"Works Vol. 1" Works
Alan Caylow | USA | 11/17/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"For 1977's "Works Volume 1," Emerson Lake & Palmer take a page from Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma" album by releasing a similar double album, with three parts solo material from each band member and one part group material. And, for the most part, it works. Keyboardist Keith Emerson is first up with his "Piano Concerto #1," recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Although it rambles in places, there's definitely some excellent bits sprinkled throughout it. Not bad for your first concerto, Keith! Next is singer/bassist Greg Lake, who delivers a great quintet of songs, including the gorgeous, haunting "C'est La Vie" (you can just picture Greg singing this outside somewhere with a gusty wind blowing leaves all around him), and the playful swagger of "Hallowed Be Thy Name." Then drummer Carl Palmer steps up to the plate with six percussion pieces, my favorites being Carl's drumkit assaults on "L.A. Nights" and "Food For Your Soul," and the incredibly funky "New Orleans" (he also includes a remake of the ELP fave "Tank," which is cool). Finally the trio join forces at the album's end with two instant ELP classics: their totally rockin' rendering of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare For The Common Man" (you know you've heard it on *some* TV sports program during your life, most likely football), and their classy 13 minute suite-with-orchestra, "Pirates," which easily brings to your mind images of adventures on the high seas, shiver me timbers & yo ho ho. It may not be the conventional way for a band to make an album---and the band were obviously splintering in more ways than one at this point---but Emerson Lake & Palmer's "Works Volume 1" works very well. Diehard ELP followers should definitely add this one to the collection."
It Works For Me
K. Lewis | OZ | 01/31/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Keith composes a Piano Concerto that is very pro and enjoyable. - A+
Greg has a side of his "romantic" and "black humor" tunes he wrote with Sinfield. - A-
Carl does a side with Joe Walsh with some instrumental works that are nothing special and a pointless re-recording of Tank , however he does well with the classical Enemy God - C+
ELP 'comeback' with the Yamaha GX1 instead of the Hammond Organ on the brilliant Fanfare and the epic Pirates - A+"