Justified by extras
progger23236 | Richmond, Virginia | 10/05/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Sadly, this album does not match the artistic standards established within earlier releases by ELP. However, within this release, one is treated to three extras which were recorded in the Bahamas during rehersal sessions. The drums are loud in the mix and the synths are distorted but these extra tracks are spirited and enjoyable in this context.
The bonus tracks are Canario, Taste of my Love and Letters from the Front. They are all played as instrumentals, interesting twist for the latter two tracks. I give this four stars for the ELP fan and only two or three stars for other music fans as this is not the best place to start."
You can't judge a book by its cover
J. Talsma | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 02/19/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If this expression is valid it is here as nothing else. Three broad laughing gents on a piece of tropical beach together with the horrible title "Love Beach", who do they think are, the Bee Gees? Hardly anyone with a taste for progressive music will think that this album belongs to that category. Despised by fans and critics alike it went only downstream and was the end of one of the best progressive rockbands ever. After releasing a string of harddriven rockalbums ELP choose halfway their career for something else and came with "Works vol. 1", not a bandalbum but solo-efforts of its members, Emerson with his piano-etude, Lake with 5 beautiful ballads and Palmer with more industrous work, demonstrating his skills as percussionist. Only two tracks were played by the band. They took this concept on the road with a full orchestre which proved disastrous in financial ways and they had to play as a trio again to refund the losses made. In the meantime "Works vol. 2" was released, a rag bag of odds 'n sods and rareties, with outtakes from the "Brain Salad Surgery"-album, along with its titletrack (!), Emersons solo pianoboogie rendition of Lewis' "Honky Tonk Train Blues" and Lake with his already on single issued "I Believe in Father Christmas". Only on a handfull of tracks the whole band played. No wonder it was less succesfull than its precedessors. Against this backdrop the alreay beginning to disengrate band was pressed by its recordcompany to come up with a new release and the tiredsome members went into the studio again. First things first: this IS a real bandalbum! Lake comes up with 4 handsome songs, sings and plays al kind of acoustic, electric and bassguitar, and even mouthharp on one of the tracks. Together with Emerson he wrote "The Gambler" (ELP with female backingvocals, can you imagine?), the strongest of the first 5 songs. Emerson came up with an adaption of a classical work "Canario", somewhat reminiscent of the "Trilogy" album, extensively played on the mighty Yamaha GX1 triplekeyboardsynthesizer. Piece de resistance is the epic albumcloser "Memoires of an Officer and a Gentleman", a collaboration by Emerson and longtime Lake cohort from his King Crimson days, Pete Sinfield (who is credited on all the songs). Not "Tarkus" or "Karn Evil", except for its length, it stands in its own right with beautiful piano and keyboardparts, courtesy Emerson and the GX1. Already during recording the band fell apart and the members went their own way. That is a sad end to a great band and this album fell in between, they were not able to support it in concert. Some tracks however could easily have been placed on the setlist. As far as I know none of its material has even been played live, also not on the nineties comebacktour. That is a shame because the songs are downright good enough to play for an audience. They would have greet "Canario" with enthusiasm. Finally there is only the album itself to listen to and that satisfies me."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1