King Crimson Appreciation Thread

[Orbert]

they'd only ever played tunes in band in 4/4, maybe 3/4, and cut time was like whoa!

lol wut? That school needs a new band director. I played this my sophomore year in highschool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yjjARIWjjA

It was junior high, which in Michigan at the time was 7th-8th-9th grade.  And it was a small town without a lot of resources, so not particularly blessed in terms of talent or equipment.  Plus I'm probably exaggerating a bit; I don't know what they'd done in band, but I'm pretty sure the break in "Starless" was well beyond it.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

they'd only ever played tunes in band in 4/4, maybe 3/4, and cut time was like whoa!

lol wut? That school needs a new band director. I played this my sophomore year in highschool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yjjARIWjjA

It was junior high, which in Michigan at the time was 7th-8th-9th grade.  And it was a small town without a lot of resources, so not particularly blessed in terms of talent or equipment.  Plus I'm probably exaggerating a bit; I don't know what they'd done in band, but I'm pretty sure the break in "Starless" was well beyond it.

In Grade 11 here stuff is almost entirely 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8. Sometimes we practiced odd time sigs but they aren't real songs, just little practice things.

[SystematicThought]

I've been in two different high school concert bands. The current one I am in, the time sigs can get difficult, but overly not difficult. We've had 3/2, 17/8, 7/8, 12/8, 4/4, 3/4/ 5/4. Nothing overly complex, but more than I was used to (except the last 3, those are of course easy  )

[Mladen]

So...

Any of you guys familiar with their album Beat?

Drag your ass to polls & survivors, please.

[Orbert]

I like Beat almost as much as Discipline, and definitely more than Three of a Perfect Pair.  I'm not sure why it gets slagged so badly.  It's got a lot of cool, catchy stuff.

[MasterShakezula]

Um, being sort of green to KC, (For months, I've only had ITCOTCK, SABB, and R, and just yesterday got Lizard) I'm not too familiar with much of their stuff.  What material is as good as the stuff I have, which I find awesome, and which stuff will just be disappointing?

[Orbert]

The four albums you've named all fall into the "early" King Crimson, which as you've noticed by now went through a lot of changes.  King Crimson continued to change and evolve, but one thing they've always done is keep both a heavy side and a light side.  Robert Fripp clearly likes to wail and scream sometimes (via guitar of course) but he also has a knack for creating beautiful, haunting melodies.

I suggest trying the 80's version of the band next, which will lead you nicely into the more recent stuff which gets even more psychotic.  Start with Discipline, the initial offering from the Fripp-Belew-Levin-Bruford band.  This band was originally going to be called Discipline, but at some point Fripp decided that it was "worthy" of the name King Crimson, and the band was reborn.  This band had two more albums, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair, which are similar in sound, but each gets a bit more adventurous within the established style.  I like all three of them nearly equally, but some KC fans have some problems with the second and third offerrings.

Starting with the 90's stuff (THRAK), they kinda lost me, so I can't advise you from that point forward.  I have the DVD from that period, Deja Vrooom, and it's amazing, but it didn't really lead me into the studio work from that band.  Fripp called that band "the double trio" as it had two guitarists, two drummers, and two bass/stick players.

[MasterShakezula]

Sounds like a plan; I need more 80s music in my library, anyways; I've mainly 60s and 70s, with some 50s. 

Though I do ask, are Poseidon, Islands, and Lark worth my money, in addition to the 80s stuff?

I've heard many love Lark, though I've heard Poseidon and Islands were total downers. 

[darkshade]

Sounds like a plan; I need more 80s music in my library, anyways; I've mainly 60s and 70s, with some 50s. 

Though I do ask, are Poseidon, Islands, and Lark worth my money, in addition to the 80s stuff?

I've heard many love Lark, though I've heard Poseidon and Islands were total downers. 

All their albums from 1969-1974 are essential. Also, Discipline (1981) and The Power To Believe (2003) are just as essential.

[Nekov]

Sounds like a plan; I need more 80s music in my library, anyways; I've mainly 60s and 70s, with some 50s. 

Though I do ask, are Poseidon, Islands, and Lark worth my money, in addition to the 80s stuff?

I've heard many love Lark, though I've heard Poseidon and Islands were total downers. 

Islands not so much but you should have it. Larks' is top notch and Poseidon is ok. As far as 80s, Discipline is a must, Beat and TOAPP not so much. The later KC is more heavy and it gets weird. Thrak is a fantastic album, the other too are really good too, but as i said, they are weird and hard to get. It might take a lot of spins before you dig them.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Poseidon is good, but I don't visit much. Islands is pretty boring I find, but it has some good tracks. Larks is an acquired taste, but definitely one of their best.

[Pols Voice]

I actually like Poseidon just as much or more than ITCOTCK. Islands has some good stuff and some terrible stuff. Larks is very good and is a must have for KC fans.

I prefer the Belew era stuff in general. The Power to Believe is my favorite KC album, and THRAK is second.

[MasterShakezula]

Well, I stumbled across an interesting site; apparently it was Peter Sinfield's and in it, he chronicles and breaks down the meanings behind his lyrics.  And it's still mostly incoherent, but an interesting read, nonetheless:

https://www.songsouponsea.com/Promenade/home.html

[Orbert]

And it's still mostly incoherent...

Dude, you're not kidding!  I'm gonna have to devote a little more time to deciphering this.

Great find, though!

[ytserush]

Count me among those who say there are no bad King Crimson albums.

[The King in Crimson]

I actually like Poseidon just as much or more than ITCOTCK. Islands has some good stuff and some terrible stuff. Larks is very good and is a must have for KC fans.

I agree. I usually turn to Discipline or Poseidon if I want to listen to some King Crimson. Discipline is amazing and Poseidon is very good though I can understand why some don't like it, it IS very structurally similar to ITCotCK, though I find it more.... consistent in quality.

But that's just me.

[glaurung]

I don't think Discipline is that good.

[The King in Crimson]

Weirdo. 

[Orbert]

Discipline was the first effort by a new band.  That's why Beat is actually better in some ways.  It's more consistent; it has more a feel of being written by a band that knew what it was about.

In the Wake of Poseidon is similarly the follow-up to In the Court of the Crimson King.  Less exploratory, more focused.

There are no bad Crimson albums, but I do have trouble getting into Islands.

[millahh]

I don't think Discipline is that good.

Have you heard the live versions of those tunes on Absent Lovers?  They're all better than the studio versions (which I really find to be true of KC in general...the live versions all have a spark that make the studio versions seem slightly lifeless in comparison).

[Sketchy]

Heh, I love all of King Crimson's stuff, but unfortunately I got the last KC album I needed (Islands) just before SW announced his remastering. That said, I might get the 5.1 versions of my favourites, so I can listen to them when I have a 5.1 setup around, however, I rarely do so there is little point.

[The King in Crimson]

Poseidon and ITCotCK all sound fantastic in 5.1.

Red sounded... good. Didn't really blow me away or anything. Just good.

[Orbert]

Can you elaborate?  Red is one of my favorites, probably my favorite studio album.  Was it the sound quality, or more that they didn't really do the 5.1 well?

[The King in Crimson]

Can you elaborate?  Red is one of my favorites, probably my favorite studio album.  Was it the sound quality, or more that they didn't really do the 5.1 well?

I don't think the 5.1 was done as well as Poseidon and ITCotCK. I'd probably have to listen to it again, it's been a while.

[Orbert]

Okay, thanks for the feedback anyway.  I've been trying to decide whether or not investing in 5.1 audio recordings is worth it.  I have a few, but the listening opportunities are pretty limited.  Red would be the first King Crimson I'd pick up, but only if it's worth it.

[Nekov]

Anyonw who's interested, the KC survivor has come to consolation. I'd love to have more than 5 people partiipating in it 

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=27798.0

[poespas]

People, why all the hate for Islands? In my opinion, Islands is one of their best efforts.
I agree, for starters it can be quite hard to love the album, but how can't you make love  with  song of the gulls? And don't forget the brilliant title track! Overall, Islands is better than any KC album recorded after Red.

[ZBomber]

Okay, thanks for the feedback anyway.  I've been trying to decide whether or not investing in 5.1 audio recordings is worth it.  I have a few, but the listening opportunities are pretty limited.  Red would be the first King Crimson I'd pick up, but only if it's worth it.

Orbert - it's worth it!!

Just finished listening to Lizards in 5.1, it's amazing!

[ytserush]

It's King Crimson!  Of course it's worth it! (But then I've yet to find a King Crimson album that I don't like.)

[Orbert]

I'm not talking about whether or not the album is worth it.  I've had it for 30 years, on vinyl first and now on CD.  But there are some pretty bad 5.1 discs out there.  Not everyone knows how to remix an album into surround, and some of them are rather expensive.  Combine the two, and you have a rather expensive waste of money.

[ytserush]

I'm not talking about whether or not the album is worth it.  I've had it for 30 years, on vinyl first and now on CD.  But there are some pretty bad 5.1 discs out there.  Not everyone knows how to remix an album into surround, and some of them are rather expensive.  Combine the two, and you have a rather expensive waste of money.

You're absolutely right about that.

But you have to ask yourself: "Would Robert Fripp allow something that sounds like crap to get out there?"(Knowing what you do about Robert Fripp.)

[ZBomber]

Plus SW mixed these and his mixes are always top notch!

[The King in Crimson]

Yeah, I'm not saying the 5.1 mix is bad, I just didn't find it as awesome as Court or Poseidon or even Islands.

[Orbert]

I'm not talking about whether or not the album is worth it.  I've had it for 30 years, on vinyl first and now on CD.  But there are some pretty bad 5.1 discs out there.  Not everyone knows how to remix an album into surround, and some of them are rather expensive.  Combine the two, and you have a rather expensive waste of money.

You're absolutely right about that.

But you have to ask yourself: "Would Robert Fripp allow something that sounds like crap to get out there?"(Knowing what you do about Robert Fripp.)

Good point.

[Mladen]

I've only heard Lizard, and it sounds lovely. Maybe I'll check some other remasters.