Oakland's Vinyl Vault - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Ooh, what a lucky reader you are! This week, you get the self-titled debut album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer!

Release date: October 1970
Singles: Take a Pebble, Lucky Man

Unlike the last ELP album we looked at, I'm fairly sure there is no phallic imagery in the cover art. This time we simply get a white bird, and a bald man. Not a great cover, but not terrible. Anyway, on to the music.

As you would expect of prog rockers Emerson, Lake & Palmer, this album features a few interpretations of classical pieces, along with some original compositions, and none of the tracks are shorter than 4 minutes. The album is probably best remembered for the moderate hit, "Lucky Man," but there are other tracks that are strong as well, like "Take a Pebble," and "Knife-Edge." Emerson's "The Three Fates," which opens the second side, is an interesting piece, but it doesn't quite fit with the rest of the tracks on the album. Likewise, Palmer's drum-solo heavy "Tank" is an awesome display of percussion, but does not flow that well with the other songs.

Rating: 4 calling birds - You have to be a prog rock fan already to get into most of the tracks on this album. If you are a fan of ELP, you won't be disappointed by this album, so pick it up if you haven't already. All told, it's a solid album.

Now here's "Knife-Edge," which might be my favorite track on the album. Enjoy!