Trilogy (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)

Infobox Album | Name = Trilogy
Type = Album
Artist = Emerson, Lake & Palmer


Released = July 1972
Recorded = January 1972
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 42:23
Label = Rhino Records
Producer = Greg Lake
Last album = "Pictures at an Exhibition"
(1971)
This album = "Trilogy"
(1972)
Next album = "Brain Salad Surgery"
(1973)
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5upyxdabjols link]

"Trilogy" is the third studio album by British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, originally released in 1972. The interior of the original gatefold sleeve features a photomontage showing multiple images of the band in Epping Forest carpeted with autumn leaves.

The band had already released two very carefully performed studio albums, "Emerson, Lake and Palmer" (1970) and "Tarkus" (1971), the former being dominated by virtuoso keyboards and drumming; the latter being as bombastic as it was ambitious. "Trilogy", their third studio album, increased ELP's worldwide popularity, and included "Hoedown", which was one of their most popular songs when performing live.

The song "Endless Enigma Part One" opens with the sound of a beating heart, an effect created by the bass drum pedal of Palmer's Ludwig Octoplus kit. Notably, this effect was invented by Carl Palmer long before it was ever used on Jethro Tull's "A Passion Play" or Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon".

The opening drum solo on the track "The Sheriff" features a slight time-mistake, followed by drummer Carl Palmer responding with the word "shit" which can be heard when listening carefully.

"Abaddon's Bolero" sounds like a martialized Bolero (in 4/4 rhythm rather than the usual 3/4). A single melody containing multiple modulations within itself is repeated over and over in ever more thickly layered arrangements, starting from a quiet flute-like sound over a single drum, and building up to an ear-shattering wall of sound. This aspect may well be a nod to the similar effect in Maurice Ravel's famous Bolero.

The album reached #5 on the Billboard 200. "From the Beginning" reached #39 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Track listing

ide one

#"The Endless Enigma Part One" (Emerson/Lake) – 6:37
#"Fugue" (Emerson) – 1:57
#"The Endless Enigma Part Two" (Emerson/Lake) – 2:00
#"From the Beginning" (Lake) – 4:14
#"The Sheriff" (Emerson/Lake) – 3:22
#"Hoedown" "Taken from Rodeo" (Copland) – 3:48

ide two

#"Trilogy" (Emerson/Lake) – 8:54
#"Living Sin" (Emerson/Lake/Palmer) – 3:11
#"Abaddon's Bolero" (Emerson) – 8:13

Bonus track

#"Hoedown" (Copland) - 4:06 (Live)

ingles

* From the Beginning / Living Sin