Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I had a good time with this. I wasn't expecting this album to be this complex musically, it's jarring in places with how much they are trying to do. This is maybe a good example of what makes Prog rock different than regular rock. The first track is a big undertaking but the rest of the tracks are also very good. I was a little disapointed there wasn't any(?) rad guitar work and it was mostly keyboard and other instruments but I found it super solid regardless. I'm excited to revisit this album. I also really like the album cover. It looks like a pokemon. I'm giving it a 4 now but it could move into 5 territories the more i revisit.
The opening track is a 70's prog masterpiece and I loved every one of the 20+ minutes it ran. I do wish that Spotify indicated the 7 parts of it better, but musically it's pretty easy to tell when things change. The playing is phenomenal and the composition is fantastic, pulling back to classic music and mixing it with modern fusion, rock, jazz, etc. It's just great. The rest of it, which is a little less than half of the album, feels like filler. "Bitch's Crystal" is the standout, though I did like "A time and place" because it sounds like Jethro Tull with the overdrive bass and the organ. The rest of the tracks are pretty bad. I realize 20 minutes is a bit short for an album but I think they really could've just published that and this would be a masterpiece. Sadly the rest of it ruins it a bit, but it's still great work.
Great album cover. I like this video game music.
Sometimes I can get into progressive rock. This is not one of them.
Uhhhh this was all fine and good until Jeremy Bender came on. WTF kind of song was that?
This is a great example of prog. The cover is bananas. The skill is through the roof but for almost no one in the way it is expressed. It's impossible to defend that this isn't a passion project for those who want to make it. If this was meant to be popular you'd change almost everything. I heard a Keith Emerson quote on a book once. He had broken his ribs while playing a solo and the doctor asked if people usually break ribs playing the organ. Emerson replied "it depends how you play them". That's summing up prog. It takes it to places no sane person would and it's almost for no reason, but that makes it pretty incredible to hear. Makes sense to be on the list, makes less sense that it exists. Fourth star is sheer bravado and the cover.
Obviously one of the best album covers. Some of the solos on the first track sound comedic in the way someone playing the Jurassic Park theme on the recorder does. I've been known to be a fan of some loopy music, but this might be riding a line. That opening track is like a test. Bitches Crystal hits, it's an adventure for the ears. The Only Way, great composition. That opening of Infinite Space, in headphones, hooked me then just kept me in a stimming manner. A time and place has some solid moments and a spot or two of noodling. A strange rock and roll, blues track. The skill to compose some great songs is here. I've always been a bit adverse to the sound of the keyboard. So Emerson and his noodling almost disrupting some songs can be challenging. I could see this growing on me given time.
Great artwork forgot the rest
What in the prog is this?
I really want to love ELP because my dad loved them, and there are parts that I enjoy, but overall it's just not really my jam.
The piano playing was fantastic. The songwriting itself though? Left a lot to be desired. 2 Stars
It's like a badly painted Lord of the Rings mural on a 1973 Ford Econoline that belongs to a 17 year old stoner dude named Patrick in Ohio made an album.
Meh
This was the most tortuous album I’ve ever heard. I feel ill.
This album just sounded so pretentious. They are talented musicians but a little too much guys
Me gusta más el primero, pero este es muy representativo de su estilo y posibilidades
Saw the first song was 20 minutes and almost skipped it. Glad I didn't. Listened to it twice more after. Definitely new to me and enjoyed this!
Score is mostly for the cover art.
I think this would have been better as an instrumental album. It’s not that I don’t like the vocals, its that I don’t think they add much to the fantastic instrumentals. 6/10
What are we doing here? I get the jazz influence, but it’s wayyyyyy too busy. I guess the boys never heard that less is more in some cases. Some of these songs would be much better if they could just breathe.
Это нормальный альбом, просто не очень интересный в контексте всяких Кинг Кримзонов, ЙЕС, и так далее. Заглавный эпик - это всё круто, конечно, и в целом звучит приятно, но сама песня в целом и даже структура альбома, треклиста, во всём этом чувствуется какая-то разрозненность идей. Лучшая песня - The Only Way (Hymn).
Prog is a weird genre to me, in that the best stuff is truly fantastic and worth listening to, but anything below that is just self indulgent at best. This is not the best the genre has to offer. That's the kindest I can be.
Ok, een progrock album? Begint meteen op zn progrocks met maar liefst een nummer van 20 minuten! En daar zitten absoluut hele vette minuten tussen, maar er zitten ook heel wat mindere minuten tussen... Dus hoe beoordeel je een nummer dat 20 minuten duurt? Op de beste stukken? op de slechtste? Ik beoordeel het nu maar gewoon op het gemiddelde; dat was best ok, niet fantastisch, niet verschrikkelijk. Dat is ook een beetje hoe dit album voelt; ze hebben ontzettend veel ideeën en hebben besloten om ALLES uit te werken. Ja cheffies, dat gaat niet werken he? Er zit echt wel wat leuke probeersels in dit album, maar ik had vooral zoiets van hadden jullie dit niet meer kunnen uitwerken? Gewoon 1 of 2 nummers extra? of misschien zelfs een heel extra album; het voelt niet alsof ze niet genoeg inspiratie hadden. Nou, uiteindelijk is dit wel een album wat ook duidelijk maakt wat het nadeel kan zijn van progrock: 1001 ideeën die allemaal niet echt goed worden uitgewerkt. Een soort all you can eat restaurant met een sushi hoek, wok hoek, pizza tent en waar je ook nog een shoarma kan halen. FAVO: Are you ready eddy?
I quite like some prog rock (early King Crimson, PFM etc.) but totally understand why some people hate it. Sadly, I find ELP one of the bands that give credence to that hatred. They are everything that is bad about the genre -pompous, overblown, self-satisfied smugness which really doesn't gel well with my tastes. This one's not for me. One extra star for the cover artwork.
Didn't like the 20 minute song, too out there. The rest was ok
I bought this album when it was first released - didn't like it much then and it's pretty much grandiose and annoying now.
These guys go on tour with this kind of music? Geez. I am curious and afraid to see the people who attend.
Jazzy and orchestral. Gets a bit carried away and lost in its ambition.
Favorite Track: The Only Way
Good, but i am not sure this is the best of ELP. They should be on the list somewhere because of being one of the pioneers of prog rock and their enormous talent
Weird, but at least it wasn't punk
Just don't like the organ stuff...
I was not familiar with this since it doesn’t contain any of their mainstream hits. I eye rolled a little when I saw the first track clocked in at 20 min. I was at about a 2.5 most of the way through, then “Infinite Space” sparked my attention and I gave it a full second pass. The musicianship is great throughout, particularly the keys and tempo changes. I can hear the progression/ connection to some of the sounds and styles of “Court of the Crimson King”. I appreciated much more on the second pass. Props for the album cover. 3.5/5
Didn’t like them then. And after listening to this…I still stand by that. The main reason: this is the type of pretentious prog rock that turns people who like cool prog rock off of prog rock. There is no doubt the level of musicianship and concepts being displayed here, and I will rate up because of that. But as one journalist wrote: “How do you spell pretentious? E-L-P.”
You know how you’re drinking wine with a sommelier. And they’re talking about nose and palate and flavor profiles and notes and vintage and all that shit. And you’re nodding along like you know but in reality you have no idea. It all tasted a like alcoholic grape juice and you’re just looking to get drunk. Thats my metaphor for this. These guys are certainly talented and I’m sure there’s a lot of shit in here that’s awesome and I just don’t understand. But really I just wanted to get drunk and this only got me buzzed. 2.75
Prog rock? Rut roh... 20 minute track #1? RUT ROH.... But to my surprise I actually enjoyed this album! First track is a bit much but there are pieces that were pretty tight and gotta admit these dudes can play instruments real good. I found the rest of the album quite enjoyable and was considering a 4 rating. Just not sure I can get there. And gotta point out these amazing lyrics on Jeremy Bender: Digging the sister, she was a mister; Threatened to fist her if she didn't come clean. 3.5/5
I would have been perfectly happy dying without listening to this train wreck of an album. It’s like they had a Time Machine and used it to travel into the future to steal the soundtrack of every 90s JRPG.
Surprised this was on the list. Cool album art. Not my favorite listen.
Just not a big prof fan
No. Thank you.
This album is kind of out there in terms of prog-rock / complexity, so I'm kind of surprised it was as commercially successful (peaking at #9 in the US). The last track (Are You Ready Eddy?) sounds like a different band - it's like 50's blues rock.
Nothing here is as interesting or impressive as they think it is.
Prog jazz? Not terrible but definitely not my thing.
Meh not my thing
GOOD AS FRICK‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ OMG 10
Proof that good musicians don’t necessarily make good music. Never got into ELP even though I like prog. The album cover looks like a rejected Transformer idea.
Mostly enjoyed the first song. Rest of album was meh Standout song: Tarkus
Holy freaking organ. I kept thinking this is what church would be like if the organist decided to drop acid before the start of service. Going out on a limb and guessing those that enjoyed this album were big into psychedelics. So tea, this definitely not something I enjoyed. Are You Ready Eddy? was kinda fun and the only song I though was decent. Otherwise, made me think of a church gone mad or me going mad being forced to sit in church. Either way, just not an enjoyable experience for this listener. 1.5
2 Hey kids, do ya like prog rock? No? What about extended electric organ solos? No?? What about a giant f*cking weaponized armadillo? Honestly, I’m not really sure what to make of this album. The cover is just about the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen, and the seven-part song associated with it is flat-out egregious - and about six parts longer than it needed to be. If there was any hint of self-awareness surrounding this whole concept, I feel like it could almost work, but the fact that the band really seems to unironically be touting the half-tank, half-armadillo abomination that is Tarkus as as a serious and profound metaphor for war almost makes this laughable to me. Or, at least it would, if my ears weren’t constantly being barraged by piercing electric organ and keys. While I don’t hate the genre, I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of prog rock, and this seems to encapsulate what oftentimes turns me away from it - self-indulgent overcomplication just for the sake of it. Like, it’s cool and all you have a seven-part concept piece to your name, but is it really any good? Tarkus is not in my personal opinion - it’s an annoying slog. The rest of this album is just kind of whatever and mostly forgettable - at least these guys knew to keep things mostly short after subjecting you to that 20-minute opener. I can’t say I really have any complaints with what they offer, though the random reference to the Holocaust in the middle was a little jarring. However, we live in a day and age where reminders of the atrocities feel sadly necessary, so I can’t say I have a problem with it. Not the worst thing I’ve heard, but not really up my alley at all.
Clearly these guys can play, there's no disputing that, but they're not very interesting to listen to. Complex music but can't actually write an engaging song. This is certainly the kind of music I think of when I think of prog rock. Drum fills, a dancing organ, guitar noodling. I think it's playing for playing's sake. It doesn't really go anywhere or evoke any imagery or emotion from me. I have no problem with a song being 20 minutes at all, but it has keep you interested and the opener just doesn't do that for me. The shorter tracks that make up the rest of the album aren't that great either. Plus they're very different. The closer 'Are You Ready Eddy?' is a 50's rock & roll tune. Why? I was going to be generous and give it a two, because I didn't hate this and clearly they're talented at their instruments. But would I ever listen to any of these seven tracks ever again? Probably not. I'll probably start being a little harsher going forward starting with this.
How many drugs were these guys on?
Very good.
I can say at no point did I know what would happen next. So it was exciting in that sense. Did I like it? No.
This album was absolutely ridiculous. Just pure wankery. Yet, it's on this list so it must be essential? Not at all.
What the fuck
I consider myself. Prog Rock fans and do like the talent of ELP, but... this does nothing for me. Let alone the version I listen to was doubly dull with extra versions of the songs. Best thing about album is the awesome cover art!
Wow prog rock. 20 minute song that fakes you out with a false ending 10 times. Man.
Meh. Never cared for Emerson Lake and Palmer.
Omg I fucking hate this. Burn it with fire.
Sounds like a worse version of the Mario Kart soundtrack. I respect the experimentalism but didn’t enjoy it
the first song is 20 MINUTES??? i appreciate this era for their experimentation and developments with sound...... that being said! not all experiments are W's :) - my notes from while listening
Liked the classical flare.
Looking at the album cover was the most interesting part
INSANE. Super underrated and such a rollercoaster to listen to. 8.5/10
Emerson, Lake & Palmer is who you would call to represent you in a court of law
Groupe connu, et second album proposé par le générateur. Je ne connaissais cet album là que de nom. Un vrai plaisir après la semaine de disques moyens / mauvais que je viens de subir ... Le morceau Tarkus est un morceau vraiment intéressant, j'apprécie toujours autant les impros et les longues plages instrumentales. Les autres morceaux sont beaucoup plus courts, et même si certains sont moins réussis, j'ai vraiment bien apprécié l'écoute. Cet album est bien plus créatif et surprenant que toute la soupe que j'ai dû subir ces derniers jours ! Je ne lui met pas la note maximale (je préfère les albums Trilogy, mon préféré du groupe, et Brain Salad Surgery, plus homogène), mais pas loin. =>4.5/5
Progressive rock. Probably one of the most difficult genres to get into (for those that aren't already fans of that style of music.) I've heard this album before. Several times. It is always on lists like this, so I have given it many chances. I still don't get it. I like Brain Salad Surgery so much more. 3.5/5
I love prog...but not like this.
Let's go 20 minute prog rock! (23 known/43 new)
I’m a wanky doodle dandy I’m a wanky doodle do or die A really long, meandering song That should be cut to a minute five. Terrible lyrics from your store-brand Pink Floyd, wanky pretentious jams, and execrable 50s white-boy-early-rock songs to round out the album. Nein, danke. Properly 1.5 stars, rounding down.
- 1. Song 20 Minuten.. junge. Habe mich zwischendurch gefühlt, als wäre ich in Mario Kart gelandet. Aber habs durchgezogen und zum Ende fand ich es nochmal ganz cool. Wieder mal etwas, was sehr nach einem coolen Soundtrack geklungen hat. Wobei es am Ende dann irgendwie wieder Richtung Mario Kart abgedriftet ist. - der Rest war weird bis ok - hat mich also insgesamt eher kalt gelassen 1,75/5
Dear god, that's awful.
The highlights were excellent but there were definitely times that seemed like they were just banging on the keyboard.
Ah, prog. So often an exercise in creating something that turns out to be less than the sum of its parts. Take hugely talented musicians, get them onto big, ambitious ideas, convoluted concepts, sprawling long epics and experiments with seemingly adventurous arrays of new and strange instruments, unusual time signatures and what do we get? Overblown theatrics that are just hard work to listen to. Even side 2 which seems to be the bits and pieces left over after the frankly ridiculous side 1 epic, is patchy at best. There are some cool moments but I had to wade through so much dense musical clutter to find them.
It's kind of ass, sorry. Feels like sitting through a coworker's show to be nice to them. Thank god for The Stooges and The Velvet Underground because god damn this dragged on
Enjoyed this album.
Prog nonsense.
Really full of themselves and must have smoked WAY too much weed.
The only upside of this is that 20 minutes of something called Eruption sent me straight to Van Halen.
Let the record show that I tried to listen to this album!! I just didnt want to finish it. I thought I had a high prog tolerance. Guess I was wrong!
4/5
Some really good prog rock.
One of the best ELP albums especially the title track. Highly recommend
I don't think I've ever played an ELP album before, not being a fan of prog rock. This should be interesting. But that cover is dreadful. The excessively long title track is classic prog. Plodding. Pompous. Ludicrous. And then side two has a bizarre mix of shorter proggy tracks interspersed with annoying comedy tracks. At least I assume they are comedy tracks.
This is my second attempt to listen to Emerson, Lake and Palmer. The last one I had in this generator was "Pictures at an Exhibition", an extremely gimmicky live prog rock cover of a classical performance. It was probably fun if you were a fan, but fairly tedious if not. I was hopeful that a studio album of their own material might be better. I like the occasional prog rock band so they deserve another chance. And yeah, it's definitely better. The gimmicks are still there. If you want to hear "Oh Susanna" in math rock form, it's there. But it's at least not a one trick pony and there's a lot going on. There's variety and a loose theme. Pipe organs intermingle with synthesizers. It's interesting and it's very well executed. But it's not exactly a great album. I'd take Rush or King Crimson over Emerson, Lake and Palmer any day I'm afraid. My favorite track is one that leans more on the classical/jazz side of their music, "Infinite Space (Conclusion)".
It’s well played. But I don’t care
I'm a sucker for prog. I like that it's not predictable. I like that it's technical and is usually in weird time signatures and using weird scales. I think I like prog better when it isn't keyboard led like on Tarkus but this still isn't bad. I didn't like the more traditional songs very much. The songwriting was weak and they didn't make up for it in any other way. I think I liked Bitches Crystal the best. I think this album is probably a pretty tough listen for most people. I love the totally ridiculous album cover. Overall I didn't dislike this but I don't think I'd ever listen to it again.
This was sick! The synths??! Guitars?? Weird lyrics and movements. an only 38 minutes??! What a fun time. I loved this.
English 70s prog rock. Chaotic electric organ, synths. Abstract like jazz. Pretty much all I dislike about the genre. Hardly any melody and I dislike those electric 70s organs.
Kansi on niin ruma ja outo että se on jo hieno. Kelpotaiderokkia. Voisihan tätä kuunnella enemmänkin 4/5
Toimiva progelevy. hieno kansi! 4/5
interesting, not my kind of sound, but didnt hate it
Not for me.
Boring trippy sixties music.
Ugh, this is weird. *checks phone after 17mims “Yes, still track 1”
not my jam
Su mejor disco y aún así es duro y difícil.
Un poco extraña la distribución de tiempo la vd, me pareció innovador pensando que salió en el 71, supongo que por eso esta en esta lista, tampoco fue lo mejor, cada día mas decepcionado d esta lista Rating: 5 (cansado tmb de ponerle 3 a todo, deberían haber medias estrellas)
Pass.
Already in my library.
A great album. Folk country soul and with an outsider point of view
Some of the ambitious compositions work, other times it's not so successful. For that I'd give it a 3 but there's a couple tracks that are trying to be funny that have aged terribly. Too bad it didn't all sound like video game music
the short songs actually weren’t that bad. and parts of the title track opener were pretty good. as far as progressive rock goes, i would rate them higher than yes, but lower than rush.
Gross
A lot of cool shit going on here. I think I liked the shorter songs a little more than the Tarkus, but a fun trip nonetheless
Super
Pure prog rock. The first track winds though everything you'd expect/want from a 20 minute prog track. The rest of the album drops off a bit.
I really hate prog rock. I don’t understand the appeal.
Weird
This whole album is like some Temu Pink Floyd. Not great, wish I could return it. 1/5
I mean, that has got to be one of the goofiest, most awesome album covers of all time. And the fact that the 20 minute prog epic first side/title track is an allegorical anti war jam about the birth, adventures, and transformation of the human-engineered armadillo tank named Tarkus (Tarkus is dead, long live Aquatarkus!?) is driving me absolutely wild. But, while influential and entertaining in its OTT prog-noodliness, this album low-key sucks to actually listen to. There are some excellent keys and rhythm moments; unfortunately, they are too often interrupted or overshadowed by copious amounts of cringe.
Goofy looking armadillo tank on the cover here. I like it. When people talk about progressive rock wankery this is the kind of stuff they mean. How the hell am I supposed to understand that there is a story/concept here without having it explained to me? The title track does some neat things sometimes when it’s not keyboard nonsense for the sake of it. The rest of the album is a mixed bag ranging from plain bad to just ok.
I was expecting something quite different and instead I got all sorts of prog rock mediocrity and a ballad.
The title track is great! But everything else is kind of "meh".
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. Right just not for me, sorry.
First one kinda stresses me out tbh. Other than that's it's great.
Some interesting stuff. Jazzy & a bit random at times.
Pas mon style. 2,5 arrondi en dessous.
Was dreading this when I saw it show up. A prog supergroup? 1971? 20 minute long, 7-part cycle about a battle between an armadillo tank and a manticore? This can't end well. But then the drums start and you realise you're about to hear the 70's equivalent of Venetian Snares. Tarkus brings a massive amount of energy to a genre badly in need of it. By putting the drums out in front rather than the noodly guitar work ELP show what was so frustrating about the rest of the prog groups in the 70s. That's not to say it isn't prog and doesn't sometimes succumb to its excesses. ii. Stones of Years is a kind of lame sci-fi/psych thing with boring organ solos. Thankfully its quickly replaced iii. Iconoclast which ratchets up the tension and energy. iv. Mass starts noodly but relies on fairly traditional blues scales to avoid getting too naff. The track ends with some fancy studio effects and stero images in vii. Aquatarkus. The second side is weaker and doesn't get off to a great start with Jeremy's Bender. Bitches Crystal is great for maintaining the energy and has some wild piano but is a bit too chromatic for my tastes. The Only Way combines Beatles crooning about Hitler with pipe organs and baroque piano. It goes about as well as you'd expect. A Time and Place is a pretty fun Led Zep tribute and closing out with a straight rock number is a welcome relief from the high concepts. This is the best prog rock album I've heard. That's why it gets a three.
It was something
Was an interesting listen. Kind of all over the place. The song Tarkus obviously being the main attraction. Badass cover art! Armoured Armadillo would be proud
Ngl I missed half the album by accident but I'm not going back to listen to it
Such an eclectic album - some was very good, some less so
Thing is, I’m no prog-liker but the agitated interpretative dance parts provoke the same part of me that enjoys prog-adjacent freaks like The Psychic Paramount and Rangda. Wonders never cease, what a world we live in, so on so forth. The lyrics are ripe for a kick in the face though. “How did He lose six million Jews?” suggests the Holocaust was an act of absent-mindedness.
Kind-of what I expected, virtuoso and very energetic organ, bass and drumming, with ponderous vocals on top. Didn't like it as much as I thought I would, especially with the two terrible pub-rock numbers and unexpected shout-out to the Holocaust. Probably won't listen again [EDIT: I did listen again, didn't change my opinion]
Hated the whole album =( Not into prog rock. Chaotic, annoying noise 0/10
*Tarkus*, the second studio album by the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), was released on June 4, 1971 [1]. The album is known for its ambitious, conceptual title track and its blend of rock, classical, and jazz influences [1, 2, 3]. **Background** Following their debut tour in 1970, ELP entered Advision Studios in London in January 1971 to record *Tarkus*. The album was produced by Greg Lake with Eddie Offord as engineer [1]. The recording process was fraught with tension, particularly between keyboardist Keith Emerson and bassist/vocalist Greg Lake regarding the direction of the music [1, 2]. Emerson was determined to pursue his complex musical vision, while Lake was initially reluctant [2, 4]. However, the band ultimately compromised, and Lake contributed to the title track, writing lyrics and composing the "Battlefield" section [1, 2]. The album cover art was designed by William Neal [1]. **Music** *Tarkus* is split into two distinct sides. Side one is dominated by the 20-minute title track, a conceptual piece divided into seven sections [1]. This suite is characterized by its complex rhythms, shifting time signatures, and virtuosic instrumental performances [3, 4]. Side two features a collection of shorter, unrelated tracks, showcasing diverse styles [1]. * **"Tarkus" Suite:** The title track is a musical tour de force, driven by Emerson's keyboard work. The piece moves through various sections, including "Eruption," "Stones of Years," "Iconoclast," "Mass," "Manticore," "Battlefield," and "Aquatarkus" [1]. The suite's complex rhythmic structures, often shifting between 5/4, 7/8, 9/8 and 10/8 time signatures, and atonal harmonies make it a challenging listen [3, 4]. Emerson incorporated a "fleeting run of one bar" from Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 [1]. Palmer's drumming provides a constant flow and seamless continuity to the piece, while Lake's bass playing offers a solid foundation for the music [2]. * **Side Two:** The second side of *Tarkus* presents a mix of styles [1]: * *"Jeremy Bender"* is a jaunty track with a honky-tonk piano feel. * *"Bitches Crystal"* is a hard-rocking song with acerbic vocals from Lake and a jazz waltz feel [2]. * *"The Only Way (Hymn)"* is a more reflective piece with church organ and vocal harmonies. * *"Infinite Space (Conclusion)"* is a short instrumental piece. * *"A Time and a Place"* is a driving rock track influenced by Led Zeppelin [1]. * *"Are You Ready, Eddy?"* is a rockabilly-inspired track, recorded as an impromptu jam [1]. **Lyrics** Greg Lake wrote the lyrics for the title track, which are open to interpretation but generally explore themes of conflict and revolution [1]. The lyrics are cryptic and ambiguous, adding to the suite's mysterious and menacing atmosphere [4]. Lake stated that the song is about "the futility of conflict" and the "hypocrisy of it all" [1]. The lyrics also touch on the idea of revolution and its aftermath [1]. The lyrics on side two range from the cynical "Bitches Crystal," to the reflective "The Only Way", and the lighthearted "Are You Ready, Eddy?" [1, 2]. **Production** *Tarkus* was produced by Greg Lake and engineered by Eddie Offord [1]. The production is generally considered to be clear and well-balanced, with each instrument having its space in the mix [2]. The album makes effective use of stereo, with instruments often panned across the soundstage to create a wide and immersive sound [1]. Emerson's use of synthesizers, particularly the Moog, is notable, with the "Aquatarkus" section featuring a sound meant to resemble a snorkel tube [1]. **Themes** * **Conflict and Revolution:** The central theme of the *Tarkus* suite is the futility of conflict [1]. The lyrics explore the idea of revolution and its aftermath, questioning its ultimate purpose [1]. The armadillo-tank hybrid character of Tarkus and its battle with the manticore visually and conceptually represent this theme [1, 3]. * **Hypocrisy:** The album also touches on the hypocrisy of politics and religion [2]. Lake's lyrics often criticize the established order and its abuse of power [2]. * **Individual vs. Collective:** The album can also be seen as an exploration of the tension between individual ambition and collective goals [2]. Emerson's desire to pursue his musical vision clashes with the other members' ideas, mirroring the larger theme of conflict [2, 4]. **Influence** *Tarkus* is considered a landmark album in progressive rock, influencing numerous artists in the genre [2, 3]. Its ambitious scope, complex arrangements, and virtuosic performances set a high standard for progressive rock albums to follow [3, 4]. The album's use of synthesizers and incorporation of classical music elements also had a significant impact on the genre [1, 2]. The album may have influenced bands such as Queen and Rush [3]. **Pros** * **Musical Complexity and Virtuosity:** *Tarkus* showcases the band's technical prowess, particularly Emerson's keyboard work and Palmer's drumming. * **Ambitious Composition:** The 20-minute title track is a remarkable achievement in composition and arrangement. * **Thematic Depth:** The album explores complex themes of conflict, revolution, and hypocrisy. * **Production Quality:** The album is well-produced, with a clear and balanced mix. * **Diversity of Styles:** Side two offers a variety of musical styles, showcasing the band's versatility. * **Conceptual Cohesion:** The album is conceptually driven, with a narrative arc that ties the music and lyrics together. **Cons** * **Lack of Hooks:** The album's complexity can make it challenging for some listeners. The absence of traditional hooks can make it less accessible than other rock albums [3]. * **Self-Indulgence:** Some critics accuse the title track of being self-indulgent, with its focus on instrumental virtuosity over melodic accessibility [3]. * **Inconsistent Side Two:** While side two features some strong tracks, it is generally considered less consistent in quality than the title track [4]. * **Length:** The length of the title track may be daunting for some listeners. **Conclusion** *Tarkus* is a complex, ambitious, and influential album that showcases Emerson, Lake & Palmer at their most virtuosic. While its complexity and lack of traditional hooks may not appeal to all listeners, its thematic depth, musical innovation, and production quality make it a landmark album in the progressive rock genre. It represents a significant achievement in rock music and continues to be a topic of discussion among fans and critics alike [2, 3, 4]. The album's exploration of conflict and hypocrisy, combined with its technically demanding music, makes it a challenging but rewarding listening experience.
Not this one.
For progressive rock, this isn’t nearly as bad as the reviews suggest. It’s basically jazz
No one did prog rock like ELP.
First time listening to a full album of their original material (heard Pictures at an Exhibition before). The first prog track was a bit lacklustre but the other songs were quite fun. I'm generous so let's give them 3/5
Instrumentals were great. "Are you ready eddy?" was a fun track to finish with
Tarkus is what happens when unchecked virtuosity meets a glaring lack of self-awareness. Keith Emerson dominates the album with his manic keyboard solos, scampering across the synths like a cat being chased, though you can’t help but think those keys should’ve been a guitar. The 22-minute title track is less a cohesive epic and more a disjointed showcase of Emerson’s ability to play really fast. It’s impressive in the way a juggling act is impressive—technically astounding but ultimately empty. For all their technical skill, Emerson, Lake & Palmer seem more interested in showing off than crafting something worth returning to. The album is overly polished but soulless, full of ideas that never gel. Despite its ambition, Tarkus feels half-baked—an experiment that thinks it’s revolutionary but ends up sounding both weird and generic at the same time. Listening to Tarkus is like attending a three-ring circus where the performers are undeniably talented, but the acts don’t flow, and you’re left wondering why you even came. It’s not bad enough to be offensive, but it’s not good enough to warrant a second listen. A few flashes of brilliance can’t save it from its own overblown pretensions.
3.5/5
I don't like ELP. I do like some prog rock - Genesis, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Camel but I feel ELP is the epitome of prog rock succumbing to it's self indulgent tendencies over just making good music. I've heard this record before, can't say I remember much over feeling it to be over the top, so I'm definitely coming it with a prejudice. It starts with the album's namesake. A twenty minute opus, quite obviously a case where the song's length was limited by the length of a record side. And I mean, this song is exactly everything that's bad about ELP. Instead of creating a good song, that's appealing to the listening emotionally, I keep feeling like they're trying to impress me. I mean, this might be fun for them to play, it's definitely challenging to figure out what's going on, it just doesn't appeal to the listener as much as it impresses the listener with how good of players these folks are. This is like a book in dire need of an editor. It's like an ADHD child constantly tugging at your sleeve saying "here, listen to this cool passage". Yeah it's cool but where is this all going. I mean, the guitar solo at about 14:30 in is cool, you could use it a in a song, but what does it mean in the context of the song? then there's a short interlude and then a harmonized guitar solo. How does that fit with what happened up to now? As a guitar passage they're cool, it just doesn't work as a song. The second side is a change of pace, with a bunch of shorter songs. On Jeremy Bender we have a keyboard hook, an interesting vocal melody, some hand clapping (which I usually like but here it's just weird) and a much more standard song structure. It's still a weird song but it feels like it has some aim. In Bitches Crystal it's still a short song, but right from the start we get complicated meters and dissonance and while that's fine to do in music, I don't get what it's trying to make me feel. The Only Way sounds like a nod to some classical piece. I dunno, the song is just not a good song. I know these are excellent musicians (and as mentioned above, I'm a King Crimson fan so obviously I've hear plenty of Greg Lake's earlier work), I just find this to be an example of all of the worse self indulgent prog rock. One could argue that this album has historical significance, I just don't want to listen to it ever again. One star.
Perfect
Yeah pretty good Last track is not my thing at all, which kinda leaves the album on a bit of a sour note. First track is pretty good. 20 mins of chaos. I think I've heard better from them, but its not bad
Why is the opening track 20 minutes long?
Better than I thought it would be.
Title track is superb, proper intense- b side is good but not as good as side a
A little too progressive and experimental for my taste.
Slowly realising I don't like prog rock. This is almost drivel. I want to get all the people who rate this album highly in to a room and just question them on various aspects of life.
What in the Yes-Rush-King Crimson was this? I'm so tired of these "let's record a twenty minute epic song and have it be one entire side of our album" bands. It feels like they think they've pulled off a masterpiece of a track, one that should stand the test of time and be revered for ages. But to me, having heard a handful of similar albums to this point, it just feels played out. These long songs feel more like a series of ideas that they couldn't figure out how to extend into one song and instead combined those fledgling ideas into one song. Sometimes that can breed great results, but more often than not it seems to just produce a track that feels a little scattered and whose ideas are shoved together for convenience and not necessarily because they connect thematically. It's a shame. I don't have much else to say about this, honestly. The title track is a monster and is alright. The second side is a bunch of inferior ideas that sound like they're doing their best imitation of a handful of other styles and groups. Two stars. Standout Track: Are You Ready Eddy?
Everything a person hates in one album, a super slow build and it takes 20 seconds to hear anything and I check the volume and output like 5 times before it finally gets going. Then you have a 20 minute song that sounds like you are having a panic attack during the Mainstreet Electrical Parade at the Magic Kingdom. Lastly, an intentional omittance of the oxford comma. The only think I like about this Album is the super cool cover art. A tank Armadillo? Yes please! Bonus Star as a "Tank you" for that.
I'd say this was a high 3, I enjoyed it but didn't love it.
A lot of instrumental especially in the beginning of the album, but didn't mind at all since I enjoyed its progressive rock sound. The album cover is pretty cool too.
This was enjoyable but not my style!
I do love me my prod rock.
Not for me. To many keyboard gymnastics for me. Unnecessary notes and overplayed. That's just my opinion though.
Just like jazz
Very little of this works. A lot of intricate twiddling and sweeping nut coherent songs are not the result. Even the toe taping final tracks suffers from some discordant tinkering. Couldn't get into the band at the time and now sounds insufferably indulgent.
Rock progressif très jazzé et flamboyant. Pas ma tasse de thé, mais je saisis l'ampleur du projet.
1/5 shit
The Armadillo Tank was underwhelming to me. I wanted it to be better, I know its a essential prog album, but it just didn't do it for me. Still not a bad listen, just kinda good enough.
It was obviously way to long and proggy but I enjoyed moments.
prog rock is cool and all, but putting half an album on one song is crazy, especially when its just alright
They were jamming alright, and I'm sure they had a good time. Not an unpleasant listen, but not something I'd seek out either. The first track that hit for me was after spotify had autoselected a Jethro Tull song after the end of the album.
Trodde jag skulle ogilla det. En trotsig 20-min första låt. Men jag diggar soundet, orgeln är najs. Lite deep purple (de verkar ha verkat i samma space) Men första låten är för lång och bitvis sådär. Å sista låten suger.
Den sjätte delen av Tarkus, som startar vid 12:47, är fantastiskt jäkla bra. Just den delen skrevs tydligen av Lake, till skillnad från resten som skrevs av Emerson (smärtsamt tydligt vem av dem som hade talangen för att göra hits). Mycket irriterande att de bakat ihop allt till en lång låt så att man inte kan lyssna enbart på den bra delen, eftersom resten är sådär. Utöver Tarkus tycker jag att det var helt okej. Trea på totalen.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer is always all over the place, they're not the most consistent band. I really like their first 2 albums and Brain Salad Surgery but never really enjoyed Tarkus for some reason. Tarkus itself doesn't really hit the heights of other side long epics like Focus' Eruption and Pink Floyds Echoes. There's some good jamming in there but its not a very cohesive piece and doesn't always sound the most pleasant. The rest of the songs are short pieces with varying degrees of quality. Noone really needs to hear Jeremy Bender before they die. The album cover is one of the best album covers ever though, extra point for that.
First introduced into prog rock as a teenager and a truly inspiring album.
I enjoyed Tarkus! Kind of funky and heavily weighted toward the title track, but still interesting.
Sounds nice
It’s prog Jim but not as we know it
rip mr emerson…
Hey hey hey, finally a break from 60s rock/folk and 2000s indie. This album has a special place in my heart for being my first record ever 5 years ago, though my love for ELP has diminished quite a bit since then. The title track is of course an unstoppable prog classic, possibly one of the best Hammond Organ workouts out there. The b-side meanwhile takes a massive dip, with two pleasant jazzy pieces stuck within songs as terrible sonically (I hate ELP's cowboy music with a passion) as they are lyrically (we somehow have both atrocious anti-religion lyrics and atrocious transphobic lyrics). It's not a bad prog record at all, but I like the subtler stuff way more nowadays, the lesser-known Harmonium and Celeste being my recommendations in this niche. I don't want to be that girl but ELP's continued spotlighting as one of the greats only enables the stereotypes against prog in my opinion. They are still important though, and if you want a more cohesive record to start off with them I'll say Brain Salad. If you're a freak like me and want to hear them at their most unhinged, Welcome Back My Friends is the best 2-hour second-hand cocaine trip you can embark on.
Garbage name but great background music
3.75
Side one is a little too epic for me, but side two is fun 70s organ rock.
Not creative like Pink Floyd, not melodic like Yes, not deep like King Crimson. Absolutely nothing.
Previously rated: Pictures At An Exhibition (4/5) ********************************* Great album! Proggy synth suite to a John Lennon-like rocker and everything in between. I was disappointed when it was over. I'd give it a 4.5, but since today is Christmas, I'll round it up.
10/10. Progressive rock is my absolute FAVOURITE type of rock music!!! There are a lot of better progressive rock albums than Tarkus, but that doesn't matter much to me, for I am a filthy defender of progressive rock music, and I bloody love this album too much to give it a score lower than a 5/5.
prog perfection. the title track is up there with the best of em.
An electronic exploration. Don’t need to listen to it again
OK, nothing special
Das war in meiner Schulzeit so komische Musik, die die Älteren gehört haben. Die mit Ahnung. Ich hatte keine Ahnung und habe lieber Deep Purple gehört. Bis ich meine erste feste Freundin hatte. Und die hatte Tarkus. Und es klang gleich viel besser.
I preface this by saying I don't dislike prog as a genre but I get why some people do. This album is the perfect example of everything that's wrong with late 60s and early 70s prog rock. It's over blown, pretentious, self indulgent music that borders on masturbation by the band.
Turns out this is the absolute worst possible record to listen to on a stressful day of dealing with lawyers and HR departments.
In my mind a perfect example for crossover. Not everybodys taste, sometimes a little bit difficult to listen. Definitively no backround music in the longe. I think you should compare Keith Emerson with classical composers.
Doet me niet zoveel, best vette stukjes, maar niet heel samenhangend.
My first concert was seeing ELP at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus. I was infatuated with them at the time. That said, this album was never a favorite and hasn't aged well in the interim.
This is a interesting album and extremely innovative for 1971, was surprised that's when it came out. Very ahead of it's time and experimental
H-ELP more like. “Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. It goes on for at least two hours because we’ve got a brand new Moog.”
This is appalling
ugh, prog
not my jam, tho i can give them credit for how innovative this probably was at the time. the lyrics mostly took me out of it but again, i can understand that this is when this type of music was first starting to get some traction. on one hand i wish songwriting like this made a comeback, on the other hand i know songwriting like this still exists & i -don't- listen to it nor seek it out. cool cover!
Sounds like people trying to work out what to do with a synthesiser but not quite getting there.
Classic ELP. Loved it
Yeah they can play really well but at the end of the day these guys are just a bunch of fucking nerds. It felt like if all the talent of the 70s was funneled into an over zealous D&D group.
I am pre-disposed to dislike prog but this is just unlistenable.
Fun fact, Greg Lake used to practice in the house opposite to where I live.
How do you appropriately rate old experimental music? There are a lot of big moments here but a lot of failed experiments. When dialed in it's truly impressive, yet I find myself mostly waiting for what I know they can do. 2/5
I find the ambition and imagination of this album pretty charming. Feels like a lot of the lyrics and music were written after some serious bong hits. But Emerson, Lake & Palmer have the musical chops to back up their wildest ideas. Much of the music feels carefully composed -- with unconventional time signatures and multi-part suites -- but the band also finds room for some jazz-rock fusion improvising which gives the album a nice balance. The album art is bonkers. Part of me wants to say that it's a bad album cover but it's so distinct and weird that I can't help but approve. It definitely confirms my bong hit theory of the band.
This goes really hard right from the first track. Really enjoyed listening to this and all of the density in the tracks. It feels like there's so much to chew on with every track but it's all cohesive- which I really appreciate. Definitely an adventure. I enjoyed it. Album art is very cool too and unique for the time.
Music to be sad in lab to…
1- Stars (1/15)
Y'know, prog rock? All fine and dandy but this album is some messy nonsense. I really cringed my way through it but found very little to even catch my interest, let alone maintain it. All laboured and try-hard. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Also. An armadillo, as its name suggests, is already quite a tank. This dumbly on the nose cover may be a metaphor. Not sure about my rating yet, it won't be good. [...] in the meantime, I put on Genesis' "Foxtrot". "Tarkus" is really juuuust scratching the 2.
3.5
Not bad. Second half was better IMO. Album cover was arguably the best part.
I actually really enjoyed this
sorry i don't get it
I love a good early 70's album. They used some classic sounds and broad sweeping songs that created intense soundscapes.
interesting prog rock
No.
Aandachttrekkende experimenteermuziek, soms interessant, vaak irritant. Niet iets wat je voor je lol opzet om even te ontspannen of om bij te werken. Het zal zijn rol in de muziekgeschiedenis hebben, en ik geef het vanwege de boeiendere stukken zowaar nog een mild cijfer ook.
Poeh, het toetsenwerk werkt wel behoorlijk op de zenuwen zeg. Je bent toch blij als de zanger even in de spotlight mag staan. Ev3n rust... Dit album draait om één nummer. De hele b-kant is of herhaling of opvulling. Maar dat ene nummer, zogenaamd opgebouwd, duurt 20 minuten. Dat je het durft uit te brengen joh. Het lijkt mij een gevalletje zelfoverschatting van de toetsenist...
Boomeralert! Er is weer progrock in aantocht en met name Emerson mag helemaal los gaan op zijn toetsen, in welke vorm dan ook. Dat maakt het ergens enorm gedateerd, maar net als tijdgenoten zoals Pink Floyd en Yes (even snel degene die me te binnen schieten hoor), kan ik het toch prima waarderen. Wat me vaak opvalt is niet zozeer de composities of het gepriegel op de toetsen, maar meer de dofheid van de drums. Wordt tegenwoordig alles digitaal geremasterd of bewerkt, was de opnamekwaliteit minder goed (ongetwijfeld) of konden ze de ruis minder goed wegwerken? Ik heb daar te weinig verstand van eerlijk gezegd, maar het valt me gewoon op. Het is dan ook al meer dan 50 jaar oud natuurlijk, de techniek is doorontwikkeld, maar mooi om te horen, dat de muziek nog steeds buitengewoon sfeervol is en staat als een huis wat mij betreft. Het is niet van die muziek die ik iedere dag op zou zetten, daarvoor heeft het te weinig radiohitjes. Meer een echte albumexperience, met van die lang uitgesponnen nummers van 20 minuten. Leuk om te horen, met recht een album dat je een keer gehoord moet hebben.
I kept listening and listening to this (not on loop) and I was still only on the first song, but it turns out that it is 20 minutes long. The instrumentals are really good, but the vocals are a bit meh. I would say that the overall experience would be a bit mid, but that's okay, that's still better than what some albums offered.
Mostly instrumental and it’s listenable for the most part. When it does ease lyrics in their, the lyrics are interesting, like on The Only Way when it questions how God can exist when He let the holocaust happen. Don’t like the Diddy bop song at the end but the rest of the album is listenable. Solid stuff.
I usually like classic prog rock but several of the tracks were too discordant for my taste. A low 3.
Fav: Tarkus Least Fav: Are You Ready Eddy? Strange of them to end a prog rock album with a rock n roll tune
No thank you.
Should have just called it after the first song, with how good it is. The rest is decent but the seven-part Tarkus is just fantastic. Love the silly armadillo tank Tarkus he's just the coolest. 7/10
Very psychedelic and strange but I like it. Its easy to bob along to the songs and its easy listening for the most part.
now this is podracing
Nice
Too much insufferably pretentious meandering progginess for me today.
Posting here because I hit submit on the last Dr Dre review too soon, but what is it with hip hop albums and sex in between tracks? Like what does it add to the album? 'How gangsta, this dude fucks' -- maybe it was a function of the 90s. Ok, back to this album: someone else described it as budget Pink Floyd, and that's all I can think of now.
In a nutshell: a clumsy prog-rock symphony Emerson Lake and Palmer should have committed to the bit. You either go full on, multiple suite concept album like on Side A or “traditional format” from Side B. There are interesting sounds on Side A. Doing things by halves, so to speak, wrecked a potentially good prog rock album. Overall: 4/10
I don’t like the sound of the instruments
An album to make prog fans dislike prog.
I like this a lot
1.86
Felt a little Pink Floyd ish
Experimental / not my fav
Prog
1971 is a time where this kind of music can be released with an armored tank-mouse on the cover, and it really sells. Tarkus takes up all of side 1 of the vinyl. It's 71% baffling to have all these markers of what would not be successful today be so evident here. Truly a different time. The aliens are us.
Shitty proggy jazz fusion
As much as I was amused by the cover, the album wasn't anything special.
Good but not their best
It's surely not as neat and interesting as its album cover.
Good group. Talented musicians. Not their best album.
It's funny, I like some prog rock. I didn't really like this.
What’s worse than a bad synth album? A bad synth album with a single 20-minute song! ELP’s heads were so far up their own asses they forgot that random synth playing doesn’t actually qualify as music. Some of this is actually pretty good, namely everything that’s guitar-dominated. But that just serves to make the terrible parts, which is most of the album, suck even more.
zu experimentell - 2x gehört und heute definitiv kein track für die favourite-liste.
Progressive Rock kann einem gefallen oder etwas verloren zurücklassen. Zweiteres passierte mit beim reinhören in diese Platte.
Interesting inclusion of classical elements (i.e. the organ on "The Only Way [Hymn]") but, overall, I found this discordant and it put me on edge.
Probably the first prog rock album on this list I didn't like, it just seemed to go on and on. Low 2.
didn't really like it
Nice album, not really my thing but a Nice ride
I was like fifteen minutes in and thinking the album must be almost over and then realized I was still on the first Mt. Everest of a first song. This album has clear influence ties with Yes and similar bands. A sort of has been or maybe never was been kind of album chock full of old tricks that don't work anymore.
If there's anything that I've learned from 1001 it's that I'm not a fan of ProgRock.
I was annoyed from the second the fast jamming synths kicked in. Then they found sounds on the synthesizer that made it even more annoying. Just do that with some normal notes on a guitar! Poor drummer is rock drumming his heart out, but it just sounds silly paired with the weirdly tuned synths. But maybe it was actually better when it was mostly instrumental. Because when “Jeremy Bender” and its strange take on “Oh Susanna” finally rolled around, we were treated to the bizarre lyricism of “Talked with his sister and spoke in a whisper; Threatened to fist her if she didn't come clean.” Also, I think I get they point they are trying to make in “The Only Way,” but surely there was another way to refer to the Holocaust than God “losing” “6 million Jews?” Turns out they thought that line was a little too strong, but went with it anyway. This album seemed too much from the start, but I went with it anyway in the spirit of this great experiment. But I wish I hadn’t.
1 extra star for the cover art which is clearly the best part of this album.
Mostly aimless drivel until the last song, Are You Ready Eddy? That’s what most prog rock is.
Ugh. Another weird album. It's getting tough to listen to these.
Yeah, it’s ELP alright- Hammond Organ and Mood Synthesizer and it’s iconic - but honestly as concept pieces go it palls in comparison to say Tull’s Thick as a Brick (which probably isn’t on this list). The B side is a weird collection of cast offs, only 1 of which has any merit. Of all the ELP albums to put on this list why this one is beyond me.
Pinballing effect A shifty sort of prog rock Sprawling to no end
Ei-lainkaan-progejantteri meikäläisen syntymäpäivälevyksi sattui ELP:n Tarkus, jonka rapsakka nimikappale on 20+ minuuttinen tilulilukilkuttelu. Oke :D Vasten kaikkia odotuksiani ehkä jopa vähän tykkäsin tästä. Laulu ja sanoitukset lässähti, instrumentaalilevynä olisin nauttinut enempi. Etenkin Tarkus toi mieleen Uematsun progevaikutteita napanneen vanhemman FF-tuotannon. Kannelle 5/5, musiikille kakspuol.
I'm always happy to give prog rock a listen, but this is awful. would have liked the cover as a Transformer when i was a kid though. 1
I found this quite enjoyable and I do like a 7 part 20 minute track. The closing track is a curveball that just seems to show they were having fun making this album.
Yeah, when I think of "prog", this is what it sounds like - and the album cover is a cut above! I'd barely listened to any other EL&P so this is serving as a useful gap-filling exercise. Fave tracks - the title track is great, especially the last couple of movements. Also enjoyed "Bitches Crystal". The comedy relief tracks, "Jeremy Bender" and "Are You Ready Eddy?" also had their charms, alarming lyrics notwithstanding....
Artsy fartsy with no substance.
Sick album cover. Yeah that's it.
First I have to say that album cover is amazing. An armadillo as a tank? Incredible. Now on to the music. I have listened to a lot of prog rock, and I either find the music to be fantastic or irritating, there is rarely an inbetween. It can be a very varied genre with how different bands approach it. Tarkus, however, is a rare example of an album that takes the middle ground. I disliked the start of the opening track, them it grew on me, then I went back to disliking it. Prog rock has a few influences aside from the obvious rock elements, like jazz. Jazz itself is very mixed for me, so some elements are very annoying as well. Tarkus seems too jazzy at times, which I dislike. The vocals are good, the guitar and other instrumentsl work is good (when not extremely jazzy). I just don't know how to feel about it. At least it went by fast for me, and wasn't boring.
Prog Rock is very hit or miss. Mostly miss like this one.
20 minutes is too long.
Des fois je pense que je suis complètement devenu désintéressé des trucs super progressif qui me paraissent de plus en plus comme de la masturbation d'instrument. En plus que ce que j'ai eu de ELP par la passé m'a laissé sur ma faim. Mais cet album est venu me prouver tout le contraire. C'est un excellent album de prog rock des 70s. Les compositions sont vraiment intéressantes et on sent qu'il y a un point et non juste essayer d'être super flashy sans avoir de substance. Définitivement à garder en rotation. 8.5/10
I went into this with no expectations and also no idea who this band was but let me tell you, this whole album is an experience from beginning to end
That was pretty epic! So good that I not only listened to it on my bike ride to work, but I listen to it on my bike ride home from work.
Outside a few scattered moments, this fails to engage, and more often threatens to overwhelm. The gratuitous virtuosity is more downside (tedium, vanity, show-offiness) than upside (a sense of awe at the playing). One can vaguely sense the appeal to a certain class of '70s sorta cool-nerd (who would get cooler over time) but doesn't really translate across the decades and now that we have a clearer sense of what prog was all about. The cover art alone requires downgrading by a full point. 2.5 > 2
- I respect the technique, but that is about it. I have admittedly never heard of ELP, but I am not shocked either. This feels pretentious and dated. - The first track is a 20-minute jam session focused way too much in the keyboard. Yeesh. - The other side of the record had some interesting moments (like "The Only Way"), but I really wish it was all more like the final "Are You Ready Eddy?" which was a completely different vibe.
Long form prog rock. Good but long
Not a fan, like at all lol I tried, it just wasn't doing it for me. I wanted to like the piano in some songs but there was just way too much going on.
What a marathon of a first song that goes through so many styles. So unique and fun
On Wikipedia there is are quotes from music critics talking about ‘cacophonous ostentation’, ‘the failure of three performers to become to become creators’ and ‘enervating portentous lyrics’. No more needs to be said
jesus christ prog rock and the dudes who worship are so exhausting and boring
Not bad but not great Psycadelic rock LOT of synth, not all of it is good
This was fine, good energy. Idk why the first song was so long though.
Tarkus 3.6 Jeremy Bender 3 Bitches Crystal 3.1 The Only Way (Hymn) 3.3 Infinite Space (Conclusion) 3.2 A Time and a Place 3 Are You Ready, Eddy? 3.1 Score: 3.185714286
Uh... I guess some people get into this? But for the rest of us? It's technically proficient musicians noodling around on their instruments. Boring.
Crikey. This puts the pompous into pomp
Progressive rock can be tricky. Done poorly, it’s a real mess. Done well, as ELP does with Tarkus, it’s magical and powerful. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-tarkus-by-emerson-lake?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
I get the appeal, it explores musical corners with Jazz curiosity, but some explorations teach us that what we know is good enough
though i’m usually partial to prog, i found this album to be very middle of the road. not bad, but nothing special
When I saw the first track was 20 minutes long I nearly gave up from the start. I have never listened to an Emerson, Lake, & Palmer before and had no idea what to expect. I will not be listening again Favourite song: None Least favourite: all of them Album artwork: Great cover.
Gets a 5 star just so that I can have the artwork on my wall. The music is pretty good too.
Utter and complete shite. Surely they had better LPs that'll this?
4.5 stars rounded up
Not bad, but not my style.
Not a fan. These guys were on something strong when they decided this was an album ready to go. How did it go #1 in UK?
I was curious to see what the album would be like. My relationship with ELP has always been somewhat ambivalent. I was enthusiastic about Lucky Man and I can remember standing in front of the album in the record store for a long time as a teenager and thinking about buying it. But then it was too expensive for me and I wasn't convinced. So now I've listened to it. It was good that I saved the money as a teenager. I wouldn't have been able to cope with the album. And even now I find it quite exhausting. There were some nice passages on the album. But all in all, I don't think I'll listen to this album again. 3/5
Listening to this felt way longer than 38 minutes. I didn't like the first half (song) and it was hard to get past that. Second half had a totally different vibe and was OK. I appreciated some of the jazzy piano parts. Playing the first song on touchtunes would be a good way to clear out a crowded bar. I could also picture really enjoying it if I was tripping in a smoky basement surrounded by tapestry. Favorite song was: 7. Are You Ready Eddy 3/10
Rock experimental. Un poco rollo, la verdad.
I can see everyone's uncle smoking weed to Tarkus and being annoying about this album 50 years later.
I wore grooves into my vinyl pressing of this album. Simply awesome ensemble playing. Sorry for the folks who simply diss prog bands - but goodness gracious, these guys were amazing technically proficient musicians. This music continues to amaze me after all these years.
Was pretty cool, haven't listened to this band before for whatever reason, but will check their other albums too. Don't know what Are you ready eddy is doing on here though. Will I listen to again: 80%
Strange and interesting.
81% Best: Tarkus; Infinite Space (Conclusion) Must-Hear? Side 1 is a must-hear, side 2 you can go without (I don't dislike side 2, it's just not as good)
# Playlist track - Jeremy Bender # Notes - Too overwhelming. Too much, all the time. - I know and enjoy some other tracks from ELP (C'est La Vie, Lucky Man) but "Tarkus" is just too relentless and neverending. Feels like a wierd mismatch and I couldn't really get it.
Pretty standard for prog rock. Very enjoyable.
One of the top reviews for this blames critical disdain for prog on forcing "critics to engage with the music". I disagree strongly. There is good prog out there and it doesn't require a 20-minute piece of music. I'm not even 5 minutes into this and it already just sounds like they threw spaghetti at the wall and read it like musical notation. I don't hear emotion in this. I hear ploppy organ and drums being played like it's a 4am drum circle at a music festival. I need to cleanse my ears with some King Gizz after this.
OK, got its time
A prog classic but I would rather listen to In The Court of the Crimson King or Meddle. All 3 can meander but Tarkus is a bit too much meandering. Greg Lake’s vocals save this album for me much as he did on early Crimson. I may have liked this better if they broke it up into more tracks where I could get a breather between parts. Just too much wanking off here but I cannot deny that they can play.
2/5
I did not enjoy this album, but I appreciate it. At the best of times I don't like jam bands, or the jammy end of prog. This was as jammy as it gets. The 20 minute opener was not my thing, but it had its moments. I enjoyed the goofier second half more. Overall I found them charmingly nerdy in a very British way. They seem like they actually go train spotting and enjoy it. Album cover: Now THAT is a cover. A+++++++++++ This one made me realize I sort albums into two different rating scales. There's the dark side of the moon spectrum, and the number of the beast spectrum. The dark side are great works of art that perfectly fit their respective album. The beast side are just pure rad and goofy and make me say hell yeah. This is at the top of the beast spectrum. I write this in my car having just taken photos of the crowning of SF's new poet laureate. The mayor was there.
I don't want to eat Kit's lunch but this is an absolutely sensational album cover. The best one yet by a mile. I want it as a poster. I'd never heard of this album before! It's really good. We've had a few other albums that open with twenty minute songs and it hasn't gone as well as this did. The album is all over the place, tons of different sounds and interesting moments. I really love hearing piano and this album has it in spades. My favorite songs are "Tarkus", "Jeremy Bender", and "Are You Ready Eddy?". The run-time was great. The energy kept up and the sounds never got stale. There were a few songs that were only OK for me, so I think that keeps me from giving it a 9/10. This is a very strong 8/10. 8/10
Hell yeah baby. Tarkus is a wild ride start to finish. Honestly this album goes so many places and throws so much at you it's hard to full wrap your arms around it. A Time And Place rules.
Way too experimental for me. The only times they really shined was when they were covering other music styles.
Like other progressive rock albums, I enjoy it to an extent but more importantly I respect it. Emerson, Lake & Palmer used a lot of creativity that makes this album sound different from other progressive albums. I didn't find any space or new age-y sounds, which alone made Tarkus different in this time period. I found myself drawn most to the guitar and keyboard throughout the album. "Are You Ready Eddy" had a classic rock and roll vibe, like Chuck Berry with "Roll Over Beethoven." "Bitches Crystal" was fast jazz, and was much faster than any other song here. "The Only Way (Hymn)" had the most scathing lyric I've ever heard ("Can you believe God makes you breathe, why did he lose six million Jews?"), but contrasted with the hymnal vibe and orchestral-like sound, it's even more scathing.