Larks Tongues overrated?

No, not to me.

Unfortunely I have to admit LTIA is all overrated.

Dellinger wrote: Bitterblogger wrote: The Truth wrote: Larks Tongues is actually the only Wetton album I've heard, but it's definitely a masterpiece. (I own it and every KC album before it, hope to get Starless and Bible Black soon.) Don't forget to include live material from this period. I recommend starting with USA, for an absolutely fantastic version of LTIA part 2, and Asbury Park. I haven't heard USA, but I feel it would be better to get Collectible King Crimson Vol 1 over USA, because Collectible includes the same concert from the USA album, but with Cross's original violin instead of the studio overdubbed one from I don't remember who played it. And it's got the whole concert. Besides, Collectible is a double album with another concert, which has my very favourite version of Starless (for me, this song was made to be played with violin, and unlike other live version, the final part of the song is really strong here - I like it better than the sax studio version).

I'm old enough to remember the transition in question. I loved the early records and was excited that Fripp was trying something new. A welcome change, for my tastes. "In The Court ..." and "Larks Tongues..." are both deserved classics and I love both of them and their respective eras equally.

Ronnie Pilgrim wrote: I agree with Moshkito. I don't think Wetton really found his "voice" with King Crimson until later. Such as the vocals on "One More Red Nightmare." The vocals on "Book of Saturdays" sound kind of forced to me. But I still love this album and regard it as masterpiece of progressive rock. PS if you ever heard Wetton singing with Ian McDonald during the Hackett concerts in Japan you'd realize his voice aged much better than Lake's (although he is using the style Lake laid down in the 60's on those particular songs).

Interestingly enough I found Wetton's vocals to be a bit more powerful on Bandstand and Fearless by Family, where he sometimes takes the lead vocal or shares it with Chapman. On Larks' he sounds different. Maybe even weaker or un-assure.

As we all know, King Crimson established a certain sound from the very first album. By the time "Larks" was released, they had already gone through many line-up changes and 3 different lead vocalists (Lake, Haskell, Burrell). It was a relief for all, that they found a great deal of stability with the Fripp-Wetton-Bruford-Cross-Muir line-up, and therefore, a strong enough identity for the first time since their inception. I don't think it's an over-rated album, rather it was to be the album that saved the band from dissolution, and helped them continue to produce a few more excellent albums, especially their '70's swan-song "Red". 

I agree with Moshkito. I don't think Wetton really found his "voice" with King Crimson until later. Such as the vocals on "One More Red Nightmare." The vocals on "Book of Saturdays" sound kind of forced to me. But I still love this album and regard it as masterpiece of progressive rock.

WalterDigsTunes wrote: paganinio wrote: I don't know about Larks Tongues, because I have never heard it, except I do have the 2003 Live in Japan DVD, which includes a song called "Larks' Tongues In Aspic: Part IV". You're kidding, right? Can someone really be that ignorant about 70s masterpieces? Ditch whatever you're doing right now (and, indeed, throw all your modern music in the trash) and buy the 1973 album.

Like you, it is difficult to tell when paganinio is a real person and when he is not.

One thing I did intend to say, though, is that the experimentalism of '60s and '70s King Crimson is definitely overrated. I'm not arguing against the music being good or interesting, although I'm personally not really a fan. Avant-garde music existed long before King Crimson, but rock fans think Schizoid Man and LTIA pt 1 and 2 are pushing the boundaries of music because they don't know. However, this a problem with any of the well known avant-leaning albums.

paganinio wrote: I don't know about Larks Tongues, because I have never heard it, except I do have the 2003 Live in Japan DVD, which includes a song called "Larks' Tongues In Aspic: Part IV".

You're kidding, right? Can someone really be that ignorant about 70s masterpieces? Ditch whatever you're doing right now (and, indeed, throw all your modern music in the trash) and buy the 1973 album.


Edited by WalterDigsTunes - December 06 2010 at 21:00

irrelevant wrote: LTIA is what I would call a flawed masterpiece.

Ah, but can you really have a masterpiece without flaws?