Reviews (page 8 of 8)
Interesting but not for me
Absolute garbage
I’m not sure whether to classify this album as a classical, symphonic rock, or progressive rock album. Several classics snippets are played straight while other songs are fusions of style. Having said that, this album is a bit over ambitious and I’m not sure it totally succeeds at what it’s trying to do whatever that is. It’s not great as a classical album but does have some really great progressive jazz moments. I’ll give it a four for sheer uniqueness.
INT
Interesting, but likely would never listen on my own. I like Prog rock...but this is WAY out there. 2/5
Try as I might, I just can't get into prog. So ponderous and out of my wavelength.
I had heard ELP's version of the Nutcraker before but otherwise don't know this album. I appreciate the initiative but prefer to have a little Brain Salad Surgery.
I would imagine that 1001 picked this album because ELP were (at that time anyway) the only rock band to record a classical suite and that, surprisingly, it charted pretty high, but so did their first two albums. I was thinking that, because it is classical music, I would need to listen to other classical interpretations of Pictures… and see how this one holds up. So, I listened to the Weiner Philharmoniker version and though I don't know classical music, I would think that an aficionado would prefer this over the ELP version. So, do I. That said, the keyboard playing is quite good and Keith jumps from one movement to another seamlessly. It would have been nice to hear some piano since the original composition was for piano, but Keith was a Moog pioneer so he wanted to demonstrate that he could master it live. The crowd certainly liked the show. I enjoyed the Greg Lake original composition. Personally, I find the self-titled debut album that came out the year before to be a more epic LP.
I must admit that Prog is my guilty pleasure, heck two of my fav bands are Genesis and Yes. ELP OTOH epitomize what folks hate about Prog - they're bombastic, pretentious and bloated. There's no doubt that they're a talented trio and they were labeled a "supergroup" when these three previous members of the Nice, Atomic Rooster and King Crimson got together. Individually they are immensely talented, but as a band I think they've let their egos get a bit ahead of themselves. They cover Mussorgsky's Pictures at an exhibition here and although the grandiose Promenade sounds great on synths the rest of the album doesn't fare too well unfortunately. ELP did some nice work on Tarkus and Works, but this album is not one of their best I'm afraid.
Had this playing while I was in and out of the room. At times it sounded like someone practicing synthesiser / keyboards. Indulgent and uninspiring. If this is them ‘live’ I’d hate to hear them not live. Not for me.
"Pictures at an Exhibition is a live album by English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in November 1971 on Island Records." That's me done, then. I parade my musical snobbery with pride. I've worked hard to refine my exquisite tastes. This shit is beneath me. DNL.
Pioneers of synthesizer music. Not enough melody for me. That’s why I gravitated to the likes of Pink Floyd.
this has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. i'm afraid of what it will do to my Spotify algorithm. 0 stars if i could, 1 will have to suffice
Two things I never really enjoy, soft hard to hear vocals and sound effects.
Every time I thought it was going to get pretty decent they ruined it with a bunch of random noise.
This was eh.. not enjoyable.
A bit mad, but I enjoyed it.
Quite brilliant
Classical prog rock was a huge surprise. Consider me shocked and a fan
I'm not a big fan of live recordings of this sort, but as someone who likes psychedelic and progressive rock this is a pretty fun one nonetheless. Saved tracks: The Curse of Baba Yaga, The Hut of Baba Yaga - Pt. 2, The Great Gates of Kiev
I like Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I have listened to a few of their albums, and regularly return to some of their tracks. This was my first time hearing Pictures At An Exhibition. "Nut Rocker" and the "Promenade" tracks are the only tracks that felt familiar to me. I settled in quickly hearing Greg Lake's vocals in the Promendade tracks. "The Old Castle" had the mix of keyboards and drums that you would expect from ELP. As "The Old Castle" shifted into "Blues Variation", Keith Emerson was up to full power. For a live album, the production was clean and easy to listen to. There weren't any stand-out tracks for me, but this album feels more consistent than some of ELP's studio records (e.g. Tarkus). I am doing a little extra rounding up, but I could come back to this record on a different day.
I think i would like prog rock a lot better when I'm stoned. that being said, this was fantastically entertaining. I would love to catch a concert film. It's a shame prog doesn't get the same draw it used to.
2.5 stars It was alright, but wouldn't really go back and listen to anything specific from it. Collection of live tracks from various shows. Mostly instrumental.
-Very Emerson, Lake & Palmer-y type jams -All quite fun, although "The Sage" was a bit of a dip -Not really as strong as "Brain Salad Surgery." Had a harder time following the musical motifs and lyrics were pretty sparse -Still overall solid rock and keyboard jamming
As instrumentais funcionaram bem para mim.
I knew the original piano/orchestral versions before listening to this, but I think this is a nice adaptation overall. It's not so common to have a good crossover of classical music and rock. They do overdo the synths a little sometimes though
Was live
Interesting Concept. However not for me.
Favourite track(s): The Sage Wonder how I would rate this if I was more familiar with the original composition. This is just cool. Even though it makes use of the prominent themes, which even I am familiar with, it does not feel classical at all. More like a Pink Floyd record. Makes you wonder what music the composers of earlier centuries would have made, had they had more freedom in picking a style. Or maybe I just don't understand classical music genres enough. Still, cool guitars, cool e-piano and cool lyrics. Certainly takes you on a journey.
4.3 - I hated "Tarkus" but, surprisingly, I loved this. Prog rock tends to feel bookish and sterile, it's all time signature changes, noodling basslines and bloated synth sounds. Most of these bands sound like self-important pedants. But with this record we hear the energetic interplay between band and audience, and it sounds like such riotous fun! These live performances also showcase the band's virtuosity - they nail every complex phrase masterfully. Standout: "The Sage."
I like that they went all in on this project, you have to commit to something this ridiculous.
Cool prog album a lot/a little to much Roland e-piano but still a interesting and nice listen.
T3B 1. The Sage 2. The Great Gates of Kiev 2. Blues Variation
It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either.
good group. one of the lesser know albums but a good album none the less
оказывается можно наиграть классику на гитаре во время концерта и потом тебя хвалят как лучший альбом века! наверно это прочтение не подняло для меня Мусоргского выше, чем обычные пианисты его поднимают
Nice!
Interesting
This was absolutely bizarre, but I couldn't help but love it. It was just a lot of fun from beginning to end, and I found myself dancing along to some of the more energetic songs. It's absolutely amazing what ELP were doing with synthesizers over 50 years ago! I think this is a timeless album that I'll surely come back to at some point. I have to say though, that Promenade motif is going to bug me. Where the hell have I heard it before? Favourite: The Old Castle
I love prog rock and I think ELP are really great musicians. However I think there is better prog rock material than this album. Don’t get me wrong there’s some great material in it (classical guitar solos are neat) but there’s a general feeling that it’s “too much” (in a prog rock sens of course). Ambition, still very solid but there is some more enjoyable rock prog material out there in my opinion.
Best Song: The Curse of Baba Yaga. Absolute psychedelic nonsense, but I'm kind of here for it. Worst Song: The Old Castle. Complete atonal whining at the beginning, that does eventually transition into more interesting but that ultimately sounds like someone strapped a microphone to a hyped up mosquito. Overall: Not sure I understand the appeal. I think there are far better ways to listen to Mussorgsky than this.
61/100: Super unique album, but not in a good way unfortunately, although the name is absolutely incredible. This is a live album (which is cool) with hardly any audible applause. Either the producer edited out most of the applause, or—and this is more likely—no one in the audience clapped this whole concert because the music is so strange. With that being said, every once in a while there’s a decent song, like “The Great Gates of Kiev,” but not nearly enough to make this a good album. If you like this album, you’re probably a pompous contrarian.
A prog rock album with songs less than 5 minutes long? Such a thing does not exist... oh, there's the catch! It's a fucking live album of a prog band doing their take on some classical nonsense. I can't believe people paid for concert tickets to see this. Hate the music, but love the album artwork, that will spare it from a 1 star rating.
0,5/5 Best song: konnte die nicht unterscheiden also FR garnicht mein Ding
3,5/4 Sehr progressive Mahavishnu, Birth control, Brösechine etc. vibes Not bad
What a batshit album. Who asked for prog rock Mussorgsky? Absolutely nobody, but there were some pretty ripping moments in Baba Yaga nonetheless.
I have always enjoyed the creativity of this trio. Emerson’s keyboard work is astonishing.
A classical reimagining that sounds like a trip
Strange interesting
Not into this. It's just sounds like loud, unorganized, weird stuff.
I'm finding it hard to rate this one since I'm not too familiar with Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, and this album is a live cover of a classical piece. Keith Emerson is a beast on the keyboards, and the overall musicianship of the trio is fantastic. The 70s prog rock sound dominated by synths isn't my favorite, but I see the appeal. I need to hear more, but my initial impression is "very weird but has potential."
Here we have another Prog Rock trio, this one much different than yesterday's (Rush). ELP, along with early Genesis and Yes, are my three favorite Prog Rock bands. Keith Emerson has been mentioned as one of the best, if not the most technically accomplished keyboard player in rock history. This live album, of course with no overdubs or retakes, is a great example of the talent, creativity, and imagination of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. The trio plays a tight adaptation of a classical piece by Mussorgski. The pipe organ, multiple synths, acoustic guitar, bass, and drums all contribute to this impressive work.
Progressivt, man behöver vara sugen på nått mer avancerat när man ska lyssna.
This experimental album is mostly noise except for the happy encore song at the end
When it hits its very good, shame the majority sounds like the musical section at an early learning center
Prog rock is better than expected. While the genre doesn't have many catchy bangers, it doesn't have the awfully boring songs. Pictures At An Exhibition is a live album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The musicianship is insane. This is a great experience to listen to all the way through. There is no way I would listen to each song individually, but together it is awesome! For some reason, the longer songs are worse than the shorter songs Best Songs: The Old Castle, Nutrocker Worst Songs: Curse of Baba Yaga
Funky classical music
I got this record at a yard sale 20 years ago along with about 20 other 70’s LP’s, and honestly don’t think I’ve ever listened to it before today. ELP never did it for me they way that Yes’ classic records and King Crimson’s 73-75 period does. Those bands tended merge classical and rock more interestingly to me, where ELP tilts toward classical much more. This album is no exception: a live, rock interpretation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibiton. Having no familiarity with the original piece or extensive knowledge of classical music, this review isn’t going to be the most balanced. As an experimental rock record, it’s mostly enjoyable, with all three members of ELP playing extremely well. Emerson is clearly the main attraction of the band: a veritable keyboard wizard, even if he didn’t wear a cape, like his contemporary in Yes, Rick Wakeman. As such, his moog synthesizer is often loudest in the mix, sometimes overpowering the rest of the band and occasionally sounding as if parts had been overdubbed after the fact, in an effort to bridge the movements. Lake and Palmer provide a solid foundation for his soloing, even when they are also going off on their own solos. ELP, say what you will about them, were an extremely tight band on this record. Of the other ELP records I’ve listened to (Tarkus and Trilogy) Pictures at an Exhibition was the most enjoyable. Maybe it’s because it was a live record that captured the band’s energy better than their studio work or maybe because Pictures leans into ELP’s classical side rather than rock.
No
Enjoyed but a little too proggy for me.
Very experimental - some songs were great, others have “im on a space ship” vibes
Progressive rock, 1971. "Pictures At An Exhibition" is a funny live record with catchy instrumentals and a interesting sound. For me it's a good album, but I also think that it is very far to be one of the best live records of all time.
Not sure what to think! This is so top class in its avant garde approach to prog rock and jazz fusion. I am very impressed, but hard to judge it against the conventional albums on the list.
What a unique album. A classical suite reinterpreted and extended by a prog rock band. Fantastic sounding live album
A bit too noodly for me. Some nice moments, but dull as a whole.
Música clásica tocada como rock progresivo con teclados. Curioso. Un 4.
No clue what style this album was going to be. It's an instrumental album I believe. oh wait they started singing really softly. they're kinda weird. I don't think this is for me.
Like much of prog, bit's of this are really great Like much of prog, alot of this is self indulgent nonsense. TL:DR It's prog.
Weird and experimental and all over the place
It’s cool and very proggy or something.
So impressed that was live! The British rock / classical blend is great. Pure talent to pull that off. Defiantly one to listen start to finish to get the full effect. Organ sound can be a bit much at times.
The volume levels are horrendous on this. At times I have to crank my volumes by 20 to 30 percent to be able to hear anything and others I have to drop them below normal to be able to not burst my eardrums. It's a live album so that might be some of it, but I think it was mostly intentional. I didn't dislike this album, but I don't think it is necessarily belongs on this list. It wasn't bad but it isn't that great of an album in my opinion.
Interesting, and I had never heard of them. Some cool ideas in here.
Normally I would try and write this a bit more subtle and less crude. I actually like symphonic rock but thought this was a whole bunch of wank. One extra star for the musicianship
sonzao tri, progressivo e tal, tocam muito
Какой-то унылый дроч на классику. Но для 1971 звучит очень смело.
Pure wank.
Yeah this wasn’t for me. There was just not much to take from this outside the strangeness of the instrumentation and the puzzling nature of why people dig this.
Speciaal album inderdaad. Maar de gekheidjes met het orgel vielen mij wel eens in de smaak
I really don’t like this. It is so all over the place and sounds like boss music when covering a 150 year old Russian composer. It just makes me uncomfortable. The music is good quality but not put together well.
ELP were crazy and fantastically original. They got famous as a folk rock band; slow acoustic songs like Lucky Man and From the Beginning are their most well known tunes. But anyone who ACTUALLY knows ELP knows they epitomized keyboard-driven prog rock. Keith Emerson was the most skilled keyboardist of the 20th century. Easily. It's easy to arrive at this opinion after listening to ELP's first 4 studio albums, which showcase much better keyboard/piano work than this even this album does. I don't even listen to Pictures at an Exhibition all that much. What an insane mind he must have had to compose ELP's discography. And Carl Palmer was a MONSTER of a drummer. Crazy dexterity. I find that prog drummers (Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, Neil Peart) tend to be way more impressive than the traditionally chosen greatest rock drummers of all time. Plus ELP almost singlehandedly inspired the majority of 90s videogame music. Listen to Tarkus or the Karn Evil 9 suite if you don't believe me. If I had a nickel for every turn-based RPG battle theme that sounded like ELP... I can definitely understand why not everyone would enjoy this album. It's weird. But I dig it. Not nearly as good as Brain Salad Surgery though. I REALLY wish Pictures at an Exhibition WASN'T on this list, and that Brain Salad Surgery was instead. I don't love this one as much, so I was unsure whether to put 4 or 5. And because I was unsure I decided to put it as a 4/5 for now.
I can understand why it’s on this list but it’s so hard for me to enjoy a live album. Especially this one that seems like it’s more impress in person. As a recording it just felt like a rock rendition of classics music which isn’t something I particularly would listen to. This may be impressive but it’s not for me. 2.3/10
Not feeling any part of this album. Unfortunately easily forgettable.
Amazing discovery for me. Mixture between synth and classical.
What an interesting concept, to adapt a Russian composer's suite to a rock context. The pipe organ really adds something dramatic and unexpected.
Somehow managed to be both melodramatic and utterly boring at the same time. Gives prog a bad name.
I love synth stuff, but I really don't like prog-synth stuff. It's guitar wankery but synths essentially. It is technically impressive but it doesn't move me in any way. Clearly ELP are talented, but it's not for me.
Well that was some full blown wankery. Glad I didn't listen to Tarkus. Now let me pluck a harmonic on my way to Canterbury Fair...
A rock suite constructed around a Modest Mussorgsky classical piece? I'd say this errs on the slightly pretentious side of prog-rock.
Overblown, bloated, overproduced rubbish
Las jullie reviews voordat ik goed en wel begon aan deze plaat en de moed zakte me al in de schoenen. Afgehaakt voor het 2e nummer halverwege was.
Bah, ben echt niet vies van een potje prog maar dit gaat echt te ver.
De tering..... wie gaat er nou ooit eens lekker voor zitten om dit te beluisteren? Om een zenuwinzinking van te krijgen. 😫
Onrustig, maar minder erg dan verwacht.
Moody and interesting
Moog-filled classical/prog what's not to love?
I done the album Tarkus by them before and while I didn’t love it some bits were interesting so this might he good to go to… This live album starts off with promenade just a bunch of crowd cheering/ chatter then a short classical sounding instrumental. Then is the gnome it is a strange track at the start taking a while to sound cool highlight on here is the drums. Now there’s another track called promenade the first bit with lyrics! It’s really just some some lullaby though so nothing special. Now the sage is a song that I enjoyed it feels like a continuation of the last one but just longer and has a nice acoustic guitar solo ( not something I usually hear). The old castle isn’t that nice to listen to, yeah it’s interesting but weird noise in the start ruins it. It does come back on the more rocking second half of the song, but I don’t know it’s just better at that point still ruins a fine instrumental though. It goes into blues variation though which was an instrumental that I loved ( oh yeah and it’s also the first on here to be completely written by Emerson lake and palmer). Then we get the third and final track named promenade It’s much more similar instrumentally to the first part but has really anthemic drumming which makes it great for an interlude. Then there was the hut of baba yaga a very forgettable instrumental. Whereas the curse of baba yaga is actually quite cool on the album a high energy track ( where you can really tell it was written by Emerson lake and palmer). Then is the hut of baba yaga again this version is better though as the aggression is ramped up to the max. Now for the penultimate track (and the albums longest) the great gates of Kiev even though they don’t span the whole song this is by far the most lyrically led of the tracks which makes it really “epic” at the start the instrumental in the middle is fascinating but annoying then the last minute is crowd cheering so that’s good for them. The set ends with nutrocker just a rock adaptation of what i’am guessing is the nutcracker music ( but I’ve never been immersed enough in either classical music or the nutcracker to really care) I mean it’s good I guess. Overall,I’ve never liked the idea of live albums on the generator and I still don’t the album is a good piece of musicianship but not much else.
im sure it was better in person.
More Spinal Tap than I expected.
Well it was certainly something different. I can't imagine how anyone listening to this would consider it an essential "before you die" experience though.
Keyboard noodling
A British prog-rock super group's adaptation of a late 19th century classical suite... this could really only go one of two ways. I enjoyed this album more than I anticipated I would. The calm chill of 'The Sage' and the raging ramble of the BabaYaga series of tracks culminating into 'The Great Gates of Kiev' were the real standouts for me.
Perfectly fine
The sheer audacity has to be admired. Is anyone trying to pull off this sort of highbrow goof in rock and roll land anymore? Would any major label dare greenlight it? It succeeds quite well as a prog rock album on its own merits as well, and has enough humor and high spirits to mostly dodge an indictment of tremendous pretentiousness. Mostly.
Wild love album. Very cool take on some classical classics. There's not nearly enough organ in today's music.
boring, progrockers wanking over a classical piece
Naaa. Not for me. Thanks
3+
Not my jam
Prog just isn’t for me
I like Prog Rock but this is pretty gratuitous. I groaned when I saw it was LIVE too and was amazed the Geordies let them out alive at the end! Only joking and there's some good musicianship in parts but other parts it's like they're making it up as they go along. I gave it another go and it does grow on you (like what I won't say!) I need to listen to the classical piece it's based on I guess.....
I never heard/listened to this when it came out I wish I would have kept that streak going. Sucks!!!!!!
Usually like prog, but this was a bit too experimental for me. Too random, couldn't enjoy.
I'm a causal fan of ELP.. I have no idea why this was chosen. Tarkus, Trilogy or Brain Salad Surgery are much much better.
Prog rock just isn’t for me. Too busy, it just sounds like noise.
Wonderful stuff.
Now, Keith Emerson is a God. 4.25
Genre: Symphonic Prog 3/5 Emerson, Lake & Palmer, one of prog's only true "supergroups", that being defined as a purposeful conglomerate of tremendous players who've already made, or have begun to make their respective marks on the genre (Liquid Tension Experiment is the only other one I can think of), rather than just being a band that are consisting of all tremendous players with generally the same lineup (Rush, Yes, etc.). Keith Emerson, master pianist, assembled along with him bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (pilfered from King Crimson), and drummer Carl Palmer (Atomic Rooster). Together, while all being tremendously talented, it never truly transcended beyond the prog rock fan, and I think that's for the clear and obvious signs of giant, skyscraping egos. And what better way to check a band's ego than by listening to their live album, a cover of an 1800s romantic era Russian piece composed by Modest Mussorgsky... Overall, I'm not generally against bands showcasing their mastery and talent, or even with classical crossover music (Days of Future Passed [WHICH ISN'T IN THIS BOOK, A TRAVESTY], Zappa, etc.), but this is an example of a band being truly up its own ass. When they break into the weird, like when Keith Emerson goes fucking crazy on his synthesizer, it's great and not awkward, or when Greg Lake lets his voice fly and the full band gallops along to him, it's great and not awkward. But when it's just Emerson quietly playing romantic era chord progressions on one of his many keyboards, while a few thousand of rock n' roll goofballs listen with quiet, intent ears, I cringe. This is cool, but almost totally unrelatable. Music doesn't have to be, and these guys do a decent job of arranging the music to fit some prog-rock tendencies, but I'm sure this went over a few heads that night. It nearly went over mine.
It's a bit at the pretentious OTT end of the scale. Some incredible musicianship, and an early appearance of a Moog, but the album is a bit too noodly for my tastes - a four for importance, a one to listen to.
I liked the classical guitar bits. That is all.
Deeply fucking grim, and I'm someone who gives *hobbit prog* a pass.
Nut Rocker is a classic. Interesting Classical Rock sound. I can see why people like it. 3/5 for me now. Definitely one I'll keep in my playlist for a while. I think it will grow on me.
jaaaaaa rúnk en áhugavert
I haven't heard this for over 40 years. It's still awful
wtf
Re-imagining of a Russian composer's works in glorious prog. Best Tracks: The Sage; Blues Variation; Nutrocker
24th February 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home, taking the car for a service etc. chilled in the evening and watched edge of war. Russia invades Ukraine. Not for me. Never understood prog rock and don’t think I ever will!
Listened to on 2/17/22 2.5/5 Favorite Song: The Sage It’s not bad but also not good…? They said: “let’s play a shit ton of random noises and instruments at this concert”
Good lord in heaven. This was… something. It reminded me of that scene in friends where Ross plays his “soundscapes” on the keyboard. Some of this was almost passable to listen to but a good portion was absolutely atrocious with heavy doses of sounds that could only be the band’s interpretation of what a UFO sounds like.
2/17/22 “What do you think it would sound like if aliens invaded the Catholic Church?” This is how I picture the idea for this album came about. Not my vibe at all, could not take it seriously, but they get partial credit for playing the whole thing live and making it a continuous piece. Favorite song: Nut Rocker
3/5
OK, so they re-arranged some classical music, put it onto a live album, and then released it? Not unpleasant, just not sure why this needs to be here. Am I missing something?
Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition fucking slaps, was pretty bored with this but then really picks up at baba yaga and gains this sense of fun that was missing from everything preceding. Also the crowd noise is immense and I love it.
Grand, ambitious, and awesome. Honestly, I can't hear the original in any of the tracks besides "Promenade" but it's still really cool. I respect ELP a lot more than my initial reaction to Tarkus. Still inherently classical, with an ambient orchestral presence, incorporating volume well.
Es ringt mir schon Respekt ab, die Verehrung wahrzunehmen, die dieser angejazzten special interest Ding zuteil wird. Ungläubige 2.2
This was a weird album. Not much singing and the music itself was kinda meh. I realize it is based off of classical music but I think I prefer the classical music.
lekkere leipe rock, dit is wel de drie sterren waard
I really like this! Hadn't heard it before.
I don't think this has aged as well as some other ELP records, but it's still pretty good.
All instrumental prog rock. Just the worst part of the Pink Floyd records. Pass.
I would have enjoyed it far more with less organ. Definitely has an audience, it's just not me.
nothing was totally pleasing to me. it wasn’t bad, It just wasn’t incredible. I totally understand why people would like this but since there wasn’t much singing it just wasn’t the best!
Well...it's different, I'll give you that... I love the diversity in this 1001-albums list and was actually pretty pleased to see this one on the list. It's not exactly entry-level ELP (which probably doesn't exist) as it's mostly a rock-classical hybrid cover of a Russian classical piece. The most impressive part is that they performed this entire suite live in one go which seems near-impossible. I'd never heard the entire album before ("Nut Rocker" at the end is the exception and not actually part of the full suite) so it was pretty fascinating to hear the interplay between the 3 guys and try to figure out how they did it. Oddly I feel like even though Greg Lake did the vocals for me I knew/know the least about him growing up as the other two got more acclaim - Lake's guitar playing is fantastic and there's no way a young Randy Rhodes didn't listen to him; *strong* echoes of his acoustic playing on Ozzy's "Diary of a Madman" in "The Sage" It's not at all an everyday album but holy hell these guys were A++ musicians and points alone for pulling this off in such a manner. Again not for everyone to be sure but a slice of history when an album like this could actually make the top-10. 7/10 3 stars
This wasn't for me, I did quite like the song Blue Variation though.
Really enjoyed the use of synth and contemporary instruments. Actual muscians these guys
Some intense prog noodling
No. Just No.
Good. I appreciate the effort of re-creating symphonic piece.
Zu hoch für mich!
Viel hörbarer als befürchtet. Das original habe ich im Musikunterricht nicht gerade würdigen können
ELP are probably my favourite progressive rock band. However, I don't generally like live albums, so I always overlooked this one. I mean, it epitomises everything bad people say about prog... it's overblown, pretentious, self-indulgent... I mean, it's a rock band playing adaptations of of Mussorgsky. C'mon. But in spite of all that, it's a fucking barrelling, irresistible rock show that is fun as hell. I particularly love the organ work, and the fast, choppy bits which sound like proto-math rock. On top of that, it's a live album that actually sounds good and offers something different from their studio records. My only complaint is that some of the slower/quieter parts don't work so well - but they do reflect the source material and they give the album balance. So it's 4.5*, but I'm happy rounding it to 5*.
Appreciate the effort that probably went into this but my god this is a terrible listen. Amazing if you like pipe organs I guess.
Kinda boring, interested to hear other albums
A lot goin on but some great licks
Talented guys
totally wasn't expecting this...solid album with a really cool sound
Not into it
baroque prog rock jam band with a _lot_ of synth keyboard. Reminds me of my hipster friends in high school, but not even nostalgia can pique my interest here.
A fun idea with an equally fun execution. Gotta love those classical/rock fusions.
This might be one of the easiest 5s to give. Narrative, unique sounds, and excellent performances, ALL ON A LIVE ALBUM. Concise Beast.
Going to stick with the original. Really didn't enjoy this. The solo playing seemed frenetic and frantic. A struggle to complete. Thankful I didn't listen to the Deluxe version. Not added.
Ok... Det var da et mærkeligt koncept album. En slags teaterstykke i musik, opført live. Jeg ved slet ikke hvad jrg skal synes. Specielt godt er det i hvert fald ikke
lots of fun, high energy
I hated - and I really do mean HATED - so much of this. Yet it avoids a one star review because it was also really interesting, intriguing, impressive and even enjoyable in parts. A bizarre album
Simply terrible, it'd be awful even if it wasn't live.
Absolute garbage and I mean garbage - prog nonsense with piles of shitty organ, barely audible vocals, no songs worth a toss
Long loved this since I got on vinyl back whenever!
Prog rock for the seasoned basketcase. 3/5 PS: I'm now pretty sure RZA sampled this and not Mussorgsky for the intro to the Method Man 'Tical' album, which was an unexpected moment of clarity and stark realisation, sending me back in time over two decades to unravel my timeline and lived experience of earth. All in all, a veritable headfuck and an impending midlife crisis. Thanks, Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
I like it was a good listen
i don't think live albums really belong on a list like this
eh who has time
This album was fine, but I honestly kept forgetting that I was listening to it. It didn't make me pay attention, nor did it annoy me in any way. I feel like this about a lot of 70s prog rock. It tends to just be...there. ELP are excellent musicians, and I think this would have been a super cool concert to go to, but as an album experience, it's forgettable 3/5
an extra star just for the opening hook from Tical
This was a nice surprise. A prog adaption of a classical suite. I must say it was an intriguing and enjoyable listen. Particularly love Lake's playing of strings in this, especially in Sage. Palmer's drumming was pretty good and compliments the piece. Although Emerson did play the keyboards and the organ fantastically, I did find some of the synths at the end of some songs and throughout The Old Castle. I'm also not a big fan of the Nutcracker so it's rock adaption wasn't that enjoyable. Still a good album that's been saved on my phone.
I wanted to like this, I really did.
Memories
Good
A bit OTT and trippy for me.
Now this is good. Not great necessarily, but a very solid good. And it made me realize that I really like ELP. I think I spent like two hours after I listened to this album listening to random ELP songs. So that's a strong feat.
3.5
Try to smell a meaner poker face of that audience. Some very good music technically, but not much cohesion
This is a weird album. Definitely not what I was expecting when I selected "Metal and Hard Rock" as the only genre for this list. It's pretty enjoyable though. Very good as background music to work too as well, which is something I've been lacking. Overall, good album.
Not for me. Boring.
While I'm sure this worked as a live experience, there's not enough connective tissue to make something this proggy work on record. Without the visual experience of being there or the fidelity of a studio recording, the threads that tie this into a cohesive listening experience just aren't there.
Solid 3. Interesting interpretation, damn they're virtuosos, I'm glad I listened, and I'd put this on a 1001 list... but for this piece, one of the best ever, I'd rather just listen to Mussorgsky by a true symphony orchestra.
ARE YOU READY FOR MORE MUSIC?? *CROWD CHEERS AND THEY PLAY SOME NUTCRACKER SONG*
What the fuck
Very Meta making music inspired by music inspired by art. But mostly it just made me want to listen to Mussorgsky. They really love those synthesis.
Really enjoyed the spacey weirdness of this.
Awful, insufferable.
Maybe ELP is an acquired taste. I listened to this and I enjoyed maybe half of it. I’ve enjoyed their studio stuff more than this
This fun rock opera makes up for all the crap I’ve sat through in this challenge. It has elements of classical music, metal, punk, blues and 60s funky keyboard jazz. Even if it is perhaps slightly pretentious and overambitious, it doesn't get boring for the duration, and what's wrong with being slightly pretentious and overambitious when you're obviously having a great time doing it? I literally burst out laughing at the start of Blues Variation because it was such a completely unexpected gear change. This is exactly the kind of stuff I started the challenge to hear.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of weird but this album is bad. Prog rock is iconic but this is nonsense from start to finish. Only the live version was available on Spotify and if I paid money to listen to that I’d be livid. This is the first record I’m actually startled has made it to this list. I knew the name of the band and I was excited to listed to them but this was genuinely nonsensical.
I can't say I enjoyed listening to this a lot, but I must say that the album is executed very well. Because of the live execution, the flow between tracks is amazing, The Sage sounds mesmerizing, The Old Castle is greatly ahead of its time and the energy certainly is there. I can see what they were trying, and I believe that a 3/5 is fair for this live portrayal.
It's a live album of a keyboard-driven progressive rock band covering a 150 year old Russian romantic composer, and it sounds like video game boss music.
Nutrocker stood out, the rest was alright
very therapeutic
Malgré les nombreuses réprimandes adressées à Robert au sujet de l'inclusion de l'album The Doors dans ce classement, album qui, dois-je le rappeler, fut souillé des doigts de l'organiste Manzarek, notre cher éditeur semble encore une fois n'en faire qu'à sa tête avec l'ajout de l'album qui nous intéresse aujourd'hui. Pictures At An Exhibition est en effet lui aussi gangrené par un orgue, celui de Keith Emerson. Vous l'aurez compris, la liste des personæ non gratæ de ce générateur accueille un nouveau membre en la personne dudit Emerson.
Not for me
What was this - it sounded like my high school's band. And this was a live album with people cheering, WTF!!!!!
*classic music and rock *all over the place
Cet album démarrait sur les chapeaux de roue, une excellente musicalité se dégageait de ce dernier, mais un bruit désagréable se faisait de plus en présent au fil des pistes. En effet, tapis dans l'ombre du studio, je devinais une silhouette familière, se rapprochant pas à pas du micro d'enregistrement: cette silhouette, c'etait celle de Manzarek. De quelques sons etouffés sur les premières pistes, il finit peu à peu par devenir omniprésent, jusqu'à ejecter les pauvres Emerson Lake et Palmer du studio pour monopoliser les débats avec son immonde orgue. Un comportement absolument scandaleux qui je l'espère sera sanctionné par Robert Dimery au plus vite.
It's great, but it doesn't inspire repeat listens.
Didn't really get this, is it prog Rock versions of a certain composer's (Mussorgsky?) work. I didn't enjoy anyway.
Enjoyed the quieter moments. When the tempo ramps up it sounds like a descent into madness. First class musicianship.
A bit wanky and pretentious. Tight as fuck rhythm section, though. Best track: Blues Variation
A wild album. Classical music flowing into rock, that suddenly opens up with extraterrestrial funk at times. But the construction of the album itself truly is solid.
Fascinating album enjoyed every minute
Ruhiger Kirchenrock oder wie nennt man das? Auf jeden Fall schaurig schön.
Not fun at all. Weird and boring.
Das Albumcover kannte ich, fand ich als Kind immer interessant. Die Musik ist nicht so meins
I'm a sucker for prog rock, I love this reimagining of classical songs. Will def revisit this one many times
So artsy. So live. So lame.
Wow, this is weird. Prog rock, lots of vintage keyboard and other weird sounds. Some of it almost symphonic. Not really my jam.
Trippy AF
Ei tällekään voi enempää kuin kaksi tähteä antaa. Paikoitellen ihan kivaa jamittelua, mutta osa sitten aika kokeellisen kuuloista. Tiedä sitten, jos tuntisi vähän paremmin tätä artistien tuotantoa. Nutrocker rokkasi kyllä kivasti.
This album was a war crime
What the heck was that? Somewhat self-indulgent. I think I'd have been quite bored sitting through it. Don't get it at all.
Got to be honest I didn't get through this one. Really not a fan
Absolute rubbish, I couldn't get through it. I don't know why this is on the list
Relaxing. Kinda spaced the mid section.
5
Prog rock at its toughest; classical work reimagined w lots of virtuosity and bravura. You need some guts to keep it from the beginning to the end
Cool sounds, wasn't expecting some of them from the early 1970s. Organ playing was fierce, good jam band instrumental listen.
Just mindless singing (and it's not even good singing) but mostly jamming. Has early electric piano. All songs blend from one into another so who can tell anything apart. 1/10.
Rock sinfónico. Un poco psicodélico quizá. Bastante bueno. Muy instrumental.
vähän outoa häröilyä, ei oikein kiinnosta
These are the same guys that had that Tarkus album. Another sort of strange progrock concept album. This one is played live and is an arrangement of a classical piano suite or something. Very few lyrics, its a lot of weirdness and moog synthesizers and stuff. Kinda fun, seems like you have to listen to the album as a whole, it would be strange to just randomly listen to these songs on their own.
🤷🏻♂️ Yeah, not for me. I know this was a event where they were essentially performing some one else’s music, but it really just seemed like like a lot of random electric twitching for extended portions. Started to focus a bit near the end, I liked the portion about the Baba Yaga, the nutcracker portion was interesting.
i mean, sure. why not.
I've loved ELP since I was a teenager. Yes, I know they are over the top pretentious art rock, but dammit they were also really, really good. Keith Emerson was to keyboards like Jimi Hendrix to guitars. Lake and Palmer are amazing in their own way also. I've owned this album on vinyl for many years but to be honest it's one of the ELP albums I've listened to the least. Not sure why that is because it's very good. 4 stars.
Interesting. Sounds like 70s church.
Nah. Would have been fun if I’m ripped up on something illegal I’m sure.
Maybe not for an everyday listen
Onneksi otin kuunteluun 38 minuuttia kestävän originaaliversion enkä yli 2h deluxe-pläjäystä. En ole ihan riittävän sivistynyt ymmärtämään tai nauttimaan tällaisesta taide/progemeiningistä. Genren määrittäminenkin on aika vaikeata kun biisit poukkoilee ihan laidasta laitaan. The Great Gates of Kiev jäi mieleen positiivisesti "normaalina" biisinä, jota voisi kuunnella uudestaankin. Viimeisessä kappaleessa oli kova meininki.
pure unadulterated wankery
ELP kannte ich auch nur namentlich. Dies ist ein großes Album. Gute 4 Sterne.
ok
not a bad sound but not very exciting and not a personal fan of live albums
Pretentious prog rock bullshit. Do not like.
Very neat cover of a classical composition.
This album went very fast, and faded into background music just as quickly. I found it very forgettable.
meh
Well that was silly.
Just never got ELP, I get it I just don't like it.
its experimental and stuff but not really a joy to listen to
Very interesting. Never heard anything like it before. Nutcracker is a banger.
Kinda cool to make a rock show out of Pictures at an Exhibition but didn't work for me.
Started off with a well-known classical piece played nicely on a pipe organ, and I thought to myself, "Maybe this one doesn't have any of the masturbatory prog rock bullshit, and that's why it's on the list." How foolish and naïve. There's a ton of musicianship here, and it's all very impressive, but I'm baffled by the person who plunks down $72 or whatever to go watch a guy play the Moog for what seems like hours. Best track: Promenade (the first one)
Held my attention. Not something I would really listen to again. Sort of toed the line between pretentious and interesting. 3.5
Haven't listened to all of the source material. But interesting arrangement. 7/10
Psychedelic.Folk.Rock.
I dunno, this is a bit too esoteric/"prog for prog's sake" for me, but some of the instrumental synth/bass/drum bits got going for a few min. 2/5.
Incoherent, pretentious, noodling.... this really isn’t for me. Why play 1 note when you can play 27!