Emerson, Lake & Palmer Album: “Extended Versions (BMG)”

Although the low price looks enticing, this ELP compilation set really doesn't present anything incredibly outstanding. Most of these extended tracks can be heard on the 1974 "Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends" concert disc. I just bought this special edition album, and "Piano Improvisations" by Keith Emerson, a highly allegro version of his "Piano Concierto #1" from "Works Vol. I", was the only track that made this set worthwhile.

Buy at your own risk...

This is a budget priced, truncated reissue of the King Biscuit two CD release. Because it is a budget reissue, the notation on the cover and even on the inside is practically non-existent. Only the words "Recorded Live" under the track listing on the back gives you some idea of what you are buying. This upsets the long time fans (see other reviews) and confuses the casual fan. But I won't rate this set on packaging, because it is a superb set. I found it for $5 in a discount bin. The mastering of the CD is good and the performance is excellent. If you're in the mood for some Works era live ELP and don't want to spend much, seek this out at your local discount store.

I was able to pick this compilation up for 99 cents - in fact, I don't think I would have paid a cent more. The tracks were culled from the Works tour, some of which can be found on the live record In Concert (1979) and the Works Live CD. Not a single track is "extended", which has me scratching my head over the title of this release. Notwithstanding, this release fulfilled my need to travel down memory lane and pick up some live ELP from the late 1970s - I actually liked the In Concert record back in the day.

The overall feel of this compilation is a bit flat and emotionless - a lot of the tracks are instrumental and the track sequence is lousy. My biggest gripe, however, is that the excellent composition Pirates is not represented here. In my opinion, this is the finest piece of music that ELP wrote post-Brain Salad Surgery (1973). I enjoyed the five minute snippet of Emerson's Piano Concerto, The Enemy God, and the adaption of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. Fanfare for the Common Man was always exciting to listen to and at nearly nine minutes in length, it is the longest track on the compilation (the remaining tracks are in the 2-6 minute range). I was not too thrilled with Lake's "unplugged" versions of Lucky Man, Still...You Turn Me On, and Watching Over You though.

This compilation is about as bare bones as it gets and is only 40 minutes long. The CD insert consists of a single piece of paper with just the track listing. The sound quality is not bad.

I share the fan's sentiment that this is about as low as it gets from the perspective of deceptive marketing - BMG must be desperate. Still, the compilation is really cheap so all is not lost. In that my crazed ELP fan days are 30 years behind me, and the fact that I did not like the studio albums Works Vol. I or II that much, this cheap little live CD suited my needs perfectly. Recommended to casual fans that do not own any of the late 1970's material, or even the new fan on a budget - there is actually a nice cross section of the ELP style on this compilation.

If ever there was a "worst of" disc, this would have to be it. Who is putting this stuff out and, more importantly, who is spending their hard earned money to buy it? Washed up, burned out, needy, greedy. Sad to say, this band was one of my favorites in the 70's.

I think I'm one of the oldest fans of ELP. I've been listening to their music since I was a little kid (I'm 47, now), and I can assure you that this CD contains the very best of ELP (assuming that it's physically impossible to put more songs on it). Don't hesitate! It's a must have...