The album peaked at No. xviii on the Billboard 200. "Lucky Man" reached No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the UK of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland charts the album peaked at #4.
With onetime members of King Crimson, The Nice, as well as Atomic Rooster, Emerson, Lake & Palmer were a veritable supergroup, as well as the 1970 release of their debut album, ELP, was the initiative of all pace for a band that went on to define progressive rock. With capable Keith Emerson at the controls of the Moog synthesizer as well as the Hammond B3 organ, Greg Lake on guitar as well as vocals, as well as talented Carl Palmer on drums, the debut release leaned heavily toward a novel technical wizardry that became the band's halmark.
Lively, ambitious, close alone successful debut album, made upwards of keyboard-dominated instrumentals ("The Barbarian," "Three Fates") as well as romantic ballads ("Lucky Man") showcasing all 3 members' real daunting talents. This album, which reached the Top twenty inward America as well as got to divulge 4 inward England, showcased the grouping at its to the lowest degree pretentious as well as most musicianly -- alongside the exception of a few moments on "Three Fates" as well as maybe "Take a Pebble," at that spot isn't much excess, as well as at that spot is a lot of impressive musicianship here. "Take a Pebble" powerfulness induce got passed for a Moody Blues rail of the era merely for the fact that none of the Moody Blues' keyboard men could solo similar Keith Emerson. Even here, inward a relatively balanced collection of material, the album shows the beginnings of a dark, savage, imposingly gothic border that had scarcely been seen earlier inward so-called "art rock," to a greater extent than oft than non courtesy of Emerson's larger-than-life organ as well as synthesizer attacks. Greg Lake's beautifully sung, deliberately archaic "Lucky Man" had a brush alongside success on FM radio, as well as Carl Palmer became the idol of many thousands of would-be drummers based on this i album (especially for "Three Fates" as well as "Tank"), merely Emerson emerged every bit the overpowering talent hither for much of the public.
From the booming bass that kicks off "The Barbarian" through the in conclusion Moog synth squiggle of the "Lucky Man" outro,"Emerson Lake & Palmer" is the powerful opening salvo of ELP's mixture of classical,jazz as well as difficult rock-best known to the globe every bit "progressive rock"-that presented such obscure classical pieces every bit Bela Bartok's 'Allegro Barbaro'("The Barbarian") as well as Janacek's 'Sinfonietta'("Knife-Edge")in fresh contexts.Other highlights-on an album featuring zip BUT highlights- include Greg Lake's 12 minute-plus epic "Take H5N1 Pebble" as well as Carl Palmer's fusion-esqe drum slice "Tank".This tape has been remastered on CD a few times,first on the dismal-sounding Atlantic i from the 80's,and i time to a greater extent than on the Victory as well as Rhino inward the 90's which,while an improvement from the initiative of all one,were pretty below the standards of most remasters from that period.This Shout! remaster(done past times Andy Pearce at Masterpiece London)is correct inward the shape of the Yes Rhino remasters as well as the Genesis CD/SACD/DVD hybrid's,with Lake's bass guitar sounding large as well as beefy,Palmer's drum function crisp,and Keith Emerson's keyboards every bit clear every bit pure mount water.Despite the lack of bonus tracks,ELP as well as prog-rock fans should non hesitaite inward picking up-or upgrading with-this reasonably-priced remastered jewel.
The cover art paradigm is past times the British creative somebody Nic Dartnell. Although it has been said to endure originally intended for the American grouping Spirit, as well as that the bald-headed human on the left of the comprehend is Spirit's drummer, Ed Cassidy, the creative somebody denied this inward an interview alongside Mike Goldstein of RockPoP: "I'd similar to induce got a 2d as well as dispel a rumor that, according to Wikipedia, the paradigm is somehow linked to the LA band Spirit. The fact is that, at the fourth dimension I painted the ELP "Bird", I also painted a portrait of Spirit which I sent to them inward LA. H5N1 real similar plane was featured inward the corner of that painting. I got a message from Spirit to nation that if they had received their paradigm inward fourth dimension they would induce got position it on the dorsum of Twelve Dreams of doctor Sardonicus. I became friendly alongside Randy California over the years as well as I took the photograph that is on his 1982 12" EP All Along the Watchtower. The bald paradigm inward "Bird" has no connectedness to Ed Cassidy of Spirit as well as doesn't hold off anything similar him. Ed nevertheless has the Spirit portrait – as well as hence I'm told."
Tracks Listing
1. The Barbarian (4:33)
2. Take H5N1 Pebble (12:34)
3. Knife-Edge (5:08)
4. The Three Fates (7:45)
- a. Clotho (Royal Festival Hall Organ)
- b. Lachesis (Piano Solo)
- c. Atropos (Piano Trio)
5. Tank (6:52)
6. Lucky Man (4:36)
Total Time: 41:30
Musicians
- Greg Lake / vocals, bass, electrical & acoustic guitars, producer
- Keith Emerson / Hammond organ, piano, clavinet, Royal Festival Hall piping organ (4), modular Moog
- Carl Palmer / drums, percussion
EmoticonEmoticon