Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Easy money was a cool song. I loved the angular guitars on Lark part 1. Park part 2 had its moments. Everything else was anywhere from boring to bad.
apparently it's said that this is "impossible to dance to" which means it's one of very few albums that i personally understand how to dance to
i like it, actually
Hmm, not really my thing sorry.
3.5
Too meandering and deconstructed to be my favourite prog, but still quite good. 3.5 stars
3.5
Progressive rock with lots of different musical sounds. Really interesting if not a bit nerve grating at times . I enjoyed it in short doses
It's a pretty cool album when there's actually music being played. The amount of times I had to check to make sure I didn't accidentally pause the song was incredibly high though...not really sure what the intent was with that
3.2 stars rounded down
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Progressive rock usually means long, rambling jams of various tempos and a marimba or dulcimer here and there, and there certainly were elements of that. But they kept it under control, and the only thing keeping me from rounding up my 3.5* is that I’m not likely to listen to it again.
Interesting but not something I'd go back to.
This is just a 3* for me. Much like a lot of jazz, I just don't get this. It's not particularly enjoyable for me to listen to. I'm just not as proggy as I'd hoped to be.
It has all the makings of an insufferable barrage of prog rock schlock. Perpetual time-signature changes that induce a state of schizophrenia. Distended song lengths which, far from caputuring the imagination, leave you wondering what the fuck happened to those last fifteen minutes of your life. The hokiest lyrics which mask their shallow pretensions under the bravado of someone who’s read two chapters of a Philip K Dick novel. You can check all of these off the list, and for me that is as close to auditory hell as you can imagine. But this record also has Robert Fripp. And that man is an absolute genius. Unlike their petuli oil enthusiast contemporaries, King Crimson’s music (and particularly this record) has clearly left a mark - partly because it still sounds fresh on the production front. Not even the generations of holier than thou math rockers this album clearly inspired can make me dislike it. Because it sounds fresher than most of that musical circle jerk ever could. At points towards the album’s latter half Fripp conjures a bewildering array of sounds from his instrument which have gone on to pollinate the music of artists across the musical spectrum. Seriously, some of his lines wouldn’t sound out of place on the first Siouxsie record. Of course, its ostentatious nature means this record periodically meanders into the background. But if these guys wanted to, they could have produced a truly great record (I mean, it is truly great objectively) . Instead, King Crimson came up with a surprisingly good one. For this layman at least.
Is this prog rock w/ an edge?
Good early prog album, nothing really stood out to me though
Another prog album that sounds like a prog album and confirms why I I really like and really don't like prog albums
Intersting Post rock
I'm sure I missed some things here. Some cool stuff going on, but I found it average overall. I would not be opposed to listening to this again.
Nothing really pops
drunk fuckery, it might bite off its tongue
Great, not KK's best, not my personal favorite, but still totally enjoyable
Larks' Tongues In Aspic has a tough opener for the modern attention span. I'm sure back in the day when you put the needle on the record you were ready to soak in the chimes and slow burn into the song in ways that are difficult now to even imagine. The track, and the album, reward a patient listener. Just a shame that they are more difficult to find. I include myself in this, I'm no longer as patient as I once was when it comes to my listening. Let's say if we faded in at the 3m mark I'd still have been looking around for 30 more seconds wondering when we were going to get to the jams. And this test of patience and attention span is everywhere: a little violin break here, some kind of pause or quiet moment there. This is the downside of progressive rock / music in some regards. And yet, of course, it is also its immense upside. If you take the time and make the space for it this music can be very rewarding to listen to including, and especially because of, the more challenging moments. And yet, and yet, this isn't my favorite King Crimson record for a reason.
I love it
Outstanding instrumental use.
Classical music paired with rock. It's not so much fun to listen to this music on the side. But if you listen consciously, the album takes you on an exciting journey.
Like many prog albums, they really make you work for the nuggets of greatness, especially on the opening track. This was a rare instance where I enjoyed this more while driving than sitting down and listening to it. Maybe the movement kept me interested. The musical inspiration they took from Eastern Europe is pretty cool too. There's too much interesting stuff happening here for me to totally dismiss it. If this is someone's favorite album, that person is either unbearable or rad as fuck. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could. Highlights: the first big riff in Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part I), Exiles, Easy Money
It’s pretty decent, but a bit all over the place.
Ekan biisin yli kun pääsi niin levy oli ihan hyvä. Book Of Saturdayn soundi suorastaan upea.
I loved Book Of Saturday, but most of the other songs weren't for me. I don't know if it's because they were all upwards of seven minutes, but it felt a bit bloated.
That could certainly be described as, um, something… I actually kinda sorta liked it.
Enjoyed the hard rock guitar riffs, but some of the rhythms seemed too out there
I've started to really appreciate prog the last 4 years or so but this one might be a little too prog for me to really love it. I think I gave In The Court of the Crimson King 5 stars because it was like the perfect amount of prog but it seems like they took this one even further. Definitely some cool stuff going on but it appears that this needs much more of an intentional listen than trying to listen while working on a random Wednesday morning. I think my favorite track was Easy Money.
This was a fun album! I think I like the King Crimson self-titled more, but this was fun. Really cool prog and psych elements. I love the story telling through lyrics and music. Fun guitar, keys and synths. Cool bass lines. Did I hear some strings as well? They really get really weird and kind of experimental throughout the record. It almost feels like a few levels on Mario in some songs. But then it also feels like The Velvet Underground in how they get really overwhelming and build. Kind of like a live jam band. I enjoyed it!
I'm going to be honest here — I'm not the biggest fan of progressive rock. For years, I tried to get into King Crimson catalogue but many post-1970 albums never 'clicked.' The band seemed to experience a sudden lack of creative power after Greg Lake left. While milking out on old material and needlessly extending every song might've worked for Pink Floyd and Genesis, King Crimson's "Larks" came out as unfinished melodies from earlier albums mish-mashed together. It feels quite lazy and uninspired. I believe 1001Albums should've included "Red" instead. (Seriously, why isn't "Red" on here? "Fallen Angel" and "Starless" are some of the best songs in their genre.)
🧙🏻♂️🍄 gnome 🍄 music 🧙🏻♂️🍄
Compared to "In the Court", this album feels less coherent and too experimental.
to prog or not to prog. Discordant hoopla that is super interesting but not something I'll go back to often. I respect it, though.
My folks had this album and I can’t really fathom why. It’s not their thing at all but I guess there were some albums in the 70s that were compulsory listening. I did like that it doesn’t fit neatly into a particular genre and revels in diverse influences. Reminded me of a film score in places. I’m firmly down the middle on this one - I doubt I’m going to listen to it again but I remember being fascinated by the cover as a kid. And because I’m in a celebratory mood… Labour just won the election.
I absolutely hated the first song and wanted to turn it off, give it one star and call it a day. But I persevered and I’m glad that I did. I liked the song Exiles and was invested after that. I don’t think I’ll ever listen to this again but I’m glad I heard it once. Parts of it reminded me a little bit of the Moody blues Days of Future Past, which is an album that I love. But I think that albums like these are such that if you hear them at a specific moment in time they’re very meaningful, And if you don’t, then they’re just tedious.
I was a bit all over the place with this listen, and maybe that's because the album itself was just that. I admire King Crimson's willingness — or compulsion — to explore new and strange territory. I did feel like this was a bit loose, it was hard to sink in to the songs, and the band seemed to be keeping the listener at arm's length. So kudos for this being an experimental affair, but I couldn't get past a 3-star rating, at least not from this single spin.
Not your typical King Crimson. Melodic moments. Perhaps my old friend made me listen to this album before insisting I join him at a Kings Crimson concert and I obliged (I was literally the only woman as far as I could see).
Very prog, with a ridiculously wide range of influences. Instrumental tracks always sound a bit like background music. I enjoyed it plenty, but feel there are probably better albums not on the list - it seems like anything British from the 70s is here without having to do much more than exist!
totally get why people are into it but it didn't do as much for me personally. made my dad super excited to hear i was listening to it tho!! that third star is for you, buddy <3
This is your God?!?
it’s good if i’m in the right mood. but prog rock is usually not for me
Full on prog. Takes some patience but has something to latch onto.
I could definitely see it’s merits although I could’ve done without the extra ambient sounds added in there.
I didnt really care for their jam band approach. Feels like several of the songs are to long, and don't go anywhere. I won't come back to this.
Ciekawe, ale dziwne trochę. Taki mocno progresywny rock. 3/5
We are here for the ride! This album has some cool grooves, like Easy Money.
C’est drôle que la veille on a eu Selling England, qui incorpore les parties que je préfère du rock progressif, pis qu’après on me pitche du Lark’s Tongue in Aspic. J’haïs pas l’album à proprement parler, c’est juste qu’il met de l’avant les éléments que j’aime le moins du prog; expérimentations sonores à la limite du musical de +10 minutes, un rythme décousu et plusieurs éléments agressants juste pour le fun d’en saupoudrer un peu partout. All in all, c’est un pas pire d’album (La title track et Easy Money supporte le gros de l’album), mais on est loin de In the Court et Red
I appreciate it coming out of nowhere and all the prog rock it led to. But I don't really like prog rock. Points for originality. Deductions for enjoyment.
This was mostly not for me. Definitely can hear it as a midpoint between a lot of the acid freeform stuff of the late 1960s and the more tightly produced late 1970s/early 1980s. The sounds of frantic caged animals in the last track was disturbing and almost made me shut it off on the last 5 minutes. I stayed for the end but was glad it was over.
Medieval times meets prog rock. Quite the experience.
I have never heard anything by King Crimson. I’ve always heard the 1969 debut was excellent. I’ll be checking out more of the catalog after hearing this.
Three stars kinda feels like too many but it’s not a bad album. It has its moments but they are just…moments. Not sure how it earned a place on this list.
interesting and different. I need to learn more about them.
Fun to listen to but the songwriting holds it back from being great, a typical prog rock problem
A solid prog outing as one would expect from King Crimson, but far from their best
I don’t know what to make of this one. The prog rock elements in the songs are just not my thing. But then there’s these math metal interludes and gothic rock sections which I didn’t hate.
I’ll go with Jake and just repeat what I said last time. Yea, it was ok.
Second King Crimson record. Same review as the first really... "This was an alright trip into prog rock in the 60's/70's with some nods to English antiquity. Great to listen to at work."
It had some moments that were very good, but it was certainly an active listen. Loved some of the violin parts. The start of the album was not my favorite.
An ok jam rock album, not likely to listen again, but I understand that it’s kind of the birth of prog rock. 3/5.
I wasn't a huge fan of this one. Lots of dead space in it. Pretty boring listen.
Album 410 of 1001 King Crimson - Larks' Tongues In Aspic Rating : 3.5 / 5 As I once stated, I might not be as big of a prog fan as I once though. Fine listen. Wasn't really in the mood for it.
Rock progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.
да нормас
The 1970s were a weird time.
A bit chaotic at times but has some good bits. Better than expected.
This started pretty miserable and if also included The Talking Drum, i would say there isn't much to redeem it. However, the other tracks attempt a bit more traditional prog rock vibe and even if they aren't great, they are listenable and interesting.
Too much. Many dissonant llayers.3/5
not as good
Jam band like
LOVED some of the more atmospheric parts, but once it feels like you start picking up instruments at random and playing them just to hear what they sound like you lose me. 3.5/5
It was kind of cool. To be honest I couldn't tell you a stand out track because it all sounded the exact same 3
Mega spacend
I enjoy jam style, but maybe more conventional? Phish and dead, basic I know. This was good but didn't feel the same emotions listening to it as the other bands I mentioned. When everything came in on the first song it was great though. As well as Easy Money. 3.5
Interesting instrumental sounds and rythms. Nice for working.
3.8 - Another artifact from this era when, for whatever reason, some rockers placed jazz as their Northstar. These guys managed to pull off a decent record here where so many prog rock bands, in attempting to fuse rock with jazz, failed (e.g., “Tarkus”). I especially like the broad array of percussions.
Crazy stuff
Interesting, some good moments, not my thing
Just...no.
Never liked the King C - hate synthesizer noise and I finf him frequently cacophonous. But the is better than I expected.
This is kind of album this list is all about. I’d never have listened to it save for this list. There were lovely moments. There moments where I wished they’d get the fuck on already. Loved parts, hated parts. Solid 3. Will never listen to it again, but I’m guac I did.
Kinda mid. Felt like a Pink Floyd knockoff
Man, this one was all over the place. Some stuff worked, some stuff didn't. It definitely gets points for being this weird in 1973 and (presumably) helping to kick off prog rock as a genre. Before getting into this project, I had always thought of Rush as being the original prog rock band, so it's been interesting to hear a few other bands from the 70's who were also doing weird rock shit.
Aliexpress versie van Pink Floyd
A very good record that I don’t like. Still good - but I’m already over it.
Occasional flute player
Strong 3
I get it, and think it’s cool, but this is just not that fun to listen to.
I had heard of these before. Very unique sound. Worth a listen. Kinda reminds me of Pink Floyd a bit.
King Crimson was the definitive progressive rock band. Their work was something between rock and jazz; it has complicated orchestrations and interesting structures, but it is not danceable and not particularly melodic. All of the musicians display a clear level of talent, and the songs have a complexity that makes them engaging, but their work is not particularly pleasant to listen to. This is challenging music.
Une écoute d'album qui n'a fait les affaires de personne. Ni celles de King Crimson, ni les miennes.
Mostly harmless.
Lots of noodling
A little to prog/noodley for my tastes but had a lot of good moments
I had to listen to this a few times as first go I wasn't that in to it. There's some very cool music and sounds in there but it takes a few listens to appreciate them.
A cool prog rock album that is a nice slow burn. The arrangements, and their many instruments make you want to relax and really chill out. Best: Book of Saturday Worst: The Talking Drum Note: Spotify had the extended version, I only listened to the first 6 original tracks.
It's pretty good, but I'm not crazy about it.
Boss music, Algumas melhores que outras,
Psychedelic prog rock. It's alright
A pretty good mix of rock and classical.
I thought I was almost done with the whole album when I looked and it had only been 4 songs. each song felt like entirely different genres. larks tongue in aspic part ii was kind of a vibe. still too long imo. songs should be 5 minutes max. theyre obviously incredible musicians, just not my taste Im not gonna finish the last two songs as they are over 10 minutes each. each song is good on its own, but its not acohesive album.
I don't always understand prog rock, and the thing I don't understand most about prog rock is King Crimson, but this album is pretty cool most of the time 3/5
Prog is not a genre that I enjoy much but this album did have its moments and I did like it more than I expected to. There are some great moments of tension and release (well sometimes release) that ramp up the dramatic content. Robert Fripp is of course a legend and author of 2 of my favorite guitar parts of all time; Baby's on Fire and Heroes but I prefer his playing when it is understated and melodic (Baby's on Fire notwithstanding. I liked the album and I'm glad it showed up here but its not like I'm running out to find more King Crimson albums as a result 3 stars
This one was hard for me to rate... a lot of the sound layering was super cool, but the passive listenability is pretty low. Favorite song: The Talking Drum
I don't know why, but I only like two albums recorded by King Crimson: "In the Court of the Crimson King" and "Red". Everything else is just quite bland for me, and that includes this album. It didn't hook me in, instruments were all over the place, vocal was just okay, solos weren't inspired. I think it's mostly about the feeling that the listener has at the time, and apparently I'm not really approachable with new musical content. It's just an average 70's album, unfortunately.
Deep, deep 1970s prog. This album is at its best during its lengthy instrumental sections and at its worst with the feeble vocals of John Wetton.
Some parts were beautiful, some parts were dark, some parts were annoying. That was an interesting ride. 6/10
Super weird but enjoyable. Some songs really hit their stride but then most of them also go on way too long for my tastes. They all have 2 minute build ups and then overstay their welcome on the other side. I would like a broken down concentrated version of these songs. 6/10
Too smart for me
Soild prog rock album, first song is epic, but think the album struggles a little in the middle. Glad I listened and deserves to be on the list, but don’t think it will be an album I return too.
Some decent stuff, if you like that kind of early 70s prog rock.
Really enjoyed this, sprawling but found it easy enough to lock into. Has its moments typical of the era, where indulgence trump's art, but even in the indulgent moments there's just something there that I couldn't help but dig. There are some really interesting and unexpected musical passages throughout this.
Don't fully understand it but there's definitely something here. Will definitely revisit.
Well that was pretty strange, sometimes unsettling, and mostly interesting. Some of the more abstract stuff and orchestral sections got on my nerves, but this is more or less a weird listen in a fun way. Rock on ya nerds. Best song: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2
So tell me why i was so disappointment. After the first song i expected so much because in like those first three minutes there was crazy rock after false calmness and I was super hyped to see what there was and like- not much. It just felt like something was missing, I’m not saying necessarily words or vocals but it did sound like the background for something else. Somewhat upset because I thought it would be a crazy rock album.
1973 Prog Rock Not for everyone. Some, I'm sure, won't get it or have patients for it. Those that are into Prog Rock definitely get it. Me? I'm middle-of-the-road. There is a time and place when I think this is quite a nice journey and other times, I just don't have the time or energy to give it a listen. There are times when I think the album is amazing...but then there are long lulls. Peaks and valleys abound! When it hits, it hits hard... 3.5/5
1/17/24. Very interesting! I'm not too deep into prog rock, but each track kept me guessing for sure. Really appreciate the creativity throughout the album, will need to check out again.
Noodly prog. Then the guy sings and it’s like a renaissance rom com. It all sounds well played and very intricate, but it’s doesn’t really groove or grab you.
Quite an enjoyable listen while doing some home chores. Some of the interludes are interesting. Almost like a classical symphony quality of building the music up.
Rock con toques de psicodelia. Muy instrumental. Variedad de sonidos. En abundancia guitarrera. Le ha faltado algo
Weird, but somehow intriguing. They have a really great tone that I can tell inspired a lot of late 80s maybe early 90s grunge/rock bands. I don’t think I’ll come back to this, but it wasn’t the worst.
Amazing, a bit dense.
I like King Crimson, but this album kind of drags on. By the time you get to the second part of the title track, you'll probably have checked out. Its good experimental stuff but sort of needs drugs to keep any kind of focus. Anyway, in terms of this list, I dont think that this album belongs here. There are better KC albums and this one doesnt bring much to the table in an argument for being on the list of albums you must hear. 3/5
The first track was a thirteen and a half minute journey through all kinds of musical lands, and I was quite appreciating it. Then we went to a weird, semi-traditionally structured 3 minute song that I wasn't having. Didn't enjoy the next two less-traditional but dirgy dirges. Things picked up again for me with "The Talking Drum" and the closing track. Turns out I just liked the instrumentals, and I'd give those tracks a clear four on their own, but then there's that almost 20 minutes of two-ness in the middle, so we'll just take the average.
Ummm…no…but, it’s not them, it’s me. I simply was not in the mood for what King Crimson was serving here at all. When what you really want is something funky, don’t try this.
I enjoyed much of this but I will never intentionally listen to this again. I do not like the title.
Dingen die je aan de LSD moet luisteren
I always feel like King Crimson are masters at story-building. Not telling. Building. Each part of each song is a meticulous structure deliberately constructed, creating a sonic story. Also, and this may just be me, but parts of this album, like "The Talking Drum", sound like post-rock before post-rock was a recognized genre, and in these interludes it feels like Crimson is building a prelude to the story that comes in the more standard progressive rock moments of the album.
Classic prog rock, maybe *the* classic prog rock. Been a while since i've given this a listen. This defined the genre and provides inspiration and guidance to this day.
3.37 per track. I enjoyed much of this but just a bit too experimental at times.
Never heard this before. I think this might be better than the Court of the Crimson King? 'what collection of sounds can we make a groove out of' is a way better idea to start from than 'how complicated can I make this riff/solo', anyway. Album name very gross. I wonder how similar all the acoustic guitar arpeggio w/ flute ballads from these British rockers are - could you superimpose them with mild speed alteration and still have a song?
I still don’t believe I could fully embrace being a Prog Guy, but this is the second King Crimson album this list has provided, and the second I’ve enjoyed.
If the Grateful Dead is the psychadelic outcome of a bunch of talented California hippies dropping acid, King Crimson is the English nerd counterpart. It lets loose and gets exploratory for a while, but returns to a fussy prog version of psych with a stronger emphasis on composition than groove. The first half of the album album goes 'out there' through accumulating layers of overdubs (strings, flutes, horns, wind effects) and tight technical riffs in odd time signatures and songs with lots of different parts then it gets shaggier (and more fun) in the middle. Easy Money is a brilliant track with some amazing guitar work and a long 'jam' sandwiched between a tightly orchestrated head/tail. Talking drum builds slowly from some wind effects into a Soft Machine meets Kraftwerk repeat pattern with more and more lead instruments (violin, Fripp-ed out guitar, synth effects) coming in as the jam builds and builds in energy and tension into a somewhat artificial crescendo that sounds like birds screaming. The bonus track session recordings are more of the really good stuff - looser trance-like tension/release phillip glass + riffs and math rock stuff, deeper bass grooves and more guitar histrionics.
A little bit Genesis, a little bit Mahavishnu Orchestra, a little bit E,L,P. Almost jazz-fusion in parts, definitely interesting, but lacks cohesiveness overall.
7/10
and roast dormouse to follow
Really cool bass tones and loved the wackyness. Kind lost me on some songs, but it was fine in the background as i was working. The only things that distracted me was the bass tones and the marimba. Killer! Liked this more than other King Crimson I’ve listened to.
I like King Crimson and Progressive Rock in general, but this has too much self-indulging noodling for my taste. The songs are not strong enough. 3/5
There were some really cool sounds throughout that felt pretty technical and skillfully done. While obviously not meant to be attentively listened to in a casual context, I still think it wasn’t super engaging as an ambient listening experience. But I can understand how this as a concept can be an object for fans to get really into. Makes me wonder what a more commercially-minded album from them could sound like. 5/10
Nog brazy idk om ja fick så mycket ur det thouu sorry Sidner
3/5 - I can see the potential in this and it's so close to being great, large portions of most songs were really well composed and were very enjoyable. However on most of the tracks they take it too far and end up producing more annoying than inspired sounds which heavily reduces how much I enjoyed them.
Prog rock is always a challenge because you just have to put the headphones on and listen. There is about a five minutes run during the Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One that's really great. Standouts: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One Others: Book of Saturday
Yeah it was okay, nowhere near in the court of the crimson king level
Decent, but it lacks any really killer tracks
Meh
It was nice to listen to it but I think I will not do it again. Some songs where just not that interesting in my opinion.
I like King Crimson but this one is a bit rowdy for me
King Crimson De mixing op dat eerst nummer begint heel trippy zeg, ik dacht dat dit rock was, niet multi-culti ambient haha. Eerste nummer is een 13 minuten durende trip die ik zeker kan waarderen, misschien is prog rock het subgenre voor mij! Interessant mix van tempo's maar ook geluiden en instrumenten die gebruikt worden. Al met al zeer experimentaal, zeer afwisselend, zeker een vibe voor mij, al vind ik het gedurende het album soms wel een beetje vermoeiend worden. Het is echt iets waar je de aandacht bij moet houden. Favo's: Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part I), Book Of Saturday, Easy Money
Aw yeah, King Crimson. Some prog rock for your brain. I've never listened to this album before, my main exposure to King Crimson has been "In The Court of the Crimson King" and, specifically, 21st Century Schizoid Man. Also, I did not know when talking about MC5 a couple days ago the Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer was a part of King Crimson too. Anyways. I like the journey that this album takes me on, although not the parts that are just percussion. I've never been one to shy away from a long song as long as I'm into it, and I'm into a lot of the songs on this album. But the stretches of Larks' Tongues In Aspic parts I and II that were kinda meh bump this from a possible 4 to a 3.
Yes did it better
Ok, the first song was torture. But after that, I really enjoyed the album! All the songs were really interesting to listen to and kept my attention. "Easy Money" was great, and I loved the way that "The Talking Drum" built up from nothing to be an ocean of sound, but my favorite was "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two." I love it when people play around with time signatures in songs, and this song kept switching back and forth between 5/4 and 4/4 and even some 11/8 time, and it was just so fun to listen to. I am very torn about the album's rating bc I cannot emphasize enough how much I despised the first song.
i liked 90% of it and then every song had One Element that made me wanna tear my hair out
King crimson Bit of a slog at times, I definitely liked sections of songs but then other sections were rough (see:The Talking Drum and that awful ending)
I liked this more than I expected.
An interesting, well-crafted prog album that rocks heavier than expected at times. Nuanced, layered and frequently intense. Vocals tend to be weak by comparison. Great use of percussion and strings. One annoyance with it is that I find myself having to adjust the volume all the time, as it frequently swings from very quiet to too loud. Additionally, not a fan of all the noodling, which tends to take a decent song and lead it in to the weeds. Fave Songs: Easy Money; Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One; Exiles
Very very different than what I'm used to listening to. First song sounds like a scary movie soundtrack and then all over the place. But then strings come in?! Random AF. Song 3-Exiles and 5-The Talking Drum, best so far. Seems to be an experimental soundtrack. A couple songs have a Pink Floyd vibe. The final 2 songs aren't too bad, kind of just jam sessions by them.
These songs sound like they were meant to be a movie soundtrack! Sadly, the movie seems to be a progressive avantgarde flick I don't get.
Larks’ Tongue in Aspic // Book of Saturday // Exiles //
King Crimson is one of those bands that I have a lot of respect for, but little tolerance.
This one didn't work for me like In the Court of the Crimson King did. A lot of experimentation, little actual innovation. Best track: Book of Saturday
I feel like they’re good musicians but unable to make more than one good song per album it seems
Dragged down by the first track but still a great prog rock album.
A lot of akustik
Good
Interesting stuff. Some killer riffs, some gobbledygook. Prog.
Wasn't bad though it did feel like I should've smoked a ton of weed before listening to it. Not a huge fan of the jamming parts of the album but the rest was nice. 6/10.
not my jam
The start of some jam music
Pretty good
King Crimson is a ridiculous band making ridiculous music. Very far out. Heady even. If you get past how ridiculous it is and just roll with it, it's pretty fun. Obviously these blokes are good musicians. Decent enough for sure.
It was ok
This has a similar vibe to \"Red\", but it feels a lot more like it's trying to pull from contemporary concert music. This just doesn't have the groove and the vibe of best KC albums.
Such a fascinating band full of twists and turns and unexpected sound. King Crimson has been on my radar for a very long time-- though not this album. I thoroughly enjoyed although, of course, they have some WTF noise moments..
Geoffrey Chaucer and Canterbury Tales for your ears. If you like medieval literature you'll probably like this. I imagine this is what was playin in the living rooms of all those Monk houses. Right in between bouts of silence, making Belgian beer and manuscripting, Larks' Tongues was turned up to 11. That said, there's definitely some groundwork laid buried in these tracks that I can get behind. I like the fuzzy feedback toward the end of easy money, the segments played in reverse on Book of Saturday, the Primus bassline in Talking Drum and the abstract opening in Exiles. But the vocals are done in earnest, the screeching strings(?) and the errant and silly sound effects (was that a vuvuzela?) sets this back a notch or two.
just as weird as I expected 3
I first listened to Larks' Tongues In Aspic four or five years ago to fill in some of the holes in my knowledge of Progressive Rock. This album is often cited as central to the Progressive Rock cannon. I was happy to see this suggestion come up, to see if my listening experience could pull more from the album. This second listening experience was about the same as the first. I liked the album and all of its proggish-ness, but I'm having a hard time finding new favorites that I want to come back to and explore. I will probably listen to more King Crimson in the future, in part because of the various members that Robert Fripp worked with (Greg Lake, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Adrian Belew, etc.). I knew that Bruford was on this album, and was ready to listen to Bruford's work again. To think that Larks' Tongues came out so soon after Yes' Close To The Edge is impressive. My favorite tracks on this album are the instrumentals, and in particular "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two". Wetton's bass playing is good, but I am less of a fan of his vocals. King Crimson may not be to blame for me not being a fan of Wetton's vocals, but rather my diminishing enjoyment of the band Asia over the years. This album is worth a listen, and to really listen, but Larks' Tongues may take a while to become a true favorite.
Feels like an album in tension - it gives us glimpses of some pretty cool rock but accompanied by somewhat laboured synth tension -and sadly a sense that this is what the band want us to enjoy most of all. I suspect will grow on me with further listens.
What's with the long stretches of silence throughout this record? Are listeners being punished for sitting through the music? It wasn't that bad. Maybe sometimes, but not all the time. Sure, it was long and meandering, random and aimless, but there were spurts of heavier music that were a joy to listen to.
ok
There was a lot of quiet bits. Some of the loud bits were really good.
Prog is a genre that I respect more than I enjoy; even if I sometimes find it to be a little pretentious
Yea pretty good. I should probably spun again.
King Crimson is interesting and enjoyable to listen to. I should listen to them more often. This album is not as good as In The Court, but I have no problems with it being on the 1001 list.
Didn’t do much for me
Honestly, the only King Crimson I've listened to is, In The Court Of The Crimson King and not many prog rock albums could top that masterpiece. Larks' Tongues is a fine album, pretty standard prog with some highlights and the musicianship is top notch. For me, it's a bit too proggy and avant-garde to hold my interest for long, but overall an intriguing and sometimes challenging listen.
There are many wonderful moments throughout this record, but it largely comes across as a less focused Pink Floyd. There are some songs I like, but I wouldn't want to make my way through the album in its entirety to get to them again.
Some nice moments in a lot of songs, but typically move into something I'm not too into. Mostly due to not liking the vocals at all.
i guess it’s okay, my tolerance for prog is close to zero
Incredible dynamic range - or another way of saying bits are very quiet and bits are very loud. Not unpleasant, always melodic, a bit banging and crashing at times, full on prog.
Meh. Not very catchy.
I love Court of the Crimson King more than anything, but this was a little wack
The suite is a bit all over the place. Feels like there's no connection or theme. Not particularly essential imho. Nice drumming throughout though.
Miellekästä.. Löydy hyvää äänenvoimakkuutta.. koska... Dynamics.. Todella hyvää musiikkia.. Pelkään radiohead pink floyd tyylistä arvostelua crimsonin tuleville albumeille.. mitä en ole kuullut.. sen takia alakanttiin tämä.. saadaan vaihtelua sitten heh..
3.75
I don’t really know what this is or was but I wasn’t mad at it.
Þetta er ágætis progg. Ekki allra, eflaust.
I do really like King Crimson, but I wasn't so sure about this one. It doesn't seem to have anywhere near as many interesting ideas as their previous albums
Very intriguing and strange, but sometimes to the point of pure absurdity. At times it felt like a real assault on the ears. I can appreciate something experimental for sure though, and there were some great moments here. However, as far as prog rock records go this isn't my favourite. Favourite: Exiles
I consider myself a prog rock fan. I love Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, and others, but I've never been able to get into King Crimson for some reason. I know they're one of the monsters of the genre, but their music in general is just too inaccessible to me. Sure, there are individual songs of theirs that I love but overall they just don't quite connect for me. So I enjoyed this album but it didn't resonate as much as the best albums of those other bands I mentioned. 3 stars.
Noticed a jimmy hendrix element to it and when I looked it up king crimson was his favorite band of all time so you can hear the inspiration. Definitely will be listening to more of their albums
I have zero feelings or opinions on this
Honestly better than their well known album mostly just instrumental rock though
Well this is overwrought. Some exceptionally talented musicians have managed to produce something really quite dull.
1. Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part I): bit trippy how this song progresses. Just a lot going on with very good and very underwhelming parts. 6/10. 2. Book of Saturday: love the instrumentals, nice vocals. 7.5/10. 3. Exiles: solid track, very nice instrumentally and vocally. 7/10 4. Easy Money: chorus sounds great. Really strong buildup throughout the track. 8/10. 5. The Talking Drum: vibey track, very good choice of instruments. 7.5/10. 6.Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part II): this part is really nice, definitely a good ender. 7.5/10
Title track(s) are cool but I don't like the rest. Waaaay better than In the Court of the Crimson King though.
Creative and interesting but often unpleasant. 6/10
I don't know why this would be the King Crimson album that would make it onto the list. Some of the drums really stood out to me though.
Robert Fripp is an impressive guitar player who’s not afraid to experiment. I like the way he jumps around from heavy rock to jazz to acoustic. David Cross’s violin is also a highlight. Some of the longer songs don’t hold together too well, with the sudden changes of pace, lack of melody and structure, and Fripp’s penchant to create jarring experiences for the listener. I’m not crazy about the vocalist – it’s kinda like they asked, out of the five of us, who’s the best singer?
I must admit I'm one of those weenies that likes Prog. And of all the Prog groups, King Crimson is one of the best IMO, just behind Genesis and Yes. This group never ceases to impress, constantly evolving and changing their line-up, with Robert Fripp the band leader being the only constant. This iteration brings in one of my favourite drummers, Bill Bruford and bassists, John Wetton. David Cross' violin adds another interesting dimension to their sound. I think the two bonus tracks that Spotify tagged on to the end are really good, but to be fair they shouldn't be rated with the original album material. Their almost heavy metal prog sound was highly influential on bands like Porcupine Tree and Dream Theatre and the improv noodling shows that they can push the envelope. However, I think In the Court of the Crimson King and Red are better albums so I hope they show up on this list.
I'm just not a prog rock guy. I find it kind of exhausting. That being said, this isn't an awful record, it's just not really my thing. There were a few tracks that I could enjoy but overall I can't really see myself choosing to put this one on again. Standout Tracks: Exiles, Easy Money, The Talking Drum (enjoyed parts of this song)
Pretty good but not as good as In The Court of The Crimson King.
Not my favorite King Crimson album. The studio recording bonus track kinda was the most interesting.
This album's name is BAD This album's music is FINE At times it gets kind of prog rocky, and that's GOOD. At other times it does this ambient Brian Eno but in China thing which is VERY GOOD. At other times it's generic 70s stoner crap and that's BAD.
Interesting for sure. I cant disrespect the talent
I don't think I've ever heard King Crimson, although I know they're huge in prog-nerd circles. Could go either way. Ok it's ultra-prog. Sound-wise, it's kinda like if Led Zeppelin substituted songwriting talent for nerdy technical ability. There are heavy rocking parts and folky sensitive bits, extreme displays of jazzy music theory knowledge, long as fuck songs, etc etc. It's all there. It's not bad, and I like ultra-prog to an extent, but for some reason the lack of real songcraft sticks out. Vocals are a weak point as well. Can't say I'd listen again. 3/5.
I like the violin. I feel this album could have been stronger if there was more structure/direction.
Was that Donal Duck at the end of "Easy Money"? If so, amazing Overall, a really decent album enjoyed listening to it too, exciting use of drums, violins, and cello. 3/5
Rating: 6/10
Can hear so many modern prog bands here
Before starting this 1001 challenge, I completely misunderstood progressive rock and experimentalism in popular music. So I learned a lot listening to it on some occasions and reading Wikipedia from time to time. It's not my favorite style, and I felt sad when I received some progressive album (apparently, the book's author loves this kind of music). Still, after almost 500 albums, I must confess that I was missing some experimentalism in my daily album. Thanks to "King Crimson" for allowing me to listen to some experimentalism today. I guess that after the subsequent 200 albums, I'll become a fan of progressive rock.
Rock progresivo. A veces interesante, a veces aburrido.
While I love King Crimson, this album has never grabbed me.
It’s prog rock biatch
Il s’essaie beaucoup de trucs sur cet album. Je n’y reviens pas souvent, mais j’aime bien.
Rock progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.
I get it but I don’t like it
Vocally, it sounds a bit like second-rate Pink Floyd, but instrumentally it's actually pretty interesting! I'm totally not prog enough for it, but my time doesn't feel wasted like I expected from getting a King Crimson album I've hardly ever heard anyone talk about.
Not their best. Prog rock at its worst. Self indulgent shit. Long, long songs Fripp’s guitar work only bright spot. Not good. Two stars
Some riffs were cool (like 30 sec out of the whole album). But in general - no, it's some kind of atonal avantgarde for me which I don't like and don't understand. And also, violin or whatever string instrument it was - doesn't work with guitar for me in this case , its too competitive. And the violin parts are bullshit for me
I'm glad someone tested the waters with this sound so that we know it should never had continued
Long instrumental sections come with the territory when listening to prog. I oftentimes enjoy them but they need to be interesting. Basic repeating riffs over new and different time signatures doesn’t do it for me. The middle school level violin didn’t either.
I don’t think I like prog rock, but not the absolute worst
I had no idea there are soooo many King Crimson albums - why are they all on this list!?!?
The Moody Blues are better than King Crimson, and Days of Future Passed should be a book album instead of this.
My Y12 group have decided that this is a 2* album, and Im not arguing with them.
Nope
Its not bad 4/10 nothing exciting in it
This has its moments, but most of it is just meandering and making random noises with the guise of being interesting or clever. I can handle long songs, but this was egregious. 15 minutes of bullshit as the opening track? Seriously? Favorite Track: Easy Money
This album disappoints me.
That was odd
This was interesting. Guess prog rock just isn't my thing.
Muy ruidoso
Meh
Chat. What are we doing here
#382/1001. ADHD music. Too bad I am ADD. I digged rhe percussion though.
Solid 2.5 - Not bad but nothing really hooked me.
Who is this for? Or who, in a vacuum, would be psyched about this ratio of tension and release?
Borderline insufferable. Some really cool parts mixed around a lot of shit. I don't want to say I hate prog rock because there's some out there that's pretty good. And when Fripp lays down some heavy riffs on the first track for a few seconds, I want to like this...but I just can't.
I liked about 1/3 of this album. The rest was a chore. I guess I just don’t get it.
Too much "prog", not enough "rock". This could've been super cool if it was a bit more grounded, but too experimental and wayward for my taste.
Listened Before? N Pretty cool but waaayyyy too long and experimental for my un-stoned brain. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Book of Saturday
my problem with prog rock is that it's always the same, really predictable.
If we could cut all the wanky instrumental stuff out and condense it to the parts that ROCK, I would probably like this.
Easy money har et par enkelte momenter hvor jeg blev fanget og draget, men var skuffet over det generelle niveau på denne plade. Det falder lidt fladt, for hvad jeg ellers ville forvente af prog rock. Det kan også være min opmærksomhed var et helt andet sted, men i så fald har det ikke været insisterende nok i min mening.
Det er godt nok bare støj, en rigtig kamp for mig at komme igennem. Book of Saturday fin nok + nogle korte korte dele af nr 3 og 4 også ok. Sniger sig med nød og næppe op på en 2er.
Forget Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, at times this sounded more like wasps trapped in a crisp packet. I kind of liked a couple of tracks (especially Exile), but the other two thirds of this really tested my patience.
01) Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One - 5,0 02) Book of Saturday - 6,5 03) Exiles - 5,5 04) Easy Money - 5,5 05) The Talking Drum - 5,0 06) Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,42 (54/100) Current ranking: 801/911
Not my style.
Please, God. I’ve done my time. I’m too far in to quit, but I need something good to listen to.
too busy, bit of a struggle
Definite 2. Guess I am not a King Crimson person but they are not for me. But it isn't bad.
This was tough to listen to. Normally I am a fan of Prog Rock, but I caould not wrap my head around most of this. It sounded like just random crap.
Not finished
To me this is a standard prog album; I like about a third of it, the rest of of I find incredibly tedious. There's lots of moments here and there. A cool melody, a couple minutes of a heavy riff, an interesting percussion arrangement. But what surrounds it is mostly for music theory nerds. Easy Money was a highlight. That song slaps.
Mostly instrumental, kind of screechy at times. It was okay.
This was background music. Just hard time getting into this.
Turned into nothing
Marginally better than the other album they have on this list. Parts were interesting, most was annoying and too strange. I get why it’s on the list but I didn’t enjoy it.
ummm this is just a collection of random sounds & instruments. why was this essential for me to listen to?
Сара 2 Марко 2
Weinig vaart, weinig songs, nogal mid
hmmmm no. 1.5
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? Completely Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? Neutral Favorite song(s)? I’m not sure I can pick one because it all kind of ran together Overall Thoughts: I keep trying to like prog rock, maybe somewhere on this list I will, but this was not it. Call me basic but I like people singing coherent words against musical instruments. And I’m not a fan of these albums made up of just a few really long songs, I need more track to track variation.
boring
Interesting but had a really hard time getting into it.
I don't think I have the right kind of intelligence for prog rock.
Rock. Disappointing. I love Crimson King, and this was just nonsense. There were a few bright spots, but not what I wanted.
Some nice moments but felt a bit too exploratory without fully finding itself. May just be a bias against prog (despite my love of Rush). Musicianship is phenomenal tho.
The instrumental performances are great, but I wasn't keen on the song arrangements of most of the songs, nor of the vocal performances. Lacks any of kind of narrative as a concept album, so it doesn't really feel like progressive rock to me. It felt more like a collection of unconnected tracks of rock improvisation. The biggest standout to me is the sheer range of Bill Bruford's drumming and Jamie Muir's percussion. The former YES member uses all of his considerable skills to make this disparate mess a bit more palatable. I'm not convinced that this is an essential album. Fripp had big creative ambitions, but I am not convinced he actually succeeded on those fronts with this album. Doesn't cook nor jell. Faves: "The Talking Drum"
Wandering prog rock
Prog silliness, then atonal bollocks, then something beautiful but doesn't go anywhere. I didn't enjoy it, but it has great moments
Surprisingly unremarkable. Not even worth my standard second listen. I'm surprised by how unmemorable I found the album given this band's importance and progression in music history. If 2.5 were an allowable rating, that's my honest opinion--neither bad nor good. It's just meh.
Prog rock is altijd die killing combo van vermoeiend geavanceerde composities waar ook nog eens geen eind aan lijkt te komen. Bij muziek die minder goed aanslaat kijk ik altijd wel aardig snel hoelang ik nog moet, maar bij albums als deze doe je dat al tijdens de 7e passage van het eerste nummer. Geen pretje. 4,5/10
OMG. This was too much.
Ill have to give this anothee try, to see if it'll click for me, but at this time, this is 67 minutes of random noice to me.
Thought one of the last out takes was the best cut. Not my bag , super avant gard or experimental to my ears
Tried to get into King Crimson so many times. Just can’t hear what people love
Listened to this on a Friday, and by Monday had already forgotten about it.
just dragged on a lot at the same sort of pace and dynamic
Not a prog fan.
yeah this is a no from me. First song felt like just a collection of sounds. The vibes are all over the place in this album
A little too all over the place for me. Lots of tonal shifting and doesn't end up meshing for me.
3/10
Maybe if I was on acid...
Not one I’ll be Re-listening too often but I want to check out their other albums