ELP's Pictures At An Exhibition vs. Brain Salad Surgery.

[jkelman]

I've never actually been a big fan of PaaE, for some reason. It's not bad, but it doesn't grab me in a big way; part of it may be, especially compared to BSS and especially KE9 - but I'd say the same for the Tarkus suite and a lot of Trilogy - is that, as original compositions, the level of sophistication in Emerson's writing, in particular, is miles ahead of adapting a classical piece as they did with PaaE - and as Emo had done a lot with The Nice.

In fact, I think part of why I would definitely say I prefer BSS over KE9 is because (and I make an exception for Toccata, because that is a positively stunning adaptation) it's original music, and Emo had already done plenty as an interpreter with The Nice, so I think the drawing card of ELP was in its original music. I think ELP (but particularly Emo) had reached a point, very quickly, where they were far more compelling as writers of original music rather than adapters of the music from other pens.

Their adaptations aren't by any means bad; but I just think they were so much more compelling, so much more sophisticated, so much more imaginative, as writers of original music rather than interpreters of other folks' compositions.

[StevegSr]

Let’s see, one of their best studio albums vs. a sloppy live run-through of some cheesy, rocked-up classical themes. No contest for me. BSS all the way!

Yes, you could view PaaE that way or you could see PaaE as a brave unpolished warts and all experiment.

There's always other subjective ways to view music, IMHO.

[JJ88]

The thing is with Pictures...it was amongst the very first things they arranged. It was played at their big launch at the Isle Of Wight in 1970, for instance. But those who hadn't attended their concerts may not have been aware of this. So it came out as their third album but it's kind of like their first (although, as I said, it was very tight by this time)!

[StevegSr]

The thing is with Pictures...it was amongst the very first things they arranged. It was played at their big launch at the Isle Of Wight in 1970, for instance. But those who hadn't attended their concerts may not have been aware of this. So it came out as their third album but in reality it's kind of like their first!

Yes, indeed. The nucleus for PaaE was one of their first "big ideas", I believe.

[mkeneally]

Nothing about PaaE indicates "sloppy run-through" to me - they were freaking on fire for this performance.

Love both albums - if forced to choose one at knifepoint I love BSS more, and I'm glad I don't have to choose!

[Trane]

The thing is with Pictures...it was amongst the very first things they arranged. It was played at their big launch at the Isle Of Wight in 1970, for instance. But those who hadn't attended their concerts may not have been aware of this. So it came out as their third album but it's kind of like their first (although, as I said, it was very tight by this time)!

Nothing about PaaE indicates "sloppy run-through" to me - they were freaking on fire for this performance.

Love both albums - if forced to choose one at knifepoint I love BSS more, and I'm glad I don't have to choose!

Exactly....