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November 16, 1993
Rhino / Wea
4
From the ashes of England's late '60s psychedelic pop scene came a group of bands that tried to expand rock's boundaries by incorporating visionary lyrics, arrangements that mimicked the scope of classical symphonies and lengthy instrumentals that showcased the players' technical prowess. In retrospect, the limitations of such a bloated approach seem obvious. By the end of the '70s, the so-called progressive rockers were considered comical dinosaurs, and none of these bands was as reviled as ELP. Keyboardist Keith Emerson, bassist-vocalist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer deserved much of the derision: They were often pompous and humorless. But the group's box set proves that ELP did create some enduring music-though certainly not enough to justify four CDs. The set takes its name from the "mythical beast" that first appeared on the cover of Tarkus, and the material is divided between "the classic recordings" and new recordings by the recently reunited group. ELP was at its best when it combined Emerson and Palmer's over-the-top playing with simple pop melodies: The synth solo erupts from Lake's modest folk ballad, "Lucky Man," and the trio's take on "The Peter Gunn Theme" is inspired. Other highlights include the creepily seductive "Still... You Turn Me On," a previously unreleased tune called "Bo Diddley" and an Emerson arrangement of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." --Jim DeRogatis - Amazon.com
