Works, Vol. 1 Emerson, Lake & Palmer

I read such wildly divergent terms such as avant-garde and narcissistic applied to this album and ELP. So from someone who is an admitted novice in music, I play no instruments and cannot read music. I enjoy a wide variety of styles and love this album. There are elements of gospel, rock, ballads, and classical present here. I enjoy and have enjoyed Works 1 since first hearing it on my audiophile friends superb system in 1977. That being my introduction to ELP. This album and Brain Salad Surgery my favorites of their work. All these years later still two of my top albums of all my collection.

This is a great collection of diverse works by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. It really shows and highlights each one's own very talented skills even great talent in songwriting by dummer Carl Palmer in his own right. Overall, though Volume 2 did feature some good tracks on there, This is The Better Half of the Works records. Also, RIP to both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake.

Pirates: This single song is worth the price of admission on this double record set. It’s arguably ELP’s most fully realized composition.

As the curtain set on ELP, this recording roared with thunder. Although this offering is essentially a collection of music that showcased each individual musician, Pirates and Aaron Copeland’s, Fanfare for the Common Man, are towering group performances - powerful and fun.

Buy, listen and bask in the band’s glory. Long live ELP.