Customer Reviews

In the Court of the Crimson King

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One of the pioneering works of art-rock, In The Court of the Crimson King is a surreal modernist classic. Crimson's debut album was in fact so good that it almost led to the bands premature demise as it took them nearly 5 years to come up with another album with the same focus or strength. Contrasted with music of the same genre of that era "Court" was unparalleled in its fierceness and songwriting, but it is the albums stunning musicianship that gives the recording its durability.

Greg Lake submits what is likely the strongest vocal performance of his career on an extremely challenging set of songs. Ian McDonald is perfect as the bands jack-of-all-trades. His work on keyboards set the stage for Rick Wakeman and Tony Kaye to follow in the early `70's. Michael Giles drumming is steadier and more appropriate than his later replacement Bill Bruford. Then, of course, there is virtuoso, Robert Fripp. Fripp is the only member of the band to exist in each of the numerous permutations that would carry the band into the early `90's. His unique style and experimentation differentiated King Crimson from the other progressive rock bands of the era. This skilled lineup was not to last though. As this album was peaking at 28 on the US charts Fripp was already rehearsing the new lineup that would record the bands follow-up album, In the Wake of Poseidon. In fact King Crimson was to continuously alter their lineups becoming somewhat of a training ground for the progressive movement. Later incarnations of the band would see members such as John Wetton (UK, Asia), Bill Bruford (Yes, Earthworks), Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music), Boz Burell (Bad Company), Adrien Belew (Talking Heads), Tony Levin (Yes), among many others. But it was only Fripp with his odd mix of elegant classic; Hendrix-like explosions and jazz noodling that would survive each and every lineup.

Setting the tone for the rest of the album is the demented "21st Century Schizoid Man" - hard-hitting stuff in 1969 and in fact quite analogous to the industrial rock of the mid `90's. "Schizoid man", with it's huge pumping rhythm section and bewitching guitar, rocks. It is a song to crank your stereo up to, grab your tennis racquet (for the obligatory air guitar) and pump your fists. The lush woodwinds and interesting drumming highlight the wistful ballad "I Talk to the Wind". Probably the most important tune on the album is the epic "Epitaph", a 9-minute landmark that arguably ushered in the genre of symphonic rock. Similar to "Epitaph" but even more majestically lush is the gothic "Moonchild". Opening with an interplay between Lakes heavily processed vocals panned hard to the left channel and Fripp's decadent guitar textures answering in the right channel the piece slowly develops into a classic triumph, which surely influenced some of the early 70's work of Pink Floyd.

The poetic lyrics with it's medieval imagery, tales of bygone eras, and overly obvious social commentary became staples the progressive era as well as one of it's more irritating characteristics. The band's influence, though, cannot be overstated. Anyone wishing to investigate the roots of Yes, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, UK, and later Asia, need look no further than this album. In fact as evidenced by the symphonic progressive bands of the `90's with bands such as Anekdoten, Anglagard, and White Willow. It is apparent that Crimson still has a hold on those which classify themselves as "Art Rock", and it is usually a title which is self imposed.

The production of the album was adequate although a bit thin despite the multitude of tracks and layers of instrumentation however early transfers to compact disc where awful. Caroline has since gone back and worked with the original masters of the entire Crimson catalog and the results are more than satisfactory. If you have an older CD of this album it is worth the $... to replace it with the newer CD. You will hear textures that never came through on the original.

King Crimson has always been a band that was appreciated by musicians, but the general public never seemed to catch on. The lack of any humor, absurd lyrics, and the absence of radio airplay certainly contributed to this trend. In the Court of the Crimson King is such an important and influential recording that it belongs in the collection of any music fan - regardless of their opinions of the progressive genre. With the bands remarkable playing, groundbreaking orchestration, and the recordings relative obscurity, "Court" should find a place in any good diverse CD collection. Additionally, the cover art by Barry Godber is one of the best album covers in all of Rock & Roll.

For all those that know this recording, & in particular, for all those that are fond of this recording - this is a must have. It sounds HUGE! I have the original viny, the remastered cd from 1988 & I gotta tell you - this represents thisRecently I picked up the 24 bit re-release (8-99) of King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" - a definite personal favorite of mine. I had the 1988 20bit remastered version. While I'm sure the bit factor isn't the only difference, I have rarely heard such an important & drastic sonic improvement such as the jump from 20bit to 24bit... recording like I have never experienced.

King Crimson's 1969 debut album, "In The Court Of The Crimson King," remains an all-time progressive rock classic. The very first line-up of the band, including master guitarist Robert Fripp, bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (later to join Emerson Lake & Palmer), and keyboardist/flautist Ian McDonald created a bold, daring rock album that practically laid down the blueprint for all progressive rock bands to follow. It's music is at times fierce & ferocious (the band's signature freak-out, "21st Century Schizoid Man"), while at other times dramatic ("Epitaph" & the title song), and hauntingly beautiful ("I Talk To The Wind" and "Moonchild"), with a good deal of studio experimentation tossed in for extra measure (such as the lengthy instrumental section of "Moonchild"---it may try some listeners' patience at first, but it really is quite lovely, with the band making musical beauty out of the sparest of notes). King Crimson are progressive rock pioneers, who, 34 years later, and having endured various line-up changes along the way, are still going strong, continuing to make brilliant, sophisticated music to this day. But if "In The Court Of The Crimson King" had been their only album, King Crimson still would've carved a very special place for themselves in the history of rock with this legendary masterwork.

I don't think this album is overrated because nothing is overrated - it's all subjective, you see. Still, I enjoy every King Crimson album after this quite a bit more. Yet, I still consider this an amazing record. You can infer from this opinion that I am weird or that King Crimson is so good that even their weakest album (in my mind) is still essential.

Embracing rock and jazz and classical, King Crimson's debut is rightly considered groundbreaking and arguably the most notable album in the genesis of progressive rock. While the proto-prog artists like Procol Harum and The Moody Blues (whose _Days of Future Passed_ was feasibly the first prog rock album, really), were influential as well, _In the Court of the Crimson King_ was more overpowering and momentous. Why? I'd say the first song, "21st Century Schizoid Man", likely left a big impression, blowing the mind of everyone who heard it. An explosive marriage of bombastic rock and fiery jazz, with a middle section of searing tempos and rhythmic virtuosity -- drummer Michael Giles' precision and power stand out while Greg Lake (on bass) hammers out his most intense performance ever. The overlaying horns keep a quirky flavor intact (amusing, as the lyrics are quite bleak). Robert Fripp's solo is aggressive and spits off a diatonic scale with a hectic texturizing quality. In the end, it all collapses into a noisy mire that seems in sync with the song's overall theme.

The rest of the album is quite a bit less overtly exciting, although it's still good. "I Talk to the Wind" is a plaintive, wistful ballad that is a showcase for Ian McDonald's folk influence -- his flute playing is enchanting and the whole song accents the group's versatility (after all, this comes after the crazy opening track). "Moonchild" is an idyllic soundscape -- there is a bit of a song at the beginning but mostly all the length comes from 10 minutes of catatonic jamming. As far as sleepy improvisation goes, this is okay I think -- it borders on delicate intensity at times and the ending is quite pretty. "Epitaph" is an epic ballad burdened by some omnipresent mellotron chords (to simulate a backing string section) which feel somewhat detached, but the singing is some of Lake's finest (ever) and quite stirring. The title track is a moody epic -- ominous and powerful and evocative -- but the soupy mellotron never really lifts the song to the heights that may have been originally visualized. In any case, by the time the main theme rolls around for one final time, you may feel the hairs on the back of your neck rising like me.

In review of this...review, I feel it is a bit captious. Just so there is no ambiguity in my opinion I should be a little more explicit. Though the album is dated in some respects, I don't necessarily think that it much diminishes the feeling of King Crimson's fabulous debut. It's still a unique listening experience, and I think it holds up better than other albums from the era. Unless you live in a tent by the river and eat dandelions for dinner, you're crazy not to own this -- assuming you are a prog rock fan. And you likely are, to some extent...why else are you reading this?

This is pretty astonishing. The quintissential prog rock band, perhaps only rivaled by Pink Floyd. More rocking than Yes, heavier than Genesis, and more consistent than Rush, King Crimson knows what it's all about. The guitarwork is astonishing, Robert Fripp is one of my biggest influences.

It really bothers me how prog is the "acceptable" music genre to bash in favor of *ugh* punk rock. People call prog self indulgent.....of course it is! And you know what? So is jazz, a genre prog takes a lot of influence from. Yet you never hear people decribe John Coltrane or Miles Davis as "self indulgent". Prog rock was deemed too nerdy to be "cool" enough to stand up against the punk onslaught. To me punk was always more about fashion and attitude than music. I see fashion everywhere I go, and I get attitude from people I meet everywhere....why the hell would I want to experience those things in music? So yes, the aforementioned bands get the snickers while the tremendously untalented one trick ponies like the Ramones and Sex Pistols get the praise because they don't know how to play their instruments and sing lyrics like foul mouthed third graders.

Screw punk. Prog forever.

Released in 1969 with lyricist Peter Sinfield, Greg Lake (of the later ELP) and maniacal genius Robert Fripp (King Crimson himself), this album still catches the ear of any progressive musician or fan. This is the band that took a mellotron and pushed it over the top, producing some of the most endorphin inducing and hallucinatory musical experiences to date.

"21st Century Schizoid Man" is the most well known, with it's fatalistic lyrics, violent guitars and harsh, scratchy vocals. It achieves it purpose. Right on it's heels is the lovely, "I Talk To The Wind", a Greg Lake vocal that is fanciful, dreamy and beautiful. Sullen and heartbreaking is the best way I can describe "Epitaph", a mature contemplative look at one's own mortality and confusion. Backed with a gentle death march beat and a soaring mellotron that pulls at your emotions like no other song on this album. It's amazing.

"Moonchild" is a whimsical, unique endeavor that makes for a nice break before the grand finale of "The Court Of The Crimson King". Breaking straight into a strong drum arrangement and shatteringly intense mellotron, the last song bridges back and forth from the 12-string guitar with choice vocals to the literaly killer chorus. This is where the talents of King Crimson truly take off. With a driving drum and bass, a relentless keyboard and an unforgettable chorus, King Crimson jumps around with flute solos, ambitious guitar plucking and inventive soft percussion. It's the reprise that pulls it all together. The experience of this debut album is exhilirating, breathtaking and to this date - still hair-raisingly unique.

"Genius" is without a doubt the most overused word when it comes to describing anyone involved in rock music(or some forms of music miscalled "rock" - Madonna comes instantly to mind). But in the case of King Crimson, "genius" may be an understatement. If any one album epitomizes their brilliance, it is ITCOTCK. Unlike so many progressive rock albums, ITCOTCK places more focus on atmosphere than displaying technical ability - don't get me wrong, I love the technical stuff. It may only have five songs, but the emphasis is on QUALITY and not quantity. What better songs songs could you have than:

1. 21st-Century Schizoid Man - This song is so far ahead of its time it's scary. It is at its heart a jazz number, but it has loud metallic guitar riffs and industrial distortion. Contained within this song is one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded. Bands like Rush got their inspiration from this masterpiece. Not to mention it has amazing bass playing and drumming.

2. I Talk to the Wind - It is hard to believe this song and "21st Century..." are on the same album. Both songs may seem like polar opposites, but both songs equally brilliant along with the remaining three. This is a beautiful song that has soft vocals, hypnotic flute, and great drumming.

3. Epitaph - A powerful, bombastic 9 minute epic that builds in emotion as the song progresses. The lyrics and music convey an apocalyptic feel. The mellotron is put to good use here.

4. Moonchild - The first few minutes of this song sound pretty much normal if not a little eerie with its usual verse-chorus-verse structure. However, the next eight or nine minutes are a different story. A lot of people think that KC were amateurishly puttering around with their instruments while recording. I disagree. This part of the song works best with the imagination. Give it enough time, you'll be floored by it.

5. The Court of the Crimson King - How great can a song get? Not much better than this one. The final track is pure magic with its medieval atmosphere, swirling flutes, and fantastic lyrics. A great song until it ends, or does it?

Each of these five songs seem to have been created in their own different universe. Yet, this album has so much scope that the songs fit in perfectly.

This 30th Anniversary edition of Court is a real treat for Crimson fans. Not only has the sound been remastered to near perfection but the liner notes are also very well designed with lyrics and paper clippings harking to the old days included to boot. For want of a better definition and to satisfy those that absolutely have to categorise everything that they hear, this would be the godfather of the progressive rock genre. To call it the progenitor of progressive rock would be misleading and incorrect as depending upon how you think about it, even Sgt Pepper's, Velvet Underground's first album and Pink Floyd's Sid Barrett days could all be called progressive rock but still this album is a work of art on it's own and is deserving of all the accolades that it has received to date and continues to receive today. Great opening powerhouse track followed by more mellow Moody Blues-like stuff and ending on a powerful note. Essential listening for music hobbyists and a recording that is seminal and really grows on you. Recommended.

KING CRIMSON - In the Court of the Crimson King
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After many of my favorite bands: (Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Tool, etc...) Cited King Crimson as one of their biggest influences I knew I had to check it out.
Listening to this it is hard to grasp your head around the fact that this was recorded in 1969. This album was more than ahead of its time. In fact a good friend of mine had a book about Prog-Rock and Listed King Crimson as the original prog-rock band. There isn't much else I can say that hasn't been said. However if you do not have this album or haven't heard it I strongly urge you to buy it.... One of the most influential albums of the last Century.
Favorite Tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph
5 - Stars


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Their debut album is one of the best prog rock album ever as well as the first successful one in history, fusing elements of jazz, rock and classical combined with great lyrics and masterful playing.

(Warning. Women are not likely to appreciate this masterpiece by some mysterious unknown biological reasons)