@Daniel John 's recent thread, Yes - List Your Top 5 albums, strikes me as such a great idea and has elicited so many wonderful responses; I thought I would start a few more threads for bands that have a similar longevity and even more of their output available in multichannel magic. So here are my top 5 for King Crimson, in both order of preference and chronological order (click on album title to link to QQ poll threads):
1) In the Court of the Crimson King (1969): My first King Crimson purchase back in 1975 when I was a freshman in high school. It was the album cover that did it for me; I couldn’t resist. The owner of the local record store, clearly thinking I was hipper than I was, gave me a knowing nod when I paid with my hard-earned cash. I’ll never forget my first listen to the album--absolutely transcendent! I had NO idea such depth and breadth were possible. One of the all-time great opening salvos from a band. This masterpiece establishes the template for future exemplars: the juxtaposition of songs of virtuoso sonic assault and those of heartbreaking beauty, always straddling the lines, blurring the boundaries, and redefining the understanding of genres. A statement for the ages--one that changed the face of music and the way I listen to it, elevating popular culture to the realm of Art. Steve Wilson’s 50th anniversary mix was my top release of 2019.
2) Red (1974): Both Larks’ Tongues in Aspic and Starless and Bible Black are revelations that I can’t imagine being without, but Red takes the next spot for several reasons. Basically the work of one of the greatest power trios (what a sound!), the album does feature some choice blasts from the past in appearances from Mel Collins (saxophones [and more] on In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, Islands, Earthbound), Ian McDonald (saxophones [and more] on ItCotCK, ItWoP), Marc Charig (cornet on Lizard and Islands), Robin Miller (oboe on Lizard and Islands), and the recently ousted David Cross (violin on LTiA, SaBB, and USA), making it a vision of what might have been had the band not been in its death throes. And the fact that such an album could be produced by a group on the edge of extinction earns its place on my list. For me, side 2 of the album (comprising “Providence” and “Starless”) embodies the power of the Passion (in the New Testament sense of the word--artists driven, willing to endure pain, suffering, and loss for the sake of their Art). The blu ray from the The Road to Red box set is as close as I’ll get to replicating the bliss the vinyl brought me back in my high school daze!
3) Discipline (1981): If Red is the power and the majesty of the Passion, Discipline is the miracle of the Resurrection. Re-envisioning King Crimson for the New Wave of the 1980s was an inspiration that continues to inspire to this day. Everything old is new again: Fripp and Bruford reunited and reinvigorated by the additions of Adrian Belew (whose guitars and vocals were perfect for and transcendent of the times) and Tony Levin (whose stick work kept the group grounded in all things heavy and heady) craft a comeback for the ages. Four virtuosos work their magic, proving that Crimson is still King. A work so transcendent that its name and cover art have found their way into the business end of KC (Discipline Global Mobile and Inner Knot).
4) THRAK (1995): @edisonbaggins ' love of this album caused me to revisit it, and, as is always the case, he is spot on! Fripp pulls another resurrection rabbit out of the Crimson crown: more than 10 years had passed since the last KC release! For this incarnation, he added another Stick man, Trey Gunn, and another drummer, Pat Mastelotto, creating what he dubbed a “double trio.” This sextet goes hard and heavy! Steven Wilson’s mix really brings out the beauty of the double trio setup, letting individual players emerge from the apparent denseness of the sonic attack. Not only does Fripp take KC into yet another decade, he maintains strong ties to the past with sonic allusions to the likes of Red and Discipline.
5) The Power to Believe (2003): Seems a foregone conclusion that I would include a release from the next decade as KC becomes the 21st Century Schizoid Band! This incarnation is back to a quartet: Fripp, Belew, Gunn, and Mastelotto. I can’t help but wonder if Barry Godber’s amazing artwork for ItCotCK isn’t some sort of Portrait of Dorian Gray--this band not only doesn’t seem to age; they somehow get more testicular as the years roll on! This time the surround mix is from the band’s manager/audio engineer David Singleton. His mix compliments the yin-yang of this release, bringing out the aural anarchy aggressiveness of assaults like “Level Five” and highlighting the ineffable elegance of tracks like “Eyes Wide Open.” The interweaving of Fripp’s sophisticated soundscapes and Belew’s impressionistic poetry tie the tracks of this one together nicely.
On a personal note, I was stoked (tickets already ordered) to see King Crimson this summer at Ravinia. Not sure if I’ll get another chance to see them (already experienced one of the greatest shows of my concert-going careers), but the latest iteration of KC is nicely represented on multichannel releases of live shows such as Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind (2016), which would be my entry for this decade of King Crimson’s storied career. I can’t wait to hear your favorites! Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
1) In the Court of the Crimson King (1969): My first King Crimson purchase back in 1975 when I was a freshman in high school. It was the album cover that did it for me; I couldn’t resist. The owner of the local record store, clearly thinking I was hipper than I was, gave me a knowing nod when I paid with my hard-earned cash. I’ll never forget my first listen to the album--absolutely transcendent! I had NO idea such depth and breadth were possible. One of the all-time great opening salvos from a band. This masterpiece establishes the template for future exemplars: the juxtaposition of songs of virtuoso sonic assault and those of heartbreaking beauty, always straddling the lines, blurring the boundaries, and redefining the understanding of genres. A statement for the ages--one that changed the face of music and the way I listen to it, elevating popular culture to the realm of Art. Steve Wilson’s 50th anniversary mix was my top release of 2019.
2) Red (1974): Both Larks’ Tongues in Aspic and Starless and Bible Black are revelations that I can’t imagine being without, but Red takes the next spot for several reasons. Basically the work of one of the greatest power trios (what a sound!), the album does feature some choice blasts from the past in appearances from Mel Collins (saxophones [and more] on In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, Islands, Earthbound), Ian McDonald (saxophones [and more] on ItCotCK, ItWoP), Marc Charig (cornet on Lizard and Islands), Robin Miller (oboe on Lizard and Islands), and the recently ousted David Cross (violin on LTiA, SaBB, and USA), making it a vision of what might have been had the band not been in its death throes. And the fact that such an album could be produced by a group on the edge of extinction earns its place on my list. For me, side 2 of the album (comprising “Providence” and “Starless”) embodies the power of the Passion (in the New Testament sense of the word--artists driven, willing to endure pain, suffering, and loss for the sake of their Art). The blu ray from the The Road to Red box set is as close as I’ll get to replicating the bliss the vinyl brought me back in my high school daze!
3) Discipline (1981): If Red is the power and the majesty of the Passion, Discipline is the miracle of the Resurrection. Re-envisioning King Crimson for the New Wave of the 1980s was an inspiration that continues to inspire to this day. Everything old is new again: Fripp and Bruford reunited and reinvigorated by the additions of Adrian Belew (whose guitars and vocals were perfect for and transcendent of the times) and Tony Levin (whose stick work kept the group grounded in all things heavy and heady) craft a comeback for the ages. Four virtuosos work their magic, proving that Crimson is still King. A work so transcendent that its name and cover art have found their way into the business end of KC (Discipline Global Mobile and Inner Knot).
4) THRAK (1995): @edisonbaggins ' love of this album caused me to revisit it, and, as is always the case, he is spot on! Fripp pulls another resurrection rabbit out of the Crimson crown: more than 10 years had passed since the last KC release! For this incarnation, he added another Stick man, Trey Gunn, and another drummer, Pat Mastelotto, creating what he dubbed a “double trio.” This sextet goes hard and heavy! Steven Wilson’s mix really brings out the beauty of the double trio setup, letting individual players emerge from the apparent denseness of the sonic attack. Not only does Fripp take KC into yet another decade, he maintains strong ties to the past with sonic allusions to the likes of Red and Discipline.
5) The Power to Believe (2003): Seems a foregone conclusion that I would include a release from the next decade as KC becomes the 21st Century Schizoid Band! This incarnation is back to a quartet: Fripp, Belew, Gunn, and Mastelotto. I can’t help but wonder if Barry Godber’s amazing artwork for ItCotCK isn’t some sort of Portrait of Dorian Gray--this band not only doesn’t seem to age; they somehow get more testicular as the years roll on! This time the surround mix is from the band’s manager/audio engineer David Singleton. His mix compliments the yin-yang of this release, bringing out the aural anarchy aggressiveness of assaults like “Level Five” and highlighting the ineffable elegance of tracks like “Eyes Wide Open.” The interweaving of Fripp’s sophisticated soundscapes and Belew’s impressionistic poetry tie the tracks of this one together nicely.
On a personal note, I was stoked (tickets already ordered) to see King Crimson this summer at Ravinia. Not sure if I’ll get another chance to see them (already experienced one of the greatest shows of my concert-going careers), but the latest iteration of KC is nicely represented on multichannel releases of live shows such as Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind (2016), which would be my entry for this decade of King Crimson’s storied career. I can’t wait to hear your favorites! Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
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