Larks’ Tongues in Aspic

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.

It took me three listens, but I loved it. King Crimson walked so Radiohead could run

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.

PROG FUCKING PROG!

Hadn't listened to the one at all, I only know the screaming man album. Really enjoyed it, it sounds like the birth of math rock!

I really hate prog rock. I get the impression they think they're way more clever than they actually are. They're just farting about and making random noises. It's utterly tedious. There's a bit of nice violin in there which always gets my attention, and some nice piano and musical bits AT TIMES. That's where my 1 star is going. But it's like a feeble ray of light shining on a giant cloud of guff, which can't quite penetrate it and break free.

Nothing particularly interesting about this one. Prog rock like this just cracks me up. 1.5/5

prog rock not my thing