Customer Reviews

Works 1

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I assume people surfing on here are interested in the remastering job. Rest assured: it's splendid. The equilization is wide on both ends: on the treble side, you can hear details that are actually somewhat distracting--Emerson quietly pressing the reverb pedal on his Steinway in the silent gap between the second and third movements of the Concerto, feet shuffling and muted coughing from the orchestra on Pirates--while the bass signal is rich and sumptuous, particularly on Lake's side. The thing is so bright, in fact, that the tail end of some tracks reveal lots of tape hiss, but that only means you get to hear more detail than you knew was there. And this is as detailed a record as you could ask for. And actually the orchestra is a bit sloppy--Emerson has complained about this for years--something I never noticed before. But ELP is spot on. Enjoy.

ELP's WORKS project has not been a favorite of hardcore ELP fans, but this re-master will definitely change their opinions. The sound is powerful and nuanced in the quieter moments. (Emerson's concerto is sadly underrated by the rock critics). Everyone who's had a previous copy (be it vinyl or earlier CD pressings) will notice how the Yamaha GX-1 was very thinly recorded; during the tour of course Emerson and his keyboard tech had beefed up the sound considerably through various upgrades. This new re-master really pushes that special GX sound up front so that it can shake the floor during Fanfare for the common man.

The best sounding version so far released on CD, and far greater than the vinyl copy I used to own.

Highlight of that '77 period was meeting both Keith and Carl while they were residing in Montreal for the upcoming orchestral tour.

Still a great band that reveals so many different things in their music; the fun that they had is clearly reflected in their performances....real showmen who were entertaining beyond bombast. It's no longer interesting to laugh at these guys because of them being dinosaurs of rock; rather enjoy the music for what it is.....great rock and roll. Cheers lads...keep on truckin"

Released on March,11 1977,"Works Vol.1" is a two-disc set featuring sides devoted to the showcases of each individual member,starting with keyboardist Keith Emerson(his three-movement classicial piece "Piano Concerto No.1"),continuing with bassist/singer Greg Lake(the standouts being the ballads "C'est La Vie" and "Closer to Believing") and drummer Carl Palmer on the second disc(a reworking of piecies from Prokofieff and Bach and his own "Tank" as well as "L.A Nights" being the most notable) before they all reconvene as ELP on the last two tracks,a version of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare For The Common Man" and a orchestral 13-minute epic "Pirates",which are both ELP classics.It may not be for everyone(especially who think of this as "pretentious"),but most fans of prog-rock will enjoy this,even more thanks to the superb remastering(by Andy Pearce at Masterpiece London)that easily suppasses the outdated Atlantic,Victory and Rhino masters of the 80's and 90's.A nice set if you can get at cheaper price than its $22.99 list price,considering the lack of bonus tracks.

I always liked this album a lot, and it's as good as anything ELP put out during their lifetime. Many (mostly critics) dislike it, calling it ego driven and pompous. It was originally a double LP with one side taken up by each individual band member, and the fourth side was a group effort. Keith Emerson's first piano concerto started it off, and it was excellent. I am still hoping that Keith will write a 2nd one. Lake's side has some of the best songs he's ever written, with some really creative, stunning lyrics. The song Hallowed Be Thy Name is really quite different than anything ELP (or Lake) has ever done, and Closer to Believing is one of Lake's most moving ballads. Palmer's side is the most interesting and eclectic, with an interpretation of Prokofiev's The Enemy God, then going into abstract jazz with L.A. Nights and New Orleans. There's a small Bach piece included, then Palmer cuts loose with Food for Your Soul, an amazing rocker with another great drum solo from Carl. There's an orchestra version of Tank, which is the weakest track on the album (the original version is better). The 4th side has Fanfare for the Common Man, one of their most famous cover versions. The album concludes with Pirates, one of ELP's greatest epic songs with a fabulous performance and some of the best lyrics that Greg Lake and Peter Sinfield ever wrote. Ignore this album at your peril. It's really tremendous....

Giving each member complete control for one LP 'side (still some playing on the other's side), then making the final side a more formal group collaboration gives this release a very unique quality. They were hugely succesfull commercialy so there was nothiing left to prove. This gave them the freedom to do something very different. Much like the Beatles 'White Album', this aproach led to a more distinct expression of each individuals talent and tastes rather than another album emphasizing the groups established sond. The Emerson Piano Concerto is more like a serious piece of classical music than their usual rock/classical Hybrids. The Lake ballad C'Est la Vie is as good as any he'd ever written. Palmer ventures into jazz and remakes 'Tank' with horns. Aaron Copeland's 'Fanfare for the common man' gets a ferocious prog rock workout. This takes a few listens to get into, and overall it doesn't rank as high their major records, but I love this record!

My all time favorites of theirs (in order) would be the 'Brain Salad Surgery', First record', 'Pictures at an Exhibition' and 'Trilogy', Works V1, Tarkus

This was a brilliant concept of having the three artist have a side basically dedicated to showcase their talents. The Pirates song takes the listener to a dream of life in those old swashbukler moview of days gone by.....

I have started to enjoy some of ELP's music, so decided to purchase both of the Works albums. Has most of their better songs. I am happy with this purchase.

Some fine stuff from every member of ELP. A classic work from the seventies.

However, this is not "typical R&R" stuff at all.

It is very much an eccentric ELP thing.

I have always loved this album.

Very nice for picking out tracks to put in your own mix-cd.

The piece "Pirates" is exceptional.

Maybe the icing on the cake for one of the greats of the 70s era . As much as I loves BSS this is a real eye opener. Piretes and FanFare shows the great work as a trio.Carls side ( I owned the LP at one time ) blew me away. Gregs side was well writen and put together.Keith side took some getting used to. It's sad that Vol 2 wasn't as good. Long live ELP.

You just don't see a group commit to this since the self-indulgent 70's. ELP's "Works" was a monumental effort from a band that, although I'm somewhat of a fan, was truly full of themselves. The concept of this was that each member received their own album side, to pursue their own muse, and for the final side, they would come together. In fairness to ELP, an old fashioned album side could not have supported such an endeavor from 3 pretty pompous artists.

The work is far from perfect, but that is what makes it adventerous and fun.

It starts out with Keith Emerson's contributions...classical piano concertos. I have always hated this because as a "rock and roll" fan buying a "rock and roll" record, I wanted to hear "rock and roll" music. It is definitely cool to hear a classical "influence" on the rock and roll song, but a component must be "rock and roll"!. That is why Keith Emerson's side is a failure. He must have been pretty high on himself to push this on his fans. Now, when I first bought this, I was 14 years old and did not possess the maturity to appreciate his piano chops. As a more seasoned fan, I still don't appreciate it since, if I wanted to hear impressive classical piano chops, I would have gone the Keith Jarrett/Chick Corea route. I always skipped the Keith Emerson side. Even if his playing is impressive...who cares?

The next spotlight would be on Greg Lake who is the brightest star for ELP. I say that because their best songs feature his beautiful and majestic voice. With "Lucky Man" and "Still you turn me on" as ELP gems, and they are especially slower, more quiet songs, then these similar enchanting songs are terrific. "C'est La Vie", "Nobody does it like you do" and "Lend your love to me tonight" are all fantastically beautiful and intimate songs that perfectly showcase Lake's gorgeous voice in a proper naturally organic context. The Greg Lake side is as good as anything ELP has done and a 4 star album.

Carl Palmer's side focuses on jazz and fusion and even though this is not rock and roll, some of this stuff is bold and very muscular music which showcases Palmer's power and virtuosity. To see ELP live, in the 70's, would have been to see Palmer perform unbelievable drum solos which could have never been conveyed from the recorded songs... until now. That spectacular live performer comes alive on such dynamic songs as the jazz fusion "Tank" and "The Enemy God dances with the black Spirits" and the ultra frantic "Food for Your Soul". This is percussive music and unlike ELP's usual noodling, the songs and melody take priority over the instrumentation.

The cumlination of everything is perfectly blended together in the final two songs. ELP's take of "Fanfare for the Common Man" is classic ELP, with the application of a stunning progressive rock approach onto a classical song. As much as Emerson lacks on side 1, on this he is absolutely slaying it. The drums, bass, and keyboard are powerful and make this a classic (which it is obvious since it is always used as a theme for sport's oriented shows).

The closing, "Pirates" is an enigma, it is so bizzare, so daring, so self indulgent, so sprawling yet, despite it being too much (I think this song could have been the impetus for the punk movement), "Pirates" is what makes progressive rock so enjoyable. This over 13 minute opus which has aspects of electronica, fully accompaning orchestra, movie soundtrack...like for a film about Pirates, jazz, and pop music, makes this song absolutely fascinating. If have been listening to this for over 30 years and I am always attentitive to every aspect of the song, listening to it like I've never heard it before, because "Pirates" is an enthralling saga of song. What really makes this song special is Greg Lake's very powerful, forceful vocals.

This is hardly party music to cruise around in the car but I feel that ELP's "Works" is their most endearing album. Emerson's piano side takes it down to 3 1/2 stars otherwise I'd give it 4 1/2 out of 5.