ELP #6- Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends Ladies and Gentleman Emerson Lake & Palmer

Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends- Ladies and Gentleman: Emerson Lake & Palmer- 1974

Rating: 14

Just as long as the title

Best Song: Take A Pebble/Still...You Turn Me On/Lucky Man

Worst Song: Piano Improvisations

     I am yet to find a longer title for an album. Of course, it won't be as good as this album, but never mind that. This is a live album recorded for their "Someone Get Me a Ladder" tour (named after a song lyric on "Still...You Turn Me On" from "Brain Salad Surgery"). Quite a good album, with just a tiny flaw there and there.

     The album begins with "Hoedown" from "Trilogy". However, there is a difference between this version and the one on "Trilogy": This one is WAYYYYYY faster! Another difference is the cool synth solo near the end. Anyway, It sounds pretty awesome in all, with Keith's great organ playing. Then comes "Jerusalem", which sounds pretty much the same as the studio version. Greg's voice sounds good, and Keith sounds great as usual. Oh yeah, and Carl was there. Coming after that is the excellent "Toccata", which is, yet again, just like the studio version. Those epic noises at the end sound amazing still. After that song comes "Tarkus". "Eruption" sounds good, and "Stones of Years" has some extra added Keith notes, making it improve a bit off the original. After the awesome rampage in "Iconoclast", "Mass" comes in, sounding spectacular. Then comes "Manticore", which is some more rampaging. "Battlefield" begins, but after that excellency ends, Greg improves even more off the original: he sticks "Epitaph", which he made when he was in King Crimson, right in there. After that, "Aquatarkus" plays brilliantly and ends the song.

     "Take a Pebble/Still...You Turn Me On/Lucky Man" is a wonderful song (even though it includes multiple songs). It begins with "Take a Pebble", which has a slightly different riff than the original. After Greg's two great verses, Emerson solos until he ends the song (for now). Greg then picks up his guitar and sings "Still...You Turn Me On". This version sounds quite good. After that is "Lucky Man", which I REALLY, REALLLLLY enjoy. Then the album has it's downfall. "Piano Improvisations" is good, but is too long. The piano playing is amazing. Suddenly, Keith starts to play "Take a Pebble (Conclusion)". Greg sings his first verse after Keith's intro, and ends the song for real this time. Then comes "Jeremy Bender/The Sheriff". "Jeremy Bender" certainly improves off the previous version (and is much faster), but "The Sheriff" is not as good as the original. It is cool how Greg has alternate lyrics on "Jeremy Bender" and how Keith goes right into "The Sheriff".

     The "Karn Evil 9" suite comes in right after that last song. "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression" is, well, 1st. The first part doesn't seem to improve too much on the original. It does sound awesome as usual. Keith sounds great, along with Palmer. The second singing part of the song comes in, with Greg singing excellently. This goes straight into "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression Part 2", which has an extended drum solo right in the middle. The drum solo is interesting, if a bit overlong. Then comes "Karn Evil 9: Second Impression", which is good as always. After that is "Karn Evil 9: Third Impression". This seems to improve a bit off the original piece. Then Emerson does his synth thing, ending the song and the album.

     This is a worthy addition to the ELP catalogue, and even surpasses some of their studio albums. It certainly is yet another album that proves the band's brilliance.