Which King Crimson surround album should I get?

[humprof]

Larks’ is the best. (IMHO that is)

I'm with Ryan. I may be biased because Larks' is also just my favorite KC album. (Sure, Court is the one that makes all the "Top [x] Prog Albums" lists, but musically, Larks' is way more interesting and adventurous, IMO.). Still, it's where I'd go next. And after that: the Discipline reboot.

 

[van1]

So most would say that Larks' Tongues is the best one in terms of surround mix?

The thing that's annoying with KC is that I can't stream the albums first to tell if I'll like them or not. I've still only got Court, not sure where to go next...

Youtube can be your friend

After some suggestions here i explored the core albums up to Thrak and ended up buying all except Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair in 5.1

Still havent listened to all the 5.1’s but for the 70’s albums themselves, musically i think the first 4 albums fit together pretty well, and then the Wetton / Bruford era trilogy.

Larks Tongues is the most experimental but also the most extreme so i do wonder why so many recommend it as a starting place.

Id say go chronological, lots of great stuff between Court and Larks. Amazing musical arc going from prog with a 60”s flavour on the soft tunes, some jazzier feel on Lizard and the laid back Islands, the experimental Larks (name me another band who throws leaves around the stage) towards the heavy metal of Red

some oversimplification there but a truly unique body of work

 

[jimfisheye]

If I was going by favorite album (ie the original stereo mixes which were all that ever existed originally), in order:
Larks Tongues
Starless
Red
Thrak
all the rest

Focusing on just how much I like the 5.1 remixes... what I said earlier.
But the whole KC catalog is some of my favorite music ever and the 5.1 remixes are all unbelievably good!

Most improved are:
Lizard - went from a kind of demo like state (it was originally ambitious beyond mixing capability) to finished
Islands - stunningly hi-fi now!
the 3 '80s albums - finally you can hear/feel the weight of the band. These are 'real' now.

 

[halbroome]

In reply to an earlier speculation about why John Wetton's bass was in the middle speaker:

Wetton's bass cabinet was notoriously loud!!! So much so, that, playing live, they didn't even bother putting a dedicated mic or having a dedicated line going into the house mix. Since STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK consisted of live recordings with later dubs, you would expect the bass in all the speakers. Given the choice, would you have it dispersed like that, or isolated to the subwoofers (and thus miss some of the higher ranges)?

I think not. The center speaker would be a logical place to put what you have isolated (with subs included, and tones coming from all speakers).

Wilson would be the one to know, though!

 

[skherbeck]

As a rocker who was new to KC when I discovered surround, I would say all of the KC albums require repeated listening to really appreciate, but “Red” was the most instantly accessable, while “Larks Tongues” was ultimately my favorite.