I guess I'll throw some gas on the fire.... I AM RIGHT ON WITH QUAD LINDA'S Comments ----I love the old school stereo lps. Old school Gimmicks. These were amazing headphone lps with my Beyer-dynamics, or my roommates Koss cups. Revolver ,Rubber Soul, Super Session, BS&T (1) CHFTTM, LedZep 2, Doors, DSOTM (very Gimmicky), UMMAGUMMA (several Species VERY VERY VERY GIMMICKY), any ELP, DOORS, Edgar Winter Frankenstein, Moody Blues TOCCC & DOFP, The WHO Tommy & Quadraphenia, Jean Michel Jarre Le Concerts en China, Yellow -one Second,Aphrodite's Child- 666, Vangelis-Heaven and Hell& Bladerunner, Buffalo Springfield- Retrospective, Blind Faith -ST, JIMI Electric Ladyland, CSN , CSN&Y - if ELP is "gimmicky" then all of these are the same descent. I Love GIMMICKY I hate turgid poo - go mix in mono if you want that junk, The GREAT THING about ELP was that what I heard in concert in the heady days of 73 IS what I Heard on the 2001 surround Mix, That mix is perfect - it's like hearing the concert all over again. SOME PEOPLE DON'T like riding roller coasters- and that is what BSS is- it's a nerve shattering roller coaster ride- if you don't like it it's OK. Gimmicky? No. It is as the Group played it.
There is a fad of opinion, reactionary in fact, that a more "restrained" approach is better than sonic fireworks going off aLL around your head like the first releases of DVD-A in 2001. The same thing happened to stereo albums. When 8 tracks were replaced by 16 replaced by 32 replaces by 64 etc etc etc. Producers replaced musicians who lost the 5 CHANNEL'S OF MUSIC in the other 59 tracks the producers filled with horns and background singers (yeah I hate that part in DSOTM) music in Well I say GOD BLESS them esp in ELP's case. I Hope Trilogy is a Free or all esp during the synth solos in the SONG TRILOGY. I understand ELP's music can be trying for alot of people. Do you remember "AMADEUS" when the King told Mozart that there were :"too many notes", the same principle applies to ELP many critics (now dead) HATED ELP for "pretentiousness". They just could not follow the notes. There are 9 movements in KarnEvil9 1st impression alone (that's an album for most artists back then). Those critics are DEAD and ELP's music is still being refreshed and performed. Emerson is in Japan for an orchestral Tarkus performance and then IN Sept his Piano Concerto will be played Lexington KY and he will receive some sort of award.
So I like gimmicks.s - I'm falling asleep sorry...