Emerson, Lake & Palmer-Love Beach (1978)

If we go back to the late 1970s, many of the great progressive rock bands were moving in a more commercial and accessible direction, as punk, disco, new heavy metal, AOR, and other new styles were in vogue. It was during these years that EL&P released their seventh and ultimately final album before disbanding until many years later when they would reunite. “Love Beach” is probably the weakest work in their entire discography, and although fans and critics fiercely panned it, it's also true that the British trio wasn't doing anything different from what other bands like Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, or Gentle Giant had already done. However, looking back, “Love Beach” isn't as mediocre as it was perceived to be in the past, although compared to their previous stellar albums, it's undoubtedly a step backward and in the wrong direction. Looking back, “Love Beach” still contains plenty of solid material, such as the enchanting progressive pop track “All I Want Is You”, where Greg Lake’s immeasurable vocals and Emerson’s magnificent symphonic keyboards shine. Another stellar moment is the dramatic and majestic “For You”, with Lake’s silky voice, Palmer’s intricate drum fills, and Emerson’s agile piano. The subdued grandiosity of “Taste of My Love” takes us back to the band’s early years, and “Canary” is a superb classical and progressive instrumental piece that allows all three members to showcase their considerable instrumental talents. The 20-minute epic “Memories of an Office and a Gentleman” is another progressive rock high point, featuring the sounds that, in the early 70s, led to millions of copies sold worldwide and placed them at the forefront of progressive rock. However, it was the mediocre tracks "The Gambler", an out-of-place blues pop number, and the saccharine "Love Beach" that partly tarnished its otherwise acceptable quality and precipitated the eventual breakup of the magnificent British trio. In conclusion, "Love Beach" isn't really as terrible as it was initially received, since roughly half the songs are quite good. While the inclusion of some generic pop tracks does detract from the final result, the album is still worthwhile for that handful of strong compositions that maintain the classic ELP sound. Perhaps it was the album cover, featuring the band standing on a Bahamian beach with their shirts open, that most alarmed everyone? It certainly wasn't the image we all expected from ELP, and perhaps it was one of the reasons (yet another) for the widespread criticism from their most ardent fans.