Larks’ Tongues in Aspic

Amazing idea, bad realisation. Did not enjoy it.

Wow, they moved a long way away from In the Court of the Crimson King. This is a little too free-Jazzy for me to love

Drivel

I’m at a pretty darn good 4.

This album has a few too many lulls and experimental points for me to really push it near a 5, but what’s here is still pretty captivating in its own weird way. Its experimental nature keeps it from hitting a 5 for me, but it also does enough that I think it pushes it up nicely into a 4, just for trying all of this in 1973, and succeeding, for the most part.

A lot of this album is instrumental, which is fine enough – it’s broken up by 3 normal tracks, and the only one I really wasn’t feeling at all was “Easy Money”; just a little too simple and a bit too boring for my tastes. Felt like there was never a big payoff. The same applies to The Talking Drum, but that at least has the benefit of transitioning perfectly into the absolute stunner that is Part 2 of Larks’ Tongues in Aspic – just an absolutely captivating 7 minutes of a progressive rock instrumental that never really hits a lull point, and just clicked on all my tastes.

So, yeah, I’m at a 4 – it’s an interesting 48 minutes, but it doesn’t do enough to hold my attention throughout the whole thing. It’s a little vague, and occasionally too experimental for its own good, but when it clicks, it clicks, and it clicked enough for me to enjoy it. It’s a very recommended 4, because I can see someone vibing throughout this whole thing and giving it a 5 (or absolutely despising it and giving it a 2).

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.

Flavorless and artificially held together. Sounds like a good title.

I really agree with a lot of the comments. I really do hate prog rock!!

This album does have some cool moments in around all the intrsumentals, Larks part 2 was a good song. Apart from that it is another poor album

Favourite song: larks part 2
Least favourite: All of the other tracks
Album artwork: Cool artwork

Intersting Post rock

So many genres - each one of them shite

Didn't manage to nail a single one

1 ⭐️

Fuckin fantastic prog! The leaders in the genre! My real question though is why are larks licking dudes Aspic? Lol. This is the music that should be celebrated on this list. Not fucking shoegaze or thrash jazz. Any inebriated fourth grader could produce shoegaze, Fuck that.

Favourite songs: Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part 1& 2), Easy Money

Least favourite songs: The Talking Drum

4/5

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!

We are here for the ride! This album has some cool grooves, like Easy Money.

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.

Feels a bit pretentious, but how could it not be with an album title like that. I am still digging the prog rock vibe, but this one was a little more repetitive and out there in spots. Started out as a solid four star, but was going to bump it down to 3 on the second listen. However, the 3rd time through brought me right back to 4. A real rollercoaster of emotions.

King Crimson is one of my favorite bands of all time and in my opinion the best prog rock band ever. This album, like almost all of theirs, is simply incredible. A textbook example of what prog should be.

Majestic af

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.

Don't fully understand it but there's definitely something here. Will definitely revisit.

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.

3.37 per track. I enjoyed much of this but just a bit too experimental at times.