IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

Considered one of the first prog records ever, I would be lying if I said it wasn't one of the greatest. The rest of King Crimson's discography is definitely overshadowed by this record, but it more than deserves all the praise it gets. It is one of the most complex recordings ever, and definitely not for beginning prog listeners.

21st century schizoid man is one of the craziest prog songs ever, and has some killer vocals and guitar solos. the intro is the most epic thing ive ever heard. A full orchestra blares along to a classic Fripp riff, whats better than that?

Track rating - 10/10

I talk to the wind slows things down a lot after such a crazy intro. Beautiful vocals from Greg lake and a calming melody make this song pleasing and calming. Be prepared for the greatness that follows.

Track rating - 8/10

Epitaph is no doubt the greatest song on the album, and one of the greatest prog songs ever. Soaring and haunting vocals from Lake send chills down my spine every time I listen. The musicianship and instrumentation on this track is unparalleled anywhere else. One of the greatest moments of my life was hearing this track for the first time.

track rating - 11/10

Moonchild is a bit of a weird one. Its starts out fine, with some really beautiful lyrics and melodies. 3 minutes later it transitions to something else that can only be described as a free-form jam session on drugs. This will either make or break the track for you. For me, it calmed me down and prepared me for what follows afterwards, but I know some listeners really don't like 9 minutes of weird sounds coming from instruments.

Track rating - 7/10 (personally 9/10 because i like the jam out session)

In the court of the crimson king is the title track that finishes the album. It is the perfect finish to a near perfect album, Greg Lakes vocals on the one line "In the court of the crimson kiiiiiiiing" get me every time. The instrumentation and the use of a mellotron make this song a classic.

Track rating - 10/10

Overall, this is an absolute classic and one of the greatest albums of all time. If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Its worth the price of admission.