ELP #8- Works Volume 2

Works Volume 2- 1997

Rating: 13

The band has fun, and Palmer learns how to write good songs

Best Song: Watching Over You or Close But Not Touching

Worst Song: Bullfrog



       Unbelievably enough, the band managed to make this awesome record that is WAAAAY better then "Works Volume 1". It is even better then "Trilogy", mainly because there is no copy of "Living Sin" on this album. The funny thing is that this album is not a traditional ELP album because most of the songs are just the band having a great time. The other thing is that this is an album with outtakes. Just think about the fact that many bands have tons of outtakes that never make it on to an album. If all of ELP's outtakes were as good as these, or even worse then these, I would definitely buy them if they were put on a CD.
       Of course, I have to get on to reviewing the album sometime. The album opener is "Tiger in The Spotlight". If you were expecting some complicated, "Tarkus" sort of thing, then prepare to be surprised. This song like one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance until you fall over. In other words, it's a catchy, fast paced tune. Lake sings his lyrics while Emerson keeps this awesome piano line with some synths. Palmer just goes ahead and drums (with occasional drum fills). Emerson solos sometimes between when Greg is singing. This song already sets the album on a excellent first note. The next song is "When The Apples Blossoms Bloom in The Windmills of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine". The song is instrumental, and highly entertaining. Emerson uses his synths to make a nice melody, while keeping a good flow to the song. Basically, the entire song is an awesome Emerson solo as he uses all his different keyboards.
       Remember how I said Palmer finally started to write some good songs in the album description? Well, this next song was written by Palmer is slightly lower then okay. "Bullfrogs" is an experimental Palmer song, with mildly interesting but sort of annoying saxophones, and a cool yet strange part that contains a flute. The end has a few different themes built into it, but for 10 seconds it just sounds like a mess before pulling itself together to end the song. After that is the title track of one of their previous albums, "Brain Salad Surgery". The Emerson synths make the song sound neat, while the drums are more complex then the first two songs. Greg sort of sounds like he did on "Benny the Bouncer", but still sings pretty well. The song is pretty short, and ends after 2 verses, an instrumental break, and another verse. This does not mean the song is bad, for it is highly enjoyable.
       Coming after that is the first honky-tonk song on the album, "Barrelhouse Shake-Down". Emerson uses the piano he uses on "Jeremy Bender" and solos with other brass and woodwind instruments. It is interesting most of the time, if only 10 seconds overlong (which is a very small flaw). Once that ends, the fantastic "Watching Over You" begins. It is a Greg ballad, with nice lyrics and a beautiful melody. It is pretty much just Greg's voice and his guitar at first, with some backing vocals appearing in some parts. It quickly becomes a bigger song, with a harmonica and what sounds like a single drum instead of a full drum set. The song is a classic Lake ballad, beating "Closer to Believing" from "Works Volume 1" by just a bit.
       Next comes the good song "So Far to Fall" that, like "Tiger in The Spotlight", makes you want to dance. Greg's voice sounds pretty cool on the song, and the lyrics are good at best. Emerson's keyboards are interesting, if not that special on this song. Palmer's drums are pretty much normal (for Palmer). Right after that is the next honky-tonk song, "Maple Leaf Rag". Emerson plays his great piano part and is backed by an orchestra and a flute. This is a cover of Scott Joplin's original song. It is good, mainly because it is repetitive. Luckily, it is about 2 minutes. The next song is "I Believe In Father Christmas", which has some of the best lyrics on the album. It is not a traditional Christmas song, because instead of being about Santa and stuff, it is about childhood belief and the commercialization of Christmas. That does not stop the song from sounding great. This version does not have the orchestra.
       Then Palmer finally realizes that he can make great songs and comes up with "Close But Not Touching". This is an instrumental with a fascinating melody and a cool drum beat. While if the part at the beginning kept going over and over, it would have been just a good song, but then the guitar starts soloing and makes the song sound 50% more awesome then it already did. It is quite a spectacular song. Then comes the final honky-tonk song, titled "Honky Tonk Train Blues". Emerson, of course, uses the honky-tonk piano and again solos with the brass and woodwinds, just to better song this time. As usual, the song is extremely interesting and makes for a fun listening experience. The final song on the album is the excellent "Show Me The Way to Go Home", another cover. Emerson does a piano intro until Lake sings two verses (no chorus). Suddenly, Emerson starts to solo as other instruments and drums join. Greg sings until only him, the orchestra, and the piano is left. Emerson does the outro and the album closes.
       My version of the album has some live tracks, and those are not counted in the rating, even though it would still be the same. The live tracks are "Tiger in The Spotlight", "Watching Over You" (which they announce as "Watching Under You" before correcting it and joking about it being "Watching With You"), and "Show Me The Way To Go Home". In all, the entire album shows the fun side of ELP, and, unfortunately, is the final fantastic album the band will have.