hit or ...

[Stacy Heydon]

...actually I'm not going to bother because I know what the answer will be because we are a pretty conservative board that has very rigid ideas on music which has an underground credibility and that other stuff which you're not allowed to listen to. But for those of us that don't need such rules, what do you think of this?

[Charlie O.]

ELP is a strange one. I like their sound, but seldom like their actual records. I happen to like this one, though. Nostalgia may be a factor - I had the 45.

(That was kind of an accident. I hadn't heard the song before, and in those days, some stores - including the one I bought this from - packaged 45s shrinkwrapped to pieces of cardboard; not sure why. This meant that I couldn't see what was on the flip side. I took a gamble, hoping that the flip was "Nutrocker", which I'd heard on the radio and loved. Alas, it was "Living Sin", which, like the a-side, I came to enjoy once I got over my disappointment.)

[fange]

I like this one a lot. I'm not really a fan of ELP when they go full PROG, but i have heard songs scattered through their catalogue that i do like, sometimes quite a bit. 'Fanfare for the CM' is one of the great instrumentals of that time, for my money.

[adamcoan]

I would have happily and constructively commented on this. However, I cannot respond to the anti preludinist bias.

[DarknessFish]

Underground credibility? Do I not have access to those particular threads?

It's ok, sounds a bit like lesser John Martyn.

[oh oooh]

I did listen to it, and I really don't like it at all. I'm surprised at the positive comments.

There are a couple on their first (? I think? self-titled) album that I don't mind, but this doesn't do anything much except sit there like a cross-legged fart. And that Moog-y solo near the end is downright offensive.


Ah, it's nice to have one's prejudices confirmed so early in the morn

[loveless]

I will start by saying that I really like Lake's voice. And it's pretty great here.

ELP has all of these sort of plaintive, melodic, pop miniatures ("Lucky Man" - which I absolutely love, "Still You Turn Me On", and this one) - for me, it's their best feature/side. I can't really fault them for what they are, although...there's a sort of portentous, faux-gravity here that makes me wince a little.

So, more hit than shit, but...you know, I can absolutely see why someone would hear this and say "Oh my God, THIS fucking guy..."

[rayge]

I vote ...

[DayoRemix]

Meh..it's not as objectionable as most in the proggy crowd, but wouldn't make me explore any further..

[Sneelock]

(voice of John Cleese as the movie director of 'Scott the Antartic')
it's GRRRAAAAATE!!!!!!

loved it then, love it now. that "trilogy" record still hits my sweet spot. well, all except the last track. it plods along at least 5 minuutes too long. I love ELP. I was snobby about Brain Salad Surgery at the time. it seemed so weird to me that they were pretty good musicians and would just go THOMP THOMP THOMP and the crowd would go wild.

it doesn't bother me anymore. count me in. THOMP THOMP THOMP! that's it, though. they go straight to hell in a hand-basket after that. from Lucky Man to THOMP THOMP THOMP you can count me as a fan-boy (if not a drooling fan-boy)

a girl I liked more than she liked me loaned me that "trilogy"album and I still think of her when I hear that "from the beginning"song. clearly she was NOT meant to be here but it's funny how old emotions can flavor old songs when you hear them again. I think it's lovely. Lake's voice is as pretty as his lyrics are greeting card dumb.

[toomanyhatz]

I want G to think I'm open-minded, so I vote 'hit'!

What Loveless says, for the most part, though Lake, and the (rare!) restraint shown by Palmer is what makes it. I can pretty much always do without the Emerson "Melodic Moog" solo. Though "Lucky Man" (thank you, Homer Simpson) has gained some kitsch value for me.