King Crimson

My interest in King Crimson is pretty much limited to the material featuring Greg Lake (before his ELP career took off), John Wetton (of Asia, Uriah Heep, etc.), and Bill Bruford (that funny-looking Yes drummer.) Robert Fripp is not at all my favorite of guitarists, and the Adrian Belew stuff I haven't listened to once, ever. (The crappy vinyl records make good coasters, though.)

"In the Court of the Crimson King"

  1. "21st Century Schizoid Man (including Mirrors)" (7:20)
  2. "I Talk to the Wind" (6:05)
  3. "Epitaph (including March for No Reason and Tomorrow and Tomorrow)" (8:47)
  4. "Moonchild (including The Dream and The Illusion)" (12:11)
  5. "The Court of the Crimson King (including The Return of the Fire Witch and The Dance of the Puppets)" (9:22)

A fantastic CD, even if the cover art is a little weird. "Schizoid Man" and "Crimson King" are pure gold anthems. The last eight minutes of "Moonchild" are nothing but tingly-tangling bell noises which annoy the hell out of some people but I kinda like it. :)

"In the Wake of Poseidon"

  1. "Peace -- A Beginning" (0:51)
  2. "Pictures of a City (including 42nd at Treadmill)" (8:02)
  3. "Cadence and Cascade" (4:38)
  4. "In the Wake of Poseidon (including Libra's Theme)" (7:59)
  5. "Peace -- A Theme"--instrumental (1:16)
  6. "Cat Food" (4:54)
  7. "The Devil's Triangle"--instrumental (11:37)
    • i. Merday Morn
    • ii. Hand of Sceiron
    • iii. Garden of Worm
  8. "Peace -- An End" (1:54)

Essentially a carbon copy of their debut -- "Pictures of a City" is played in the same cacophonous style as "Schizoid Man" (with the middle jam session being a practical note-for-note duplication); "Cadence and Cascade" is the same type of pretty ballad as "I Talk to the Wind" ...well, you get the point. I guess the minor hit "Cat Food" is somewhat original.

"Islands"

  1. "Formentera Lady" (5:20)
  2. "Sailor's Tale"--instrumental (12:29)
  3. "The Letters" (4:32)
  4. "Ladies of the Road" (5:32)
  5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls"--instrumental (4:15)
  6. "Islands" (9:16)

Never heard anything from this album until I bought it, and was unimpressed when I played it. I don't think either Lake or Wetton performs on this one, which would explain it. (The lead singer/bassist is cryptically known as "The Boss".) At least it's not as bad as Lizard, which I absolutely detested and sold just minutes after buying!

"Larks' Tongues in Aspic"

  1. "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One"--instrumental (13:36)
  2. "Book of Saturday" (2:49)
  3. "Exiles" (7:40)
  4. "Easy Money" (7:54)
  5. "The Talking Drum"--instrumental (7:26)
  6. "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two"--instrumental (7:12)

The first album from the Wetton/Bruford era. "Book of Saturday" and "Easy Money" are two of Crimson's most recognizable tunes (apart from the debut album, of course), and the "Aspic" suite is one of my favorite King Crimson instrumentals.

"Red"

  1. "Red"--instrumental (6:17)
  2. "Fallen Angel" (6:03)
  3. "One More Red Nightmare" (7:15)
  4. "Providence"--instrumental (8:12)
  5. "Starless" (12:18)

Probably the best King Crimson album of all time (although I'm still partial to the debut.) The title track blows out the speakers with an in-your-face sonic attack...best instrumental of all time, perhaps? The same theme is repeated again in "One Red Nightmare" (with lyrics, this time!) and "Starless" is a lovely ballad with a long jam session at the end. The other two tracks are rather experimental but I still dig 'em. Great stuff!

"Starless and Bible Black"

  1. "The Great Deceiver" (4:02)
  2. "Lament" (4:06)
  3. "We'll Let You Know"--instrumental (3:40)
  4. "The Night Watch" (4:41)
  5. "Trio"--instrumental (5:40)
  6. "The Mincer" (4:11)
  7. "Starless and Bible Black"--instrumental (9:11)
  8. "Fracture"--instrumental (11:11)

Ehh...little too experimental and "Fripp-ish" for my tastes. Thankfully, the band temporarily broke up after this one; and although the band reformed again in the 80's and 90's, I certainly have no intention of following their career any further.


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