“Tarkus” by Emerson, Lake and Palmer - album review

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TJR says

John Peel once famously described them as “a waste of electricity” which was probably true more often than not. However, I have an open mind to every song that I hear from every artist; each one starts with a clean-slate. And I have to say that “Bitches Crystal” and “Infinite Space (Conclusion)” emerged as surprise hits with me from this set. On the former, all three play their part brilliantly. Keith Emerson’s cultured-then-hammered piano recalls John Cale and Jerry Lee Lewis at once, Greg Lake’s lyrics and delivery sound suitably nasty (“Evil learning, People burning, Savage casting, No one lasting.”) and Carl Palmer’s drumming is restless, imaginative and drives the piece superbly. I’d have to say that the album doesn’t do it for me – but the two tracks mentioned positively shine. Who knew Prog Rock could be so bad-ass?

The Jukebox Rebel
19–Jan–2016

Tracklist
A [20:40] 3.6.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Tarkus (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake) Prog
B1 [01:41] 4.1.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Jeremy Bender (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake) Cerebral Pop
B2 [03:54] 7.5.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Bitches Crystal (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake) Prog
B3 [03:50] 2.3.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - The Only Way (Hymn) (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake) Prog
B4 [03:18] 7.3.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Infinite Space (Conclusion) (Keith Emerson, Carl Palmer) Prog
B5 [03:00] 4.0.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - A Time And A Place (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Carl Palmer) Prog
B6 [02:09] 3.1.png Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Are You Ready Eddy? (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Carl Palmer) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

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