19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ELP at the zenith of their career, March 14, 1999
By A Customer
I've always wondered about the critics who panned ELP. The standard counter-argument is to say that most critics are just frustrated musicians who are simply envious of ELP's virtuosity. If that's true, then it explains why BSS is among the most vilified albums of the prog rock movement. This album is a dark and aggressive musical adventure that's aged exceptionally well. Jerusalem still gives me goose bumps, after many dozens of listens. Still...You Turn Me On is perhaps the most mysterious and haunting love song I've ever heard. And the Karn Evil 9 suite is an eclectic masterpiece that starts off with a bluesy organ riff and rocks into the familiar "Welcome Back My Friends..." -- the 1st Impression is an unbelievable musical blitzkrieg. The jazzy and deft 2nd Impression is stylistically very different -- I don't know how ELP pulled off this juxtaposition, but it works. The 3rd Impression is a computers-run-amok sci-fi extravaganza. One is left with the Impression that Keith's Hammond, Steinway, and Moog were literally smoking by the conclusion. With apologies to the true ELP faithful, I don't think ELP ever came close to the power and glory of BSS ever again, collectively or individually, with the exception of the fantastic reading of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man on Works I. BSS is a must-own for true prog rock fans.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ELP' STUDIO ALBUM, October 6, 2000
It's not as much about being the best ELP album than being the most perfect realization they did still with the fire of their golden age. Later albums have lots of matured ideas, maybe more than here, but the lacerating sound was being changed into a truly epic nobility, another moment of ELP's history. I can't think another album in rock history more related to the idea of art rock and conceptual album than this. H. R. Giger's artwork is ELP's music in image - one of those happy coincidences when artists interact. There's metal, bones, flesh and eternity in vision as in the refining agressive music.
"Jerusalem" was rejected as single, probably because of conservative reasons. One may think it's contradictory such a sharp-pointed rendition of a Hymn. What you hear sounds more ELP than Parry/Blake, but there's no disrespect, only succeeded appropriating. Ginastera's "Toccata" is an example of the greatest honor a musical arrangement can get: the admiration of the composer. The immortally respected argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) once said "Keith Emerson has beautifully caught the mood of my piece". It's possible to understand better the original version of Ginastera's fourth movement of the first piano concerto after hearing BSS. "Still.... You Turn Me On" is from "Lucky man" lineage, as "Benny the Bouncer" from "The Sheriff". "Still...." is one of Lake's most beautiful compositions, perhaps the only really serene moment of the entire album, few seconds after the "Toccata" nightmare. "Benny", on the other hand, is the humored scene of BSS, the rest of it has an eventually subtle sarcasm, in a most of time heavy atmosphere. After this song, you have less than four seconds to tight your belt, the next song is "Karn Evil 9"(the name comes for carnival). No matter how good are the first four pieces of the album, still, you got the feeling that the real message of BSS is inside "Karn Evil 9". This is the best ELP contribuition, not better than Emerson's Concerto or "Pirates", but more "Elpian".
The first impression of "Karn Evil 9" is a long tense increasing in its first part, violent hammond sounds, syncopated rhythms and a very wise impressing appearance of new motifs almost without notice - a skilful dealing with larger forms, culminating in a plain and somehow lighter guitar solo, but the tensions increase again and the plain turns into climax. The following second part is what usually ELP played onstage after the 1973-4 tour, it's a pitty they hadn't played "Karn Evil 9" entirely more times. It's a kind of stabilized version of the of first part' second half, within a more rock format. On the vinyl, one had to turn to B side to hear the first impression' second part, with a fade out on the end of A side and a fade in at the beginning of B side. The first release on CD (Atlantic) kept this effect, though it may have some point for collectors, its terrible keeping this limitation musically speaking. Nowaday's CD versions present first and second parts of first impression perfectly continuous, a dream for ELP fans.
The second impression has probably the most daring musical textures in ELP, a jazz fusion feature, and a sensuous caribbean accent sometimes, the lips of the cover. Basically, you find this rock band changing into a powerful jazz piano trio.
The third impression is the most melodic part of the piece, with a folk-song like theme, but paradoxically with very provocating lyrics (with Pete's Sinfield contribution) and technology decry. But again the edged rhythms, sounds and harmonies come and you realize that it was just a typical break of ELP's world, inside their own world. So those breaks are their very style.
It is almost comical to know that critics once criticized ELP because of technology abuse and at same time an elephantine dealing with classical tradition. Although this is the first band to play alive with synthesizers in history, mostly they never substituted acoustical instruments with synth replicas - they used synths for original sounds, not for imitating. They never used sequencers for playing faster, only for special effects (like the end of Karn Evil 9). On the other hand, their classical and jazz influence never had arguments with their rock side, and that's probably the great accomplishment of Progressive Rock.
It's very interesting to know through the bonus track "The making of BBS" that Emerson knew "Tocatta" because of brazilian pianist João Carlos Martins, still in The Nice era. Palmer's thoughts about Giger tell a lot about their artistic relation: "it's a pitty he doesn't play instrument, he could be in the band" Also, Lake's vision about studio albums defines ELP: studio albums should be a promise of what the band can do alive. Good point, as ELP is even better onstage....
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Hear, December 11, 2000
This review is from: Emerson Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery (DVD Audio) (DVD Audio)
Whilst I agree with our friend in Las Vegas, that the classification of this item as a DVD is somewhat confusing, I think the problem is confusion of what DVD-Audio really is!
There is video, but ironically, it is not accessilbe from a DVD-Video Player, rather you require a DVD-Audio player.
The irony is that the DVD-V player can access the Audio tracks, but not the Video, as the Video track is not in the conventional DVD-V format. A DVD-Audio player is required to see the Video!
I do not have a DVD-A player, but enjoyed the 5.1 mix of this classic album to the full!
My dog, who was in the room at the time, did not enjoy it quite as much! The precise and realistic placement of moog whistles flying around my sound room was too much for him and he kept turning to locate the source of the sounds! He far prefers plain stereo!
The bass on "Still.... You Turn Me On" has always been impressive (I have 2 CD versions [original and remaster]) but with the DD5.1 mix, it is more controlled and actually less overpowering.
I hope to add an Active Sub soon, but in the interim, directing bass at my LF, RF, LS and RS [all B&W 602 series 2] seems to be more than sufficient to create a real rumble.
Karn Evil 9 is just brilliant!
For comparison with a more traditional interpretation of Toccata (and Fugue in D Minor), get the Fantasia DVD:
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but Keith Emerson's work is still superb.
Yes, I'd like to see the video too, but plan to wait and see if DVD-A as a format actually takes off before comitting to more equipment!
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