ELP - Singles Box Set.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Singles
(BMG)
8/10
By Paul Davies

As titans and one of the progenitors of the Progressive Rock movement, who were lauded and regaled for their blistering elongated musical passages delivered with the precision playing of a higher order, ELP never did anything by half. Cramming songs into the 12” vinyl format wasn’t a concern - filling the least of songs with the most outrageous and flamboyant musical ideas fulfilled the creative tension between the three immense talents in this group. Therefore, this lavish, cutely coloured compiled box set of all their collected 7” released between 1971 - 1992 is something of a paradox. Yes, everyone knows their universally recognised interpretation of Aaron Copland’s Fanfare For The Common Man that raced up the international Top 20 singles charts and Lucky Man lifted from their debut album. Still, the lesser-known German single releases 77s Canario or 78s Tiger In A Spotlight and 1971s Japanese single release Stones Of The Mind have been captured in the dragnet by the compilers and presented together.

The aural splendour of ELP’s melomaniac musings remains intact albeit shrink-wrapped to fit the confines of the single format. A foreword by the final letter in the ELP name and last man standing - or should that be sitting? - drummer/percussionist extraordinaire Carl Palmer reveals little more than that which is already known by dedicated fans. However, Sid Smith's liner notes elaborate on the importance and long-standing legacy of this prog institution. Known as an album's band, in a myriad of ways this 7” format is the antithesis of this band's musical remit. Nevertheless, it curiously works and the deluxe format in which it has been packaged should entice diehard fans of this eternal musical entity to collect this soon-to-be rare artefact.