Dia G 09.08.09 (5) - Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Trilogy (1972 UK)

ELP - Trilogy 

From progarchives.com

Studio Album, released in 1972

Track Listings

1. The Endless Enigma (Part One) (6:42)
2. Fugue (1:57)
3. The Endless Enigma (Part Two) (2:05)
4. From The Beginning (4:17)
5. The Sheriff (3:23)
6. Hoedown (Taken from Rodeo) {Aaron Copland, arranged by Emerson / Lake / Palmer} (3:47)
7. Trilogy (8:54)
8. Living Sin (3:14)
9. Abaddon's Bolero (8:08)

Total Time: 42:29
Line-up/Musicians

- Keith Emerson / Hammond organ C3, Steinway piano, Zoukra, Moog synthesizer IIIC, Mini Moog Model D
- Greg Lake / vocals, bass, electric & acoustic guitar
- Carl Palmer / drums, percussion

All lyrics by Greg Lake
Releases information

LP Island ILPS9186 (1972)
Cotillion / Atlantic Records 1972; re-released 1996 on Rhino {USA / Canada}
CD Rhino Records (US) 72226 (1996)
CD Sanctuary (UK) SMRCD058 (2004) Remaster + bonus track:
1. Hoedown (Live)
CD Shout Factory 826663-10491 (2007) Remaster


Easy Livin Review

“Trilogy” is probably ELP’s most progressive and complete album, and for me their best. Unlike all other ELP albums, every track on Trilogy reaches their highest standard.

“The endless enigma” opens the album in three parts (beware of the ELP compilation entitled “Fanfare for the common man)” which inexplicably fades the track before the third section). This is a superbly crafted trilogy which opens with soft, almost imperceptible synthesiser introducing frantic piano, before Lake’s crystal clear vocals pick out the main melody. After the piano based “Fugue”, a fanfare synth introduces the final section, which builds to a mighty crescendo. The fact that “Endless enigma” was rarely performed live is probably the only reason why it has not gained the recognition it warrants as one of ELP’s finest pieces.

“From the beginning” is a beautiful acoustic track featuring Greg Lake on vocals and guitar. While it has a simplistic structure, it is a finely crafted piece. Side one of the LP closes with a couple of lighter tracks, both with a western flavour. If you listen closely to Carl Palmer’s solo at the beginning of “The sheriff”, you can hear where he makes a mistake, mutters “Sh*t”, and starts again.

If the title track was released today, it would probably be labelled “Trance”. It’s a lengthy largely instrumental track, heavy on the synthesisers which, after a soft start, explodes into a driving wall of sound, ducking and diving through various time changes in the best prog traditions. The shorter “Living Sin” is a more straightforward Atomic Rooster type track, The fial piece, “Abadon’s Bolero”, one of ELP’s most popular tracks, particularly among non-fans. Ice skaters Torvill and Dean’s Olympic gold medal would have been even more of a formality had they used this Bolero as their music! The structure of the track is very simple, with only one brief deviation from the main theme, but the gradual build to the screaming synthesiser climax is hypnotic.

Varios archivos, CD y vinilo original (ambos en FLAC) y Deluxe Ed 2015 (mp3 320 Kbps)

LOOK FOR: TRESF1-2, TRESV1-4 y TRESDL