Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Date:         Mon, 4 Jan 1993 17:19:16 EST
From:         Ilia <CC29@IONA.BITNET>
Subject:      Crimson's middle album (widened)

Marco writes:

>         If I had to choose one single album from their production, I'd still
> go for "In The Court Of The Crimson King". It's amazing for two reasons: first
> when one compares it to "The Cheerful Insanity Of Giles, Giles and Fripp",
> which was the earlier attempt of the man; second, when one tries to remember
> that the record came out in *1969*, when most of the progressive bands were
> still asking themselves which way to go. In the next few years there were so
> many musicians who tried to get KC's sound that the album became a milestone
> in itself.

Well, it surely is a matter of taste, but I never really thought of
_In The Court Of The Crimson King_ the way I think about later albums.
It contains a lot of interesting (more or less) innovations, such as
extensive use of 'traditional' instruments on, say, "Epitaph", or a
long 'free' jam on "Moonchild", but generally, it is not nearly
as original as the things Crimson did some two years later. _In The
Wake Of Poseidon_ introduces some jazz influence and has a long
dissonant tune, but about half of the album is a replay of the ideas
used in _In The Court_. It was _Lizard_ - their next album - where, in
my opinion, the essence of what KC was meant to be was defined in a
sophisticated and gorgeous manner. Whatever Marco said about the jump
from _The Cheerful Insanity Of_ to _In The Court_ is surely applicable
to _Lizard_ - its concept is very far from being a logical continuation
of the first two records. BTW, I was surprised to read in the MHB
post that the instrumental jam following Anderson's singing on "Lizard"
in considered a "hard" thing to swallow. I would probably name it as my
most favorite piece (if such a thing is possible) on any 70-s Crimson
album. The alternation of structured rhythmical figures with a tender
trumpet gently starting its solo, as if probing its own sound, is
absolutely amazing. And then a part when bass plays the same note within
different intervals creating a strange sensation of 'regular
irregularity', and on top of it - a heavy guitar solo coming from
distance, lazily and confidently, like a huge animal appearing on
the horizon and obscuring the Sun. And what about that funny waltz,
where the speed, pitch, and the amount of dissonance gradually increase,
making you feel like you are on a fantastic carrousel, that goes faster
and faster?! And what about... uh, sorry, folks. :)

>         Anyway, a second choice should really include "Lizards", though I thin
> that the best incarnation of Crimson was that of 1973-74, with Wetton, Bruford
> and Cross. The live gigs contained in the box "The Great Deceiver" are outstan
> ding to say the least (though I've already had the chance to say I consider
> the box in itself a little too selfish and exaggerated).

       _Lizard_ was my long-time favorite, although now I would probably
prefer _Starless and Bible Black_, simply because that's the only album
where I am still discovering new levels of depth, so to speak. I also
think that _Starless and Bible Black_ signifies the peak of Crimson
creativity. The following album - _Red_ - was much less eventful and
colorful (ha-ha). As far as _Three of a Perfect Pair_, _Beat_, and
_Discipline_ are concerned, I am not too familiar with them to say
anything reasonable. So I'll keep quiet. For now. :)
         Ilia
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