Reviews (page 4 of 8)
A bit of a weird prog rock album occupying a very specific Time and a Place in music history. The individual performances are fantastic and showcase some true virtuoso-level musicianship (Carl Palmer might be the most criminally underrated drummer of all time), but the sound itself feels so dated that it's harder to appreciate 50 years after it's release. ELP is the one prog band that has aged the least-gracefully with their overall sound. Still an excellent listen (especially the title track), but there's a lot that feels stuck in a very specific era of music that has been entirely left behind. The B side also suffers from some afterthought tracks that pale especially in comparison to the A side. Top tracks: Tarkus, Bitches Crystal, A Time and a Place
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.
saw album is 36 mins and was surprised. 15 mins into the album i realized the first song is 20 minutes long. love me some prog like this and def will save. great production. one of the forefathers of prog as a whole and a really solid album
Though I liked a few songs on Brain Salad Surgery, this album is more like Yes, and less like ELP (though BSS may have Palmer). This grew tiresome.
Not sure how to describe this one. Weird but oddly staisfying
Could only be 70s
Cool and experimental, but I was not feeling it - a little too weird maybe
Dreadful tosh
I am very partial to 20 minute prog rock songs
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
Awesome groovy progressive rock! 🤘
Very good prog rock album, the first track is great but the rest isn’t very memorable
Was kind of a jumble. Need to re-listen when my wife isn’t around. By the way she hated it.
No me disgustó del todo.
I hate prog rock. I honestly don't know if I have the patience for this review. One minute in and I'm wishing there was more Britpop on the list. A twenty minute opening song is not a good way to kick off an album. It's half the run length. All I can think about it when it will be over. I bet these guys get along famously with Jethro Tull. This album is terrible. I think it's better than Pictures at an Exhibition, but just barely. At least it's relatively short.
This sounds so timeless
This was epic I fear
wow this kicked mega ass lmao
Prog rock epitomized here. Hang in there and you will hear some good moments. That first track, tho. Wow
Well. I will say this - it's slightly better than the previous ELP horror show I was subjected to. But that really isn't saying a lot. This album starts with a 20 minute long track, which they break into six parts and call a suite, because they're pretentious wallies who think their endless, meaningless, pointless noodling is some sort of opus on a par with Mozart. After that, if you can make it through that torture, it does improve a fair bit, to the point where it's 'terrible' as opposed to 'actively wishing for everyone involved to die'.
Prog, etwas anstrengend
Oh no
That was truly awful.
Mucho experimento para las 7am
Yikes.
I mean, I can't say I hated it. Although if this isn't your wheelhouse, a 20-minute never-ending electronic saga of sound to start the album could feel a bit overbearing. The start of Side B with Jeremy Bender was slightly refreshing. A fun little number about a man finally deciding to become a nun (?). Bitches Crystal was also a cool song with an awesome title. I know ELP has some legendary songs and albums but not sure if this is one of those for me. But overall, it was a fun one-time listen (with Jeremy Bender earning its way into my personal music library).
My hair grew 5 inches longer after listening to Tarkus melt my face
The musicianship is a 5/5. But as someone who doesn’t play a single instrument, I have a hard time truly appreciating each member’s proficiency and skill. In most cases, if you ask me, what makes prog rock appealing is how incredibly talented the bands usually are and how they like show it off; it’s music for musicians. Tarkus from ELP is prog rock at its finest, I can acknowledge that. But I guess most of it is just one of those finer things in life that I can’t seem to get in rhythm with. For the record, I still enjoy lots of prog rock (The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway better be on this list), but I often feel a lot of this scene was too full of itself and too difficult to digest for the average dumb guy like me.
Best Tracks: Tarkus (ii. Stones of Years, vii. Aquatarkus), Jeremy Bender insanely funny to emphatically rhyme "lose" with "six million Jews" in a line about God allowing the Holocaust and then roll into a fucking insane keyboard solo. that one's off a b-side track (the only way - a hymn) but that and the armourdillo are what I'm walking away from remembering. Title track is an occasionally interesting seven-part song but the verb "plunking" came up too many times while I was thinking about it - i.e. "he's really plunking on the keys here." Not a good sign. Jeremy Bender is a really good after-dinner mint though.
I’ve seen a lot of people say Tarkus (the song) is one of the greatest prog songs ever but I honestly did not feel anything while listening to it. I’m not saying it’s bad at all but it just doesn’t make me feel anything really. The rest of the songs are fine. Nothing much to say about them though. Favourite song: Bitches Crystal
3.5
A lot of times this just felt like noise. Maybe too progressive and not enough rock for my taste.
why is the first song 20 minutes long. 4/10
okayish.
weird
Prog Rock - if you like this genre, I’m sure you love this album.
It’s never a good sign when the first track is 20mins long! The trouble with progressive rock is that it purs too much emphasis on novelty rather than listenability, so PR albums inevitably become like this one; small islands of good music interspersed amongst a sea of bad music that used to be at least interestingly bad before the novelty wore off.
38 minute album and the first track is 20 mins longs. These guys don’t play by the rules. Simpsons: Yes
I don't really think this is for me. I didn't hate it, but I wasn't overly thrilled by it. Better than their other efforts The cover art for the album is probably the best part .
It was fine I guess
Just not my vibe.
This one was hard to describe. Maybe if Jethro Tull did a somewhat synth Prog rock album. Regardless, avoid this one if you can.
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
The first self-indulgent half? "No sir, I don't like it." The second half? Meh, it's fine. The last track sounds like a Beatles knockoff.
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....
On taas hyvin erikoista ⭐️⭐️
Proge on kiva juttu mut piipittelyproge ei oikeen uppoa.
Oh come on this is just totally awesome. Even before pressing play that cover tells it all. Awesome. We're all here for Tarkus and ELP seem to know that as they do whatever they want on side 2 and have some fun. And these guys are insanely talented, especially the drummer, dude is just nuts
A bizarre, bombastic, nerdy rock symphony. Some weird moments and sus lines but I was pretty into it.
I think I fought Tarkus in Donkey Kong 64
Better then the last one we had...but now I wish I had given the other a 1.
Of its time. Not great enough.
Very fun. Much of the title track resembled video game music which is neat
Love the cover. I'm not a ELP or Prog fan but I see the listener counts and have to give it respect. It's really just rock jazz with solo's, rambling, meet in the middle, piano noodling, everyone goes separate ways, then rock hard, then go downtempo, then crash together at the end. The vocals seem forced across every track. This may be one of the great Prog albums of all time, I have no idea, but it doesn't float my boat. I know a few ELP songs from the radio, none of which are on this album. I found this utterly boring and bordering on annoying. 2 stars as I'm sure they're badass musicians and I can see people appreciate this album. Just not my jam, on any level.
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
Truly awful
One of the great realizations I have come to over the last couple months is that the experimental prog stuff is just not my cup of tea. Some alright bits in here though, and I do love the album cover. Just too much nonsense. Best Track: A Time and a Place
Dette var ikke noe for meg.
Not for me.
I just don't like them.
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
This album is a great example of when exaggeration is seen in a positive light. The organ solos are incredible. Emerson Lake and Palmer was one of the bands that introduced me to this crazy musical universe that is progressive rock.
Just like the other Emmerson, Lake And Palmer album in this list, this comes across to me as a soulless project that only shows how fast and great they can play and feels devoid of any interesting ideas. Having said that, I don't think it is despicable and there are even very few interesting moments. Still very boring though.
Yes
Interesting, but not great.
Nja, musiker-musik, kanske. Lite för svårt för mig.
An uneven, mostly interesting effort.
Cool but a lot.
Too conceptual for me, bet they had fun making it tho
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.
Not my thing
Heel funky
Too many notes, not enough ideas.
What a load of old bollocks.
This is not the prog I like. So bizarre. And what’s with that album cover.
This sucks.
I really enjoy this era of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. When it comes to the early stages of electronic music and synthesizers, these guys deserve far more credit than they often get. They were truly ahead of their time, and their musicianship was remarkable, especially given their ages. I also admire how they used the progressive rock platform to embrace cutting edge technology for their era. This album balances their long, improvisational tracks with shorter, more accessible pieces. Even when their songs stretch on with no lyrics, their music and instrumentation deliver a storyline just as effectively. Theatrical and grandiose buildups are easily my favorite aspect of their work, and this album showcases definitely delivers.
Standard prog stuff, too much noodling, goes on too long. Would have got 2 stars but for the unnecessary and jarring rock & roll song at the end.
So from my very limited knowledge of these guys, this is not what I was expecting. I thought there were an acoustic trio and I’m getting some funky jazz electronic prog rock. Very pleasantly surprised! Oh yes. This is good. What an opener! 20 mins 😂 and I’m all for the right of self-indulgence (as long as I like it, of course) and just when you think it’s finished it’s comes back from the dead! Not too sure about ‘The Only Way’ but otherwise pretty consistently bonkers and I’m all for it. Also enjoy the norm core ending too. Just to fuck with ya! Good album
really drops off after that first track
I generally like ELP, this was just OK in my opinion
I reviewed this in Feb, nothing really changed I'm afraid: "Certainly an experience, not great prog rock IMO (are some songs even considered prog rock?). Couldn’t really get into it. Maybe with the right mood, maybe when I’m older? I don’t know. Just not for me, sorry."
Proggy prog prog :)
my hatred for these guys grows everyday
bad
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.
I see a review that says "There is a thoroughgoing prejudice against prog in the critical community, probably because it forces critics to engage with the music". I'm not sure that "People don't like this music when they have to listen to it" is really the argument you want to make. I am indeed critical of prog whenever I have to engage with it, but it's not me, prog, it's you, you suck. I appreciate your role in the evolution of popular music but please don't overstay your welcome. Prog rock, I hate it, especially the organ parping and twiddling away with the drums noodle-doodling. It might be hard to play, but my God it's harder to listen to. And the less said about the pseudo-deep nonsense lyrics the better. They do show some family resemblance when compared to The Wall, though. Some bizarre choices on this album, like Are You Ready, Eddy, completely out of place on this album, although it was undoubtedly the track I liked most. I also get these guys confused with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, so I had to mentally readjust my expectations quite a long way.
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
Very experimental and psychedelic, not for me.
Klassischer Progressive Rock. Interessant zu hören. 5/5
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.
Unbelievable how this could be boring zzzzzz 1,5 maximum
Self indulgent, instrument wankery, Keith Emerson bad, too complex to be real music, Tarkus long song, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Now, fuck off
This was awful. The first song was 20 minutes long. I couldn't even get through that
God damn that's a great album cover. I almost don't have to listen to the record at all. Early prog was so great. Just a bunch of nerds (as a nerd, I use that term endearingly) writing batshit crazy songs that are actually about serious subjects such as the futility of war and hypocrisy of politics, in this case told as a story of...(checks notes)...an armadillo/tank hybrid fighting a battle with a mythological lion/scorpion/human/porcupine hybrid. I mean that just writes itself really. I would love to see an album like this released today. There are certainly bands doing things similar but they aren't exactly selling out stadiums. The thing I don't like about Emerson, Lake & Palmer is the organ. I don't mind some synths here and there but the choice to have an electric organ sound in rock music is just so strange to me. It doesn't fit at all, it makes it sound like church. I know the organ was kind of a fad during this period of music but still. I mean it's played well and had it been another instrument it would have been epic but the organ just takes me out of it. However, this is a fucking banger. I think this is basically like the ELP version of 2112, although 2112 is a far superior album. It falls off a little for me on the second side but not enough to dock too many points. I love this and will definitely be on the lookout for it at the record shop. 4.5/5
Borderline unlistenable
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)
Great stuff.
Prog is just not my thing.
Just trying to be psychedelic for the sake of it. Not really good or enjoyable. 2/5
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.
3.5 pretty good Progressive powerhouse
Pretty cool.
This was never going to be an album for me - an English prog rock supergroup magnum opus, featuring a 21-minute suite called: "Tarkus (i. Eruption/ii. Stones of Years/iii. Iconoclast/iv. Mass/v. Manticore/vi. Battlefield/vii. Aquatarkus). Aquatarkus!? Am I to understand that Tarkus is Armadillo Tank? I do kinda like Armadillo Tank. The song itself is nonsense, though. But even worse is the B-side, a mish-mash of insane/inane throwaway tracks. I guess going straight from the epic prog rock suite into 'Turkey in the Straw' is funny, at least.
Technically very impressive but prog rock just really isn’t my thing. I also truly believe no artist is talented enough to warrant a 20 minute song sorry.
It was good but a 20 minute song is ode
Musical masturbation. Couldn’t finish the album, let alone the first track which was 20 minutes of a 38 minute album. Like medieval jazz symphonies, I question why it’s on this list. 1 star for musicianship
Às vezes gosto de chamar Rock Progressivo de Rock Nerd, e este disco veste muito bem esse título. Um álbum Prog onde o foco não está nas guitarras, mas sim nas teclas, é fantástico e uma ótima maneira de quebrar os costumes gerais. É o tipo de álbum que me faz lembrar porque gosto tanto de música. Tudo aqui é encaixado perfeitamente bem. Vejo algumas pessoas reclamando das letras, e elas realmente são bem tontas, mas fica mais do que óbvio que conteúdo lírico não chega nem perto de ser o foco dos músicos aqui. O foco deles é criar essas obras fluidas, com seus movimentos brilhantes e inesperados. Um ótimo disco para nós Nerds, de fato. 5/5
Good prog rock people like to hate.
some songs are nice, some are annoying, 2
Just felt weird.
A little too prog for me.
This was okay. Some of the guitar work and instrumentals were cool.
Too much wankery. Liked the proto Showaddywaddy bit at the end
Oh my. This record is really hard to listen to, or at least the bit I got through was really tough to listen to. Normally, when I come across a record that I’m just not enjoying, I give it a solid 3 tracks before I turn it off. My reasoning is that life’s really too short to try to endure painful listening experiences, and maybe, for whatever reason, the band frontloaded the record with their weaker material. But the first track on this record is 20 minutes long. I just can’t do it. Maybe it gets better, but I’ll never know. 2/5
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
Not for me
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
This one surprised me. Unfortunately, it surprised me by how much I didn't care for it. I've heard so many people rave about it, but I found it rather annoying. There were some sections of the title track that I kind of liked, and I really enjoyed "A Time and A Place", but other than that it just wasn't for me. And on a completely different note - wtf is up with that cover art?
Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer ... need I really say more ... Tarkus is my favorite ELP album ... Legends!
I think I'm going to give this one a 3. Not a bad one. Just liked it.
Although not everything works for me in the 20 minutes long title track, it is a great listening experience overall
7/10
Interesting, more jam band, jazzy than I like but the songs are pretty short and don't overstay there welcome.
A good looking, bad sounding album.
much like an armadillo turning into a tank, this is a terrible idea, but I'm here for it
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?)
Can't say this did much for me. It was kinda like that Rush album where I can respect their musical prowess without really enjoying it very much. I liked this album less than that one, though. There were parts that had a more rock sound that I would've preferred the whole way through (subjective, I know). It was almost like Cream decided to make a keyboard-focused prog album, and it didn't go very well. Even if none were awful, there really just weren't any songs I liked here. Some were OK, but didn't really do anything for me to say I thought they more than that. Overall: 2.3/5
Not the ideal album to come back to after a holiday. Pretty dated, the 20min intro song just comes across as pretentious but prog rock is in general. 2/5.
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.
Not my jam, that's for sure
It’s about as good as the album artwork
Heck yeah. Fuck a 3 minute pop song, ELP are holding a masterclass on self indulgent prog rock. I've always enjoyed this style of music, Rush, Yes, Tull, give me artists who would be the best musician in any band they were in. I wonder how far ELP would've pushed it if they were in the digital era where you could theoretically have a continuous 80 minute piece of music instead of being confined to an album side. But anyway, Tarkus is an outstanding album. 5 stars all day.
At least it's short. I like the Bach part.
I am sure their mothers think they did a good job.
Put this on, and pretty much anybody you know will hate it. I like my fair share of prog rock but this…this…is tough stuff to chew. That said, I may name my next dog Tarkus just because.
This was most certainly a journey. Awesome prog rock record especially it being from ‘71
tiring
meh kinda boring
Didn’t like this.
Not my favourite prog rock band, but it was ok.
Who doesn't love and armed-a-dilllo? On Spotify the turret turrets and the red eye blinks. Brilliant
cool if u enjoy feeling insanely overstimulated felt like I was jerry and tom was chasing me
Prog rock can be ether really good or annoying. This was annoying
I've enjoyed a lot of progressive rock on this list like Rush, King Crimson, and Yes but this album just fell flat for me. Part of the blurb on this album mention this Album almost breaking up the band and I can see where everyone wouldn't have been on board for this.
I just can't get into this prog rock stuff. *shrug* Sorry. 1/5
Qué viaje. Para alguien que guste de disfrutar el arte under the influence, esto debe ser oro puro. De hecho, mientras lo escuchaba, estuve convencido de que este disco tiene que oirse en estado "alegre", vamos a decirle. Buena música, tremendamente psicotrónica, pero sí me dejó con ganas de escuchar más de Emerson, Lake & Palmer. De hecho creo que ya me había salido uno de sus discos en esta lista, pero seguro estuvo menos viajado.
Boring
Don't care for prog-rock all that much
Cacophonous
Interesting. It’s all over the place after the first song. Not necessarily in a bad way, seems like they were trying some things out. Overall I didn’t mind it but I doubt I’ll ever listen to it again. Also, that is some terrible album art.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer representan todos los excesos del rock progresivo, todo lo que mató al género a fines de los 70. Debe ser por eso por lo que nunca he conectado del todo con su música, incluso en la época en la que solo escuchaba prog. Este es el disco más excesivo de todos y no me ha disgustado. De hecho, me sorprende que me haya gustado al menos un poco. 3/5
Highlight Song/s: Tarkus, The Only Way (Hymn) and Are You Ready Eddy Side 1: What an experience the title track is; but I reckon that's the case with most 20 minute songs. I don't know where to begin how they would play this live, especially for a power trio. With them being a progressive rock band they probably found a way. Side 2: "Jeremy Bender" lyrically reminds me of Lola (Kinks,) not sure if that's an correct assumption. But that's the impression that I get with all its confusing lyrics. "Bitches Crystal" I swear I've heard this tune before or something really similar, perhaps a soul song that I can't put my finger on. "The Only Way (Hymn)" sounds like a musical from some movie. "Infinite Space (Conclusion)" that piano was keeping me on my toes on what will happen next with the song. "A Time and a Place" is quite aggressive, shocked me a little bit. "Are You Ready Eddy" seems quite stereotypical, I'm unsure if it's supposed to be a parody of rock 'n' roll or not. Whether it is or if is not, it rocks pretty hard.
It very much feels like low-level prog. It's not grabbing me. It's just a bit mediocre.
Vibe parecida com albuns de srgt. Pepper dos Beatles. Bom album e leve de escutar, mas não peguei muito gosto.
This would.be a 4 or even a 5 for me if the second half of the album were as good as the first song/half / title track. Sadly the remaining songs are more or less piano blues and not that interesting.
I really enjoy this era of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. When it comes to the early stages of electronic music and synthesizers, these guys deserve far more credit than they often get. They were truly ahead of their time, and their musicianship was remarkable, especially given their ages. I also admire how they used the progressive rock platform to embrace cutting edge technology for their era. This album balances their long, improvisational tracks with shorter, more accessible pieces. Even when their songs stretch on with no lyrics, their music and instrumentation deliver a storyline just as effectively. Theatrical and grandiose buildups are easily my favorite aspect of their work, and this album showcases definitely delivers.
No había escuchado nunca este álbum y bueno, no me encanta. Sin embargo, los instrumentos son>>> me encanta la mezcla y los cambios. La letra mejorable. Algunas canciones me gustan más que otras.
The opening track is like the final boss music to a Final Fantasy game. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing would be to personal taste. It’s then followed up with some standard, not particularly profit rock tracks, then gets back into the prog for the closing quarter. A worthy entry.
Fun and engaging listen. Over the top and cheesy at times but packed full of wild organ riffs. Nice that after the 20 min title track, the rest are pretty short, so it doesn't really over stay its welcome. Not going to be in my rotation but I'm sure I'll revisit it at some point
5 star album art
Some good bits in there but again surrounded by a sea of 'fine I suppose'
Im genuinely starting to become concerned for the people who compiled this list.
Read a review saying that this is trash and they know why punk happened, which I definitely understand as parts of this like the keyboard playing are very excessive, which gets old quite fast. But parts are quite good, synth bits are fine, I can’t really say this is that influential, as I guess this genre kind of went extinct. I do think the longer form song works so much better for this style than the shorter ones, as the shorter ones just feel like spamming notes non stop, while the long one had some slower and quieter parts. It just gets worse the further you go in. Favourite songs: the long one Overall around 5/10
Keyboard was really good
The title track of this album is a 21 minute organ heavy prog rock suite depicting the birth and battles of a mythical armadillo-tank hybrid. If an idea that ridiculous doesn't pull you in and make you curious, I'm not sure what else will. Unfortunately, the execution does not completely live up to the imaginativeness of this idea. While the title track undeniably showcases the band's musicianship, especially Keith Emerson's virtuosic command of keyboards, and there are some really interesting ideas to be found here, the epic occasionally feels like an exercise in music, where complexity exists for its own sake. However, I still really enjoyed some sections. Side B is a collection of shorter, unrelated songs, where a few were downright annoying. A prime example is "Are Your Ready Eddy?" which sounds like a parody of Rock & Roll and really has no place on this album. On the other hand, "Bitches Crystal" is a fun, ragtime inspired track and "A Time and a Place" once again shows the band's chops. On this track, the whole band truly shines - Carl Palmer's drumming is as tight as ever, Greg Lake is singing his heart out, while all that is accompanied with hard hitting organs. All in all, while technically impressive, this album did not resonate with me. Except for a few sections of the title track, and the aforementioned two songs on Side B, the rest ranged from average to bad, so I doubt I'll be coming back to this one that much. 2.5/5
2.6
Please, make it stop Best Song: n/a Rating: 1.5/10 Stars: 1/5
Favorite: Tarkus Really interesting prog electronic album. It kinda went all over the place, one minute being full electronic, next full rock. Overall, really cool and interesting though! [3 Stars]
I love prog, and this is a good example of the genre... though I prefer Pictures, Brain Salad, and their live album to this.
Would listen again
The instrumentation is technically proficient but while some moments rock, others sound like Mario music.
Honestly, leading with a 20!!! minute song followed by 6 shorter songs is hilarious to me. I didnt like it.
kinda cool
fun album. obviously, the highlight is the epic title track, but there's some other great stuff on here to. now i have come to expect that every emerson, lake and palmer album is going to have some weird kitschy song on it that sounds like a ragtime. but i mean talk about three dudes firing on all cylinders. the musicianship is insane.
Some of this was very cool, some of it was quite tedious
Tarkus
1.5 star I never listened to ELP, but it sounded just like I imagined. It’s not interesting to me and my attention wanders. I can’t tell the difference between good and bad prog, and I feel like the stuff I do enjoy is the more “poppy” stuff that elitist prog fans wouldn’t consider true prog. But I couldn’t get into this.
I failed to see the significance - I mean I get it but I guess I don't agree..
This isn’t for me. It creates anxiety.
Are there any words more unsettling and anxiety inducing than "Prog rock masterpiece"? All those notes. To what end o ask? Both overly intricate and insipid. The title track is like a bad dream that won't end. It just keeps coming and coming and coming...and coming - assuming different forms but not ever really changing. I guess maybe this album - especially the title track - says something about war but it seems you could accomplish the same thing in a more streamlined manner. Just say no. Or in prog rock terms - nnNnnNnnnNnNNNNnnnnNnNnnnNnNoooOoOoOooooOooOoooo.oOooooOooo.
I'm not super into prog, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this. There's a lot happening!
I took Tarkus on a bike ride by the Bay and had a good time with it. The 20 minute prog rock title track was my favorite, but the quality dipped for me on the Side 2 songs. One little tangent: I enjoyed picking out the influence on this album (The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, even Little Richard!) as well as the music it influenced in turn (Rush and Genesis).
This one took some getting into. I can see why the intro track almost broke up the band. It's an interesting story, but quite a left turn. Good progressive rock though and I was a little surprised by the year it came out, sounds like something more modern which I guess is why it's on this list
Like a random record in the sale bin, a wild ride that you didn’t really choose. Frenetic and could’ve done without the all the organ. Album was all over the place, only liked the last song really.
It was hard to listen to the first time and there won’t be a second time. The first song being 20 minutes long was like a roller coaster that I couldn’t get off of. Maybe if I were super high it would have been more enjoyable?
I was originally 2 stars but giving it an extra star for the album cover. I enjoyed Tarkus but that's all this album really had to offer. Very uneven.
"Of it's time"....!!! Been a long while since I heard this, & hopefully it'll be a long while before I hear it again.
Never cared for them much
Are You Ready Eddy is cool. No thanks on the rest!
Alright but there is so much better prog
+super fun +unique sounds +truly an experience
Первый трек длиною в 20 минут это конечно мощно. Странно, психоделически, не могу сказать, что мне очень зашло, но что-то определенно тут есть. Тексты неплохие.
Good memories of late nights after work
Not for me. The 20 minute, organ-led title track is absolutely tedious, while the 2nd half is a little better but still bounces around between prog rock and honky tonk.
Disjointed, awkward keys. This one did not resonate with me at all.
Maybe if I listen a couple more times I might enjoy it more? Maybe but doubtful
Great Prog album but probably not best choice for a “one off” challenge. Needs a handful of listens to fully digest
Such a cool album!
Is this pompous and overblown? Absolutely. Is this self-indulgent and the antithesis of rock 'n roll? Totally. Did I hate it? Also yes.
4.5/10
Cool prog rock. A bit overproduced at times, but I see the influence and value of a 20 minute opening track. An artist I'll probably give another listen to eventually.
Voisi olla ihan kauheeta, mutta kai mulla on samaa huumorintajua kuin tällä jengillä, koska viihdyn. Järkyttävää pimpelipompelia välillä, puhumattakaan ekan biisin progejumista (vaikka kumpaakaan lajia en vastusta!!), mut sit tuleekin ihan toinen genre. Voinko antaa kolmosen…
Hekin kasvoivat Elviksen parissa, kuten he kokevat tarpeelliseksi muistuttaa soitettuaan ihan ihme höpöhöpöä reilut puoli tuntia. Mutta levyn alku nauratti, loppu ei.
dident like it
Random and overstimulating. A lot of conflicting sounds. This was a unique experience but I didn’t really enjoy it much.
Barf_us!!! Wankers.
I don't really like prog rock, and this is the prog-rockiest of them all. Some good runs in here, particularly the title track, but it doesn't do it for me.
Not for me. 2/10 - SC Interesting prog rock album that is very keyboard focused. First song could have been split up into multiple songs as it has distinct sections that don't really tie in well with each other. The rest of the songs aren't very remarkable, but overall has some fun arrangements. -mitona This is the first album I just had to hard pass on. After the first minute of the first song I just know it's not something for me. -germ
Good stuff. Will probably add ELP to my lists in the future. It is a bit high brow and somewhat condescending.
It's kind of a relief when the Title track ends. So long, so repetitive. For Why. I got so tired of the album so fast.
Great example of early prog rock, but Brain Salad Surgery is a better complete album
Definitely music, but very “busy” and so many notes don’t a great song make. Melodies are really a strong suit here either, likewise too much dissonance at times for my taste.
It was a solid album for sure but it wasn’t memorable. Nothing really jumped out at me
Felt like I heard this before, but I feel that often when I listen to prog rock.
Хуета ебаная понос
Mira, no está mal, pero al final los progresivos no me emocionan. Salvo el math rock, y eso namás pa un rato. O sea, bien, pero p’al que le guste.
They really didn’t need to be doing all that
Deeply uncool, but I am very open to some prog noodling nowadays,
Holy prog rock, Batman
Some of this prog music from the 70s is a little over my head
Prog rock albums always seem a bit strange to me, some stuff is interesting, some stuff is cringe. Happy to listen, see what EL&P were about, but won't be revisiting.
Acid trip
Can’t say that I totally get it but these cuts are obviously super talented musicians. Prog can sometimes feel impenetrable.
Not what I gravitate towards- but clearly talented.
This is some prog rock shit for real. Tarkus (the song) is pretty good, but it ends kind of poorly. The last part is generally odd, but it slowly devolves, and a 20-minute song that leaves a poor taste in your mouth kind of just sucks. It doesn't ruin the whole song (or the album, as that song is over 50% of the album), but it's definitely what I remember most after walking away from it. The shorter songs are all a little bit hit or miss, but there is one that I really liked from the group (but also one I really didn't like). It stinks that there really isn't much consistency or even flow to the B side of the album. Tarkus is obviously the most important part of the album, but the B side matters too, when talking about a short list of albums to listen to before you die. Favorite Song(s): Tarkus, A Time and A Place
Not my favourite ELP album - I prefer Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery - but still a great album. My favourite track is "The Only Way (Hymn)".
Interesting
pompous, twiddly, self-indulgent tosh, topped with a dreadful rip-off of "The Girl Can't Help It"
Got some interesting things, some piano segments go crazy, lyrics suck but I will not be listening to this again
"Tarkus" is the second album by English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Progressive rock is the only Wiki-listed genre. They go into other areas like ragtime and 50's rock on the second side. The album is centered around a concept of the futility of conflict on side one with side two being a number of unrelated tracks. ELP is Keith Emerson (Hammond organ, pipe organ, piano, celestial Moog synthesizers), Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitars) and Carl Palmer (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album did very well reaching #1 in the UK and #9 in the US. Upon release, the album received mostly unfavorable reviews but is now considered a quintessential prog rock album. Side one is one song "Tarkus" with seven parts. It tells the story of an armadillo-tank hybrid spawned from the mouth of a volcano who defeats a number of foes until it is defeated by the Manticore and cast to sea. The overarching theme is the futility of war which has gotten us nowhere. I have to admit that information is all researched. Lake's lyrics were cryptic to me. The strength of this song is in the music. The first part "Eruption" highlights include a jazzy 5/4 drum rhythm, a thumping bass and a loud synth. The middle parts alternate between songs with Lake vocals and instrumentals. Lots of speed change and I think Emerson used any and every organ, piano and synth he could find. They go "Meddle-era Pink Floyd in "Battlefield" and it works. The finale "Aquatarkus" features very impressive drumming by Palmer and quirky-sounding synth and organ. Drama builds throughout this epic. Side two opens with a rag-time piano and handclaps in "Jeremy Bender." A happy sounding song telling a bizarre story of a guy who becomes a nun, goes to a nunnery and eventually leaves the nunnery. All sorts of sexual innuendos; I know there's a deeper meaning. Keith Emerson played the pipe organ at St. Mark's Church in London on "The Only Way (Hymn)." Religious themes as Lake questions God with six million Jews killed. "A Time and Place" was influenced by Led Zeppelin. The most rockin' song on the album and Emerson pulls out the Moog. The album closer "Are You Ready Eddy?" is a 50's style rock song with a rollicking piano. A fun song named after their engineer Eddy Offord whom before they would start a song would yell "Are you ready Eddy?" I was fully expecting to hate this album. Some prog rock, including the rock radio ELP, I find completely boring. I was also not a big fan of their subsequent live album "Pictures at an Exhibition." But you know what? I really liked this album despite it all including the horrible album cover. The musicianship is absolutely exceptional with every member contributing. I liked the changes in rhythm and instruments and vocal/instrumental variety in the epic first song. It was a tale of two albums sides. The second side also kept it interesting mixing up ragtime, 50's rock n' roll, 70's rock, jazz and prog rock. This is a case in point of listening to something before making a final judgment. Recommended for any prog rock or 70's rock fans.
I like Emerson Lake and Palmer, but this was not their finest hour. Not something I would necessarily turn off if it came up on Spotify, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it.
Oh dear me, no! The Tarkus Suite is prog indulgence at its most gluttonous. Side two has horrible organ noises on it, and Infinite Space feels like it! Are You Ready, Eddy? is nearly good but offers far too little, far too late. Hate everything about it.
jazzy (?) prog, did not listen fully, but liked what i heard
Ależ to jest genialne
3.5 stars. Quintessential prog rock. A bit portentous, but it can be a fun at times.
The further I progress through this project, the more I am convinced that the author and other contributors to this list, were not qualified for such a task.
So, so prog that it basically becomes jazz. The musicianship is staggering, particularly the keyboard playing. I respect this deeply and do not plan to revisit. This kind of experience is just not really what I'm looking for in my music listening. If you like prog, you'll like this. If you do not, this will not help.
I liked it first but I think that is largely because the cover art was an armadillo tank which had me reminiscing about my Rock Band (video game) band, Armadillo Train. It was alright but as I listened I liked it less, and the music seemed both basic and a bit discordant, although at least they tried to be a bit interesting. Rating: 3
I actually thought this was pretty good, especially Side A. I could imagine jamming to it live. And it gave me Pink Floyd vibes. Some of the lyrics were wild. (Side note: this is my first review, I wish I could do half stars.)
Not cool (or fair) that I had to listen to a 20+minute song to get to a song with my name in it which was over in less than 2 minutes.
An excellent example of what I would call "heavy prog" - Progressive rock that has little commercial appeal but is an important and exciting listen for those who are already sold on the genre. For the casual listener, however, they will most likely have a hard time. Personally, I find this album very pleasing on multiple listens. It's surprisingly consistent and I enjoy the mix of dark, heavy tones, with the occasional whimsy.
The generic prog-rock that you hear in your head when you think of prog-rock but it probably wasn't generic for its time For the first half at least, then there's some other random songs that artsy prog-rock bands throw in when they're not quite sure what to do after their 20-minute epic concludes Still a cool enough listen-through, although the last song (the token '50s nod diner bop) gave me a kind of "alright, guess it's one of those tracks again" feeling, but the mental library of experiences I have with this kind of track might've come later, 1971 is pretty early
ELP was always a hard case in the prog community and for me as well. There are few prog rock bands, especially of the big names, that seem to divide fans more. Lake and Emerson were in loggerheads over the famous title track, the big suite "Tarkus", but I bet they also clashed of all the other tracks. Like with the debut of ELP, you have the big suite and a selection of smaller, shorter tunes who bring a bit of musical diversity with blues and classical rock elements, but feel just a bit less impressive. Same pattern as the debut, it's the same here. Something like "Jeremy Bender" or "Are you Ready, Eddy?" are no bad tracks, but they feel off next to Emerson's immense talent as one of the best keyboard players of rock music (maybe in the world because this man knew his baroque and classical music). This is by no means my favourite prog album, but I'm happy it is on the list and I rate it highly.
First rate prog rock! Feel like this is a big influence on the John Zorn Simulacrum stuff.
Indulgent and not as good as I was hoping. I think the over emphasis on keyboards makes the album feel busy.
YEEEEEEEEAHHHHHH Coolest album I've ever listened to and one of the first experiences I had with ELP. Can't believe that I randomly saw Carl Palmer play a semi-live set before a YES (John Anderson) concert last summer. Like I literally had no idea he was opening for them. And I weep for Greg Lake, and I wonder what Keith is up to (update, he is also dead). "Supergroup" is so pertinent for a band like this. I always get lost in their work, and this album is no exception. Truly, just a fantastic assembly of beautiful and sensitive minds. Somewhere in this album you can hear Keith Emerson's fingers actually fuse to the keys of his organ. A 6/10 for someone who doesn't care. 10/10 from someone who does.
Was looking forward to this but honestly didn’t love it. Yeah it may have been new for a rock setting. But, I find the electric jazz of that era holds up better b
The songs would be solid then go on way too long with repetitive portions.
Generally enjoyed it. Some interesting parts throughout, I really liked Infinite Space in particular. Are You Ready Eddy seemed like it didn't belong, vibe was way different. Didn't like that as a closer.
This album art is sick as hell. I enjoyed this, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece or anything
Impressive musicians. Very long intro track is compelling. Fun. But a little repetitive in the sounds.
Its weird, but its my kind of weird.
sounds very dated 2/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge
Always thought this would yacht rock. I enjoyed it. 3.5-4 stars.
Nice listen. Interesting album
A high 2. I like prog and this had elements of Oldfield/Yes on the first track but a lot less coherent. The rest was a bit of a mess.
A 20 minute experimental opening track was a choice and a chore. Every now and then there would be a track I really enjoyed. Mostly I was confused and overwhelmed by all the sounds. Listening in tk maxx on a hot day was by far not the best environment. But hey, I'm glad I gave it a go and now I don't have to listen again
This was pretty tedious. It sounded like a band who were under the impression they were brilliant and therefore didn't really need to try to do anything good and just played any old nonsense that came into their heads. The time and a place one sounded like a bad version of cream. The final rock and roll number was vaguely fun for a bit, but again just veered into a nonsense after a bit. I'm sure it was a lot of fun to make in the studio... Assuming they can remember any of it. ELP were huge right? We're all their fans on drugs or something??... Oh, hang on...
Oh, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. If prog rock ever had whipping boys... Like, believe me, if there's any group in the world that represents the platonic idea of everything the average person would hate about the genre, I think they'd be imagining these three. Y'know, with all the long-ass songs, and the classical music influence, and the how they seem to value showing off their technical playing proficiency over everything else. I mean, goodness, these guys have a live album adapting a classical piano suite, PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION. All that, and they don't even have the decency to have any big hits to ease themselves onto audiences like Genesis, Yes, King Crimson and Pink Floyd do. If there's any band to point to for why punk rock happened... And, I mean, I don't have the experience with ELP to necessarily defend them against any of that. Before now, I've only heard, like, one album of theirs (BRAIN SALAD SURGERY), and besides that and this album, the only other ones I can name are the Modest Mussorgsky adaptation and stupid LOVE BEACH. I'll admit, as much as I do love myself a bit of prog, their reputation has kept me from wanting to dive too deeply into their catalogue. Y'know, why take a chance on a band routinely clowned on like this, when Pink Floyd and Yes are right there? But still, prog is far from a bad word for me, so I think it'd be worthwhile to give these guys their due. After all, I **did** like BRAIN SALAD SURGERY the one or two times I've heard it — I can't imagine this album falling anywhere too far below that that I'd call it "bad," y'know? What do we have here, then? Well, in the vein of albums like Rush's 2112 and Pink Floyd's ATOM HEART MOTHER, we have a record primarily focused on the title track suite presented on the first side and backed with some random others on the B. Y'know, where Rush have "Something For Nothing" and Pink Floyd have "If", ELP have "Are You Ready Eddy?". It's a set-up that's worked before, so on the onset I couldn't imagine ELP doing anything that terrible within it. Let's take each side as they come. "Tarkus"... Well, it sure is a prog rock suite alright! It's long and has all of the keyboard-based noodling I've come to expect from such things. Listen to Emerson go! He can sure play a lot of notes fast — and in complex time signatures, too, I'm sure! Like, I already sound like I'm underplaying this suite; I'll be clear: I don't dislike it. It comes across as typical prog to my ears, but it's still proggy goodness. I can't say I'm not satisfied by it, even if it doesn't excite on the same level as, like, "Close To The Edge" or any of the songs off of SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND. Ultimately one of those "it's not the first thing I'd reach for, but it'd do in a pinch" deals. That'll take us to the B-side of the record, and... Yeah, like I said: it sure has "Are You Ready Eddy?" That's the easiest one to pick on by a margin and half, but, y'know, it's fine, honestly. It's a bit of goofy fun to close the album on, and I don't think I can be that hard on it. And, y'know, "fine" is how I'd describe the rest of the side, too. Nothing's bad; it's just... I'unno. I can't act like I'm too crazy about any of these songs in particular. I will say, though, that it **does** solidify for me how much I enjoy the keyboard focus of the group. I love myself some good keys, and while these ain't the best ones I've ever heard, but they do good. So... Yeah, that's TARKUS, I guess. A very enjoyable prog album, but far from one I'd rave about as an all-timer. Like, I'unno, if you're the kinda person who'd rate "I HATE" on a Pink Floyd shirt, this'll do the opposite of convince you not to. For someone like me who eats it up, though, well, I feel like I could do worse than ELP, and I mean that as the biggest compliment I can.
A classic of prog, thorugh and through. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 5. Once again, there’s really only so much you can say about prog rock. It's my first time listening to (or even knowing about) ELP, but I liked this a lot. This isn’t quite at the level of a “Close to the Edge”, but for my money’s worth, this is about on par with “The Yes Album”. That just means this is really, really good prog rock, enhanced a bit further by the heavy emphasis on keyboard work, giving this more of a VGM-adjacent feel that appeals to all of my sensibilities. I can very specifically hear lots of inspiration for Zelda & Metroid stuff throughout the 20-minute masterclass that is “Tarkus”, though there’s also a little bit of Kirby, Final Fantasy & Galaga in there. The music speaks for itself, though the addition to make an entire plot about a mechanical armadillo fighting other mecha beasts in a vaguely biblical parallel is a cherry on top. It’s giving incredible Evangelion energy, and I’m all here for it. So, how about the rest of the album? Well, outside of the vaguely transphobic panic / weirdness of “Jeremy Bender”, the rest of the album holds up fine. Obviously, it’s not at the same level as Tarkus, but it holds its ground rather well – “Bitches Crystal” is the standout track of the back half, acting as a ragtime piano-driven prog rock piece, and it just sounds cool as shit. “The Only Way” & “Infinite Space” are a good two-part piece, though I do think “Infinite Space” could’ve benefited from having some extra instrumentation to it. “A Time and a Place” needed some extra percussive energy at the top, but once it gets going, that shit rules – that ending is kind of a stunner. “Are You Ready Eddy?” is just a good goofy way to close out the album; it’s obviously not that “good”, but it’s just fun, especially with the pastiche of 50s style doowop production across the board, even down to the reverb-heavy vocal nonsense. It’s a 5, what can I say? Give me some good prog rock, and I’ll be there for it every time. If you somehow manage to fuck up prog rock, you simply shouldn’t be making music, plain & simple. The only reason this has the average that it does on the website is because people despise video game music or anything that sounds like it here, & that’s just pretentious as hell. This was a lot of fun, and I suspect I need to go hunt down some more ELP to listen to. P.S.: The line alluding to the Holocaust on "The Only Way" was crazy. I have no earthly idea how that stayed in, especially for 1971. It's not even a bad/offensive line, given that it's a halfway common sentiment to call out God for allowing tragedies to happen. It's just surprising that it stayed in given that it wasn't THAT long ago at the time.
Finally, some decent music. In a huge list slump recently. Thankfully, the list gods went back to the well and gave me a nice 70s progressive rock album. High-floor genre
Weird prog with some good moments.
she emersons on my lake til i palmer just three guy fucking around with the worst 70s synths ever for like 40 minutes ts so ass. i enjoyed the other elp album (Pictures at an Exhibition) but it was mostly ironically i didn't need more of this
The ever expanding forefront of progressive rock just got a sick armadillo tank. Hell yeah. Love the multi-movement 20 minute A-Side followed up by a collection of oddities. This style of album is just fun and makes different statements than fully cohesive ones. Some real catchy moments and a good time for dissonance.
Oh I struggled with this, non a prog rock fan
Torturous for the most part. A 20 minute song that is just incoherant musical autofellatio. Felt like I was breaking free from my chains when it ended only to be greeted by an equally shit second side. Maybe I just don't get it but at this point I don't want to.
I'm coining a new genre: Record Store owner music. It's always a greying, 50-60 year old bloke in a black tee, blue jeans and glasses who smells a little bit like darts. They're always super nice but MAN, they play the weirdest shit in store. This is one such album. Like I said in relation to Blood and Chocolate, if you reach a point where your cochlear nerve is just burnt out from listening to shit (pov: you're me over the next week trying to catch up), just stop listening to music! There's some cool instrumentation here, but it descends into too much experimental 70s disharmony to even be enjoyable to a keen, open minded ear. I'm giving this a 3 because it's very technically impressive, but that's about it. This is like Prog Rock's answer to Free Jazz.
Great to see ELP's obsession with the organ isn't lost on this record either. In fact they don't even build up to it this time, they just ram you straight into LISTEN TO MY ORGAN CUNTTTT mode. Anyways, this sounds exactly like Pictures At an Exhibition. Not sure why both of these are on here. This was certainly better and more interesting than Pictures At an Exhibition. Tarkus is really the only thing we're listening to here, and with a whopping 20 minute runtime, you better hope you enjoy it. Similar to how 2112 by Rush operates, but at least (unlike 2112), this is enjoyable and not trash. Everything after Tarkus is honestly pretty lame. Just some English guy barking over church organ music. Then a bunch of random shit thereafter, just horrible filler. The last song pissed me off so much, I'm dropping this from what would be a 4, to what would be a 3, until the last song, you get a fucking 2. bro FUCK YOU
Wow, who would have thought I could enjoy ELP when they don't muddy their tracks by having the synthesizer blow out the rest of the audio with ridiculous space invader noises. Structurally similar to 2112 as an album, though I think the areas I appreciate the two vary from one another. I liked a majority of the title song here and was able to vibe a lot more with the absurdity on display compared to our previous ELP album. I'd say that definitely puts me in the camp of actually enjoying this stuff. That part referencing the holocaust was a bit out there
wow, what an album to come back to. i have a bit of a history with ELP, when i first became a wanker at roughly 15, i got really into mathrock and prog. i was playing guitar at the time and man i thought i was the shit, my taste in music was so experimental and more intelligent than yours, i listened to music for real thinkers. i still listen to a lot of prog now but i certainly do not listen to ELP. they are easily one of the most pretentious prog bands ever, too up their own ass to spend time actually writing a good song and too focused on writing noodly 'epics' instead of making an actually interesting track that is trying something original, or creating something interesting. crimson is better at doing experimental, genesis and rush are better at songwriting. tarkus is just wankery and every time i go back to ELP i don't want to listen to them compared to their peers and contemporaries. i suppose at the end of the day, prog is a genre about trying new, interesting and challenging musical techniques. and in a sea of brilliant prog artists, ELP feels derivative of them all, without doing forging any unique identity. not a 1 because i really like organs. also the vocalist is pretty good i guess. highlights: 20:43 in Tarkus weakest points: 00:00 to 20:42 in Tarkus
I do like prog but progressive implies some sort of progress in the composition of the track. Until you get to about “a time and a place” this is an incredibly samey album that made 38 minutes feel like a lifetime. This was going to be the lightest 3 of all time until are you ready eddy came on, which was just kinda retarded. I really like the album cover.
ELP bros its so over... I really enjoyed pictures at an exhibition and Trilogy but didn't enjoy a single track off this. I didn't hate any either. Unfortunately after 3 albums in a row that are totally MID we have truly entered the Mid realm of the list. I sure hope more mid doesn't follow... (Spoilers it does, im writing this review late) 5/10
I have heard progressive rock described once by a ragebaiting music journalist as 'the whitest genre of music'. If I recall correctly (I'm not gonna search for this) they were specifically talking about Yes and ELP. Regardless of the melanin content here, this is a very solid album. A departure from the ELP that I have been exposed to before this project, mainly just listening to their debut album. Emerson's keyboard work is the foundation on which the rest of this album lies upon and with so much emphasis on it, any lesser of a songwriter/keyboardist would have turned this into 40 minutes of semi-experimental slop. Side A is a wild ride, Tarkus as a track took me multiple listens to properly digest. I would compare it most to Shine On You Crazy Diamond in that the parts very much so blend together and don't have divisions that are clear on a first listen. Side B is mostly good with some odd creative choices that don't quite land for me (The Only Way, Are You Ready, Eddy?) but it's a nice palate cleanser after the marathon Side A. If Side B were more tonally/creatively consistent then I could seriously consider giving this a 5. Overall, a very novel album made by a very talented group but not without flaws. A thoroughly entertaining and lush listening experience that is weighed down by some flat tracks that take me out of it. I am glad I enjoyed this as the last ELP album (the live one) made me seriously consider whether or not I actually lime prog rock or I'm just the world's biggest Pink Floyd glazer and refuse to call it space rock for some reason. Highlights: Most of Tarkus, Infinite Space A Time and a Place
skipped the first song because my attention span is too short and long songs are generally just way too self indulgent. otherwise i quite liked this. the singer sounded like john lennon doing pink floyd on some of the songs. i dont think ill come back to this overall: 3/5
++: Bitches Crystal, Infinite Space (Conclusion), A Time and a Place, Are You Ready, Eddy? +: Tarkus, Jeremy Bender +-: The Only Way (Hymn) 6,7/10
really enjoyed, not really for a casual listen but I could imagine throwing on the full album from time to time
too instrumental for me
Another enjoyable prog album with a ton of ideas crammed in. It's very piano/organ/synth heavy. The Tarkus suite is epic but not something I'd want to listen to every day. The rest of the tracks show some diverse influences and were all pretty good too.
Groovy prog rock can do no wrong.
The first song is pretty cool but I’ll never listen to this album again and I’ll pretend it never existed.
Tarkus, to me, suffers from the same problem that Rush's "2112" has: the side long song is good, but the second side seems like it has too much filler. The first side is definitely superior, as they have played it for numerous years live. The title track has a great opening, but the ending feels just... tacked on, like they ran out of ideas as to how to end the song. The live version from the Brain Salad Surgery tour has a bit of "Epitaph" in it, which is pretty cool. Songs like "Jeremy Bender" and "Are You Ready, Eddy?" get to the point where you think "one of these is good, but two on the same album?" Probably my favorite song on the back ids "Bitches Crystal," actually. It has the chaos of the title track, but more energy. The 2-part "The Only Way / Infinite Space" is a precursor to the superior "The Endless Enigma," which is on their Trilogy album (my favorite of their works). Surprisingly, their albums with their most well-known pieces ("Trilogy," "Brain Salad Surgery," and the eponymous first album) are missing from the list. I would have definitely put them above this one. It's not the album of theirs I go to if I want to listen to ELP. It's close to a 4, but not close enough, maybe a 3.4. Top tracks: "Tarkus," "Bitches Crystal"
The prog rock side one is decent, albeit a bit self-indulgent. Lyrics were thought-provoking and the sound was cool at times. But it also sounded like so many other prog rock songs - maybe to my untrained ear? It was better than the scattershot and at time overly silly side two. It just made for a strange combination overall (both within side two and across the whole album). If they weren't incredible musicians I'd probably give this album a lower rating.
I'm a prog fan, but when people complain about prog's excesses, ELP is almost always the first band that comes to mind. They were so over-the-top, and their albums are primarily a showcase for Emerson's insane keyboard playing. However, I'll give credit here, Tarkus is a powerful album and the title track is seriously impressive, both from a compositional angle and the musicianship. And, credit where credit's due, ELP rawk a lot more than most prog bands. It's understandable how they could sell out arenas in the 70s (no way could a band like this become huge today. Take of that what you will). Taking away one star for excess. Favorite tracks: Tarkus, Bitches Crystal, A Time and a Place.
Never judge an album by the album art. Album was chaotic, but not in a good way. The Ready Eddy song was annoying as fuck. Enjoyed segments of songs (around 3:20 in the 1st song).
This was close to a 1 for me. The music structure is awkward and made me have the feeling that I was at an uncomfortable social event that I desperately wanted to leave.