Tarkus

this is what it looks like when prog has a fun silly lil time ! but not only is it fun, it’s excellent! they could put this shit in an episode of columbo to make him an even goofier guy! the difference from the opening 20minute astounding Tarkus that gives way to the quick Jeremy bender shows the two levels the rest of the album can jump between ! so much fun! the keys on bitches crystal were a hoot, my feet were tapping away throughout! the only way (hymn) is a perfect song leading up to christmas ! and the continuation to inifinite space (conclusion) was so succinct, so epic ! are ya ready eddy? the best time !!!!! i love when they do the piano thing where they slide down woooo! 4.5/5 ELP DONT DISAPPOINT!

This album was really cool. Tarkus is an epic track, 20 minutes long with 7 parts, great keyboard work, it's very interesting with jazz and classical influences mixed with rock. Overall this was a really good prog rock album

4 stars but only if we forget about the last track.

This is the second or third album of theirs that I’ve gotten, and I want to give it another listen. I think there is some potential here.

4.2/5 The title track is one of those great obnoxiously long prog rock songs, and lasts over half the duration of the album. The rest of the songs are fine but not spectacular. Best track: Tarkus

Impressive A-side with a "single" song about an armadillo tank. Silly but really prog rock awesomeness. The B-side doesn't get the same love as it's a mix of songs all with a total different sound.

Liked it, would have liked it more if Side B had been more like Side A

Prog is often hard to evaluate. There is a fine line between good, forward-thinking, original music, and an unlistenable hodgepodge of whatever the artist is into at the time. I think this mostly falls into the former. The jazz and classical influences are potent. At one point, baroque organ plays against a swing beat and it absolutely works. Other moments fall flat, especially where dated synths are concerned, and the lyrics themselves are not well constructed. The album ends with a more rockabilly like song which feels unusual but ultimately, this is a rock band.

This is more like it, prog full of ideas and no pointless gaps! First song the longest and best, reminded of final fantasy boss music if the boss had about 10 different stages and one of them was Ozzy Osbourne. Other songs sounded like ideas they couldn't quite fit into the first song, except the last one which was rock n roll, not sure why they put that one in. Overall, very interesting, happy it made the list.

Muito bom. Me surpreendi muito, especialmente com o começo.

The title track is a zany Prog masterpiece which is expected from elp. the b side is a bit weirder with a few rock and roll tracks thrown in. still an underrated Prog record in my eyes.

The best album about mechanized armadillo tanks I've ever heard.

I've loved ELP since I was a young lad. Were they pretentious and over-the-top? Sure, but they were also super talented. Sometimes they may have gotten a bit overindulgent but when they were good they were really incredible. I'm a bit surprised that the two ELP albums on this list are Tarkus and Pictures at an Exhibition. For me, Brain Salad Surgery and Trilogy are the two albums that most belong here. Having said that, this is still a great album. The title track is complex but also listenable and holds together well. Greg Lake's guitar playing on the song is reminiscent of David Gilmour's playing with Pink Floyd from around this same time. 4 stars.

Emerson m'a cette-fois ci régalé, c'était bien la peine de s'entêter à le générer. Bravo Robert.

Keith Emerson was the most genius keyboard player popular music ever saw. He could play anything ever written, and at the same time could write stuff no one else could play. The title track is so rich and complex; if you don’t think it’s genius from a compositional standpoint, you’re not paying attention or are willfully ignoring it. If you look “Tarkus played by a symphony” or something like that you’ll hear how genius it is. Carl Palmer is also an absolute madman on the drum kit. The second side is obviously weaker than the first side, which is why the album is actually currently my least favorite of their big four studio albums. It’s definitely quite inaccessible, as you can see from its average rating score. But you simply cannot deny the genius behind Tarkus. Literally no other group before or since ELP could ever have written anything remotely resembling this piece of music. They were unabashedly original. Some people think they’re too pretentious, and maybe they were, but damn do I love when talented musicians show off their talents. Virtuosos shouldn’t dumb down their music to appeal to common tastes I love the section at 14:25 Also I’m pretty sure ELP inspired so much 90s video game music, it’s crazy

I'm familiar enough with ELP, I've definitely heard this full album before, but I'm not exactly a fan of the band. It meanders a bit too much to keep me coming back. On Thursday late afternoon, I had a bad headache, didn't get much sleep the night before, and I was in a haze lying on the couch. Marianne played the album, and I listened as I lay, eyes closed, no motion. I was worried I'd feel under attack by the avalanche of notes and rhythms, suspended in gaffa. But I went on an excellent adventure. Loved the incredible drumming of Carl Palmer, the impossible time signatures, Emerson and Lake are massive. It's not an album for all occasions, but in a pained dream state, it was excellent. Somehow that doesn't seem to put a very positive spin on it.

A fun prog rock album. 4/5. Favorite Track: Tarkus

Really needs to be listened to under the influence, very meandering yet definitely enjoyable

If you like prog rock you should be listening to this album

Interesting tunes and sounds. Psychedelic influences

Very good album!!

Algjört eðal-progg. Hugsa til kunningja míns sem lést í síðustu viku. Hann gerði Mooginn hans Emersons upp tvisvar, í seinna skiptið í bílskúrnum heima hjá sér.

I remember having Brain Salad Surgery and the two Works LPs but don't think I listened to Tarkus that much. It's a good prog rock LP with plenty of creative keyboarding by Keith. Is the advent of the synth and other electronic forms of keyboards what started prog rock? The album also has the obligatory 20+ minute song which  seems to be part of the big prog rock band admission fee. Try to name a top prog band that didn't have one of these? Supper's Ready, Close to the Edge, Echoes, Lizard. 

When I saw this album started with a 20 minute song I audibly groaned, but I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Last song doesn't fit though.

7/10. Si bien el primer track es sublime y el resto apoyan un poco eso. Luego del primer track por más de que sirva y tenga sentido de pierde un poco la idea, las letras no son lo mismo, se pierde el concepto, cosas voladas que no conforman. Pero a pesar de todo, logran ser revolucionarios para la época, un poco de sensaciones de los doors y Pink Floyd, con una pizca de no se que, pero de algo que escuché, no lo logro descifrar todavía.

8/10

This is proper Prog. Interesting to listen to and varied. I can understand why some might hate it though.

A pretty cool prog rock album in my opinion, and the Tarkus suites were very good. However, before I had this one on the list, I had Pictures At an Exhibition (That was one of the first albums I was given on the list) and I think I prefer it. I honestly feel that I'll probably prefer some of the later albums in general if/when they come up on the list. I might come back to this, but it certainly feels like an album I'd need to give my undivided attention to next time, and I've not had the time to do that this time around. Favourite: Tarkus (All parts)

I actually enjoyed this, and the album art is amazing so it bumps it up to a four.

I always think that I'm going to not enjoy prog rock albums, but then I when I actually listen to the album, I usually find them pretty palatable. I think maybe I just don't like King Crimson (I know, I'm a monster). This album features a lot of great musicianship. It features some prominent use of synthesizers, though most of the songs feature a traditional piano. There's a big diversity of styles despite the fact that there aren't that many tracks on the album. The major focus is the first track, which took up a whole side of the vinyl release of the album. It goes by pretty quick, but it's a very solid album 4/5

A versatile album with quite a lot of musical complexity. I'm not very familiar with the songs of ELP, but I definitely dive into this after listening to this album.

There are a few moments where it is a bit too much but overall this is very good

Awesome, something totally unique but not niche by any means, I really liked it

LP

This is my comfort genre. 4/5

It's all about the first side, of course, but the side B shouldn't be slept on. It has a lot of good moments. Last song is bad and kinda makes me wonder if everything that came before was just a dream, but that's the only real low point.

Spectacular musicianship and composition. Really amazing. Not a great listen in my opinion. I mean I wouldn't put it on while cleaning the house. But certainly a great study.

A really fun album overall. I really enjoy the progressive instrumentals of this album.

I'm the oddball that likes this music.. Title track is great, the rest of the album is ok, very classic prog rock.

On their second album, ELP throw off the training wheels and show what they’re really capable of. The multi-part suite Tarkus is astonishing in its complexity, and the venomous Bitches Crystal crashes through the speakers like a speeding train.

Underrated second side

-In general, solid Emerson, Lake & Palmer jams. Lots of weird and interesting keyboard and drum rhythms and things. "Are You Ready Eddy?" stood out as being catchy but that might be because it repeats the title a lot and is last. In any case, many fun parts, but nothing standing out as insanely cool to boost it to 5 stars

Lame but impressive

The beauty of the late 60s and early 70s was the ability to unironically try something absolutely "out there" for the sake of Art. "It's gonna be about the de-evolution of a giant armadillo tank!" This is not an album that will be in my casual playlists, but I appreciated what went into creating it. (Mostly. Some of the songs on side 2 were a little WTF.) Low listenability but high creativity and musical skill.

Well this is certainly an interesting thing. I feel like I should have taken a lot more of something when I listened to this and it might have gotten a 5, but I still enjoyed all the surreal madness. How often do I get to listen to an album themed around the transition to aquatic of a manticore-fighting armored armadillo tank? It’s all a bit fascinating. Not sure this will be a regular listen but it is certainly something I’m glad to have become acquainted with.

Pretty interesting prog. Some weird atheist lyrics? But overall just squeaks out a 4-star.

Awesome early keyboard driven prog. The title track could be mistaken for Super Nintendo era JRPG battle music.

It is a solid prog rock album that takes the listener on a musical journey. The title track (with its many parts) was a great listen and the conceptual-ness of it all allowed me to really think about themes such as life, religion, war, death and the fate of the world. Being not as experimental, I felt the second half was lacking in overall feel and sound in comparison. They almost sound like two different albums. Best: Tarkus (all parts) Worst: A Time and a Place

Daklen, album cover je meni među dražima upravo. Baš bi takvu yu gi oh kartu, da se može napraviti. Dosta dobar progresivni rock. Puno organa i sintisajzera. Njihovo razmišljanje za ovaj album: "Alo Palmere, jesmo roknuli pjesmu od 20min.." "Ma slušaj ti mene Lake, mi moramo i B stranu napravit" "Asti gospe, ništa, roknut nekih ovako pjesama nek se ima i to neka bude B strana, ne mora sve valjat skroz." i bi tako. Velikodušan sam, nije čista četvorka, zna se di sam stavio točan rejting.

Gostei muito do álbum!

This one is interesting, we will see

ELP was a big part of my high school years. Brain Salad Surgery was a top 10 album for me but other than Lucky Man, their other "hit" C'est la Vie and a live album, I didn't dig any deeper into their catalog. The side long opus is very good not as good as Karn Evil 9 but it had me engaged from first note until the last. Side 2 has its moments but makes no mistake Tarkus is the star. 4 🌟

very prog

Bit trippy but good music

Great musicianship. Side 2 gets a little goofy.

I have listened to at least three full albums from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer all the way through, maybe more. I could probably find a track on any one of ELP's albums that would get 4 or 5 stars from me (except THAT album - you know the one... yeesh). Somehow I still have mixed feelings about the band. Tarkus is a perfect example of my mixed reaction. The title track (Side A) is something that eventually makes it's way back into my playlist for another listen, but I forget about the rest of the tracks on the album (Side B). Yes, this album is worth a listen, but it feels inconsistent to me. Rounding bumps this album up to 4 stars.

I think this prog rock hit me at the right moment. I put it on and started walking and it was actually pretty nice.

Lengthy but full of incredible freestyle solos, riffs and licks. The tightness of the songs diminishes as the album progresses but it’s a great snapshot of the best of the genre

Title track is great, a jazzy prog epic. By comparison the other tracks feel like b-sides

“Tarkus” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1971) Musical excellence does not always yield artistic excellence, and this album, while very good overall, is a case in point. For example, the thematic bashing of religious hypocrisy, deceptive symbolism, and the dilemma of theodicy seems to be a hobbyhorse (in “Tarkus [IV. Mass]”, “The Only Way (Hymn)” and elsewhere), and it’s quite understandable in the target-rich Anglican environment. But the obscene “Jeremy Bender” puts sexual deviancy in a categorically Catholic context. I would have liked to hear them explore this in greater depth. As it is, they just skim the surface. For it to be art, Emerson, Lake & Palmer would have to take a deeper dive into the tensions inherent in sex and religion, and drag us along with them. I wouldn’t put up too much of a fight. This is their second studio album. In contrast to their debut album (“Emerson, Lake & Palmer”), these compositions seem to be more rhythmic, relying on drummer Carl Palmer to provide structure, to generally good effect. But the rapid 5/4 (several places in the 20-minute long “Tarkus”) is very taxing on the listener. It takes a lot of energy for two ears to keep up with five beats in every one step. Keith Emerson demonstrates on this album why he is one the two greatest progressive rock keyboardists of all time (the other being Rick Wakeman). His compositional and performing skills, combining classical, jazz, and prog rock, are outstanding. He isolates Hammond organ overtones and harmonics into one channel (e.g., the left channel on “Tarkus [III. Iconoclast]”) for a signature sound. Guitarist/bassist/vocalist Greg Lake is another giant in the genre. On guitar, he has some stellar solos. Marvel at how he utilizes sustain and reverb on “Tarkus [VI. Battlefield]”. Frequently, though, his lead vocals are driven back in the mix, forcing the listener to lean in to the music in order to get to the song. Plus, his struggles with pitch (“A Time and a Place” and elsewhere) require a certain amount of strain for the listener to grab the melody. It’s all very tiring. Regarding the two instances of comic relief on this album, “Jeremy Bender” begs to not be taken seriously. But “Are You Ready Eddie?” is genuine fun—throwback rock and roll on the theme of (of all things!) the work of the studio engineer. This is excellent music, if you’re willing to expend the energy. Now it’s nap time. 4/5

prog prog prog prog

Sé que es un disco raro, pero me pareció bastante agradable. Es algo así como una mezcla de Santana con The Who y Pink Floyd, bastante experimental, pero nada pretencioso.

To byl dobry dzien na taki material, bo zeby w pelni docenic progresywnego rocka, poza odpowiednim sprzetem potrzeba takze chwili spokoju i przemyslenia sluchanego albumu, moze dlatego tak niewiele progresywnego rocka jest na tej liscie, bo nie liczac floydow, to ciezko by szukac wsrod prawie dwustu pickow przedstawicieli tego jakze intelektualnie absorbujacego gatunku, a jeszcze dziwniejsze, ze nie natrafilem na taka ultrabande, dlaczego takie okreslenie, bo kazdy z trzech czlonkow przed powstaniem zespolu byl juz kims w muzycznym biznesie, zaskoczenie juz na pierwszym traku, tytulowym tarkusie, ktorego 21 minut stanowi pierwsza strone tego long pleja, jak przystalo na progresiva tarkus to siedmio czesciowy suit opowiadajacy epicka historie blizej nieokreslonego futurystycznego pancernikowatego zwanego tarkusem, kazda z czesci kawalka opowiada epizod epicki tarkusa, ktory mozna zlurkowac na materialach zawartych na sleevie, cale szczescie, ze jest bo historia 7 czesciowa, a tylko 3 zawieraja kontekst liryczny, reszta to instrumentale o bardzo atonalnym brzmieni i charakterystycznymi klawiszami, wrecz perkusyjnymi, pierwszym skojarzeniem po tej polowie, toz to przeciez crimson king, daleki od prawy nie bylem, bo jak nazwa zespolu glosi, znajduje sie w nim pewien lake, dokladnie ten sam greg lake, ktory byl odpowiedzialny za wokal i gitare basowa na dwoch pierwszych albumach crimsonow, a jako ze jestem fangejem dworku karmazynowego krola, to crimsony brzmia wlasnie jak ich debiutancki album, wiec tutaj jestem kupiony wokalami lakeowymi i kontentem lirycznym, bo jest on za niego odpowiedzialny, wiec zarowno pierwsza strona przypowiesci o pancerfaustowym pancerniku majacym propagowac wartosci pacyfistyczne pokazujac okrucienstwo i bezsens wojen prowadzonych przez ludzi, druga strona troche zmienia nastroj plyty kawalkami jeremy bender i crystal bitches, tylko po to zeby zaraz wrocic do klimatu pierwszej strony z utworem rozbitym na dwa traki, to znaczy the only way i infinite space, zglebiajacym sie w to jaki sens czlowieczenstwo i progresja czlowieka przez pryzmat zbrodni wojennych XX wieku, to jakze mocne odniesienie do zydow, pierwsza czesc pod wzgledem instrumentalnym wyroznia sie wykorzystaniem organow koscielnych, zeby stoponiowo przejsc w bardziej bogata instrumentalnie infinite space, gdzie obok klawiszy fortepanowych mozna uslyszec perkusje i bas, nadal jest atonalnie, ale tym razem bardziej jazzowo, to wlasnie tam skojarzylem skad znam te drumsy, bo o ile nazwisko palmera nie mowilo mi zbyt wiele, ale tak to jest jak sie jest laikiem progowym, lecz oryginalny atomic rooster jest juz mi znany i bardzo dobrze oceniany, do czego z pewnoscia przylozyly sie te drumy, kompozycje tych dwoch trakow sa oparte na bachowej tworczosci, choc takich niuansow juz nie bylem w stanie wylapac, zakonczenie plyty wraca do bardziej klasycznego rocka, zwlaszcza kawalek are you ready eddy, bedacy dosc luznym zwrotem do pana plyty z ekipy producenckiej, slabe jest wstawianie 20 minutowych kawalkow na plejki, wiec tym razem daruje sobie te przyjemnosc i caly albumik leci na miejsce do biblioteczki, zasiadzie w lozych progresowych dzikow, zaraz obok crimsonowych kingow

Very interesting jazz inspired prog rock. I enjoyed reading about the Tarkus storyline behind the title track. I wish more mainstream artists today wrote songs with this sort of imagination.

Good prog.

22. Há um tempo e há um lugar, mas há muito não os visito. A única coisa útil para me dar alento é saber, todos os dias, de uma sirene aguda às onze e quinze, e com ela uma visita aos pátios de arame e betão. Não me recordo do sol brilhar tanto no tempo e no lugar. Também a memória me atraiçoou e delatou os meus crimes à Natureza. Tenham vergonha de alucinar um pobre homem! Que vos encha o decoro se da miséria alheia se aproveitam! A condição é minha e minha apenas. E dela me livrarei num dia de silêncio da sirene. MotA: "Tarkus" "Has the dawn ever seen your eyes? Have the days made you so unwise?"

Good early prog rock

Pretty cool

the title track takes its time to accelerate but it comes together very well, I love it sometimes, it overdoes things, though, like with voice modulation other tracks are mixed

Great first song and not so great other songs. It still deserves a 4 because of the first song.

The opening track threw me off a little, mainly due to how long it is. I'm not really used to listening to such long songs. But it wasn't bad. This album wasn't bad, but I didn't like some of the songs. 3.5-4/5 stars.

pretty weird but also pretty good

Never heard this band before but like the progressive nature.

A really interesting prog-rock album. The first side is a seven-part suite, and by far the strongest on the album, whilst the second side is a weaker collection of 'unrelated' songs. 8/10

Tarkus was great. Forgot how much I like this silly group.

Proggy prog

progrock chyeah

Much better than some of the progressive rock that came later that was just trying to be different and daring just for the sake of it, posturing with complex time signatures and random key changes. This was just pretty solid. And the keys on Bitches Crystal were actually pretty awesome. Should be 3.5, but I’m feeling generous today.

yeeeee. 20 min song > rest of the album. hell yeah king crimson dude. sick ass supergroup.

diggin the prog

The titular song is a 20 minute prog rock epic and it's very interesting. The rest is good but doesn't really compare to the first track.

Prog

Great album through and through

Mostly solid prog rock. Extensive use of piano/organ is interesting. Title track (really suite of 7 songs) is very good and similar to Dark Side. “The only way (hymn)” is weird.

Very "funky". Really enjoyed the energy and the vibe. Didnt realize the first track was so long!

8

Enjoyable

I have never given ELP a chance because I have always heard that their music is incredibly tedious and corny. But as a child of prog I do like this “keys as the lead instrument and barely any guitar” approach. At the same time, I found much of this tedious and corny. But I don’t hate it.

Tarkus is a masterpiece track!!! one the greatest prog rock tracks i've ever heard. the restbof the record is okay, there are a few songs i like but my favourite is Tarkus for sure.

So… the title track is something else in terms of a song going places that you might not expect. Based on the creature on the album cover, the epic story of the Tarkus means… something. A couple inventive tracks on Side B show some keyboard chops. On the weird side of prog as opposed to the side of prog that moves rock in a specific direction.

funky

Okay, I think I liked this? I listened to it like 5 times just in the background and it did its job well enough. I was thrown by the 20 min opening track but I guess you’re entitled to do such things. I wish I had paid closer attention to perhaps have a better handle on what was going on because the only things I can recall are someone being fisted and why did God let the Holocaust happen (which is an important question, just not one I expected here).

some moments of this (Are You Ready Eddy?) were pretty fun, other bits were at least interesting and there was a lot of range. Tarkus parts i-vii was very long and not necessarily enjoyable to me but lots going on and you can’t say they weren’t trying things

meh

In one ear and out the other. But not unpleasantly so

Not their best album a lottle slower than I like but amazing musicians and playing for a progressive ultra fan thisbshould be great

tim and eric title

mix van Beatles en Pink floyd. zeker nog een keertje naar luisteren dan wordt die wel beter

This was reasonably fun and enjoyable. I feel like this is a good example of an album on the list that I think "ya, I get why this is on the list"

Nice slab of prog rock with a surprising left turn at the end because why not?

Never really listened to this band before but as I get more into prog I knew I'd have to eventually. I liked it, I'm sure it'll grow on me more with more listens but no issues here

This is an interesting record to be sure. There are a lot of prog-rock elements that do different things. Clearly Keith Emerson's keyboards, organ, piano and synth steer the ship, which does kind of get old near the end of the record, but for the most part, it stays interesting and relevant. Good record.

Bit of a mixed bag, I almost liked it but it got a bit irritating in parts

First listen

Eh

I didn’t really listen but it was fine

What is this? It defies categorization. And Robert Palmer isn’t involved, which is a mistake.

Nice, but not my thing.

3.5

Okay.

6/10 Enjoyable, in its own way. Tarkus itself has it's moments amongst the epic amount of rock noodling, with the extra tracks feeling like they are very much making up the numbers. I like to think that there was a time when this was actually popular

I get the sense that those math-rock dudes from the 00s felt they had to invent that genre name to be free from the stigmatised stink of prog rock like this - when in fact these guys were doing extremely similar things with fruity time-signatures, jazz-adjacent chords, and insufferable twiddlings 30 years before. Serious playing chops? Yes. Largely self indulgent and tiring twaddle? Also yes. Still quite groovy in paces despite that? Yeah, I suppose so. That cover is pretty badass too

Ugh… fusion I liked Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready Eddy? but the rest just ain’t for me

i honestly don't remember if i listened to this already or not, so i don't mind a refresher. i'm not at all familiar with ELP's music, though i've heard a mix of opinions. i do like some prog rock acts (Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, etc) so we'll see how i like these guys Tarkus - 5/5 Jeremy Bender - 3/5 Bitches Crystal - 4/5 The Only Way (Hymn) - 2/5 Infinite Space (Conclusion) - 3/5 A Time and a Place - 3/5 Are You Ready Eddy? - 1/5 Average score: 3.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ hmmmm. i'm conflicted. i think i need to hear some other albums to determine how i feel about ELP in general, but this introduction was... a lot i feel like i should have liked this in theory. Keith Emerson's a badass on the keyboard, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer are also great musicians. however, their performance lacks in some departments, particularly songwriting & cohesion between tracks. is Tarkus worth listening to at least once? sure, it was an interesting 20-minute experience, which says a lot as a hater of long tracks/albums. everything else after that? eh

A bit 'whacked out' but otherwise a good listen.

Kannte von denen bisher nur den "Lucky Man", das ist ja recht unspektakulär. Dass die so progressiv waren, war mir neu.

Hatte was! Immer mal wieder etwas zu cheesy.

20 minute track and that is it. Average

Mostly ok

Alright album

Hmm. Seems a bit too up its own ass to be truly enjoyable.

It's to the detriment of this album that it has a monster ambitious suite that rocks so hard, and then a bunch of songs that are merely okay.

largely compelling, a bit too resigned to flat ideas for me to fully get excited about this

honestly pretty good, obviously a bit weird, but like some very solid bits of the songs in between the prog rock waffle

Вокал Грега Лейка хорош, и техника Кита Эмересона - безусловно. Но кроме техничности альбома я ничего в нем не услышал.

2.5 stars. Really talented musicians, just not to my taste.

The first track sounds like the soundtrack to the most difficult mario kart level.

Prog isn’t always my thing, and I will admit that I had a hard time staying focused during the 20-some minute, multi movement song. But I also found myself jamming out to it at times, and I certainly didn’t find it hard or bad to listen to. Truly a middle ground album with some of the best cover art I’ve seen in this project so far.

The opening track really primed me for a much worse experience. I was pleasantly surprised.

Vllt ganz nett aber fuckt ab

Can I just say, the album cover of this is superior. Even before listening it gave me good vibes. Eruption, the first movement, was exactly the music I would expect to play if a giant armadillo tank was rolling towards me. Being honest, after this I got lost in where I was. Bits I enjoyed: the marimba, the guitar, the keys, the absolute insanity of it all. Honestly reminded me of Zelda battle music. The military-esq drumming at the end was also quite funny to me. Alright, time for the second half. More typical tracks. Some of these lyrics are… strange to say the least. The music in Jeremy Bender being the music the ice cream truck used to play took me a while to place. Bitches Crystal definitely sounded like a… bitches Crystal. The Only Way was actually pretty nice. I’m not a huge fan of hymns but the organ was really nice. The line about God losing 6 million Jews was questionable, there are better ways to say that, but oh well. The vocals in these are questionable at some points, but they’re not… horrible. Just the occasional note takes me out of it. Infinite space had a cool sci fi vibe to it. Honestly A time and Place was great as well. It’s really funny to me that this whole album is out there prog rock, and then to close there’s Are You Ready Eddie which is the epitome of 60s/early 70s rock n roll. Solid 3.5/5 ⭐️, but I don’t think I can reasonably give it more than that even though I enjoyed it. 132/1089

ELP have a lot of virtuoso technical prowess… and not much else.

Chill prog. Blir på ingen måta blåst av banen her, men det e interessant nok. The Only Way e et klart bunnpunkt. Jeremy Bender va søt👌 6/10

Prog som fenger med rå rytmer og spenstige påfunn, men som ganske ofte forfaller til sirkusmusikk.

20 minute song got me fucked up. Really liked A Time And A Place and Are You Ready Eddy was funny

TBH I thought this album was gonna be worse. That said, it's still not great. Once I got past the 20 minute opener it flew by, so I guess that's something. I also saw there were multiple Deluxe versions. Seriously though who's listening to those?

Quite fun and creative but feels more like someone playing around at an electric piano than anything profound or memorable.

To me, Tarkus is one of the weaker foundational prog epics. Yes it's good, but much like ELP in general, it serves as a display of musical virtuosity. Side 2 is better than I expected, given that people seem to find it significantly weaker (which it is).

The old prog nerd in me rejoiced for Side A, but Side B was a bit more of a patience exercise. Still OK, and certainly influential to prog bands to come that I dug (e.g. Dream Theater).

Before this, I knew ELP by name, but I'd never heard any of their songs before, so I sat down, put on my headphones, and tried to focus on listening. Luckily, it didn't feel like a complete waste of time, and I didn't get particularly annoyed, although this kind of music normally causes annoyance. The mammoth title track is clearly the most interesting song, and I also liked the "Infinite Space" instrumental, but the rest of the song material didn't seem very strong. "Are You Ready Eddy?" made me think that the album was over and Spotify had randomly selected some shitty boogie band to play.

Could be a higher or lower rating. It was on in the house. But I was very distracted hanging with Callie.

Interesting one, I feel like id need to listen to this one more times to give a better more complete review. But tbh I dont feel like listening to this again.. it had its moments but didnt feel very cohesive as a whole. First song felt like it could been 7 different songs. Debating giving an extra point for the wierd awesome album art, but I honestly think this concept could been executed better. Like if I were to draw an armadillo as a tank, I think id come out with something cooler, or maybe Im delusional lol. 7/10

Pretty good.

I’m more of a prog metal guy myself but I’ve come to appreciate prog rock more. The fact that a 20 minute epic opens the album to be followed by a quick, tongue in cheek track immediately afterwards was pretty funny. Also interesting that it’s checking in under 60 minutes as a prog album. This deserves an additional listen and I am rate higher because I had to listen while on the road. But nothing stood out on the first couple listens

A Prog Rock staple.

Liked it very much. Interesting record.

It is good music but too incoherent

Great A-side. Very meh B-side. Unfortunate, but I was never a big ELP fan, so no love lost.

Apparently Tarkus is a large armadillo-tank that was born on an erupting volcano, fought a number of enemies, was defeated by a Manticore and was finally superseded by an aquatic version of Tarkus called Aquatarkus. And this piece of work is a reflection on the futility of war. So, I only got the sense of what Tarkus was from the album cover. I get the sense of a battle taking place from the marching beat in the middle of Tarkus. And the rest I would have only been able to glean from the subtitles. Overall I like the idea of the narrative, but the work is so ambiguous that if you heard it on its own, it could be about anything. It is a frenetic, synth free for all that feels very 70s performing arts piece. Do I like it... maybe. I'm not 100% sure. I think I would have preferred a bit more definitive structure in the nutritive and a little less repetition of the music motifs. Would I listen again... probably. But I think that I would prefer to be high. Side two, or the other tracks as we now call them with the advent of using digital music devices, is a collection of musically diverse songs ranging from the short and sweet rag-time "Jeremy Bender" to the tongue in cheek rock "Are you ready Eddy?". It is absolute prog rock and I enjoyed it. (3.125)

Not as bad as the reviews make it to be. Would I go out of my way to listen to this record again? No. Would I enjoy listening to it in the background? Yes.

I like ELP, but this one wasn’t too exciting for me…

It’s prog rock. I entered with skepticism. I stayed to enjoy the noodling.

First half of the album (so the first track) was cool! The second half didnt wow me.

Thoughts before listening: It's been a while since I've gotten some 70s prog on here. ELP are one of the biggest offenders of the over the top cheesy side of prog rock, so that's what I expect here. Review: I mean this thing starts with a 20 minute, multi-part drums and keyboard freakout. Someone mentioned in another review that this is why punk started, and I can't argue with that. I'm a jamband guy (but also a punk guy to be fair) so I'm no stranger to long songs, but this is maybe a bit much. Still though I get that this is classic stuff here so I'll add it to my playlist. Now once this 20 minute epic ends, there are still 6 more songs which fly by in 18 minutes total. Of these, my favorite is probably "Bitches Crystal" with a couple songs leaning toward almost a Kinks doing twangy country sound. All in all this is the epitome of over the top prog, and while I want to hate it, I think it's fine. 3-stars

A bit of a nothing burger and sounds a bit dated. The best song is “Are You Ready Eddy”

This is a good, not great progressive rock album. Not ELP's best -- I think Brain Salad Surgery should be on the list instead of this one. That said it definitely shows the range of influence that this band was built on, going from classical through to rowdy rock and roll.

PROGGGY. The final song took my by surprise given the rest of the album as did the line about the holocaust because I was not listening very carefully before that.

3 Can't believe they went with that holocaust line

Escucharlos me generó como alegría, no es mi estilo pero la experiencia fue linda.

Écoutable mais pas mémorable

Jeremy Bender threatened to fist his sister I guess

Some of the best ELP.

album cover does not match the album's vibe 3

Love the energy and the experimental nature of this album.

Slightly disappointing as my last album, but I MADE IT GUYS!!! Prog for the sake of prog.

266/1001 Emerson Lake and Palmer - Tarkus Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ Prog rock with a keyboard fronted sound, is decent enough, but it seemed as though all of yhe song structures were exactly the same throughout. Cool album art though.

First of all this outing really requires you to be beyond comfortable with listening to A LOT of electric organ which has never been one of my favorite tones. Second there’s the decision making to blame. It’s apparent that the musicians are dripping with instrumental ability and musical talent but there’s no sense of any critical self-editing to give this stylistic grab bag some thematic backbone. They can do anything, so they try to do everything. The effect is mostly gratuitous. Lastly, there is the disparity in artistry between the sprawling title track which is at least ambitious, the unforgivable “Are You Ready Freddy?”, and everything in between, both in the track list and quality. It has impressive moments but it’s a dramatically uneven affair.

This was ambitious in terms of the sounds they tried to incorporate, but it just didn't do anything for me.

I think ELP won the race to the first side long track with Tarkus in '71. A tale of 2 sides with most of the strong ideas on the first and a mix of tracks including some honky tonk filler on the second. Forgot how much Emerson dominated the mix in this early days. Not as polished as Brain Salad Surgery but the sound is quite live which adds to the prog energy.

Title track is an epic that very clearly inspired every 90's JRPG boss fight soundtrack. The rest of the album is entirely forgettable.

I’m just not there yet with prog rock

These keys definitely have a level of pretentious "look-at-me-ness" usually reserved for saxophone. And to be fair, prog is inherently pretentious - you don't pick up an instrument and declare you're about to try to redefine music unless you're an insufferable wanker - but I couldn't work out what they were trying to do besides showing off and stroking their own egos. As interesting as the suite is, it doesn't say anything and doesn't make you feel anything. And if a conventional pop song can do both in a sixth of the time, maybe prog as a concept just fails. Also definitely losing marks for lyrics.

Very unexpected. I liked the first song a lot with its weird time signatures and "sounds". Rest of the album was alright. 5.4/10

makes me think of dream theater in a way

I actually really like the first track. A crazy, wandering prog exploration with lots of energy. After that the album is listenable, but lacks the experimental intrigue of the first song.

She Emerson on my Lake till I Palmer.

Favorite songs: Tarkus (i. Eruption), Tarkus (iv. Mass), Jeremy Bender, Are You Ready Eddy? Approximate starting points for the 20:59 Tarkus suite: i. Eruption 0:00 ii. Stones of Years 2:43 iii. Iconoclast 6:26 iv. Mass 7:42 v. Manticore 10:57 vi. Battlefield 12:51 vii. Aquatarkus 17:04

Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit.

I have immense respect for what ELP does, but try as I might, prog just usually isn’t my thing.

Strange album, 1/3 of it was the title and first song Tarkus. It was actually pretty solid and would give it another listen

It's cool stuff but not something I can listen to repeatedly

I thought it was pretty fun. Not particularly noteworthy, but it was an enjoyable listen.

The classic rock sounds aren't my thing, but the big song was interesting at least.

An okay album, I liked Jeremy Bender the most.

Decent listen.

Good

Random thoughts: * I have never really explored much of ELP beyond Brain Salad Surgery. So was kind of excited to listen to this one. * It had some of the elements from Brain Salad Surgery that I like, the weird prog rock meets machine sounds like on the lengthy first track. * I realized this was future prog music, the scifi alternative to the medieval/fantasy music of this era. They are a stones throw away from each other but eras apart. * This also had the weird vaudeville influenced music as well too. Which is a weird concept to add to prog rock. * I didn't particularly love this one the way I love Brain Salad Surgery. * Final Note: It is a massive error that Brain Salad Surgery is not in 1001 but this album is. I can't understand the reasoning.

Deep complex

I believe this is our second and mercifully final Emerson, Lake & Palmer album, and I can’t say I’m heartbroken to be closing the book on them. The journey hasn’t been awful, exactly — more like a long, winding lecture delivered with a cape and a Moog synthesizer. I’ve come to accept that I’m probably just not built for English prog rock in its purest, most self-indulgent form. Tarkus makes its intentions clear enough: it’s anti-war, it’s grand, it’s Important. I’m on board with the message. I’m just not convinced that the message needed to take up an entire 20-minute opening track on Side A to get there. At a certain point it stops being a song and starts feeling like an endurance test. I did enjoy this more than Pictures at an Exhibition, which felt like attending 70s English Prog Rock Church — except no one bothered to tell me which rock hymns we were singing. I was left frantically flipping through the hymnal in the pew in front of me, pretending I knew the liturgy while everyone else nodded knowingly at a 12-minute organ solo. Tarkus is slightly more welcoming… but not by much. In the end, this album was satisfactory at best. And “satisfactory at best” is just a polite way of saying I will never, under any circumstances, voluntarily seek out another ELP record. Why? Because I don’t care.

I do not like prog rock. However, this is pretty much acceptable to my tastes. I'm not sure why. Maybe because despite all the musical masturbation, they still seem pretty grounded. Also armadillo tank record cover is quite cool. ELP is my favourite prog rock band so far - this doesn't mean much, but there we go.

2.5

Cool old psychedelic experimental stuff. First track is way too long though to keep me totally hooked.

I wish the music was as good as the cover. Solid for 1971, but it gets old and repetitive. Very dated.

3.5

Good

Besser als erwartet. Im Zentrum steht natürlich der epische Titeltrack, der den Großteil des Albums ausmacht und anscheinend irgendeine wirre Geschichte über den Armadillopanzer erzählt, welchen wir auch auf dem Albumcover betrachten dürfen. Statt Gitarrengegniedel gibt es massig Keyboardgedudel, was mal was anderes ist. Teilweise sehr coole Sounds, schöne rhythmische Breaks und interessante Melodiebögen. Die B-Seite wirkt ein wenig zerfleddert und gerade den unpassenden Closer darf man ruhig ersatzlos streichen. Kein Meisterwerk, aber durchaus unterhaltsam und gut gemacht.

Inte så farligt, men inget speciellt

A quirky fun album. I sent Jeremy Bender to Jeremy at work heh.

Jes nyt ollaan pieruprogen ytimessä. Vähän jopa yllättää, että tää on näin varhanen rieska ja näin rajua nussimista. Nussiminen yltyy välillä jopa niin rajuks, että taitaa olla munatkin tiellä. En tiiä onko wigut hassutelleet freddie are you readynsa kanssa tän levyn vikan biisin innottamana. Noh oli miten oli, niin en tiiä meneeks tää semisti liikaa suorittamisen puolelle. Viihdyn kyllä ihan, mut nää rajummat kikkelilevy vaatis varmaan aina viikon kuunteluajan ja sit vois ruveta vaan ärsyttäänkin. Mennään sillä ajatuksella, että tässä genressä ja jopa tälläkin pändillä on parempia julkasuja kuin tää. Eli ei lähetä hullutteleen vaikka tietty kaikki pippelöinnit vois ansaita vitkunkin.

Aika vahvasti tuli Jussi Pattitussi ja Kikka Korea mieleen. Jollain perverssillä tavalla myös nautin tästä levystä. En sillain sen enempää mitään tästä oikein osaa sanoa, muutakun että oli kyllä kovaa ajoa.

Nice bit of pomp rock.

I'm not much of a prog rock guy, but this album had some fun moments

3.1 1x

step. away. from. the. organ.

Pufff!!! ¿Demasiado snobismo musical? No llena para nada. Pero por la leyenda y lo icónico de la banda...

This is an album that I just don't think is for me, I don't really get it, and that's fine. I enjoy the drums throughout the whole album, very clear, good sound. The keyboard and organ is just a little too much. And a little too much going on. Sections I liked didn't last long and they were already onto another sound. Experimental, weird, and probably influential, but not for me.

Cool sounds but why this over Pink Floyd or Rush... not totally sure. Didn't resonate with me.

This album feels like something that somebody way cooler and more knowledgeable than me absolutely LOVES. Not in a bad way necessarily, there is something here, especially on the first side, that is inherently cool. It feels like an epic, albeit only 20 minute long, adventure. But as far as my music tastes go, this one probably won't be in the rotation. Which is a shame because the album cover is simply fantastic.

Liked it a lot but you really have to be into prog rock to love it.

Meh. Prog rock at it's best is still just a 3 for me.

I dont remember...

The cover art is goated🔥 6/10

If I could give this negative stars I would

I can see this influencing a lot of modern artist, and a lot of progressive music being made that took this as an example, It has some interesting and complex changes. It’s not really my style but I can appreciate the talent.

I'm a big a fan of Greg Lake era King Crimson(or pretty much any era King Crimson) his voice is just soo great on these records. SO GOOD! I also did not know that Keith Emerson, the keyboardist, did motion picture soundtracks. He, unsurprisingly, did Inferno, one of those nonsensical italian B movie, I suppose he was remplacing Dario Argento's regular band of choice, Goblin for this one. This is the first of two sequels to the classic Suspiria (1977) btw if you didn't know! Also it sucks! Back to ELP! I heard Tarkus before and I like it, Greg's voice carries some of the songs tho I think. And it's not that the songs are bad, but the constant keyboard solos get a bit redundant. I've tried Trilogy and other ELP records, but Tarkus is the only one I've enjoyed so far(kus). 3 1/2

I couldn't name an ELP song if my life depended on it. The first part of "Tarkus" sounds somewhat familiar though. I can hear the influence of this album in newer prog I've listened to - Dream Theater comes to mind in particular. Some of the keyboards make me think of DT. "Tarkus" and "Jeremy Bender" are pretty solid but most of the rest of the album falls a little flat for me. It's fine but a little meandering, the type of music where it feels like they're playing crazy stuff just to play crazy stuff. No feeling.

This is a tough one! On the one hand, it sounds like 3 extremely talented dudes showing off with their technical amazingness and on the other, it sounds like a massive steaming pile of pretentious wank. I'm giving it three stars, mostly because I love listening to Greg Lake sing!

Hasn't aged well.

A concept album about an armadillo-tank hybrid named Tarkus that fights a manticore, ends up in a river only to emerge as Aquatarkus? Surely this will be pretentious and hard to listen to? Yes. Yes it is. All the same the title track grew on me as it played and a couple of tracks on the second side are decent (even if the rest are throwaway). I’d listen to this again.

Enjoyed this, listened to it while working, funky but also chill.

The Tarkus portion (first 20 minutes of the album) was really good. The rest was just a bunch of nonsense. "Can you believe, God makes you breathe. Why did he lose six million Jews?" Whatever the hell that means.

Very proggy. Great playing, weak songs, pretentious and some cringy lyrics.

This one surprised me, kind of reminded me of a more upbeat organ based Pink Floyd.. kind of

***an ok album, easy listening

It's prog rock

First song a bit too long but i like their sound!

I've never heard of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, but I do enjoy me some prog rock! Tarkus is a bit of a mixed bag. The title track is a masterful display of musical prowess (which takes up the entire first half of the LP), while the others are relatively listenable, but often come across about as compelling as a condescending 13-year-old atheist – the “Check out this dissonant chord progression while I tell you why you’re a sheep for believing in God” kind of energy. It’s certainly not beating the pretentious allegations, but I can definitely see myself revisiting the title track in the future and there’s enough good material in the back half to save Tarkus from the two star club. Side note, but the artwork for this album is great. It looks like something you'd find on the sixth page of a SEGA Genesis instruction booklet explaining a game's bosses, while the actual boss doesn't even remotely resemble the artwork. Great stuff. Highlights: Tarkus, B**ches Crystal, A Time and a Place

Talented. Early pioneers of the E-organ, Prog burst. Still reminds me of my brothers. Not an everyday listen at best, but I might hunt down a track every now and again.

I have never heard of this band or album before, and I also have not listened to much prog rock so I am excited. Track 1, I am realizing about a minute in, is 20 minutes long. There is no doubt this is inspired by King Crimson. So far it is very groovy, just not something I would willingly put on when I typically listen to music. The mix of electronic, electric, and acoustic sounds reminds me of video game music. I just got to the first sung line of the song and I like the vocals and the harmonies. Now that the song seems to have really begun, I like it a lot. I am excited to hear the shorter songs. I also am realizing the first song is seven different movements: Eruption, Stones of Years, Iconoclast, Mass, Manticore, Battlefield, and Aquatarkus. Honestly, I might take back my prior statement of never willingly putting this on. It is growing on me, however, I still wish it was broken up into different songs. I feel like songs this long and with multiple movements are best appreciated by those with taste in classical compositions. The last couple of minutes feel so long knowing you already listened to so much of it. I like that the last minute or so brings you back to the sounds of the intro of the song. I am really liking track 2 so far, it reminds me of The Beatles. Track 3 is catchy but I wish it was a little more melodic. No lyrics for track 4 so I am assuming it is all instrumental. I was wrong there are lyrics. It has a very dark vibe to it, but it is a hymn so I am not surprised. I am very shocked at how similar vocally this group sounds to The Beatles. Track 5 also does not appear to have lyrics, but my laptop could also just be lagging. This one is entirely instrumental, so far it is probably my least favorite track on the album. It is not bad, just boring. Immediately, track 6 is a good song. They seem to have a more unique sound in this song, which I like. It is more upbeat and has lyrics. The same goes for track 7. It has more of a bluesy-pop sound to it, more like Elvis Presley. Overall, this album was something I don't typically listen to and I did not hate it but I was not exactly changed by it either.

I enjoyed this album fine! I feel like I’m still getting into and used to prog rock but I feel like this was a good album overall. Some of the songs were long and repetitive but overall I had a good time listening to this album at the gym and would give it another chance in the future.

The best part about this album is Tarkus, the mechanic armadillo and the dystopian war-torn universe it inhabits. The title track is 20 minutes of insanity and surely drug-fueled songwriting. The rest of the tracks, albeit short and arguably more digestible, are nonetheless boring. Interesting concept album and I am glad I listened to it.

MUCH better than I feared it would be. That said, I'm starting to resent this project for not having half stars. this is a 3.5 for me.

Slightly jarring

12/24/25. Cool progressive rock, definitely up my alley. Thought it was a little inconsistent after the first, main song, but there's awesome moments throughout.

I liked this ELP album a bit better than Pictures at an Exhibition. Still not something I'm going to return to often, but this made for a fun listen. 3.4/5

6/10 Highlights: Tarkus A Time and a Place

This was great, keyboards were phenomenal.

So I'm not an Emerson, Lake & Palmer fan come to find out. No more please.

This album has some really enjoyable moments, and its highs are quite high. But between those highs, and during moments that would otherwise be highs, is just oh...so...much...wankery.

These guys sure like keyboards.

Fun time actually. Nothing extra, but enjoyable

I hated this so much on my first listen. Ended up with it on in the background for a few more listens through, and my one star rating slowly turned into a 2. And then a 3. Who knows, maybe it would be a 5 eventually.

prog é divertido demais, não sei como o pessoal aqui do app não gosta 😭😭

Sounds good. The instrumentals were pleasant. Not really my type of music but I can appreciate it.

Good first side. Poor second side.

out there. band band. all over.

Not a bad album, some interesting parts to it and I'm a sucker for prog. Feels a little _too_ noodley at points and uninspired, but that is probably due to my main prog love being Rush. A Time and a Place was probably my person stand out, though I enjoyed the lyrics of The Only Way (Hymn).

Very 70s. A but anxiety producing.

no listened to this in a hundred years...still good dl

It's not easy to listen, but but it's worth it if you want to expand the boundaries of your own perception of music.

Camel

Being full on prog rock, it kind of is what it is, and I accept that. What it lacks in accessibility for the casual listener it makes up for in virtuosity for the discerning listener. I'm kind of on the fence about how "good" it actually is (the lyrics are a bit jarring to say the least) but it is good to hear different music. But in summary, I wouldn't choose to play this again.

Tarkus! Tarkus! Tarkus! Dude, I mean, just look at this artwork, says it all really! As for the album... could this batshit rock get any more progressive??

This is as good a time as any to tell you about my idea for a 1970s supergroup that never was and never will be: W.E.B. However, perhaps with some AI trickery, W.E.B. could be conjured into existence and the world could be gaslit into believing that it was a real thing. W.E.B. is the ultimate in 1970s excess: a keyboard supergroup composed of Rick Wakeman of Yes, Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Tony Banks of Genesis. Although, I assume Wakeman would leave immediately and need to be replaced by Rick Wright of Pink Floyd. Someone just needs to make a short video that includes a spoofed W.E.B. article in Creem (which would be harder to fact check than Rolling Stone.) Throw on an English narrator and out-of-context interview clips from Wakeman, Wright, Emerson and Banks and, shazam, W.E.B. now exists. Oh yeah, Tarkus is fine, I guess. I wish it had "Lucky Man."

have to admit this kind of music is up my alley, but this is the first time i'm hearing of mr emerson, mr lake, & mr palmer, and i have to wonder if there's a reason for that because this album was kinda... meh. started really strong with a frenetic, balls-to-the wall 20 minute opener that devolved into a track list that ranged from alright to very questionable. my double take for "how did he lose / six million jews" gave me whiplash. three stars. highlights - that first track that's 20 minutes you know the one i'm not typing that all out lol, bitches crystal, a time and place, are you ready eddy?

Album cover: A+ Music: C? Not sure where I come down on this. I didn’t especially like it, but I didn’t hate it, either. It at least gets points for feeling somewhat original and creative, like the unexpected “The Only Way (Hymn)”. 3?

Some of the production choices weren't my favorite, especially on the vocals.

Not sure how to describe this one. Weird but oddly staisfying

Another 20 minuter! Enjoyed it more than the rest of the album

The singing is so horrible but at least it gave name to my favorite sim ever

Was kind of a jumble. Need to re-listen when my wife isn’t around. By the way she hated it.

Prog rock epitomized here. Hang in there and you will hear some good moments. That first track, tho. Wow

Mucho experimento para las 7am

3.5

38 minute album and the first track is 20 mins longs. These guys don’t play by the rules. Simpsons: Yes

It was fine I guess

Thought the first mega track had some really good interesting parts, but some other parts, and the rest of the album for that matter didn't resonate with me

2.8 I can't quite put my finger on why, but this really isn't doing much for me. Not a big fan of organ in work, which this has a fair bit of. The long opener doesn't really impress as a center piece, and the rest are pretty forgettable. Pretty bland prog rock over all.

Semmosta....

A bizarre, bombastic, nerdy rock symphony. Some weird moments and sus lines but I was pretty into it.

Didn't mind this one bit. The 20 minute opener intrigued me and kept my attention and the rest of the songs didn't do any harm.

The first song being 20 minutes long kind of threw me a bit but I enjoyed. Very different

Not into 20-minute prog medleys as a rule, but hey, this was alright. The jazzy / mathy bits would actually be quite en vogue these days, and I appreciated them mixing things up and keeping it short and fun on side two. Mainly though I like the drawing of that badass armadillo tank.

Definitely prog, skeptical that it rocks though

3/5 decent

There’s no denying the sheer musicianship on Tarkus — the playing is phenomenal, the organ tones are wild, and the opening suite is ambitious in every sense. But somewhere between the dazzling runs and conceptual excess, the soul gets lost. It often feels more like “because we can” than “because we must.” I respect the scale and execution, but it’s not something I’ll reach for often.

really drops off after that first track

I generally like ELP, this was just OK in my opinion

One of the top reviews is “I’m surprised this is on the list! Critics hate prog!” Dude was this the first album on your list? If anything, I expect to see all the top 20 from Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, etc., NOT because I want that, but because these writers have their heads so far up Anglo-rock’s rectum and they seem to love long, trite, instrumental noodling. That being said, I do enjoy some pretentious progslop noodling here and there. I love long songs too, I love having my attention demanded and earned. The fantastic first track to this album did just that. The B side dragged out and showed off in ways I didn’t really enjoy, but it wasn’t awful.

This is a difficult one to rate. I’m not anti-prog by any means, and the music here is quite interesting and in some places transcendent. Unfortunately, the music is coupled with some of the worst lyrics I’ve ever heard. It’s rather bizarre to listen to in places. In the end, I was digging it overall, but then the final song was such a turd that it took me out of it.

Day630 - after taking a couple tylenols and topping off my autism i was ready to tackle this album and let me tell you i needed it

Some pretty meh prog rock. Not as good as their contemporaries, but not awful. Some pretty skipable stuff, but some ok background music if you're feeling a little jammy.

As a casual prog fan, this album sounds to me like what prog must sound like to non-prog fans.

Interesting album - opening track 20 mins on a 40 min album.

Interesting art rock album. This is the second Emerson, Lake, and Palmer record that I've heard on this list. Prog rock really does something for me. I appreciate the constant introduction of new sounds and textures. But this album doesn't hit for me like their previous entry on this list. Most of the songs on the back half were weak, and left me feeling pretty unsatisfied. The production felt a thin, and some of the sounds were grating. Also, their characteristic timbre wasn't as charming as the first time I heard it. Consequently, it got a little old this time around. Probably won't revisit, and this didn't do anything for me that I couldn't get from their "Pictures at an Exhibition" album 5-5.5/10 Standouts: The Only Way (Hymn)

Favorite Track: Jeremy Bender

Surprised that I enjoyed it. It's reputation proceeded it. Yes, it is a little silly in parts. But it's beautifully played throughout and has a pleasantly wistful feel. I would happily drink tea, while it rains outside, and listen to Tarkus. Great cover art.

Pretty cool.

It was good but a 20 minute song is ode

This was okay. Some of the guitar work and instrumentals were cool.

Dope ass prog rock. Sounds way ahead of its time for 1971. Incredibly talented musicians with cool concept and some interesting synth sounds.

Definitely need to take some drugs before listening to this next time

Meh

Nie byłam i nie jestem i nie będę fanką progrocka, ale nawet ja wiem, że ten gatunek doczekał się lepszych zespołów. Stoję po stronie, że żaden utwór świata nie powinien trwać 20 minut, ale jeśli już trwa to niech chociaż jest bardziej ambitny i epicki niż to czego mi przyszło słuchać. 5/10

I think I'm going to give this one a 3. Not a bad one. Just liked it.

Interesting, more jam band, jazzy than I like but the songs are pretty short and don't overstay there welcome.

Prog-Jazz, from 3 immensely talented performers. This was more fun than I thought it would be. But it won’t make it into the rotation because: (1) the repeated incorporation of classical themes treated as nursery rhymes got old, and (2) i noted several places where Emerson couldn’t execute his ambitions, and he wound up muddying the rhythms. Palmer is the star of the show, his rhythms, counter-rhythms, polyrhythms, and arrhythmia seem flawless and keep the mix interesting. A three.

sjúklega skrýtið experimental breskt prog rokk...aðeins of mikið af því góða imo, fyrsta lagið 20min og eins og öll hin séu B side fillers... finnst eðlilegasta lagið mest catchy (are you ready eddy?)

Hated this on the first listen. Liked it on the second. Not sure what I expected from ELP but this reminded me more of King Crimson than anything else.

meh kinda boring