Trilogy Set)

Yes I know fellow ELP fans, "the best" is subjective, but my opinion. Following in the footsteps of their first two studio albums, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and TARKUS, TRILOGY gets the Deluxe Edition makeover, with a new remaster of the original Greg Lake production and new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes from Jakko M. Jakszyk. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Jakszyk, he is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, solo artist and record producer. He is also currently the lead singer and second guitarist in KING CRIMSON. He had also worked with former KC members in the 21st CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND. Jakko has had a long and varied career, check him out! Anyhoo, he was passed the reins from former mixmaster Steven Wilson of PORCUPINE TREE, another great musician with a busy and varied career who did the honors for the first two. Mr. Wilson has also remixed a slew of classic progressive-rock albums from the catalogs of KING CRIMSON, CARAVAN, JETHRO TULL, YES and XTC, to name a few......EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER's first four studio albums are undisputed classics of the progressive-rock genre. It's hard to judge which is the best, if you even have to go that route. The first album (#18 US, #4 UK) was full of ideas bursting to get out of Keith Emerson's swirling overloaded auditory cortex and was their most "stripped-down" release. TARKUS (#9 US, #1 UK) ups the ante with the band's use of the best musical electronics of it's day. The side-long "Tarkus" suite is one of the most dazzling and tightly constructed progressive epics of it's era, but the rest of the album contained too-much filler, although filler some bands would kill for. BRAIN SALAD SURGERY (#11 US, #2 UK), their fourth, is probably their most well-known and feted release. Often near or at the top of most "best of prog-rock" lists, it had previously been available in a 5.1 mix on DVD-A and SACD, with mixed reviews. There's a 2014 Super Deluxe Edition with a 5.1 DVD but is prohibitively expensive for most. It was supposed to be included in the 2CD+DVD Deluxe Edition but was pulled at the last minute, leaving only a High-Res Stereo version. Needless to say, fans are not happy. While side-and-a half long epic "Karn Evil 9" is an enjoyable long-form composition, their stately remake of the old hymn "Jerusalem" leaves me cold, while "Benny The Bouncer" is one novelty too many. That leaves "Toccata," an impressive exercise in the then new technologies and probably the album's best cut, and "Still...You Turn Me On," the requisite Greg Lake ballad, not a bad little ditty, but it pales compared to "Lucky Man" (#48 US) and "From The Beginning" (#39 US)......TRILOGY (#5 US, #2 UK) begins with "The Endless Enigma" a two-part composition with Emerson's "Fugue" sandwiched between. The (yes) enigmatic opening, with it's pulsing heartbeat bass (read the liner notes), eerie synths, punctuating bongos and stabs of free-form piano gives way to one of their most "classical" melodies and stately choruses. "Fugue" is basically Emerson rearranging the songs melodies into, yes, a fugue. Tubular bells and a clarion synth announces Part Two's rousing climax. The more I hear "From The Beginning" the more I like it. Pleasing open string guitar chords underpin one of Lake's best melodies. Emerson's synth may closely resemble his work on "Lucky Man" but at least he keeps it more concise. A not-to-different alternate take is included as a bonus. "The Sheriff" comes off like a second cousin to THE BEATLES' "Bungalow Bill" but is much less annoying. Keith gets his honky-tonk fixation on as a coda. The original Side One ended with the band's all too short arrangement of Aaron Copeland's "Hoedown." Emerson's majestic synths ride over Palmer's galloping drums and one of Lake's most powerful (and Squire-like) bass-lines. The 5.1 mix is awesome. The title-tune opened Side Two with Emerson setting the scene with it's main theme, about three-minutes in all hell breaks loose and the band goes double-time. Palmer doesn't get enough credit for his complex percussion foundation, reminiscent of John Bonham's work on LED ZEP's "Four Sticks." While probably the weakest track, "Living Sin" is redeemed by Keith's stunning Hammond work, which dominates the song and makes you forget the silly lyrics. The band couldn't wish for a better finale than Emerson's tour de force Ravel tribute "Abaddon's Bolero." The composition was made for 5.1 , revealing layers upon layers. The swirling synth fanfares and Palmer's gradually intensifying tom-toms bring the track, and the album, to a grand finish......While you can argue over whether this is their best work, you cannot deny it's one of their finest, and IMHO their most consistent. While the original and new stereo mixes are fine, it's the 5.1 surround that takes the honors, I'll be looking forward to more of Jakko Jaksyzk's work in this area. This three-disc set is a great bargain and a must for ELP fans. Here's the complete and correct tune stack......DISC ONECD1: Original TRILOGY1. The Endless Enigma (Part One)2. Fugue3. The Endless Enigma (Part Two)4. From The Beginning5. The Sheriff6. Hoedown7. Trilogy8. Living Sin9. Abaddon's BoleroDISC TWOCD2: The New Stereo TRILOGY1. From The Beginning [Alternate Version]New Stereo Mixes:2. The Endless Enigma (Part One)3. Fugue4. The Endless Enigma (Part Two)5. From The Beginning6. The Sheriff7. Hoedown8. Trilogy9. Living Sin10. Abaddon's BoleroDISC THREEDVD-A: 5.1 TRILOGYOriginal Stereo Mixes presented in both MLP Lossless & LPCM, both at 24-bit 96kHz:1. The Endless Enigma (Part One)2. Fugue3. The Endless Enigma (Part Two)4. From The Beginning5. The Sheriff6. Hoedown7. Trilogy8. Living Sin9. Abaddon's BoleroNew stereo mixes presented in MLP Lossless 5.1 & Stereo at 24 bit 96kHz, andDTS 96/24 5.1 & Dolby Digital 5.1 (48kHz,) andLPCM Stereo at 24-bit 96kHz10. The Endless Enigma (Part One)11. Fugue12. The Endless Enigma (Part Two)13. From The Beginning14. The Sheriff15. Hoedown16. Trilogy17. Living Sin18. Abaddon's Bolero19. From The Beginning (Alternate Version)Produced by Greg LakeArranged by Emerson, Lake & PalmerLyrics by Greg LakeRecorded at AdvisionProduction Engineer: Eddie OffordNew Stereo and 5.1 mixes by Jakko M. JakszykMixed at Selesia Sound, Hertfordshire, UKThanks to Andy TillisonCover design and photography by HipgnosisKEITH EMERSON: Hammond Organ C3, Steinway Piano, Zourkra Moog Synthesizer III C, Mini Moog Model DGREG LAKE: Vocals, Bass, Electric & Acoustic GuitarsCARL PALMER: Drums & Percussion

This album is the first album I bought back in 74 when I was 14, if you like ELP then you should buy this one.

I was diving deeper into my progressive rock collection discovering bands I have never been keen on in previous years. Emerson, Lake & Palmer is one that has surprised me this month and this time I continue the binge with their third studio album, Trilogy.Trilogy in terms of sound is a lot more ballad driven than previous offerings. There is some marvellous use of melody and lyrical content that really was not present on the previous albums. It was clear that the band were evolving and so was their sound. Their third studio album and fourth over all was a suitable change of pace that the band needed to gain a more successful commercial career.Now when I say commercial, I do not mean they sold out with some pre-disco pop music. But they wrote some delightful short tracks that could be played on the radio without freaking out and blowing the minds of the average joe. That however was left for the opening numbers, The Endless Enigma trilogy and the eight minute title track Trilogy. These songs are all out progressive numbers that should not surprise a single fan. They are technically impressive, wreaking with that bombastic keyboard/organ and grooving along to some truly brilliant rhythm from Lake and Palmer.As a whole this album is not as raw and powerful as the previous two encounters. It is a lot smarter in terms of song writing and any one who owns a copy of this record can hear their development as musicians. The band also benefit from better production, a little less coarse in comparison to the first two abums and of course more professionalism.If you’re looking for this kind of music then this is an absolute no brainer. Buy Emerson Lake & Palmer and work your way forward. So far these three albums have very little negative aspects, very little at all. They are more then capable of scaring off some simple minded listeners but whilst they drool out their nose at the thought of Justin Beaver or the latest drivel, we will be bathing in the sea of prog. May the moog wash o’er me!Published by Steven Lornie