LIZARD

By the time King Crimson had recorded 'Lizard' it would have perhaps become too artistic for its own following. Most listeners who enjoyed the magical debut find themselves unable to listen to it and even Robert Fripp recommended listening to it 'halve a dozen times'. Be that as it may, this might just be my favorite King Crimson album. The style of 'Lizard' is distinctly more (chamber type) avant-prog than eclectic prog; with the bizarre piano playing of Keith Tippet and a list of wind instrumentalist, of whom Mel Collins is of course the most well known. On side one 'Circus' sets the atmosphere with a magical display of symphonic prog, jazz rock and imaginative - almost day dream like - atmospheres. The dark and loud mellotron tones and maddening acoustic guitar of Fripp are distinctly original and effective. One of my favorite prog songs ever. 'Indoor Games' and 'Happy Family' have rather simple structures that are disrupted by odd rock instrumentation and avant-garde performances of all musicians. 'Lady Of The Dancing Water' is one of most beautiful artistic ballads the band ever recorded, a bit in the vein of 'I Talk To the Wind' and 'Cadance and Cascade'. The flute by Collins in heavenly and the vocal performance by Gordon Haskell (wouldn't call it singing per se) fits with the magical vibe. On side two the 'Lizard' suite launches it magic directly with a piece of abstract symphonic song-writing only King Crimson can deliver. Jon Anderson (of Yes fame) is flown in to sing these subtle melodic parts and in this landscape his otherwise whimsical voice is almost unrecognizable, quite a performance. After some grand symphonic structures with war drums and beautiful wind solo's the track grows into a heavy avant-garde blues rock piece. Some of it is a bit too much for my tastes, but near the ending 'Prince Rupert's Lament' has a beautiful atonal solo by Robert Fripp. The 'Big Top' after though is strange Carousel ride with tape manipulations. This - by the way beautifully recorded -album is an acquired taste and it proves that even progressive rock listeners can bare only so much progression. I for one am glad that a few records like this ('Pawn Hearts', 'In Praise of Learning' and 'Mice and Rats in the Loft' come to mind') were made.