EL & P Emerson,Lake & Palmer/CA,USA 1972 Upgrade

“ABADDON’S TRILOGY”, a high-quality recording of the performance at Long Beach Arena on March 22, 1972, which suddenly appeared last spring and has been a hit for its valuable and high-quality content, has been a long-selling CD. As explained with Master Tape Direct, this is the definitive edition of the definitive edition from the 1st Leg of the 1972 North American tour, which was recorded with the highest quality sound as an audience recording at the time, dismissing the previous releases. . What’s more, it is the only album that contains two of the rarest signboards in perfect high sound quality: “Trilogy”, which until then was said to have never been played live, and the precious “Abaddon’s Bolero”. Since it was a take, from the time it was released, there were many voices saying, “Why don’t you release this title?” The reason was that it was right after the “Emerson & Lake” project, and management was quite nervous about pirated discs, and I remember being very nervous about it. This time, this label has acquired another high-quality master from an overseas collector. If you compare it with the previously released Amity edition, you will understand at first listen that the tone and clear sound quality are a completely different master sound source that gives the impression of a more natural and clear sound. The sound is thick and strangely close, and there is no doubt that fans will be captivated by ELP’s stage performance at its peak with this sound! The ultra-vintage sound is truly the strongest and best, with no hiss or the slightest hint of excessive equalization. From the sound check sound of the organ in the intro, the difference in sound from the recent Amity releases as well as past releases (“Trilogy By Trilogy” (BC)) was obvious, and as soon as Hoedown started, I thought, “This is really true. Is it the same sound source?” You will be shocked by how good the sound is. Especially for those who have only listened to the BC version, they will be surprised once again by the fact that “the sound image, sound quality, impression, everything can change so much depending on the difference in generation.” The powerful performance of this period, which progresses with large scale and thick sound, is something you want to enjoy with the best sound possible. This was a time when the Tarkus tour varied its standard set by adding new songs from the Trilogy album, and was similar to the 1973 European tour, which included a pre-release prototype of Karn Evil. There is a feeling. Although it doesn’t yet have a sense of speed, Hoedown is played dramatically at an imposing tempo, and although it is a new song, it has a stately mood. The fullness of Tarkus’s performance, which is full of overwhelming perfection, is truly wonderful, and you can enjoy the ultimate performance of dramatic progressive rock. As expected, this song is better played at this speed. As with previous releases, the tape change cut at 6:35 is disappointing, but the sound image is constant and does not stress the listener. Carl is also hitting with a calm rhythm, and Greg’s clear vocals are also exquisite. Keith bee! While playing the synth, he said, “Yesterday (3/21 Denver), it’s from a new work that I performed live for the first time in the UK, which I’m still recording in the UK.The Moog synthesizer can only produce one note, so I can’t play chords.That’s why I can’t play chords. “It’s a song called Trilogy, which is played using a backing track recorded on a recorder,” the MC said, beginning Trilogy’s second historic performance. The piano part in the first half progresses lyrically, and at 2:48, when a wall of overdubbed Moog sound pops out, you can hear the surrounding audience shouting “Ohh” in excitement. Although it is a primitive method of playing simultaneously while playing a tape, the unique force is fully reproduced, and the powerful sound image is full of impact. The band gets confused at around 4:36, but things get pretty good after that, and they successfully reproduce on stage the unique tone and avant-garde color feel that can be heard on the album, including the vocal part. The Moog solo in the second half is also a great listen, and you can enjoy a thrilling performance that you will never forget once you listen to it, including the ending that seems to be broken. Following Keith’s relaxed mood MC who played a difficult song, the Take A Pebble suite is a nearly 8-minute piano solo from this period that creates the best listening place. At the beginning of Disc 2, following a trial play of the synth and a short introduction by Keith, Abaddon’s Bolero, which is difficult to reproduce on stage, is played again. I’m glad that this was also recorded with really great sound, but what’s disappointing is that there is a cut at 3:14. However, it seems that the tape reversal was done immediately and the loss was minimal, but it is really unfortunate that this valuable take was cut! This also uses tapes that were previously recorded, and they explode in the second half of the song, but the tempo of the tape and the actual performance was messed up, and I thought, “This is impossible.” ” The performance clearly shows that he threw the spoon. The moment of silence in the audience after a song ends is strangely interesting. Pictures At An Exhibition, which starts quickly as if to say, “Forget the performance just now,” is completely different and allows you to enjoy a spectacular performance. The large-scale performance that is performed confidently at a stable tempo is the best, and you can enjoy the dramatic and sharp performance typical of the first half of 1972 with excellent sound quality. The organ and Moog are both beautifully recorded and impressive! It’s a pity that the second half of Rondo, which includes the encore drum solo, is missing, but you can enjoy the nearly 12-minute performance with high sound quality until the end. The sound is so good that it was recorded with such a spacey sound that Keith’s grease texture has never been effective. It’s really amazing how the sound gets even better even during the encore. It’s great that the 1972 spring tour was recorded in such a wonderful high quality, but it’s even more miraculous that the two ultra-rare Trilogy and Abaddon’s Bolero songs were played on the same day and you could listen to them in such high quality. It is no exaggeration to say that. In fact, there aren’t many great live CDs like this. Live at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA. USA 22nd March 1972 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND(UPGRADE) Disc 1(54:30) 1. Intro 2. Hoedown 3. Tarkus 4. Trilogy 5. Take A Pebble 6. Lucky Man 7. Piano Improvisations 8. Take A Pebble (reprise) Disc 2(35:36) 1. Abaddon’s Bolero Pictures At An Exhibition 2. Promenade 3. The Hut Of Baba Yaga 4. The Curse Of Baba Yaga 5. The Hut Of Baba Yaga 6. The Great Gates Of Kiev 7. Rondo incl. Drum Solo