In some ways it has a similar layout of “The Yes Album.”  The 3 tunes per side follow a similar rhythm, or style, or sound…however you may call the discerning characteristics.  “Machine Messiah” follows a path close to “Yours Is No Disgrace.”  Seriously- check it out.  “White Car” is a short, lower intensity piece like “The Clap.”  “Starship Trooper,” a lighter but still adventurous piece juxaposed with “Does it Happen,” where both end with an instrumental section with solos, etc.

So if you were to time travel the “Drama” album back to 1971 and change the guitar and keyboard sounds to those of that era, I think you’d be very happy with the album as a second “The Yes Album,”…a follow up.  (King Crimson sort of did this with their first two which may be good and may be bad…another discussion some other time!)  Of course, what Yes did as a follow up was get Rick Wakeman in the band and then things started really cooking compositionally.

See, I was trying to find the good in the album when it came out.  An avid fan doesn’t want to dislike an album by one of his favorite bands, you know?  (Tormato is another story.  Can’t find much in there for me, but maybe I’m missing it.)  Plus, without the ego of Jon Anderson Howe and Squire were freer to just go for it, and perhaps the similar formatting was a slight dig to the other boys to say, “See- we can do it without you!” 

Quickly, I think another similar attribute to “The Yes Album” is that the music is slightly simpler harmonically and rhythmically.  Still great skills there, just a little “friendlier.”  Downes uses a lot of triads and the tunes are a lot more diatonic.  The lick on “Tempus Fugit” comes to mind.

Guess what?  I really LIKE that! 

Now for Trevor Horn.  He sings really well if you forget there was a Jon Anderson.  I think everyone instantly does the comparison and of course one can’t replace Anderson.  (I have to say that I have not heard them on tour recently with the YouTube found singer.  Friends have told me it was pretty good.  I saw the 25th anniversary tour and sort of vowed after that to just try and remember them as they were.)  But listen to Horn on his own right.  He has a unique voice and he is in tune most of the time.  Squire’s got him singing at the top of his range the whole time, too.  Poor guy! 

His singing gives the band a more human sound.  You can connect with Horn as a “singer” whereas Anderson is this cosmic thing…a nearly non-human, angelic voice that soars above the music.  Horn is right in the music.  You can grasp it and imagine yourself singing his part even.  It would have been interesting if the Drama band had done a second album.  What would have developed with that particular chemistry?  Instead “Drama” was also a transitional stepping stone to the 90120 or whatever it was.  That album pissed me off and I was out of there!  However, you can see it in that light, also.

So pull out the “Drama” album and give it a good listen.  I think if you take into consideration my take on it you might be pleased with it.

Getting to the ELPsection I had no luck in finding much at all, but there was this CD called “The KeithEmerson Band” which came out in ’08.  I was totally excited!  I have always been a big fan of Keith Emerson so I was anxious to hear what he’d been doing in these recent times.  Putting in on in my car I was immediately thrilled.

It opens with Emerson letting his compositional voice go without holding back at all.  It reminded me of the “Trilogy” album a bit.  Piano flourishes from a Bartok language.  Stacked 4ths in the harmony.  Bliss!  It was like he made an ELP without having to appease the Lake.  Everything is going fine and then, yup…it had to happen…vocals.  Some rock guitar dude, who adds nothing in my opinion, starts to sing and I really wish he hadn’t.  That is the kicker with symphonic rock music.  The vocals more often than not kill it.  Lake had a beautiful voice and the early 70′s were fine for spacey lyrics and all that.  Today, writing sensical as opposed to non-sensical lyrics just seems to be the order of the day…and it just doesn’t work.  Cheapens it…instantly.

I have only given it a good listen all the way through once so I will return to it and give it more chances.  Musically it is mainly fantastic.  (The guitar player writes some but the real juice is of course Emerson’s contributions.)  The best thing is hearing Keith playing the Hammond and the Moog and of course his piano.  There are newer keyboards in there, too, providing the sonic landscapes and so on, but digital patches sound timely and only conjure up 80′s/90′s nightmares to me.  On the Hammond Keith’s chops are up and it sounds killin’.  Goff Professional out of Hartford, CT still provides his customized C3.  Nice overdrive on the Leslie, boys!

I totally recommend the album.  It is great to hear and to support one of the most important musicians of the latter 20th Century and of this century is also important.  As a keyboardist I have a lot to thank Keith for.  Now he has inspired me again.

I mean, really- check out his composing on this.  He is really going for it!  Keith- just go for it MORE!  Skip the singer and pick up some jazz fusion cats from the States who will have the musicianship you need and then just put out any music you want.  It’s not like any of us are going to sell anything artistic and highly musical anyway, right?

(For any lay-persons not too familiar with Keith Emerson, I suggest picking up the first 3 Emerson, Lake, and Palmer albums.  Get to know those and then grab the 4th, Brain Salad Surgery.  The DVD “Beyond the Beginning” is fantastic and has live clips and a documentary.  Watching the clips of “Take A Pebble” and Emerson’s piano solo at the California Jam (not the spinning piano part) will prove to anyone that this guy really is a concert pianist.  The first thing you should do, still, is to pick up the first album, “Emerson, Lake, and Palmer,” and listen to it all the way through.  Let it seep in.  You’ll love it.)