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King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King CD (album) cover

IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

King Crimson

 

Eclectic Prog

4.64 | 4725 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Neurotarkus
5 stars This album has often been cited as the beginning of prog rock, and I mostly agree- while there were certainly predecessors like the Moody Blues and the Beatles, the first TRUE prog-rock album, the first that could be first and foremost called "prog" as opposed to symphonic rock or pop rock, was this, the legendary "In the Court of the Crimson King".

It begins with the hard-rocking, proto-metal "21st Century Schizoid Man", which successfully blends metal, jazz, rock, and prog into a heavy, bruising monster of a song. Next is the gentle, serene "I Talk to the Wind", which soothes the listener after the preceding barrage, leading him or her into a peaceful state. Then comes the melancholy Epitaph, which seems builds of the previous track, though the placid soundscapes have now turned into an atmosphere of sadness and mourning. And then comes the center of this album's controversy- Moonchild. I side with the camp that states that the first two or three minutes are great, taking the melancholy of Epitaph and transforming it into outright depression- but this then turns into a messy, boring, overly experimental jam- however, if you're a fan of randomness and experimentation, then you may like this- all music is subjective, and some may find this 10-minute slab appealing, while others may deem it repulsive. However, the album goes out of the gate strong, with the epic title track, which is almost stereotypically prog, particularly the heavy use of mellotrons and the medieval lyrics- this is probably the second best track on the album, after the opener. I have two reasons why I give this album 5 stars, despite the fact that Moonchild drags on way too long: First, the four other songs and the first quarter of the aforementioned track are brilliant, and second, this album is the epitome and the beginning of progressive rock as we know it, and while I don't like to say that ANYTHING is ABSOLUTELY essential, I must say that, to get prog rock, this epic album by one of prog's greatest bands is required listening. Highly recommended to anybody.

Neurotarkus | 5/5 |

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