I always thought ELP were shades above the other "prog-rock"/"concept rock" groups like Yes and Pink Floyd (and the like) in that ELP also had a lot of natural "musical sense", with their recordings/performances having a lot of aesthetic qualities often absent from the recordings/performances of their otherwise equally technically competent contemporaries, as well as superb conceptual arrangements which enhanced whatever material they were performing. Greg Lake's talent as a lyricist left much to be desired, but otherwise, aesthetically and professionally they were quite exceptional ...even within the ever-idiomatic "concept rock" realm.
ELP was a logical successor to what was called baroque rock in the 60's. A couple of examples off the top of my head might be "Eleanor Rigby," Walk Away Reneé" or maybe "Cherish." ELP and then Yes and those other groups in the 70's took it to the next level.
And let us not forget the psychedelic and "flower power" pop/rock of the mid-to-late-60s was also a precursor to "prog-rock", "power-chord rock", "glam rock", and "arena rock".
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I always thought ELP were shades above the other "prog-rock"/"concept rock" groups like Yes and Pink Floyd (and the like) in that ELP also had a lot of natural "musical sense", with their recordings/performances having a lot of aesthetic qualities often absent from the recordings/performances of their otherwise equally technically competent contemporaries, as well as superb conceptual arrangements which enhanced whatever material they were performing.
Greg Lake's talent as a lyricist left much to be desired, but otherwise, aesthetically and professionally they were quite exceptional
...even within the ever-idiomatic "concept rock" realm.
ELP was a logical successor to what was called baroque rock in the 60's. A couple of examples off the top of my head might be "Eleanor Rigby," Walk Away Reneé" or maybe "Cherish." ELP and then Yes and those other groups in the 70's took it to the next level.
And let us not forget the psychedelic and "flower power" pop/rock of the mid-to-late-60s was also a precursor to "prog-rock", "power-chord rock", "glam rock", and "arena rock".
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