Thank you for your review. What more can be said someone doing an ELP Tarkus review with a Yes T-shirt, I must subscribe. And that era from 1971 to 1975 so many epic LPs from so many top class bands. You can list dozens over all types of music. For me in prog ELP, Yes and Floyd are on the top shelf and have been there for 50 years now. Hard to believe these songs are 50 years old and they still sound fresh and relevant and can still excite and reach a new younger audience. Did you know that Greg wrote Battlefield? Emerson wrote the rest. When you think about it Greg did so much, but Emerson was a complete wizard. My take on the fun tracks was they were fun, stress breakers, part of the ELP roller coaster. That contrast made the intense prog tracks even better. They did that so many times that the let your hair down time was part of the plan. You should look up Rachel Flowers she can play so many of Emerson's music extremely well. Emerson taught her and they were friends. She has Emerson's Moog now. That will give a very good idea of the complexity and speed that Emerson played with.
This was one of your best reviews I think Niamh, and that probably had a lot to do with how well you knew this album. It's like you'd already formulated your thoughts about how this appeals to you emotionally, and you managed to communicate that in quite a precise, and concise manner. Tarkus is an album I have a lot of time for, because it kind of set a blueprint for many great prog bands to follow (if you listen to a lot of Italian Prog in particular, you'll know what I mean). Even these so called filler tracks, don't really take away from the albums impact, as they just seem to fill in a playful aspect, to what some people might take too seriously (it's these contrasts in style that somehow works in a strange kind of way for me). I think your words on Greg Lake too, were well thought through, and correct... he is in many ways, the perfect prog sideman, as his contributions are nearly always about creating the right foundation for people like Emerson, or others he's worked with in the past. Lastly, you mentioned that you have a particular liking for how church organ music fits in with the Prog genre (me too actually!). Well that being the case, then you really need to check out "Hamburger Concerto" by Focus. This album had a huge emotional impact for me, and still ranks as one of the most powerful albums in terms of the way it moves me (the organ is one of the key components to why this is so, and everything is just so well composed and conceived in it's understanding of it's classical roots). From what I've said so far, you might get the impression that it's a classical type of album, but there's a very much more dynamic side to it too, which just lays out a thundering menacing rock foundation, that really connects with that classical side... it's just friggin awesome!.
I was 20 years old when Tarkus came out. I distinctly remember hearing it at a friend's house. I was immediately blown away. And even now, fifty years later, the music is still as vibrant as it was then. Thanks for your review.
My first elp album. Just converted me to elp I’m in your camp loved them since 1975 when I was introduced to elp Main track so Awsome like a movie score. Yes Greg was Awsome Greg and keith sorely missed All so talented all three So well narrated by you Their music never gets old
My brother came home from college one Christmas break (1974 or 1975?) with a 90 minute cassette tape. It had Fragile on Side A and Tarkus on Side B. My life was forever changed!!! Keep on progging, girl!!! Love your channel.
Did you know that there is a fossil Eocene fish named _Tarkus squirei_! It was found in Italy and described in 2010. The generic name "Tarkus" is obviously an homage to our beloved armadillo-tank-hybrid from this album, and the specific name "squirei" is an homage to Chris Squire a.k.a. "Fish".
I just picked up an original copy after listening to it a bunch of times and after you sold me on this album. Great vid, great album and keep up the great content!
I've just watched The Daily Doug - Doug Helvering .. analysis of this with sheet music .. Very good and compliments (as an old fashioned expression) your comments on here. Me too, I used to liten more to PatanE, Trilogy than Tarkus .. then .. I learned a load about music listened to Tarkus and never looked back. I too used to like the more Hgreg lake oriented 'songs' and their meanings .. Greg's message 'In the beginning,' The Ony Way (hymn),
I enjoy your enthusiasm for this great record. Even if the second side was blank -- just white noise -- it would still be a worthwhile purchase because the title track is so fantastic. Tarkus, Trilogy and Brains Salad Surgery are the must-haves from this group. I also love Keith Emerson's first band, the Nice. Saw both the Nice (1969) and ELP (1972) in concert. Mind-blowing performances.
I think the Tarkus suite belongs to the best rock music ever written, like Starless, Close to the Edge, Firth of Fifth, On Reflection ... The Only Way is also wonderful and one of Greg's best performances. On the other hand, I have never understood why they would put songs like Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready Eddy on the same album. Maybe they had fun playing these songs but I never had fun listening to them. When it comes to their humorous songs, The Sheriff is probably the only one I like.
I was about ten when my older brother came home with this new release of ELP. I already liked the first album, and also really liked Elegy, the last album released by The Nice, but Tarkus blew my mind, and would really change my life. I knew by then that definately keyboards were the instrument(s) I wanted to learn, and I was really fascinated by synths, and by the Hammond organ. And maybe ten years later, as my records collection came to about more than 500 albums, I realized one day that Tarkus was the one and only record I would play at least once a week ! And maybe ten years after that, I found the best sheet music transcription of it, then learned to play it. Quite a hard one to play, and some parts I never got quite right ("Iconoclast" is hell !), but it gave me such pleasure to be able to go through it from start to finish, after all these years of just listening I felt I really had accomplished something so precious for me ! Thank you for reminding me how passionnate one could be about this record !
I'm one of those middle- grounders when it comes to ELP. I thought this album pretty good when it came out. A friend of mines sister had it and she was more than happy to share her music with us, as long as we scratch them. She was like a 1971 version of you.
There is really a middle ground with this band, I am in it... I think you've said it very well: the usual problem in ELP albums is that the tracks don't correlate. But in Tarkus it works somehow! What I don't like much as well is using classical pieces directly in their songs. I find that concept a little bit dated. Only Pictures at an exhibition, as a whole reinterpretation, works for me in that sense. But, again, on Tarkus, they take their classical knowledge not to replicate it but to do something completely original, and it's perfect that way. So I consider Tarkus their best album, being the title track their greatest thing, one of the best epics ever
I too am in the apparently rare class of the middle-grounders with ELP ;) I agree with your consideration regarding the use of classical pieces, with the exception of Pictures of course, AND, for me, Ginastera’s Toccata; it’s one of my favorite ELP pieces.
I'm one of those strange people who actually likes the second side of Tarkus at least as much as side one. The Only Way and Bitches Crystal are great and my favourite of all is A Time and a Place, which is really heavy and climaxes with those apocalyptic sounding synths.
I jumped off the Prog train when punk and new wave came to the fore in the late 70s like many music nerds. Over the years I have been revisiting all of the Prog albums that I used to have in the last ten years and and have rediscovered why I used to love these albums. I still think some are overblown and clichéd but I admire the musicianship and creativity on a lot of these classics. I picked up a sealed original German pressing of Tarkus and didn't know it was a German pressing, I was very happy with this find. I still like punk, new wave and post punk but I love Prog equally, nothing wrong with expanding your horizons. I think you will make a great teacher as you make great content with tons of enthusiasm that is infectious.
I am definitely in the minority on Tarkus. I actually prefer the live version on Welcome Back My Friends..... Along with their mind blowing Aqua Tarkus over the studio album versions.Many of my favorite ELP songs I do not believe that they ever performed live. I have never heard a live performance of Trilogy or The Endless Enigma. Also one of my favorite Yes tracks, Southside of the Sky was never performed live until recently.
1971, great year for music. Have you read “1971 Never a Dull Moment” by David Hepworth? He takes the reader month by month through the musical milestones of that year. It’s a great read for any music fan.
I got into the ELP epics Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 through the live versions in Welcome Back my Friends. Many years later I listened to their studio counterparts. As to Karn Evil 9, I enjoy the live version more, including the jaw dropping Carl Palmer solo which I'm sure influences a young Canadian drummer that would later be invited to form part of Canada's quintessential rock trio). But the studio version of Tarkus is in my opinion as strong as the live one. Blew my mind. Unfortunately the second side (unlike Close to the Edge and Relayer) is kind of hit and miss, and closing with Are You Ready Eddy? leaves a bad a bitter taste. Still a great album and side A is alone worth the price of admission.
I normally dislike those light relief/rootsy moments those old bands put on their albums. Jeremy Bender's okay though. I hate the last track on the album: Are You Ready Eddie. Yuck! Jugband Blues by Floyd is actually good in that it manages to lift itself above the banality suggested by its title into something profound.
Love the whole first side; but sorry, the second side is patchy.: Jeremy Bender, Are You Ready Eddy? I really think they were struggling to match the brilliance of the Tarkus suite.
Hi Bruno; I think it just shows that ELP can have fun. The had these fun tracks on every LP, maybe as tension breakers. The range they covered was impressive.
Love or Hate ELP? I am middle ground. When they were good, there was no one to touch them, but when their egos got in the way they were awful. Their most perfect albums are Pictures At An Exhibition and Trilogy, all the others have lots of filler - Benny etc ( The Sheriff is borderline cheese).
I think the main reason why so little was played of side 2 live, is technical, Emerson just couldn't have all those organs and piano's on stage. He had the grand piano, hammond and moog, but I think there's a lot of studio trickery and rare instruments on those tracks. They did Jeremy a bit in the 70s and Time and a Place on 97-98 tour, but I think that's about it. Also showwise, they wanted to do Tarkus (the song), Pictures and Rondo, all take up a chunk of time, so there was little room for these shorter pieces too
I do like ELP for the most part, but they aren't one of my favorite prog bands. While they surely made some great music in their heyday, they ran out of steam rather quickly, and I find very little of their post-'75 work worth listening to. They didn't evolve as much during their career as Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd and other acts did, nor did they have as wide of a variety of ideas. I also think they focused too much on individual contributions instead of combining their talents together to create something better than the sum of its parts. That said, Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 are indisputable prog masterpieces.
I love Tarkus. This was the first ELP album I ever heard in 1971 when I was 18. I agree with you Niamh about The Only Way. I love to sing along with Greg on everything but that song is on a different shelf. Are You Ready Eddy? is 50’s rock n roll and the lyrics are a silly plug for the amazing producer, Eddie Offord.
Super review. My favourite ELP album and I believe the beginning of the album is one of the best intros ever, that quiet to loud then explosion of keyboards, bass and drums!, just great. An intro up there with the heartbeats intro to Dark Side of The Moon in my opinion. Both are suspenseful and exciting. By the way, Tarkus is getting a re-release in luxury sleeve (I think) on record store day (July?)
Tarkus a classic album for sure but carried by title track. Take it away and album would suffer in certain degree. Some claims ELP a 'lazy' band. Perhaps it's true.
I have always thought that Side 2 was very weak in general. Tarkus is ELP's greatest work for sure, but besides Bitches Crystal and A Time And A Place, the rest of the album is just no effort, boring, uninspiring songs. What are your thoughts on this?
I'm with you on this. Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready, Eddy? let it down imo. Likewise, on BSS, with Benny the Bouncer. That's why Trilogy will always be top for me.
Agreed! My best is the first album, and Trilogy a close second. Greg Lake's compositions got progressively worse as ELP evolved, but he was a great bass player/singer. And he did play very good guitar.
One might think you're a fan of EL&P. :-) You REALLY need to check out the albums Spartacus and Illusions on a Double Dimple by the band Triumvirat. Very EL&P.
I had to listen to Tarkus after your vlog. It's been a while since I listened to it since it was the first ELP album I bought when it came out. It still great but still feel Brain Salad Surgery is a little better, maybe because I saw them perform that album live.
Hey, great review. If I had one wish, I would like you to discover bands other than Rush, Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Genesis etc. Aren't you so interested in today's Prog Bands? That would be a pity. How about Bands like Threshold, Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band, Frost *, Vola, Vanden Plas, to name a few. The 70s and 80s were definitely great prog years, but there are also great Prog Music now. Please don't get me wrong, I think your channel is great, but opening up is never wrong. I still do that at the age of 65.💝☮︎🇩🇪
@@the_prog_nerd You can get it on this link it has all the information as well . £285 delivered from this store superdeluxeedition.com/news/caravan-who-do-you-think-we-are-37-disc-box-set/
I like TARKUS very much ! but I like al the first 5 albums including the 6 album Welcome back my friends.., and the Live version of TARKUS is even better with the fantastic conclusion AQUATARKUS great playing instrumental piece ... by the way are you familiar with the music from swedish musician'ANNA VON HOUSSEWOLFF, she is playing al sorts of church organ on her albums but very experimental art of playing and sound ,and her band.. thank you ! ps I like pure japanese incense
Your enthusiasm is infectious. I’m going to listen to Tarkus today. Great review
Thank you for your review. What more can be said someone doing an ELP Tarkus review with a Yes T-shirt, I must subscribe. And that era from 1971 to 1975 so many epic LPs from so many top class bands. You can list dozens over all types of music. For me in prog ELP, Yes and Floyd are on the top shelf and have been there for 50 years now. Hard to believe these songs are 50 years old and they still sound fresh and relevant and can still excite and reach a new younger audience. Did you know that Greg wrote Battlefield? Emerson wrote the rest. When you think about it Greg did so much, but Emerson was a complete wizard. My take on the fun tracks was they were fun, stress breakers, part of the ELP roller coaster. That contrast made the intense prog tracks even better. They did that so many times that the let your hair down time was part of the plan. You should look up Rachel Flowers she can play so many of Emerson's music extremely well. Emerson taught her and they were friends. She has Emerson's Moog now. That will give a very good idea of the complexity and speed that Emerson played with.
I was an 80s kid growing up listening to my dad's prog rock collection. Heard Tarkus the first time and it blew my little mind.
This was one of your best reviews I think Niamh, and that probably had a lot to do with how well you knew this album.
It's like you'd already formulated your thoughts about how this appeals to you emotionally, and you managed to communicate that in quite a precise, and concise manner.
Tarkus is an album I have a lot of time for, because it kind of set a blueprint for many great prog bands to follow (if you listen to a lot of Italian Prog in particular, you'll know what I mean).
Even these so called filler tracks, don't really take away from the albums impact, as they just seem to fill in a playful aspect, to what some people might take too seriously (it's these contrasts in style that somehow works in a strange kind of way for me).
I think your words on Greg Lake too, were well thought through, and correct... he is in many ways, the perfect prog sideman, as his contributions are nearly always about creating the right foundation for people like Emerson, or others he's worked with in the past.
Lastly, you mentioned that you have a particular liking for how church organ music fits in with the Prog genre (me too actually!).
Well that being the case, then you really need to check out "Hamburger Concerto" by Focus.
This album had a huge emotional impact for me, and still ranks as one of the most powerful albums in terms of the way it moves me (the organ is one of the key components to why this is so, and everything is just so well composed and conceived in it's understanding of it's classical roots).
From what I've said so far, you might get the impression that it's a classical type of album, but there's a very much more dynamic side to it too, which just lays out a thundering menacing rock foundation, that really connects with that classical side... it's just friggin awesome!.
I was 20 years old when Tarkus came out. I distinctly remember hearing it at a friend's house. I was immediately blown away. And even now, fifty years later, the music is still as vibrant as it was then. Thanks for your review.
I bought this album the first day it came out, and it didn't leave my turntable for a month! One of Prog's finest moments!
My first elp album. Just converted me to elp
I’m in your camp loved them since 1975 when I was introduced to elp Main track so Awsome like a movie score. Yes Greg was Awsome
Greg and keith sorely missed
All so talented all three
So well narrated by you
Their music never gets old
My brother came home from college one Christmas break (1974 or 1975?) with a 90 minute cassette tape. It had Fragile on Side A and Tarkus on Side B. My life was forever changed!!! Keep on progging, girl!!! Love your channel.
I love Emerson lake and Palmer I love tarkus it’s my favorite album that they did
Honestly my favorite ELP album. I do wish either the title track or The Only Way/Infinite Space closed out the album.
Did you know that there is a fossil Eocene fish named _Tarkus squirei_! It was found in Italy and described in 2010. The generic name "Tarkus" is obviously an homage to our beloved armadillo-tank-hybrid from this album, and the specific name "squirei" is an homage to Chris Squire a.k.a. "Fish".
Excellent: No, I didn't know that... I like that .. :-)
I really enjoyed your review and I (re) listened to Tarkus last night. It is a fine album, thank you Niamh.
I just picked up an original copy after listening to it a bunch of times and after you sold me on this album. Great vid, great album and keep up the great content!
Tarkus is ELP's finest moment.
When I usually fall in love with a band it's because of the music, with ELP I fell in love with Greg Lake's voice first.
I've just watched The Daily Doug - Doug Helvering .. analysis of this with sheet music .. Very good and compliments (as an old fashioned expression) your comments on here. Me too, I used to liten more to PatanE, Trilogy than Tarkus .. then .. I learned a load about music listened to Tarkus and never looked back. I too used to like the more Hgreg lake oriented 'songs' and their meanings .. Greg's message 'In the beginning,' The Ony Way (hymn),
My favorite ELP album!
Love Tarkus. Is it a concept album?
I enjoy your enthusiasm for this great record. Even if the second side was blank -- just white noise -- it would still be a worthwhile purchase because the title track is so fantastic. Tarkus, Trilogy and Brains Salad Surgery are the must-haves from this group. I also love Keith Emerson's first band, the Nice. Saw both the Nice (1969) and ELP (1972) in concert. Mind-blowing performances.
I loved Trilogy first then the 1st album Tarkus third then now my fave
Bless you girl. Lovely video.
I was 17 when this came out and I had already been hooked by their eponymous 1st album but this blew my mind.
1971 Fireball by Deep Purple underrated gem in Purples epic catalog.
I think the Tarkus suite belongs to the best rock music ever written, like Starless, Close to the Edge, Firth of Fifth, On Reflection ... The Only Way is also wonderful and one of Greg's best performances. On the other hand, I have never understood why they would put songs like Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready Eddy on the same album. Maybe they had fun playing these songs but I never had fun listening to them. When it comes to their humorous songs, The Sheriff is probably the only one I like.
I was about ten when my older brother came home with this new release of ELP. I already liked the first album, and also really liked Elegy, the last album released by The Nice, but Tarkus blew my mind, and would really change my life. I knew by then that definately keyboards were the instrument(s) I wanted to learn, and I was really fascinated by synths, and by the Hammond organ. And maybe ten years later, as my records collection came to about more than 500 albums, I realized one day that Tarkus was the one and only record I would play at least once a week ! And maybe ten years after that, I found the best sheet music transcription of it, then learned to play it. Quite a hard one to play, and some parts I never got quite right ("Iconoclast" is hell !), but it gave me such pleasure to be able to go through it from start to finish, after all these years of just listening I felt I really had accomplished something so precious for me ! Thank you for reminding me how passionnate one could be about this record !
Has the dawn ever seen your eyes?
Such a great album 🙏
I'm one of those middle- grounders when it comes to ELP. I thought this album pretty good when it came out. A friend of mines sister had it and she was more than happy to share her music with us, as long as we scratch them. She was like a 1971 version of you.
I love them. I have friends who don't like them or Prog. in general.
There is really a middle ground with this band, I am in it...
I think you've said it very well: the usual problem in ELP albums is that the tracks don't correlate. But in Tarkus it works somehow!
What I don't like much as well is using classical pieces directly in their songs. I find that concept a little bit dated. Only Pictures at an exhibition, as a whole reinterpretation, works for me in that sense. But, again, on Tarkus, they take their classical knowledge not to replicate it but to do something completely original, and it's perfect that way.
So I consider Tarkus their best album, being the title track their greatest thing, one of the best epics ever
I too am in the apparently rare class of the middle-grounders with ELP ;) I agree with your consideration regarding the use of classical pieces, with the exception of Pictures of course, AND, for me, Ginastera’s Toccata; it’s one of my favorite ELP pieces.
Funny, I bought my first copy of Tarkus when I was 18. Maybe it is the human genome.
great review, I recently got this album and really love it, but didn't really know about the track structure, how side two was so different! Thanks!
I'm one of those strange people who actually likes the second side of Tarkus at least as much as side one. The Only Way and Bitches Crystal are great and my favourite of all is A Time and a Place, which is really heavy and climaxes with those apocalyptic sounding synths.
I jumped off the Prog train when punk and new wave came to the fore in the late 70s like many music nerds. Over the years I have been revisiting all of the Prog albums that I used to have in the last ten years and and have rediscovered why I used to love these albums. I still think some are overblown and clichéd but I admire the musicianship and creativity on a lot of these classics. I picked up a sealed original German pressing of Tarkus and didn't know it was a German pressing, I was very happy with this find. I still like punk, new wave and post punk but I love Prog equally, nothing wrong with expanding your horizons. I think you will make a great teacher as you make great content with tons of enthusiasm that is infectious.
I grew up listening to Brain salad Surgery for some reason.
Hi, did you pick up the steven wilson remix cd's on this and elp 1st album.
If so, what do you think of them?
I am definitely in the minority on Tarkus. I actually prefer the live version on Welcome Back My Friends..... Along with their mind blowing Aqua Tarkus over the studio album versions.Many of my favorite ELP songs I do not believe that they ever performed live. I have never heard a live performance of Trilogy or The Endless Enigma. Also one of my favorite Yes tracks, Southside of the Sky was never performed live until recently.
@Bookhouse Boy wow. That is an official release??
@Bookhouse Boy fantastic. Thanks for the info. The search is on.
1971, great year for music. Have you read “1971 Never a Dull Moment” by David Hepworth? He takes the reader month by month through the musical milestones of that year. It’s a great read for any music fan.
I got into the ELP epics Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 through the live versions in Welcome Back my Friends. Many years later I listened to their studio counterparts. As to Karn Evil 9, I enjoy the live version more, including the jaw dropping Carl Palmer solo which I'm sure influences a young Canadian drummer that would later be invited to form part of Canada's quintessential rock trio). But the studio version of Tarkus is in my opinion as strong as the live one. Blew my mind. Unfortunately the second side (unlike Close to the Edge and Relayer) is kind of hit and miss, and closing with Are You Ready Eddy? leaves a bad a bitter taste. Still a great album and side A is alone worth the price of admission.
I normally dislike those light relief/rootsy moments those old bands put on their albums. Jeremy Bender's okay though. I hate the last track on the album: Are You Ready Eddie. Yuck! Jugband Blues by Floyd is actually good in that it manages to lift itself above the banality suggested by its title into something profound.
Thanks for this review, Niamh. This is, for sentimental reasons, my favourite ELP album :)
Love the whole first side; but sorry, the second side is patchy.: Jeremy Bender, Are You Ready Eddy? I really think they were struggling to match the brilliance of the Tarkus suite.
Hi Bruno; I think it just shows that ELP can have fun. The had these fun tracks on every LP, maybe as tension breakers. The range they covered was impressive.
Tarkus is such a great album. I always liked Tarkus the Tank cover. Also known as the Aluminum Aardvark.
Love or Hate ELP? I am middle ground. When they were good, there was no one to touch them, but when their egos got in the way they were awful. Their most perfect albums are Pictures At An Exhibition and Trilogy, all the others have lots of filler - Benny etc ( The Sheriff is borderline cheese).
I think the main reason why so little was played of side 2 live, is technical, Emerson just couldn't have all those organs and piano's on stage. He had the grand piano, hammond and moog, but I think there's a lot of studio trickery and rare instruments on those tracks. They did Jeremy a bit in the 70s and Time and a Place on 97-98 tour, but I think that's about it.
Also showwise, they wanted to do Tarkus (the song), Pictures and Rondo, all take up a chunk of time, so there was little room for these shorter pieces too
I do like ELP for the most part, but they aren't one of my favorite prog bands. While they surely made some great music in their heyday, they ran out of steam rather quickly, and I find very little of their post-'75 work worth listening to. They didn't evolve as much during their career as Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd and other acts did, nor did they have as wide of a variety of ideas. I also think they focused too much on individual contributions instead of combining their talents together to create something better than the sum of its parts.
That said, Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 are indisputable prog masterpieces.
I love Tarkus. This was the first ELP album I ever heard in 1971 when I was 18. I agree with you Niamh about The Only Way. I love to sing along with Greg on everything but that song is on a different shelf. Are You Ready Eddy? is 50’s rock n roll and the lyrics are a silly plug for the amazing producer, Eddie Offord.
Super review. My favourite ELP album and I believe the beginning of the album is one of the best intros ever, that quiet to loud then explosion of keyboards, bass and drums!, just great. An intro up there with the heartbeats intro to Dark Side of The Moon in my opinion. Both are suspenseful and exciting. By the way, Tarkus is getting a re-release in luxury sleeve (I think) on record store day (July?)
Tarkus a classic album for sure but carried by title track. Take it away and album would suffer in certain degree. Some claims ELP a 'lazy' band. Perhaps it's true.
Tarkus has a special place in my heart too, as the story of how I got the album is a great one
I have always thought that Side 2 was very weak in general. Tarkus is ELP's greatest work for sure, but besides Bitches Crystal and A Time And A Place, the rest of the album is just no effort, boring, uninspiring songs. What are your thoughts on this?
I'm with you on this. Jeremy Bender and Are You Ready, Eddy? let it down imo. Likewise, on BSS, with Benny the Bouncer. That's why Trilogy will always be top for me.
Yeah, I rarely listened to side two mainly because of the cheesy filler - Jeremy and Eddy. The other tracks were OK, just.
@@akstandup7912 The Sheriff comes close to Benny, Jeremy and Eddy IMHO. Why are the shitty disposable tracks named after people?
Agreed! My best is the first album, and Trilogy a close second. Greg Lake's compositions got progressively worse as ELP evolved, but he was a great bass player/singer. And he did play very good guitar.
@@brunoghezzi5957 Yep. The first and Trilogy for me too. Trilogy nips it as it was the first for me.
Love the sound of pipe organ. The King of Instruments.
The first time that I heard this album it reminds me to giant steps
One might think you're a fan of EL&P. :-) You REALLY need to check out the albums Spartacus and Illusions on a Double Dimple by the band Triumvirat. Very EL&P.
Their two best!!! Triumvirat were great!!! Very ELP. Also: Trace, Le Orme and Metamorfosi...
I had to listen to Tarkus after your vlog. It's been a while since I listened to it since it was the first ELP album I bought when it came out. It still great but still feel Brain Salad Surgery is a little better, maybe because I saw them perform that album live.
I need to listen to more ELP I only have a compilation album from them . Which I enjoy so I need to start buying the discography .
I'm in the middle with ELP. Love that first run but after 1973 there's nothing worth my time
Hey, great review. If I had one wish, I would like you to discover bands other than Rush, Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Genesis etc.
Aren't you so interested in today's Prog Bands? That would be a pity. How about Bands like Threshold, Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band, Frost *, Vola, Vanden Plas, to name a few. The 70s and 80s were definitely great prog years, but there are also great Prog Music now. Please don't get me wrong, I think your channel is great, but opening up is never wrong. I still do that at the age of 65.💝☮︎🇩🇪
Transatlantic!!! Wobbler!!! Neal Morse!!! Big Big Train!!! Jordsjø!!! The Tangent!!! Love modern Prog too!!!
@@TheProgCorner Frost*, Flower Kings, Moon Safari, Guranfoe, Flying Colors, IQ, Pineapple Thief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Caravan 37 cd box set coming out. 2,500 copies only available at, Burning Shed Records, tell your dad! Love to see this set reviewed £350 🎸
When is it available ??
@@the_prog_nerd it’s called, who do we think we are. And it’s released on the 20th of August. Be quick on this one I reckon.
@@the_prog_nerd You can get it on this link it has all the information as well . £285 delivered from this store superdeluxeedition.com/news/caravan-who-do-you-think-we-are-37-disc-box-set/
😁 Great Review!..Ms Niahm
You skipped it because it was too long of a piece. I didn't care for long songs when I was a young teen.
I like TARKUS very much ! but I like al the first 5 albums including the 6 album Welcome back my friends.., and the Live version of TARKUS is even better with the fantastic conclusion AQUATARKUS great playing instrumental piece ... by the way are you familiar with the music from swedish musician'ANNA VON HOUSSEWOLFF, she is playing al sorts of church organ on her albums but very experimental art of playing and sound ,and her band.. thank you !
ps I like pure japanese incense
She loves a big organ.
Sneed