LARKS' TONGUES IN ASPIC

However much I would want to love this album it's not going to happen any time soon. I've given it 20 years and still find it hard to get into. It's an album that reaches lonely heights where it concerns originality and attitude but on the downside, I find no passion in it, some of the songs are inconsistent and the singing is generally off-putting.

Lark's Tongues pt i has a great main theme but most of its 13.35 improvised minutes sound chaotic, overworked and either too far-fetched or sleep-indulging. It sure is a big artistic statement and it must have provided a stunning alternative for the increasingly mellowing prog scene around that time, but that doesn't make it quality material. Crimson have plenty more inspired improvisations from this era.

Book of Saturday is a pleasing short ballad and Exiles is a classic among Crimson's more melodic material. Still, the vocals are a major flaw, strained, slightly out of tune and insecure. The same goes for Easy Money, it's a great tune but losing effectiveness due to the grating vocals. Due to extensive touring, Wetton's vocals would gradually improve and any live version of these songs is better then the studio versions here. Also the instrumental closing tracks Talking Drum/Lark's Tongues pt II suffer from a dull sound and lifeless performances.

Despite the obvious shortcomings, this album is too much of a landmark to put it into the fans only section. It has huge historical value, but if you want to appreciate this incarnation of King Crimson, I would strongly suggest one of the many live albums from this era.