LARKS' TONGUES IN ASPIC

That was the headline of Melody Maker July 22, 1972 which brought the following news: "The New King Crimson rehearsed quietly this week - with Yes's Bill Bruford on drums alongside leader Robert Fripp". Wow! What a great news for those who loved King Crimson when this news was heating the ground. And you can imagine what disappointment for Yes fans club at the time. We all knew how great Bill was with Yes during his tenure with the band. And he proved it with this album where his drumming style characterize the new music of King Crimson.

The chief reason I purchased this album was actually not because of Bill Bruford because at that time I was not aware about it at all. Ttrack 4 "Easy Money" and track 2 "Book of Saturdays" (which I first heard through friend's LP set titled "The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson") were the only reason because the music really fit my personal taste. When I got the album, at first listen I found it difficult to enjoy title track "Larks' tongues in aspic part one" (13:36) because it's too explorative in nature. I especially lost my passion on enjoying quiet passages with some solo work in mellow style. But when I look into perspective and putting the whole album in a complete picture then I could understand why the band positioned this "hard to access" track as the album opener. In a way, this track is positioned this way because it sets the whole atmosphere of the album. The combination of complex sounds and quiet passages brings smoothly to the next track, a very nice song "Book of Saturdays" (2:49). It starts with great voice line of Wetton: "If I only could deceive you. Forgetting the game .." oh man . what a great melody singing part! This drum-less song is really nice especially on the combination of violin, guitar work and powerful vocal. It continues with another song-oriented track "Exiles" (7:40) in mellow style with great violin. A very memorable King Crimson classic track!

"Easy Money" (7:54) is my all-time King Crimson favorite track. It has a harsh and hard drive opening combining great drumming with unique snare sounds, solid bass lines, and rough guitar work and great vocals. What makes this song so wonderful with me is the combination of complex and high point segments with quiet passages like: "Your admirers on the street / Gotta hoot and stamp their feet / In the heat from your physique / As you twinkle by mocassin sneakers". It moves with heavy mellotron work, excellent percussive and great guitar from simple to complex until the music turns into complex segments. Oh man . this is really greaaaaattttt ..!!!! . "The Talking Drum" (7:26) is an exploration of Jamie Muir percussion blended with David Cross nice violin and Bill's drumming that builds the music into crescendo. It's a very nice music. "Larks' tongues in aspic part two" (7:12) concludes the album with great (and rough) guitar work combined with great drumming and inventive bass lines. Bass lines are also excellent.

Oh man . I cannot give this album less than five stars rating. It's truly a masterpiece! Keep on proggin' ..!

Progressively yours,

GW

"We lay cards upon the table / The backs of our hands / And I swear I like your people / The boys in the band" King Crimson "Book of Saturdays"

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