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Prog Magazine Top 100 Prog Albums of All Time Challenge. Album #42, Trilogy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

 Originally posted to Facebook on April 4, 2024:

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Prog Magazine Top 100 Prog Albums of All Time Challenge. Album #42, Trilogy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
When sharing your thoughts about this album, use the following scale to indicate how familiar you are with the album: ( the scale is designed to preface your comments, not to be posted by itself with no further explanation.)
0- Never heard anything from this album, totally new to my ears.
1- I might have heard a song on occasion, or I know a big hit from the album but not the full album.
2- I've listened to the full album a few times, but it's been a while. Slightly familiar with it.
3- I listen to this album periodically, fairly familiar with it.
4- I have listened to this album many times. I know it inside out. Very familiar with it/expert level
I will post links for anyone who needs them to be able to stream it in the comments below. Remember, no matter what your experience level with the album going in, please listen to the album before commenting. I will post album #41 on Monday. You can participate, even if you haven't done any of the previous rounds.)
Enjoy! (And be nice!)

From Comments:

I am rating myself at a level 3 as I begin this listen. I had this on LP years ago, so it’s been a while since I have heard it straight through. I am very familiar with From the Beginning, Hoedown, and the title track. The others I am a bit rusty on. Of course, this is classic ELP, so I know its quality, but just how great is it? Let’s see.
(The first 3 tracks comprise the Endless Enigma Suite)
Track 1 - The Endless Enigma, Pt. 1
We begin with a heartbeat, joined by high pitched synth sounds. Some low end piano notes followed by bongos and other percussion sounds sporadically entering. Next, is an instrument that sounds bagpipe-like, then some schizoid keyboard playing. The band then locks into a groove that features Emerson’s organ. Then we have a big organ part that ushers in the vocals at around 2:30. Lake’s vocals begin softly, accompanied by the organ in a very hymn-like manner. Softer and louder sections alternate, with drums in the louder sections. At around 5:50, Lake plays a repeating bass note at a quick tempo and the band plays a brief, high-tempo section which creates a crescendo, followed by a brief pause and then a piano solo, which leads to…
Track 2 - Fugue
The piano continues playing lovely melodic lines until around 50 seconds, where he begins the “Fugue” ( a baroque era format, similar to a round). Lake’s bass joins in on the fugue. They continue as such while leading to…
Track 3 - The Endless Enigma, Pt. 2
Which begins with an emphatic rhythmic section, then church bells join. The organ brings us back to the hymn-like singing. Lake holds this final note (“Here….”) on a fairly high pitch (for him). Afterwards the song concludes with some quintessential Emerson flourishes and Palmer drumming.
Track 4 - From the Beginning
A folky acoustic number that became a staple of classic rock radio. It is in the vein of the earlier “Lucky Man” and the later “Still…You Turn Me On.” Lake shows that he is not only a fine bassist/vocalist, but a wonderful 12-String acoustic player as well. The intro starts very much like Yes’ Roundabout at the very beginning, but quickly diverges from that. There is also a bass and bongo part during the first verse. It sounds as though the guitar part was doubled on the second verse. There is a clean electric guitar solo that begins around 2:15. So far this has been very much a Greg Lake feature. Emerson finally joins at around 3:05 for a synth solo (a-la Lucky Man.)
Track 5 - The Sheriff
We start with a Palmer drum solo, joined by Emerson & Lake with a funky groove. The lyrics tell the tale of a Sheriff pursuing an outlaw named Big Kid Josie. There is an organ break at around the 2 minute mark. As the tale concludes, we have a bit of honky-tonk piano silliness.
Track 6 - Hoedown
Based on a piece by famous American composer Aaron Copland, who gave the band permission to record their arrangement, this is a quintessential example of ELP’s musical prowess in an instrumental. Emerson takes the lead, playing Copeland's melodies on the Hammond, with Lake & Palmer providing a tight rhythm underneath. There are occasional synth parts that replicate the sound of fiddles from the original work. More synths come in and take over the sound for a bit at just before 3 minutes. The band plays a tight ending to close the track.
Track 7 - Trilogy
This is a contender for my favorite ELP track. The melodies in this are stunningly beautiful. Lake’s voice is absolutely immaculate along with the dazzling piano parts played by Emerson. This opening section would not be out of place in a classical concert hall. At around 3 minutes, Emerson establishes a 5-8 rhythm, before switching to synths as Lake & Palmer join in on bass & drums. An extremely proggy instrumental break ensues, with Emerson featured on the synths. Next, Palmer gives us a tricky, fast, 6-8 drum part, accentuated by Lake’s bass. Emerson keeps up the rhythm on the organ with twiddly synth parts on top. Lake returns with vocals in a variation of the opening melodies. We have another instrumental break with Emerson on synths with a more muted tone at first, followed by a more cutting sound. Another verse follows. Then we lead up to a big bluesy finishing riff. If I wanted to encapsulate the ELP sound in one track, this might be it (although Karn Evil 9, First Impression, Pt. 2, is off to the side shouting, “oh, really!”).
Track 8 - Living Sin
Emerson starts off with a high tempo organ part. Lake joins on vocals in the lowest notes I’ve ever heard him sing. Meanwhile, Palmer is keeping a steady rock beat on the drums. Lake is practically screaming, sounding more like he did on King Crimson’s 21st Century Schizoid Man, than what he normally does in ELP. There is a closing section that reminds me a bit of the instrumental bridge of Yes’ Siberian Khatru to wrap up the song.
Track 9 - Abaddon’s Bolero
A marching snare beat slowly fades in, joined by flute-like melodies on the organ. Some subtle bass notes start joining in at around 1:15. Emerson begins playing a synth melody at 1:55. We have a very slow and gradual crescendo in the music as we go along. Emerson harmonizes the melody at just before the 3 minute mark, while other keyboard backing parts are added. Every repetition of the melodic theme grows slightly louder with the addition of more parts. At around 5 minutes, a tuba-like tone enters. At 5:15, the melody of the traditional song “The Girl I Left Behind Me” can be heard on flute-like synth tones. By around 6 minutes in, I am getting the impression of the cavalry riding their horses to victory. At around 7 minutes, Emerson brings his favorite lead synth tone into the mix. The sound is becoming very dense. A rhythmic pattern played by the band closes out the piece.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
A very strong album, indeed. But it’s not my favorite ELP album, even though it contains 3 of my favorite ELP tracks in From the Beginning, Hoedown & Trilogy. The rest of the album is good, but doesn’t connect with me as much as Brain Salad Surgery does. Still, though, there is a lot of prog juice to enjoy. I’ll give it a 4.25 out of 5 stars.


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