More of the Music of Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Reviews and Commentaries for Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Debut
This commentary is from many years ago.
NEWSFLASH
The findings from recent shootouts have shown us the error of our ways.
A textbook case of Live and Learn.
This is what we used to think:
The Brit copies may take top honors for side one (“sweetness, openness, tubey magic, correct tonality, presence without aggressiveness, well-defined note-like bass, extended airy highs”) but the Hot Stamper Cotillion copies KILL on side two. They really ROCK, with greater dynamic contrasts and seriously prodigious bass, some of the best ever committed to vinyl.
The Brits tend to be a bit too “pretty” sounding. They’re too polite for this bombastic music. This music needs the whomp down below and lots of jump factor to work its magic.
The Brits are super-low distortion, with a more open, sweeter sound, especially up top, but the power of the music is just not as powerful as it can be on these very special Cotillions.
This Cotillion on side one is a rare gem indeed, one of the best domestics we’ve ever heard. It’s not quite as smooth and sweet as some, but it’s every bit as good in most other areas, and better in the bass. The Cotillion pressings of this album have bass that puts 99% of all the rock records in the world to shame. (And 100% of the half-speed mastered records!)
This is a case where, to get the ultimate sound, you not only need two copies, you need two copies made in different countries!
We actually prefer the British pressings on both sides now.
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