RED

Like "Q" magazine once stated - 'Red' is a heavy album - but it's heavy in an atmospheric crushing way. It's very different from past KC albums - whereas this is played as if it's the last album they'll ever record, which I guess in a way, it was. It sounds terminal - in a 'Swans' kind of way. Now that's the way I like music to sound! Forget about the poor cover. Crikey... I bought 'Islands' thinking that it would be a great album, solely on the sleeve design. How wrong could I be!

For what seems like a simple record on first listen, this is actually an incredibly difficult score which is coped with brilliantly by Bruford's drums (he appears transformed after the help of Jamie Muir on Lark's Tongue...) and John Wetton's vocals which fit perfectly this kind of music.

This seems to be the Crimson record you guys over there in the United Snakes of America seem to love. It certainly has a 'rockier' edge to it than other King Crimson records. The undoubted highlight is "Starless" - the last track - and probably the best track they ever laid down. Surprising really when you consider that half way through - there's a one finger guitar solo by Robert Fripp. In a mere 12 minutes I'm left bewildered - not knowing if I'm sad, depressed or elated. An excellent album.