IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

This album comes from an era where a brave group of musicians were trying to create something new and stimulant with roots in classical, jazz and psychedelic music. This movement was especially active in the UK and it supposed the birth of progressive rock.

And despite not being the first symphonic rock album (do you recall The Moody Blues?), King Crimson were one of the first to create a true milestone of prog rock with this record, which is a perfect mix between jazz, folk and the primal hard rock of the end of the 60's.

Some tracks like the incredibly well-crafted 21st Century Schizoid Man and the solemn Epitaph still sound actual today, while others like the folk-rock I Talk to the Wind and The Court of the Crimson King are authentic mellotron feasts, truly enchanting and melodic.

The production was also very good and the engineering just crazy. The band spent hours creating melodies and mellotron tracks for this album, and this love and affection for their own music can be felt through the whole record.

Best Tracks: I love every song in this album! With the exception of the improvised part of Moonchild, which a find annoying and just nonsensical. You can blame it on me!

Conclusion: In the Court of The Crimson King is an incredible album from these true pioneers of prog and fusion. It's not a perfect disc because Moonchild is not at the same level of the rest tracks, and it's a veeeeery long song. For this reason, I can't give this album five stars.

Nevertheless, if you haven't heard this essential piece of music, you need to do it. You will discover the roots of many modern prog-rock bands and artists here, and for this reason it still sounds actual and modern almost fifty years after its release!

My rating: ****

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