Tarkus

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.

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.