Pictures At An Exhibition

this is some noodly prog bullshit (positive)

Pictures at and Exhibition ‘Is this a joke, is this some kind of joke?’ I didn’t not enjoy this, but I didn’t quite enjoy it either. It’s not Keith Emerson’s fault that at the time all the noises he was making on his Moog were novel and futuristic, but now they sound completely daft, and they undercut the proggish self importance and seriousness with which they tackle Mussorgsky’s music. This is most egregious on The Gnome, where it also sounds like the bass is imitating springs pinging off the Hammond while Emerson presses ‘space laser’ on his Moog. There’s no questioning the virtuosic skill of ELP, and on the Great Gates of Kiev Greg Lake and Carl Palmer hit a superb groove, and there are moments, when they and Emerson’s organ and vocals come together, that are genuinely fantastic. But then they too often thwart themselves by adding absurd noises or fall into overwrought Prog cliche and melodrama and when you factor in that it's an uneven live recording it all just feels rather silly. I didn’t enjoy Tarkus much, but I would probably be interested in hearing this as a studio album. But as it is I don’t think I’ll come back to it, so I’ll go 2. 🖼️🖼️ Playlist submission: The Great Gates of Kiev

Nutrocker is an exploration of the waltzers. Totally unnecessary live album, ruins the intricacy of the music in how it is meant to be listened. A little indulgent for my taste.

I didn't get it.

I just find this type of prog mostly repulsive. Sorry ELP, it's not (fully) your fault.

I had to listen to Tarkus a week ago. I just can't with this organ. Come on. I imagine them jamming and whichever one of them plays the organ just keeps turning it up until it's just drowning out absolutely everything.

This is a perfect example of why there shouldn't be live albums on the list. Nothing about the fact that this is live improves the album. It's just a recording from some gigs, nothing unique about them. The sound quality suffers and the live aspect adds nothing. I would have definitely enjoyed this more if it was a studio album. 2.5 as it's annoyed me and I would've really liked it if it was not live probably

Noise pollution

feel like aliens are taking me 3

#74 You've gotta be blowin' smoke up my ass with this one, AND it's a live album?? Wtf

It's all the prog nonsense parts of Jethro Tull without the acoustic guitar, flute, and songs.

Very theatrical and whimsical. I listened to the live version on streaming. Sounded improvised at points as well. Shakespearean prog rock.

I like prog rock. I like organs. This was too much of both.

As a Prog enthusiast, I am very familiar with Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This is the type of music that for sure isn't going to be for most people, but it fits my specific brand of autism perfectly. In fact, I understand why Prog works far better than I do Jazz. One is uniform and fun but still gets very crazy, and the other is simply unorganized chaos where everyone is trying to take over as the leader. With how many people still to this day love Jazz, it bugs me that Prog clearly hasn’t achieved the same level of love and understanding, as is evident by the criminally low rating for this album. I prefer Prog, and this album is no exception. It takes a little while to get going, but once you hit “The Old Castle”, it starts picking up steam and blesses your ears with some synthy bangers, then you get to my favorite song right after, “Blues Variation”, which is even trippier, and has an awesome sound to it. My one and biggest complaint with this album is that I don’t understand why it had to be live?? You really aren’t getting anything with the audience but a slight irritation that they’re as present as they are. They also take up a bit too much time with cheering and ruin the flow a bit. Not a lot but it’s a tad obnoxious and worth mentioning at least. Being live, the audio quality also isn’t as good as it could be. That last one’s not a huge issue, but Prog is meant to be enjoyed sounding the best it possibly can. Quite frankly, Tarkus is on the list as well as Pictures At An Exhibition, so it’s a little weird that the ladder is on here at all. I’m not complaining because this is the exact kind of sound that I love, but with all the glaring omissions not included on the list to begin with, I’m pleasantly surprised this one made the cut at all. It is also my first of the 2 E,L&P albums on the list, with my beloved 5 star Tarkus being reviewed some time later, whenever the site lets me listen to it. But for now, I love this album as well, even if I wish it wasn’t live. A 4 out of 5, and I will be returning to it. This might not be everyone’s style of music, but it’s my all time favorite for a reason. It’s fun to listen to and easy to get lost in the music no matter the situation.

un loco hermoso. me gusto. deberia escucharlo sabiendo mas el backstory. creo que primera vez que escucho una orchesta por spotify

Is there a non Live version of this? Cause I could only find a live one. Some decent prog at points but alot of nothing as well. 5/10

70s symphonic rock. Adaption of a classical piece. Loads of synths and organs, prog rock. Wacky. Really interesting, wouldn't listen for pleasure.

Always loved the Mussorgsky, both the piano store and the orchestral setting. Always liked prog rock too. This is somehow less than the sum of its parts. Also it’s a live album.

Interesting and enjoyable. Rather odd this was successful.

I was really into it right up until that lame blues jam. Why does every back from the 60s and 70s need to resort to that overdone and boring shit??? Still, it mostly pulled me back in afterward.

Takes a while to fully get going but once it does it’s a fun ride. Great musicianship on display. Biggest gripe is that there’s not much going on within the music. For a big rock opera spectacle, it expects way too much for the audience to follow its abstract narrative. Makes for a good listen as background music, but that’s all

This album is amazing. Taking a classical suite and turning it into a progressive rock masterpiece. ELP were talented beyond their years and are criminally underrated

Awesome musicianship and neat elements here, but balances out with the fact that it just doesnt sound great.

This is a very interesting album. I liked it but it wasn't anything amazing. I wish I was there.

The main problem I have with this is probably also its main strength by the same measure - it’s live and it’s all built to the restriction of being a live piece. It is amazing what Emerson, Lake & Palmer are able to do to adapt the idea of a classical suite (and extra song) into a live rock show, and the sound they’re making is rich enough by half to sell that, as you’d hope and expect from a prog supergroup cooking away in the lab. But, to put it on the lofty pedestals, imagine if it had the full studio space of other grand-scale studio-recorded prog albums to absolutely soak in the ideas they want to throw around - imagine how much crazier the Moog could sound. Flies by so quick I’ve listened to it twice to try and take it in properly and I still feel like I could just keep coming back round to it.

Okay but kinda screechy and tedious

Enjoyable, though nothing jumped out at me as being great.

What's the point of this one

This kind of thing is why people don’t like prog rock. I like prog but this is not the thing I like at all. It’s meandering, aimless, self indulgent, all the classic tropes about this kind of music

They listened to some crazy shit back in the 70's. This is a live album which does not consist of original ELP material, but instead, is a cover of an orchestral suite. This was deemed worthy of a listen, alas no, it was deemed an essential listen by the editors of this book. It was definitely an interesting choice and this feels more like a choice that is appropriate for 10,000 albums I must hear before I die. The back half of this is better than the front half, but it still doesn't speak to me necessarily. Feels like I could have shaken this mortal coil without visiting this exhibition.

Funny, I have only good associations from Emerson Lake and Palmer, but this is hard to listen to. I like it when they lean into the blues, but not when they lean into the Jazz\classical side. Early 70's synth can be hard to listen to sometimes unless you have a deft hand, this was all over the map with some sections being interesting while others were jarring.

I had heard of this album but never actually listened to it. Am a fan of Mussorgsky's original work for piano (and the orchestration that came later) and I know it pretty well, so was excited to listen to this. It wasn't.... terrible.... but it did make me wonder "what even is prog rock anyway" and "why is he using the moog like that" I guess this is what people mean when they talk about the "excesses" of prog rock. I appreciate the spirit of boundary pushing, I appreciate anyone who resurrects and reinvents classical music, but in literal terms it wasn't so great for me and I may not listen again. I did put on the orchestral version after though to soothe my brain. If anything there wasn't enough Mussorgsky on this album. Also looked up the Rolling Stone review from the time (on internet archive) which is hilarious "If poor old Mussorgsky and Ravel can hear what Emerson, Lake & Palmer have done to their music, they are probably getting dry heaves in the Void; speaking strictly as a fan of M & R and heretofore certified disdainer of EL&P;, however, I can say that I listened to it twice tonight, beating my fists on the floor and laughing, and I got my kicks." https://web.archive.org/web/20071211144525/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/emersonlakepalmer/albums/album/191801/review/5944649/pictures_at_an_exhibition

Через такі альбоми до прог-року є упереджене ставлення. Поєднання претензійності з супер всратими моментами місцями. Не можу сказати, що тут прям немає непоганих моментів. Проте загальне враження відверто не дуже.

Цей концертник памʼятався мені набагато кращим, ніж виявився, коли вчора я його переслухав. Багато якихось гуфі моментів, хз. При всій повазі до ЕЛП, тут буде двійка.

I need to listen to more ELP

As you know, I tend to give most of these pretentious progs two stars as I can admire the talent but regret how it is being deployed. This was heading in the same direction, and then Nutrocker came on and all remaining patience disappeared.

Jus awful

3.5/5. A little slow out the gate but picks up the 2nd half

Christ if this isn’t the wankiest thing I’ve ever heard.

If you let yourself settle into this, it's quite good. But *very* 70's prog.

Как будто мультики послушал или детский фильм. Что за идиотизм? И что поразительно: публика в восторге!

Very le prog rock

Definitely not for me.

Nope 1*

a lot of racket

p243. 1971. 1 star. A live prog rock album. Don't like live albums. Don't like prog rock. Fuck no. If I want to listen to classical music, I'll find an orchestra.

That was fun all the way through and didn't really sound like a live album from 1971. The jams were fun, but I wish some of them explored a little more.

2,5

Ok now I get some of the hate for prog rock back then. This was not great. At least it was short.

Wow, 2 ELPs in a week. This album seems more of a freeform jam and less of the structured songs I prefer from them. I just read that it's their rendition of a Russian Composer's suite, I guess that's why it sounds so different from their normal stuff. Not a bad listen but definitely not the album I would go for when I want to listen to them

Prog rock like this is hard to digest in one listen. I'll give it 3 for now and try to listen again.

Mostly an instrumental album, the most different thing I've ever listened to. I liked, but not for listen all the time, I think is almost impossible listen this album every day, final moment of the side B is extraordinary. 6 out of 10.

Kinda hated the weird plinky plonky synth noises of this but it was still better than a lot of things on this list. Plus these guys believe in Father Christmas so...

Uhhhh

Didn't know what to expect, some pretty out there stuff on here. Not terrible, will never listen again

⭐⭐ Live album. Mest jobbigt att lyssna på. Skickliga musiker som är måna om att det ska märkas, ibland känns det som att de improviserar allt eftersom och inte på ett bra sätt. Hela albumet känns som att bandet bara försöker visa hur duktiga de är på sina instrument. Stundtals låter det som tv-spels musik med en jobbig orgel. Det får bli en 2a tack vare att jag ändå gillar Nutrocker. Bäst är Nutrocker

Meh

It gets the prog rock buff, though it's a little jammy and aimless. It still sounds good

Fun, jammy, groovy, but sort of directionless ultimately, even for a live album. I do wish the songs here were more developed because the playing itself is really solid, but as it stands, it sounds like the coasting parts of all my favourite prog songs, without the explosive bits. Moreso just a compilation of neat ideas. I do like how cutesy the organ melodies are all over this thing - they border on circus-y, but still pretty earwormy. Still, highlights were the insanely funky organ-driven 'Blue Variation', whenever they brought in that 'Promenade' melody, and the undeniable album climax with 'The Great Gates of Kiev'.

What even is this noise? (1/5)

Um Live bem interessante de uma banda que brincava de fazer música. Tem várias coisas que chamam a atenção nesse show, como por exemplo a forma de brincar com as guitarras usando vários tipos de riff, os instrumentos que soam como músicas de circo, e algo muito chamativo é a diferença de atenção do público que escuta uma música inteira em silêncio pra só depois gritar, aplaudir, bem diferente dos shows de hoje em dia. Também tive que escutar alguma coisa da banda após esse Live pois conhecia muito pouco do que ela fazia, mas de forma geral é um tipo de som bem interessante e com certeza deu luz a tudo que vemos hoje em dia que remete a progressivo.

non mi dice nulla, di loro vedi altro

Like the other EL&P album we had, this is the side of prog I like. No extended weird sections to pad the run time, it all feels intentional. Maybe my closest band to Yes in prog ranks. Apart from a bit of crowd noise it was as tight as a studio album so the live aspect wasn't as off putting as usual. I'll drop a mark for it all being this sort of classical harpsichord tinged sound, to call it samey would be unfair but it could do with a little more variety. Still a solid 4.

Was looking forward to this but was pretty disappointed

Ok for what it is

This is exactly what I expected an ELP live album to be; lots of keyboard soloing and symphonic-influenced prog rock. It was a pretty enjoyable experience, I say as someone who already likes ELP quite a bit. Yes, they are probably the most pretentious band in existence, but they are very talented and their songs are actually surprisingly engaging, so they're still a band I rather like. I can't say this is their best work, however, though it does keep it's songs to bite-size lengths. This album is ranked #36 of 37 albums for 1971. Other 1971 albums rated by me: Led Zeppelin IV(1/37)-5 Who's Next(5/37)-5 Sticky Fingers(6/37)-4 Pearl(7/37)-5 L. A. Woman(8/37)-3 Maggot Brain(9/37)-4 Electric Warrior(11/37)-3 Imagine(14/37)-4 Fela Kuti Live!(15/37)-4 Nilsson Schmilsson(16/37)-4 Coat of Many Colors(18/37)-5 At Fillmore East(19/37)-4 Surf's Up(22/37)-4 Every Picture Tells A Story(25/37)-4 Songs of Love and Hate(29/38)-5 Tago Mago(33/37)-4 Histoire de Melody Nelson(35/37)-1

music is love

Now that's how you do the Nutcracker!!

i have a slight headache

Time has not be kind to this album. At the time the electro noodling must have been pretty ground breaking. Now it feels pretty basic. I like the concept of applying rock sensibilities to classical tunes - unfortunately this is less than the sum of its parts. Will not listen again. Didnt hate it so scraps a 2.

"We're gonna give you 'Pictures at an Exhibition!'" rallies Keith Emerson, as the crowd brays in delight. Maybe because they misheard what was happening. The mania gives way to a pipe organ and pin-drop silence (although I'm sure this is the result of production as the crowd goes bonkers again at the end). In some ways you've got to admire the conceit, a rock band taking on a classical piece of work; but it's always going to require a big suspension of cynicism and being able to enjoy people indulgently buggering about. I'm well open to prog rock these days but this neither has the interesting melodies of Gabriel's Genesis, nor the experimental excellence of King Crimson. What it does have going for it, is being like your annoying younger brother just fucking about and having a good time regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Pas dispo sur Deezer, il y a que la version live

La verdad que fue raro. No esperaba que me guste, pero, en cierta manera, se disfrutó. Tuvo partes extrañas y medio pesadas, pero en general fue buena música.

Acid piano and a live album? No thanks

It’s weird. I get why it’s on the list, I appreciate the musical exploration, it’s just not really my thing.

Ehkä paskinta progea mitä oon ikinä joutunut kuulemaan. Ja yleensä olen tykännyt varsinkin tämän ajan progelevyistä. Tämä livelevy kuullostaa lähinnä parodialta.

Prefer the orchestra but this was fine - funny hearing the crowd go wild for the noodling segments

Daaamn that's a long ass album! Thought I wasn't gonna enjoy it but actually it's pretty good, somme godd and some less good stuff but overall, pretty cool

The two star rating is mostly out of spite and because i needed a reason to stop listening to this.

Сатана блять, я бы лучше послушал Мусоргского, чем длинную и почти бессловесную отсылочку к нему, сначала думал что это мучение будет длиться 2 часа, но хвала небесам это оказалось фейком - иначе бы я возможно не выжил Но всё-таки лучше это, чем рэперы

Видимо не мой композитор

Состав Челси выглядит прекрасно

три раза мусоргского слышал, проверял не стоит ли у меня случайно рандомная песня в споти, оказалось - так и задумано мне все понравилось - 3.5 думал даже больше поставить

This was an album (and band) that some of my friends growing up in the 70's insisted we listen to when hanging in their bedroom or basement. I never got it. No matter what state of inebriation I was, I just never cared for ELP. I assumed I would feel the same way today, when this came up from the generator. The only hope I had is that I have a much better appreciation for symphonic music than I did back then, so maybe I'd have a more open mind? Alas I did not. I still thought it was pretty boring. If I wanted to hear most of this I'd prefer going to the symphony rather than sitting through ELP or any band playing it. There were some ok moments-The Hut of Baba Yaga Pt. 1 or Nutrocker were tolerable-but I'd rather not have to listen to all of it to get those songs.

eu discordo do amigo comentarista nesse aqui pra mim é horrível sim

eh exatamente o que se propos a ser: uma adaptação de música clássica feita por uma banda de prog. o que não é horrível. mas também tá longe de ser bom. ou minimamente interessante.

Obviously talented but I don't really need this. However, it didn't get under my skin the way I thought it would so that has to be worth something.

An boring album I've never heard and a pretty bad attempt at a rock opera. 2/5

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Pictures at an Exhibition (1971) On Day 265, this record made me understand why freeform, improvisational styles drive so many listeners away. Too much of the performance felt like directionless noise, prioritizing endless technical display over compelling songwriting. There were brief moments of genuine relief such as the melodic warmth and delicate acoustic craft of "The Sage" but those instances were far too scarce to salvage the overarching chaos. An exhausting, overly indulgent listen. A generous 2/5.

I thought I knew what bad music was. Then I heard Pictures At An Exhibition. Now, a whole new, unpreviously-before-imagined world of shittiness has splayed itself before me. I hardly recall the old days now.

Ok, one good thing about listening to this album: I will never again confuse Emerson Lake and Palmer with Crosby Stills Nash and Young. That’s they only good thing though, because I still really dislike prog rock.

Nah

Okay hell yessss I’ve never heard this or really spent a whole lot of time w these guys but this listen reignited my love and curiosity for prog rock specifically this era. I love this albums before I die generator so hard!

The tough part about any ELP output is how dated a lot of it sounds. Which is a shame, because the musicianship and performances are top notch. But Emerson's synthesizers are definitely a product of their time, and a less-than-stellar recording doesn't help things. Still there's a lot to enjoy from a talent and experimentation perspective, especially on the B side. Top tracks: The Hut of Baba Yaga 1 & 2, The Curse of Baba Yaga, The Great Gates of Kiev

Great musicians but too heavy on the synthesizer. Got a bit monotonous.

zzzzzzzzz

Boring

чет херня

This album is bad, I think? It’s kind of hard to tell. It has so many weird ideas and I’m not entirely sure I can say which ones work or don’t. It’s an interesting listen at least. I wasn’t bored at all during it. At times I was amused and even had fun. But at the same time, there’s long stretches of weird repetitive organ nonsense. I don’t think I’d ever listen to it again. But it also ends with Nutrocker, which is just so out of left field and delightful in bad ways

A little shocked by how little I cared about this one. Relating it to the cover - it just seemed to sit there. . . empty.