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#11 in US (Dec 73) |
YOU BASTARDS!!! (Dec 73) |
| Brain Salad Surgery, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in December, 1973. ELPfan 09's rating: 10/10 |
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This album is known as ELP's defining moment. It is quite understandable, given all of the pure genius on this record. It all starts out with the band's arrangement of the hymn "Jerusalem" by Hubert Parry and William Blake. This good Anglocan hymn is set to keyboard, guitar and drums to excellent results.
"Toccata," an adaption of Alberto Ginastera's 1st Piano Concerto, 4th Movement, is another great arrangement. In addition to the use of keyboard synthesizers, this song also feature one of the earliest, if not the first, use of drum synthesizers during the percussion solo. In one work, "KICK ASS!" The live version on Welcome... is also a great performance.
"Still...You Turn Me On" and "Benny the Bouncer" follow in the ballad and honky-tonk styles of earlier albums. "Benny" also features the first use of lyticist Peter Sinfield, who worked with Lake while in King Crimson.
The centerpiece of the album is the epic "Karn Evil 9." The 1st impression is an attempt at group counterpoint, and it features the well know line "Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends." Sinfield also worked with Lake on the lyrics on "Karn Evil 9." The 2nd impression features the piano and percussion talents of Emerson and Palmer. The 3rd impression deals with the prolific theme of computer control over humanity. All of this combines into one of the greatest progressive epics to ever be written and performed. Just super.
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