Return of the Manticore
From the ashes of England's late '60s psychedelic pop scene came a  group of bands that tried to expand rock's boundaries by incorporating visionary  lyrics, arrangements that mimicked the scope of classical symphonies and lengthy  instrumentals that showcased the players' technical prowess. In retrospect, the  limitations of such a bloated approach seem obvious. By the end of the '70s, the  so-called progressive rockers were considered comical dinosaurs, and none of  these bands was as reviled as ELP. Keyboardist Keith Emerson, bassist-vocalist  Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer deserved much of the derision: They were often  pompous and humorless. But the group's box set proves that ELP did create some  enduring music-though certainly not enough to justify four CDs. The set takes its name from the "mythical beast" that first appeared  on the cover ofTarkus, and the material is divided between "the  classic recordings" and new recordings by the recently reunited group.  ELP  was at its best when it combined Emerson and Palmer's over-the-top playing with  simple pop melodies: The synth solo erupts from Lake's modest folk ballad,  "Lucky Man," and the trio's take on "The Peter Gunn Theme"  is inspired. Other highlights include the creepily seductive "Still... You  Turn Me On," a previously unreleased tune called "Bo Diddley" and  an Emerson arrangement of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common  Man."--Jim DeRogatis