Emerson Lake & Palmer Pictures At An Exhibition ( remaster HQ vinyl LP )

Release date:29-06-2016(originally released in 1971)

2016 EU( remaster HQ vinyl LP )

- This 1971 outstanding live album IS A brilliant live document of a unique and unrivalled band at the top of their game. One of the seminal documents of the progressive rock era, a record that made its way into the collections of millions of high-school kids who never heard of Modest Mussorgsky and knew nothing of Russia's Nationalist "Five." It does some violence to Mussorgsky, but Pictures at an Exhibition is also the most energetic and well-realized live release in Emerson, Lake & Palmer's catalog, and it makes a fairly compelling case for adapting classical pieces in this way. At the time, it introduced "classical rock" to millions of listeners, including the classical community, most of whose members regarded this record as something akin to an armed assault. The early-'70s live sound is a little crude by today's standards, but the tightness of the playing (Carl Palmer is especially good) makes up for any sonic inadequacies. Keith Emerson is the dominant musical personality here, but Greg Lake and Palmer get the spotlight enough to prevent it from being a pure keyboard showcase. 

Tracks:
A1 Promenade
A2 The gnome
A3 Promenade
A4 The Sage
A5 The old castle
A6 Blues variation

B1 Promenade
B2 The hut of Baby Yaga
B3 The curse of Baby Yaga
B4 The hut of Baby Yaga
B5 The great gates of Kiev
B6 Nutrocker

For long time Emerson Lake and Palmer fans this release needs no introduction but for those who are still discovering classic progressive rock with wide eyed wonder or merely amused curiosity Pictures At An Exhibition is ELPs prog rock version of Mussorgskys suite of the same name and of course a few added bits that Mussorgsky didnt write Recorded live on March 26 1971 nearly 90 years to the day after Mussorgsky died And of course ELPs presentation is of a stately manner beginning with the austere opening segment Promenade when the band breaks from the suite with nonrelated pieces like Blues Variation it changes the pieces whole character and establishes that this is still a rock record Originally released in 1972 this classical music meets 70s progressive rock performance is sure to please on the new 180g vinyl edition from speakers corner

In the Seventies numerous rock and pop groups attempted to produce a maximum of sound on the stage with a minimum of manpower The majority of them failed miserably in their struggles to master the Moog synthesizer with its 28 million varieties of sound but not so Keith Emerson Greg Lake and Carl Palmer Their legendary rock version of Mussorgskys piano cycle which was set down for posterity during a live concert in Newcastles City Hall towers above all other recordings of the kind Perhaps their success is due to the fact that the trio avoided a Late Romantic powerful sound and steered away from the temptations of creating electronic grandiose sound effects Their vocals guitar and drums produced a highly original and contemporary yet soulful rendering
Even if you arent into British rockpop you should still listen to this album Those who choose to ignore it dont know what they are missing

Keith Emerson arr keyb Greg Lake voc elbass g Carl Palmer perc dr

Recording March 1971 at Newcastle City Hall UK by Eddy Offord
Production Greg Lake