LIZARD

This is King Crimson's most ecclectic and jazzy records they have recorded. They go in a direction that they had yet to go to and have yet to come to again (islands come close but its not nearly as good) The depth of the instrumentation is amazing, every time i listen to this record I hear some new aspect to the musicianship. An album like this is the definition of prog rock in my opinion. Completely different from past works and not an attempt at making commercial songs, it is just straight creative work here.

Cirkus- 10/10: This song is amazing, the song starts with some nice vocal/lyrics and a electric piano rhythm, then the dissonant horns come in. Fripps classical/acoustic guitar on this is superb! Why fripp never uses classical/acoustic guitars anymore bewilders me he has such a good sound on them. Mel Collins sax work on this song is excellent as well.

Indoor Games- 10/10: Such a quirky song! Again a good work to describe this is depth, the song is incredibly jazzy feeling. The vocals/lyrics are just off the wall, i love it. This middle/late part of the song is a jam/improv feeling section but it has great direction and the musicians work off each other with ease and skill. The musicianship is excellent and abstract. Only bad part of this song is the very end where Haskell does that very disturbing laugh(lol).

Happy Family- 9/10: Another song in the same breath as indoor games. Jazzy sounds, off the wall vocals/lyrics, excellent musicianship but with an extremely experimental edge. This is a high form of prog rock in my opinion, pushing the limits of the music. This song doesn't deserve 10/10 because unlike indoor games the improv/jam section of the song involves the musicians going off in different directions which makes it sound a bit random still superb work though.

Lady of the dancing water-8/10: After all that frantic jazziness a ballad is in order, this song brings it to you in the vein of cadence and cascade, I talk to the wind. Haskells voice isn't the best for ballads in my opinion but he does a good job. If it wasn't so similar to past works this would be 10/10.

Lizard- 10/10: Beginning with the wonderful prince rupert which includes jon anderson and the great electric piano of tippet this song is very fresh for a crimson song. Lizard then shifts to Bolero which is a wonderful intrumental piece with an almost classical feel. This is a bit of a precursor for what is to come on islands. The song gets jazzier as it progresses. Next is battle of the glass tears which starts off in a ballad fashion but then builds into a quite dissonant sounding jazzy piece. This section has some incredible flutework in particular and also some nice mellotron and sax work. All arouind great musicianship. Fripps soloing at around 20:00 is a precursor to his tone in the wetton era. The piece ends with an eccletic ending that gets the circus feel in it.