IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

This was one of the first prog recordings I ever heard and it still stands as one of my favourites (and many other's too obviously), it ventured into uncharted territories with it's dark and at the time very experimental sounds. The album is heavily influenced by jazz, Particularly evident in Michael Giles groovy drumming most notably during 21st century schizoid man which ranks up there with the best progressive rocks songs of it's time although it lends itself more to fusion than to prog. I talk to the wind is another fantastic song, very sombre with some great flute and our first ever taste of Robert Fripp's signature 'Frippertronics', there are some great sound textures and nuances here. Epitaph is a very sombre song with some great mellotron sounds probably one of the weaker songs on the album but still fantastic.

My main problem with this album is Moonchild, I'm into avant-garde/experimental/noise/you-name-it music and I just see no merit in the song, it's a waste of 12 minutes on such an otherwise fantastic album, it's very quiet and not a lot happens in it at all and this is one of the things that I really dislike about KING CRIMSON. The triumphant eponymous track is well worth sitting through Moonchild though with it's fantastic mellotron washed choral harmonies, it's an exceptional song.

Overall this is a great album essential to any serious fan of progressive rock and although I really dislike Moonchild the other 4 songs make up for it and the sheer influence and the innovativeness of this album merits the 5 star rating.

Share this KING CRIMSON review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to FruMp
• Report this review (#141433)
• Buy KING CRIMSON music online with PA partners
• Show all KING CRIMSON MP3/Stream
• Go to KING CRIMSON page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to In the Court of the Crimson King page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for KING CRIMSON related discussions