosos from the British rock scene to form one of the first true 'supergroups,' ELP burst onto the popular music scene in 1970. My personal favorites here are "Knife-Edge" (a classic of the prog genre) and Emerson's showcase instrumental "The Three Fates," both of which show the band pulling off music with some convincing degree of menace. I also really like "Tank" (with a clavinet-drenched opening that has the charm of a 70s detective show) despite Palmer's sadistically boring drum solo midway through and the rather cheezy synth sounds at closing. "Lucky Man," a delicate pop number that remains one of the band's biggest hits, is a bit marred by Emerson's out-of-place moog freak out at the end of the song. Although less refined and polished than later efforts, ELP's debut actually benefits considerably from that fact, and it's as solid a representation as any of their thoroughly over-the-top, bombastic sound. As Carl Palmer would later say: "We're not a straighforward rock band- we are a saber-rattling band!" review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —