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King Crimson - Red CD (album) cover

RED

King Crimson

 

Eclectic Prog

4.57 | 3766 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

aramg
5 stars King Crimson's classic era's final hoorah...and what a way to go.

Red starts off with the title track...perhaps the band's best instrumental track...with some hard rocking riffs...just a brilliant introduction. The next track, Fallen Angel shows exactly why John Wetton's voice was a perfect fit for the band...the raspy sorrow he exemplifies when belting out the chorus is just phenomenal...and Cross' violin adds a perfect symphonic feel to this great song. One More Red Nightmare, from what I've heard, shows some very early punk influences and is Bruford's best work on the album...the drums are so fast, yet so coherent. Again, Wetton sings with almost, a great sense of urgency and franticness, making this track a great bridge into the next one...Providence - put down by many as meandering and pointless improv. While I would have agreed when I first listened to the album, my opinion has changed greatly, as somehow it's begun to make sense.

The final track, perhaps my favorite song of all time, Starless, just leaves me at a loss for words. It's soft and chilling intro, beautifully drenched with Fripp's mellotron, with Wetton's even more chilling vocals just sets the mood perfectly..a great song to listen to late at night-the calm before the storm. Next begins a series of riffs of increasing pitch and tempo, leaving the listener hanging and waiting for what's to come...Then it hits - what many call the greatest minute or two in prog - the amazing crash of noise, and energy...here Mel Collins' really shines on the sax and ends the song and album on a fantastic note.

As high as it's rated on this site, I think it deserves better. KC's finest effort.

aramg | 5/5 |

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