01	The Barbarian						04:33
	02	Take A Pebble						12:33
	03	Knife Edge						05:11
	04	The Three Fates						07:45
	05	Tank						06:53
	06	Lucky Man						04:37

E.L.P. "EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER" - 1970

Keith Emerson - keyboards
Greg Lake - vocals, bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Carl Palmer - drums, percussion


The Barbarian {Emerson/Lake/Palmer} (4:33)
Take A Pebble {Lake} (12:34)
Knife-Edge {Emerson/Lake/Fraser} (5:08)
The Three Fates (7:45)
Clotho (Royal Festival Hall Organ) {Emerson}
Lachesis (Piano Solo) {Emerson}
Atropos (Piano Trio) {Emerson}
Tank {Emerson/Palmer} (6:52)
Lucky Man {Lake} (4:36)
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Николай Алексеенко: До объединения в это трио с незамысловатым названием, и Эмерсон, и Лейк, и Палмер уже были весьма известны среди любителей музыки. 26-летний Кейт Эмерсон до этого 2 года был фактическим лидером группы The Nice, специализировавшейся, в основном, на обработках шедевров классики (Баха, Сибелиуса, Дворака, Чайковского), но и имевшей небезынтересный материал полностью собственного сочинения. Помимо композиторского таланта и потрясающей виртуозности, Эмерсон прославился также своей дикой неуемностью на сцене: во время выступлений он прыгал через свой орган, молотил по нему всем, чем только можно. При этом остальные участники The Nice были на вторых ролях и Эмерсону было явно недостаточно их мастерства. 23-летний Грег Лейк, отличный вокалист и гитарист, принимал самое непосредственное участие в создании и записи первого альбома группы King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King", однако после американского турне покинул ее из-за разногласий с коллегами, записав для второго их диска лишь вокальную партию. 22-летний Карл Палмер до прихода в ELP барабанил недолго в группе Atomic Rooster. Такой удачный состав энергичных музыкантов-виртуозов представил слушателям на первом же своем диске абсолютно неожиданный, уникальный, великолепный материал. Трое музыкантов путем аккуратной работы Эмерсона с синтезатором звучали как целый оркестр. Пять отличнейших дисков-шедевров, выпущенных за четыре года с 70 по 73, безусловно поставили группу в ряд Титанов Арт-Рока, сделав ее возможно даже лучшей среди всех, или по крайней мере одной из лучших. Надо заметить, что ELP имели тогда также ошеломительный массовый успех. У ELP самое "классическое" звучание из арт-групп первой категории, они превзошли The Nice по уровню обработок классики, значительно улучшился также и собственный материал.

Лично я считаю этот дебютный альбом группы вообще лучшим в ее дискографии. Но невозможно выделить лучшую вещь на диске - все демонстрируют предельную красоту и эмоциональность в сочетании с безупречным мастерством (может быть, Knife-Edge и Lucky Man выглядят послабее других). Открывает его "The Barbarian" - потрясающая обработка "Allegro Barbaro" Бартока - жесткая, грозная, быстрая композиция, при этом предельно красивая. Эмерсон оставил ее почти без отклонений от оригинала. Далее идет 13-минутная сюита "Take A Pebble" - она начинается и завершается вокальными балладными частями, но в середине есть и джазовые, и фолковые моменты, и цитаты из Баха, причудливо переплетенные. "Knife-Edge" - звучание такое же жесткое, как на первом треке диска, но уже не "классическое", а прямолинейно "хард-роковое", хотя основная мелодия взята из "Синфониетты" Леоша Яначека. На второй половине диска - материал исключительно собственный. Персональный триумф Эмерсона на органе и фортепиано - инструментальная "The Three Fates". "Tank" содержит в себе длинное, крайне техничное соло Палмера, обрамленное отличной игрой всей группы. Завершает же диск неожиданно простенькая меланхолическая баллада Лейка "The Lucky Man", которая воспринимается как отдых после мощного интеллектуального штурма остальным материалом альбома.

Оценка: безусловно 10 баллов из 10.






Emerson, Lake & Palmer
self-titled
Rhino Records (R2 72223)
UK 1970

Keith Emerson, keyboards; Greg Lake, bass, vocals; Carl Palmer, drums

Tracklist:
1. The Barbarian - 4:28
2. Take a Pebble - 12:27
3. Knife-Edge - 5:05
4. The Three Fates - 7:43
a. Clotho
b. Lachesis
c. Atropos
5. Tank - 6:47
6. Lucky Man - 4:37

total time 41:08


bob

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.


jon 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.
undated


conrad

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.

4-1-03

sean

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.


joe

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!"





Emerson Lake and Palmer - Emerson Lake and Palmer
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Release Date: 1970
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Track Listing
1) The Barbarian
2) Take A Pebble
3) Knife Edge
4) The Three Fates
a ) Clotho-Royal Festival Hall Organ
b) Lachesis-Piano Solo
c) Atropolis-Piano Trio
5) Tank
6) Lucky Man

Member: Thekouderwunz

In the latter part of 1969, while touring together in the US, keyboard virtuoso Keith Emerson, while with The Nice, had crossed paths with Greg Lake, whom had expressed his disillusionment with the touring and the musical direction of King Crimson and had announced that he would be leaving the band after its American tour.

In Early 1970 with the addition of the flashy Carl Palmer (whom had left the famous Atomic Rooster some time before), the three men known simply as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, went on to form what would be progressive rock's first "supergroup".

The first album also eponymously named after the group, is an album unlike anything they would ever do together again. The music on Emerson, Lake & Palmer is more of a subdued effort in comparison to later releases from ELP, which is combination of the work that all three members did with their former bands, which is a stunning mixture of ELP's love of Psychedelia, Jazz, Folk and Classical music.

Borrowing from classical composers, Bela Bartok "The Barbarian" and Janacek's "Sinfonietta" which would be adapted into the band's "Knife-Edge" (which would go on to become an FM classic) would be amongst the band's greatest songs, but the band negative attributes also were prevalent here, such as the bombastic classic "Tank" (includes a drum solo by Carl, which would then be ruined by a silly psychedelic effect towards the end), Lake's haunting King Crimson-ish "Take A Pebble", which despite being a great song (At least to me) seems to receive the most negative feedback from this album.

More highlights form the album is the single edit, "Lucky Man", a soft piece in vein of Lake's "Take A Pebble", concludes with bizarre Moog solo towards the end, and does not seem at first listen to fit together with the piece, but upon further listening, along with the fading out of the track, is a masterpiece and would also become a FM radio staple.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer might not be true fans of the band's recommendation as a first purchase, but to this reviewer, it seems to be ELP's most accessable work to date.

Charles




Emerson Lake and Palmer - Emerson Lake and Palmer

Released: 1970 / 198? / 1996
Label: Atlantic Records / Rhino
Cat. No.: 19120-2 / R2 72223
Total Time: 41:08


Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, June 2003
The members of Emerson, Lake and Palmer were known quantities when they formed in 1970 - Keith Emerson with The Nice, Greg Lake with King Crimson and Carl Palmer with The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster - which allowed them to hit the ground running when they released their debut, self-titled album in 1970. From that album, perhaps the most widely known track is "Lucky Man," which, I have learned, was a last minute addition to the album. It is, at the very least, one track that non-prog rock fans might associate with the band. Living in the 21st Century, when aside from "Lucky Man," "In The Beginning" and "Karn Evil 9," ELP are rarely heard even on classic radio, it's hard to imagine a time when ELP were big news. Heck, it's hard to imagine a time when progressive rock was big news. And, I'll admit that I was just a young'n when this album was released, coming of age (so to speak) long after the band's and progressive rock's heyday was essentially over. But maybe, after all this time, this is the approach to take. How well does Emerson Lake and Palmer wear after 33 years? Does it seem quaint? Or does it still stand as a solid suite of music.

As much as I like Greg Lake's voice, which has very nearly always been warm and inviting, it is the keyboard work of Emerson and drumming of Palmer that I like most about this album. There is great interplay between Emerson and Palmer, evident in the opening track "The Barbarian," which is reminiscent of the ELP heard later on Pictures At An Exhibition - a harsh, distorted, heavy and angular sound, though Emerson's playing is much less percussive than on Tarkus. In "Take A Pebble," Emerson's playing is lyrical, showing his appreciation for some of the greatest modern classical pianists. Lake does very well with the mellow vocal delivery that bookends this piece, and here his musing, humming bass is a good compliment to Emerson. Palmer's percussion snaps and snickers beautifully. This middle section of "Take A Pebble" shows that, had they gone in a different direction, we'd be talking of ELP as a jazz trio. The feeling that this piece leaves you with is reverent silence, as live I imagine that listeners were mesmerized into a respectful hush. I do feel the piece is, overall overlong, but it's well worth listening through the whole thing. There is a segment with a country-western feel that foreshadows in some ways their later rendition of Copeland's "Hoedown."

The beefier "Knife-Edge" throbs menacingly, and looking at the lyrics, the subject matter has it own grimness. This leads into the three part suite "The Three Fates." The first part, "Clotho" has Emerson playing the dark and throaty Royal Festival Hall Organ which groans and growls in grand and austere style. "Lachesis," the second part, is a rather nice solo piano piece. For the third part, "Atropos," Palmer's drums and Lake on bass are added to the mix, it is Emerson and Palmer that are the forefront. Palmer's drums - the toms and bass, I think - have a hollow, thudding sound, so it bodes well that these are behind Emerson's tinkling piano and Palmer's crashing cymbals and whirling percussion. The piece ends with an explosion - fait accompli?

"Tank" brings Palmer's percussion to the forefront, or so that was the intention, but instead it is Emerson's reedy keys and Lake's bass that dominate the mix: until we reach the middle portion of the piece, where Palmer takes the lead, and then gets to solo: crashing and bashing with both skill and speed - and his kit sounds massive, given the various percussive tones achieved. Out of the solo, the band launch into a passage that initially swings, but is swallowed by distortion, and Emerson's shrieking synths (at time's a little too high pitched for my ears).

Of course, the album ends with "Lucky Man," a track that Lake wrote when he was 12 and suggested to the band when they needed another track to make the album fit the required length. I have long liked the whole feel of this piece, from Lake's soft, warm vocals to his acoustic guitar to Palmer's crisp percussion. Some dislike Emerson's Moog solo that ends the piece, some saying it doesn't fit the rest of the piece. Having heard this hundreds of times now, it's hard for me to say. It has always worked for me.

So, 33 years on, do ELP have anything to regret or cringe about with this album? Is there anything truly dated about it? I'd say some of the organ tones are dated, and yet they are also classic. Maybe Emerson's Moog solos, but you know, on this album, I still think they're cool, so I'd say no. For those just discovering ELP, their beginning is as good a place to start as anywhere, as long as you start before the 80's began. When prog veterans speak positively of ELP, it is of that period 1970 to just about 1977, and usually point to Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery as the gems in the ELP ouvre, with this and Trilogy running close seconds. So basically, if you like one of those four, you should like all of those four.

I've read that the first CD release by Atlantic of Emerson Lake And Palmer had some production issues in terms of sound clarity and dynamics - and I'd agree. So, this being that edition, I won't comment on the sound clarity. It was subsequently re-issued on CD by Rhino Records.

Rating: 4/5

More about Emerson Lake and Palmer:

Track Listing: The Barbarian (4:28) / Take a Pebble (12:27) / Knife-Edge (5:05) / The Three Fates (7:43): a. Clotho - b. Lachesis - c. Atropos / Tank (6:47) / Lucky Man (4:37)

Musicians:
Keith Emerson - keyboards (Hammond B3, Moog)
Greg Lake - bass, vocals, guitar
Carl Palmer - drums and percussion

Contact:

Website: www.emersonlakepalmer.com
Note: will open new browser window

Discography

Emerson Lake and Palmer (1970/198?/1996)
Tarkus (1971)
Pictures At An Exhibition (1972)
Trilogy (1972/198?/1996)
Brain Salad Surgery (1973/198?/1996)
Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends (1974)
Works, Vol. 1 (1977)
Works, Vol. 2 (1977)
Love Beach (1978)
In Concert (1979)
The Best Of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1980)
Black Moon (1992)
Live At The Royal Albert Hall (1992)
The Atlantic Years (1992)
Works Live (1993)
The Return Of The Manticore Box set (1993)
In The Hot Seat (1994)
The Best Of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1994)
Classic Rock (1995)
Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival (1997)
King Biscuit Flower Hour: Greatest Hits Live (1997)
Then & Now (live) (1998)
The Very Best Of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (2000)
The Original Bootleg Series From Manticore Vaults, Volume 1 (2001)
The Original Bootleg Series From Manticore Vaults, Volume 2 (2001)
Live In Poland (2001)
Show That Never Ends (2001)
Live (2002)*
Best Of The Bootlegs (2002)
Solo Anthology (2002)
The Original Bootleg Series From Manticore Vaults, Volume 3 (2002)

*this is of the Isle Of Wight festival, too.

Videography (VID/DVD)

Pictures At An Exhibition (1970/2002)
Welcome Back (1993/2001)
Live At The Royal Albert Hall (1996/2001)
Works Orchestral Tour: Olympic Stadium, Montreal, 1977 (1998)
The Manticore Special (1998)
(broadcast on TV 1973/1974)