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41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning. Perhaps the best by an amazing band., November 4, 2005
Once again, King Crimson shifted lineups, only this time it was far more dramatic-- after having toured without lyricist Peter Sinfield, the entire band left, leaving Fripp on his own. A blessing in disguise, the band that assembled for this recording was full of such musical muscle and subtlety that they were able to turn out what may be the best of the King Crimson material (its a tough call, there's a number of stunning albums by them). This is also the first Crimson formation not to feature a saxaphone. Joining Robert Fripp (guitar, mellotron) are David Cross (violin, viola, mellotron), John Wetton (bass, vocals), Bill Bruford (drum kit), and Jamie Muir (percussion). Lyrics this time were handled by Richard Palmer-James-- getting away from the imagery of Peter Sinfield allowed the band's songs to flourish in different fashions.
But also allowing the band to flourish is the delicate balance they created-- Muir as a percussionist would play everything from mouth harps, thumb pianos, and chains slamming against gongs created his own dynamics without the influence of everyone else, likewise Bill Bruford at the kit could manage both power and subtlety, whereas Cross' violin and Wetton's bass were in opposition, both in register and in expressiveness-- Wetton is a brutally aggressive bass player. Fripp somehow counterbalanced all of this.
In many ways, this is also the band shedding their progressive rock leanings in terms of the traditional "prog" sound-- there's not the emphasis on harmonied instruments, mellotrons, etc. The approach is a lot cleaner and in many ways far less limiting.
A couple of the tracks here have their origins in the past-- the album opener, "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One" (themes of which showed up in Crimson improvs from Fripp's guitar in '71/'72), is a signal of the future, from its delicate intro percussion, aggressive violin lines, and explosive guitar riffing, this clearly illustrates something else is happening here. Dynamically challenging, musically complex, and capable of both directness and subtlety, the piece is a sign of brilliance to unfold, both on this and throughout the album. Structurally, its looser than any of the previous instrumental Crimson material, when you want a musician to explode, he does. Also developed from older material is "Exiles"-- the opening theme was originally performed by the '69 band live as "Mantra". Both this and "Book of Saturday" are the ballads on the record-- "Book of Saturday" illustrates the softer side of the band, pretty violin figures and delicate guitar are the highlights of this piece. "Exiles", having its old origins, has a slightly older feel to it, almost similar in content to "Epitaph" or "The Court of the Crimson King", the piece has a more timeless quality to it brought about by the use of the mellotron as a highlight rather than a driving force. Wetton's voice is full of passion that was too often missing in the earlier band.
The second half of the album, as though to underplay the dynamic complexity and delicacy of the first half, is aggressive-- the band assumes a muscular stance right away with the obnoxious and stunning riff on "Easy Money"-- Wetton sings largely unaccompanied but the band falls upon themselves with a furious nature. A laughing box fades and "The Talking Drum" begins-- quiet a first, then building a repeated bass figure under which percussion work thrives, a soaring, aggressive, almost insistent violin lead bleeds into sustained guitar phrases from Fripp until almost like the train hitting the breaks-- the squeal arrives, and the piece transforms into the mighty "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two". Probably the highlight of the album, Larks 2 is a driving and insistent guitar riff in 9, phrases that turn each other around, and an explosive bridge, the piece boils over and is pure magic.
For fans of unique and powerful music, look no further, this album is genius. Probably difficult to get into if you're not ready for it, but without a doubt some of the most stunning rock music ever recorded.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
King Crimsons Aural masterpiece,, July 4, 2006
Along with Islands and Starless and Bible Black(see my review) this is the absolute peak of King Crimson. In 1972 King Crimson (the Peter Sinfield era) completely dissintegrated after a disasterous tour that produced the subpar live album Earthbound. Many believed this to be the end of King Crimson. However this was not the case a year later Larks Tongues in Aspic was released to the world and what an album it is. Completely departing from Crimsons former somber symphonic style, Lark's is an avant garde masterpiece that is absolutely drenched in darkness as well as beauty. Kicking off with the blueprint to every extended instrumental King Crimson has done since is LTIA part 1. This song show Fripps new found approach to songwriting, slowly building tension that ends with an explosive climax. The entire song is a roller coaster of sounds ranging from David Cross's beautiful(and more than a little sinister) violin soloes to Fripps Sabbathesque guitar passages, this song is more than a little strange. Even stranger is the fact that the song is followed up by a short ballad(Book Of Saturdays) that is the complete musical oppisite of the opening song. Exiles follows and is the second best song off the album. This song like the last song is a wonderful ballad driven by violin, mellotron, and Fripps acoustic guitar. John Wetton does a great job with the vocals. Easy Money is a fantastic rocker loaded with distortion and a great solo from Fripp. The Talking Drum is pretty much just an extended intro for the final song on the album but its a great build up. The closing song is LTIA part 2 which in my humble opinion is King Crimsons best instrumental. Alternating between heavy distorted passages and an absolutely awe inspiring interlude, this song is the reason i bought the album.
The musicianship on this album is top notch with all the players being virtuoso's at their instruments you would not expect the playing to be as tight as it is as tight as it is but in fact for an album that was part improvised this is some of the tightest group interplay I have ever heard. Wetton also does a great job at singing in the very few spots on this album that have vocals. Overall this is one of the greatest albums ever made and deserves to be in any serious music collection. This album is the very definition of Progressive.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The power of imagination fueled by technique, June 29, 2005
To worship at the sonic temple of King Crimson always meant dispensing with preconceived notions, and Fripp and company proved more than ready to lay waste to their more staid contemporaries on this 1973 masterwork.
The recording itself, which won technical awards way back in 1973, is clear as bell: every nuance from Jamie Muir's eccentric percussion to John Wetton's vocal growls comes through crisply (no doubt a better vocalist for his going at it with Roger Chapman during his stint in the mighty Family before joining KC.) Bill Bruford obviously loved this band, and unfettered of the art-rock formula that Yes was starting to fall into, he unleashes some powerful drumming that, along with Wetton's meaty bass lines, help hold together this sonic supernova. David Cross sometimes plays against Fripp's leads with great effect, his violin swooping and soaring like a flying prehistoric reptile chasing its next meal.
And Fripp, well, praise be to whatever the source of his muse here, for it is both balm to the jaded nerves of those disenfranchised by the corporate takeover of FM radio and anathema to the lobotomized program directors who have laid waste to creative playlists.
I'm keeping a star back because the two versions of the title track sometimes veer off so far that the music dissolves into a vapor. Still the explosiveness of Easy Money clears the mind and feeds one's bellicose instincts, while Exiles calms the soul of the wanderer and hermit found somewhere deep down in us all.
Like any King Crimson outing, "Larks Tongues in Aspic" is not everyone's cup of tea, but everyone needs to sample this one as a reminder of the power of imagination fueled by technique.
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