As Carl Palmer predicted before last year’s High Voltage Festival, ELP’s reunion was a one-off. But then his own interpretation of the band’s heritage with his guitar-led trio has proved more invigorating than ELP’s ponderous, ego-crippled latter day endeavours.
Volume 3 of his Working Live series, recorded in 2007, finds Palmer flanked by guitarist Paul Bielatowicz and bassist Stuart Clayton.
What might appear to be a foolhardy attempt at Pictures At An Exhibition turns out to be a lively, inventive, jazzy romp while Bitches Crystal from Tarkus has more sparkle than the original. Peter Gunn and Nutrocker are thrown in for light relief and if you can’t handle eight-minute drum solos then you can simply skip the last track.
