Disco de Emerson, Lake & Palmer: “Works, Vol. 1 [Bonus Track]”

This last great ELP project preceded their rapid decline but itself gets better with age. Emerson's Concerto proves what I always thought, that his compositions are perfectly suited for orchestra. Lake's songs are lovely and show off just how good a ballad singer he is -- and what a pop star he is at heart! Palmer's tracks take the longest to appreciate but are also the most rocking material on the album next to that last superb set of ELP performances, Fanfare... and Pirates. Comparisons to Floyd's Umma Gumma and the Beatles' White Album are fitting, as is the cliché that there's a terrific single album lost within the indulgences of most double albums. But all that's been said before, so my review will concern itself with the specific qualities of this re-issue (the Castle / Sanctuary / Phantom version).

Sound: There's no substantial sound improvement over the original Atlantic release, and though I can't be certain, I believe that this series uses the same remasters that came out on Leadclass / Rhino in the 90s.

Manufacture: Annoyingly, the Emerson Concerto is now burned as a single track, so you can no longer play the three movements separately (unlike on the original Atlantic issue). Worse yet, a glitch noticeable on headphones, also one not on the original version, now appears at the start of Nobody Loves You. Finally, the bonus tracks are good performances but of seriously bootleg quality. They're from the same 1978 US tour concerts as the live tracks on the Works 2 reissue but are much muddier sounding and offer nothing new musically except for a brief bluesy intro to Nutrocker.

Package: As in the rest of the Sanctuary series, the booklet has great pix and informative liner notes, but it no longer offers Peter Sinfield's lyrics or any musician credits at all, hence it's still maddeningly unclear who plays what. In a nutshell, don't buy this version if you already have an earlier release; it's great music in an inferior presentation.

"Works, Volume 1" might be one of the most indulgent albums in history, but for my money Emerson, Lake and Palmer carry it off, both individually and collectively. On vinyl when this album came out in 1977 you had each of the progressive (nee classical) rock trio getting one side with the final side being a group effort:

Keith Emerson begins the self-aggrandizement on Disc 1 with his "Piano Concert No. 1," in three movements (I still do not know what Andante Molto Cantabile means, but I suspect I am not along in that regard). Since I have always preferred Emerson on piano rather than synthesizer/organ, I am inclined to like this solo jaunt into the classical realm. The third movement (Toccato con Fuoco) is the best, so there is a strong finish to the entire thing. I should also note that I have been waiting for "Piano Concert No. 2," but to date, no luck in that regard.

Since I have always wanted to have Greg Lake's voice in my rock and roll fantasies, I am gratified that his set of tracks are songs that feature his voice rather than musical pyrotechnics (granted, there are not a lot of opportunities for bass players to display their virtuosity with their instrument, although Chris Squires had some moments with Yes). These are orchestrated songs, rather than the acoustic approach inherent in his two hit singles "Lucky Man" and "Still You Turn Me On," and I think that Lake's vocals on "Lend Me Your Love Tonight," "C'Est Las Vie" and "Closer to Believing" are as fine as anything he has ever recorded, even though the lyrics are pretty inane.

Certainly the Carl Palmer tracks on the first half of Disc 2 feature his drumming skills more so than any previous ELP efforts, ranging from Bach's "Two Part Invention in D Minor" to the driving "The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits" to a remake of "Tank" that best represents the strong jazz influence on several of these tracks. Come to think of it, I do not know if I have really heard a drummer being featured like this since the glory days of Buddy Rich.

The two tracks that comprise the ELP section of the collection are a perfect combination of their best effort at presenting their own version of a classical work, in this case Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," and what may well be their best "suite," the 13-minute "Pirates." Of their earlier attempts at such grandeur, "Pirates" is more reminiscent of "Karn Evil 9" than "Tarkus" or "Trilogy," and has what certainly seems to me to be a strong Copeland influence, which extends beyond the use of a symphonic orchestra. I find the track somewhat amazing simply because who else would ever think about writing something like this first person narrative about being a pirate? It is a very unique piece of work from ELP.

"Works, Volume 1" made it to #12 on the Billboard Pop Charts, which is not bad for something that is both indulgent and a double-album. Final note: "Works, Volume 2" is really just a collection of leftovers and not a continuation of the high standards set in Volume 1, although it does contain their classic holiday single, "I Believe in Father Christmas," which is sufficient justification to add it to your collection.

The mid 70s saw a slew of these types of projects (KISS are perhaps the most famous example) that try and reconcile the need and desire of band members to put out solo material but also try and leverage the marketing strength of the band name. ELP took it a step further by actually combining solo and group efforts under one 4-sided collection (now on 2 CDs). This reissue presents the original double LP, warts and all, plus a few bonus live tracks from the Works tour that are of interest since they were recorded after the band had ditched the orchestra that had been traveling with them and draining their finances. Based on these examples the show was arguably improved as a result. The booklet also chronicles the events surrounding the making of the album in an honest and forthcoming manner. There's little disagreement that this set marks the beginning of the end for ELP, though it certainly has its moments of glory ("Fanfare for the Common Man" in particular) and serious fans should add it to their collection.

... You question the Almighty: why didn't you give ME gifts like you gave these dudes? Why make me a mere mortal? The talent that's exhibited here, both in terms of composition and performance, is simply breath-taking and not a little inducive of life-cursing. Having "lost" this album for some time, I was glad to be able to revisit in the last week. It made me close my eyes and smile. There's some earth-shattering music here, despite what one ignorant (not to mention 'deaf') fellow reviewer would have you believe here in Amazon. For "M. Harris" to say that the Greg Lake side is "like Lucky Man 5-times over" is a mystery and downright unforgiveable ("M." must stand for "Moo"). Look: this may not be the best music that ever happened on the planet earth, but both the music and the lyrics are fresh and inviting. Dig the tasteful nostalgic turn on the accordion by Keith on C'est La Vie (accordion - French - get it?), or the urgency of Greg's delivery on Nobody Loves You Like I Do. How about the evocative mood set by I Believe In You? If this isn't good music, I'll just pack up and listen to bubble gum. And those who say this is "indulgent" - what does that mean? M. Harris didn't like Topographic Oceans either - that says a lot. There are those who haven't the time, or attention span, or intelligence to absorb and digest works of art. Oh well. If "indulgence" means showcasing your God-given ability, let me borrow Mr Lake's words, "Lead me to temptation..."