Tarkus

Very proggy. Great playing, weak songs, pretentious and some cringy lyrics.

MUCH better than I feared it would be. That said, I'm starting to resent this project for not having half stars. this is a 3.5 for me.

Absolute gratuitous prog rock wankery, as is ELP's wont... A near 21 minute "Tarkus" movement is the introduction to this album and it's just so goddamn long, the rest is serviceable for a knees up, though.

This album has some really enjoyable moments, and its highs are quite high. But between those highs, and during moments that would otherwise be highs, is just oh...so...much...wankery.

Fun time actually. Nothing extra, but enjoyable

It often reveals a benighted aesthetic to call something pretentious - it can even be pretentious to evaluate a work of art that way - but I do not know what else to say about this record or this band: they fit that category too perfectly. Pretentious b/c soullessly self-important - plenty of great artists suffer from self-importance, but if they have soul they have my ears - ELP is what happens when a group of not very intelligent nerds fly the flags of their nerdism via the overabundance of organs and Moogs. It's a truism: if you have nothing to say, blast the organ loudly and annoyingly. It turns out this group has nothing to say: 'Have you walked on the stones of years? / When you speak, is it you that hears?' Altho...an armadillo I like very much.

Very very good. Prog rock greatness.

Tarkus! Tarkus! Tarkus!
Dude, I mean, just look at this artwork, says it all really!

As for the album... could this batshit rock get any more progressive??

That was truly awful.

why is the first song 20 minutes long. 4/10

Very fun. Much of the title track resembled video game music which is neat

Didn't mind this one bit. The 20 minute opener intrigued me and kept my attention and the rest of the songs didn't do any harm.

There’s no denying the sheer musicianship on Tarkus — the playing is phenomenal, the organ tones are wild, and the opening suite is ambitious in every sense. But somewhere between the dazzling runs and conceptual excess, the soul gets lost. It often feels more like “because we can” than “because we must.” I respect the scale and execution, but it’s not something I’ll reach for often.

God damn that's a great album cover. I almost don't have to listen to the record at all.
Early prog was so great. Just a bunch of nerds (as a nerd, I use that term endearingly) writing batshit crazy songs that are actually about serious subjects such as the futility of war and hypocrisy of politics, in this case told as a story of...(checks notes)...an armadillo/tank hybrid fighting a battle with a mythological lion/scorpion/human/porcupine hybrid. I mean that just writes itself really.
I would love to see an album like this released today. There are certainly bands doing things similar but they aren't exactly selling out stadiums.
The thing I don't like about Emerson, Lake & Palmer is the organ. I don't mind some synths here and there but the choice to have an electric organ sound in rock music is just so strange to me. It doesn't fit at all, it makes it sound like church. I know the organ was kind of a fad during this period of music but still. I mean it's played well and had it been another instrument it would have been epic but the organ just takes me out of it.
However, this is a fucking banger. I think this is basically like the ELP version of 2112, although 2112 is a far superior album. It falls off a little for me on the second side but not enough to dock too many points. I love this and will definitely be on the lookout for it at the record shop. 4.5/5

Surprised that I enjoyed it. It's reputation proceeded it. Yes, it is a little silly in parts. But it's beautifully played throughout and has a pleasantly wistful feel. I would happily drink tea, while it rains outside, and listen to Tarkus.
Great cover art.

Pretty cool.

Not the ideal album to come back to after a holiday. Pretty dated, the 20min intro song just comes across as pretentious but prog rock is in general. 2/5.

Not my favourite prog rock band, but it was ok.

Interesting. It’s all over the place after the first song. Not necessarily in a bad way, seems like they were trying some things out. Overall I didn’t mind it but I doubt I’ll ever listen to it again. Also, that is some terrible album art.

It very much feels like low-level prog. It's not grabbing me. It's just a bit mediocre.