what's so special about...

Starless is the ultimate track from the last KC incarnation, thats what special about RED.

Edited by tamijo - September 16 2013 at 09:05

I could spend a lifetime talking about why I love this album and why it's a towering musical accomplishment, but I'll keep it succinct: Not only is it an iconic example of stellar playing by top-notch musicians, but it's the pinnacle example of a dark, complex album with heart and soul on overdrive all the way through. You feel things. You go places. You live. All the while, the needle is in the red. That's the point.

And it has Starless. In my opinion, it's the best song ever.

Edited by Neo-Romantic - September 16 2013 at 10:18

About Red, I do like it a lot, but I don't think it's such a perfect album. From King Crimson, I like much better the debut. First, I feel this album would have been much more special if it had included Cross in the line-up. To begin with, Red is indeed a great song, no complaints here. The next, "One More Red Nightmare" and "Fallen Angel" are indeed very nice songs, but I wouldn't put them among my favourite Crimson songs. As for Providence, this is the very song I feel drags the album down the most... mainly, I'm not really much a fan of improvisations, but if they were going to use a live improv for the album, it would have been much better if they used the one from the "USA" album, which I heard several times used on other live shows on "The Great Deceiver" box set (which makes me wonder if it's right to call that piece an improv). And for the last, of course "Starless" is among my very favourite King Crimson songs, a real masterpiece, but once again, I feel David Cross is missing here. Perhaps my problem is that I actually heard this song live first, and got to love it in that version, so for me this song must be played with violing, and having it missing on the album really puts this song down a bit.

How good or bad Providence is doesn't even matter to me.  Every other track is so awesome that it is very easily my favourite prog rock album of all the ones I have listened to.  There are places where the music is incredibly languid, like One More Red Nightmare, or incredibly frantic, like Starless.  And throughout the music is performed with so much feeling (though Wetton's vocals don't do much for me) that all in all it's a very unique musical experience.   

When you analyse it perhaps nothing but overall its an emotional rollercoaster of an album. Providence is a gamble that pays off for me. Improvised tracks are tricky things.

Edited by richardh - September 17 2013 at 01:51

Aussie-Byrd-Brother wrote: Just thought I'd butt in on this conversation for a second! At a Record Fair a year ago, I was buying some CD's off a vendor, having a prog conversation with him, and a guy next to me decided to buy the remastered `Islands' by Crimso. I made some remark about it being by favourite album from them, and he said he liked it too, and `much more than `Red', adding: "I think only young people like `Red'... Is that true?! I mean, I can see why younger listeners would like the heaviness of it, but I found it and interesting comment and wondered how many feel the same way??

Edited by The.Crimson.King - September 17 2013 at 02:14

Thanks for the responses! Just for the record, even though `Red' is not one of my favourite Crimson albums (although I hardly think it's bad!), that was not me agreeing with his statement! I just found it interesting and had been meaning to post it here to see if that was the way any of you guys felt!

Edited by Aussie-Byrd-Brother - September 17 2013 at 02:49

Atavachron wrote: The question is did the guy who said only young people like Red like it when he was young.   I mean, I still dig Maiden, AC/DC and Van Halen.

That's a good point. The guy who said it was well into his late 50's/early 60's. The way he said it didn't suggest he meant `I used to like it, but not anymore'. It more came across like perhaps he came to the Crimson band in general at a much older age?

Edited by Aussie-Byrd-Brother - September 17 2013 at 03:15

Are we on Red now?

I think Red is special because it proved King Crimson could rock.  Not just rock in an artsy way, but actually ROCK.  The album has the kind of power and electricity that was kind of missing on prior King Crimson albums, good as they were. 

Polymorphia wrote: I've not listened to it enough to know if it's special or not.

I recommend fixing that, fast! 

To weigh in on the earlier conversation about age determining this album's likability, I seriously refuse to believe that. I do, however, understand the sentiment, as I've known several older music fans to consider heaviness and youth inextricably combined. Ironically as I get older I find my tastes are getting heavier. I first heard Red when I was 19. I'm 23 now and I like it better more and more each time still. The fact that my tastes are getting heavier just adds to that.