IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

This is really the true birth of what would be called Progressive Rock. The fact that it evolved itself from other much more original sources like 1-2-3, John McLaughlin, etc, is neither here nor there. Forget that debate, it's time to put those original sources to one side - they could never have delivered what King Crimson did with this album. This is the point where it all converged and became mainstream.

To add to all that, this is in fact the only true King Crimson album, the rest are a subterfuge, or a mish-mash of Fripp's increasingly eccentric ideas held together by various assorted pieces of glue called alternative musicians. Fripp's eccentricities were focussed only for this moment in a blaze of glory. Crimson itself lived and died right here in this album. Whether you like it or not, five stars is the only alternative, I can't understand why anyone would give less. I don't like everything about this album, there's a lot I don't like. For me, there are only two tracks to talk about, '21st century' and 'Crimson King', yet I wouldn't dream of anything less than five stars, its appearance is just too important and crucial to the whole reason we're here on this site writing anything at all.

Because Robert Fripp remained at the ship (or more accurately, at the wreck of the ship), he tends to receive all the lavish praise for this album. He rightly is lauded for his fine contribution, but every single member of that band had a crucial part to play. The real tragedy (or was it a blessing?) was that it couldn't be held together beyond this one moment.

But what a moment it was, in those two songs at least, a new vision was built. Many have rightly praised 1-2-3 for the idea of such a band, but that band, great as they were in concept, as a musical unit of just organ bass and drums, they could never have lived up to this promise of such dynamic power, texture, and colour, the power, texture, and colour necessary to drive these ideas into public consciousness and deliver a new style and genre to the masses.

This was the achievement of this one-album band, and it was glorious, nothing less.