3
I’ve been pretty high, but never King Crimson high
Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, released on 23 March 1973 through Island Records in the UK and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation, featuring co-founder and guitarist Robert Fripp along with four new members: bass guitarist and vocalist John Wetton, violinist and keyboardist David Cross, percussionist Jamie Muir, and drummer Bill Bruford. It is a key album in the band's evolution, drawing on Eastern European classical music and European free improvisation as central influences.
I’ve been pretty high, but never King Crimson high
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.
prog noodling outweighs good tunes
Ohhh, finally! An album that I already listened complete before I started this challenge! Ok, so let's start by saying that King Crimson is my favourite band. Like, not just my favourite prog rock band, my favourite band of ALL times alongside The Beatles, Queen and Black Sabbath. Each of its albums, except for In The Wake of Poseidon, are extremely different from each other and almost feel like they were made by different bands, and they technically are, since the lineup of the project has changed thousands of times, the only constant member being Robert Fripp. And from all of their studio albums, LTIA is definitely one of the weirdest ones, but it has some of the most talented musicians working on it, namely Jamie Muir and Bill Bruford, and many others. Even though this is not my favourite album of King Crimson (I would put it in fifth or sixth place in a ranking) it is still a great and hugely influential album, mixing classic prog rock with world music, neo-classical sounds, heavy metal and possibly one of the earliest prog metal and avant-garde metal songs in history: the Larks' Tongues in Aspics suite, which has five parts, that span four albums and 30 years in the making. It is possible that bands like TOOL or Dream Theater would have never existed without this album so I guess that deserves at least four stars. Screw it, the album cover is my profile photo of Discord, I'll give it five stars
Aspic Rodeo anyone? Headphones are the way to go with this one. First, the headphones are critical to avoid the verbal and visual insubordination of family members who are within earshot. On my first attempt to listen without headphones, before the first song was done my son came home and bribed me by saying he would cook us dinner as long as I turned the damn thing off. I was kinda hungry so . . . . Also, I was not getting into it since it's terrible background music. With headphones though it's a completely different story. The drums / timbales and strings on The Talking Drum are excellent. It has a middle eastern feel to it - even though the album is apparently Eastern Europe influenced. Fripp is a master at getting his guitar to make sounds that other guitar players only hear in their dreams. He is also very good at making his guitar make normal guitar sounds as he shows on Book of Saturday. I invented a game called Aspic Rodeo to play when company comes over. I'll play this album and whoever lasts the longest before asking me to turn it off wins.
Not bad but just a bit too much progressive and not enough rock to keep me entertained and intrigued
Some cool moments, plus a bunch of proggy nonsense
aika perkuleesti on juttua kuultu crimson pojasta..odotukset ylhäällä kuin hepokatti laitumella. ensimmäinen vartti instrumentalllia...sitten tulee roguh wadursmaista vokaalinlyräytystä... ei voi muuta kun antaa aplodit, koko albumi laatu kamaa... exiles
not shot these mf actually made this in 1973
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 don't want to say that one shouldn't record jam sessions, but to me, most of this album sounded like unrefined or unapplied musical exploration – the kind of playing that might be helpful in creating songs or warming up for gigs. This overall impression was overcome neither by the one song I enjoyed in its entirety nor the poetic intro and outro ordering of Parts I and II.
What an absolutely fascinating band. Ever-changing, ever-evolving, and always original and creative. Robert Fripp to this day seems to me to possess such an interesting and curious mind. And, of course, what a guitarist. I love the way he uses the instrument; very much on his own path. So refreshing. Great album art, too, by the way. I need to explore more of King Crimson's and Robert Fripp's work. I've listened to some of Robert Fripp's ambient music albums this year, and they are excellent. I know a few people who have seen King Crimson play live, even quite recently, and they raved about the experience. I hope to get out to see them one of these days -- would be such a treat!
For me this is one of the best progrock albums ever.
Un des meilleurs albummde prog dans ce genre. Mon prefere de king crimson. 5
this was definitely as good as a larks tongue in a spack.
It is a masterpiece of rock music - not just prog rock - and one of the best albums of this band. I could write endless paragraphs about it. The strongest suit might be the highly versatile jump between complex and challenging parts as well as the the melodies and atmosphere. 'Books of Exile' is reminiscent of the more 'romantic' KC while something like 'Easy Money' shows how banging and jamming goes. Absolutely gorgeous!
Thought it was absolutely brilliant.
King Crimson is one of my favorite bands. Top 3. Easy Money is one of my favorite songs. Bill Bruford is one of the most brilliant drummers ever, and Robert Fripp is a strange little genius. Lark's Tongue in Aspic Part II is insane live.
PROG FUCKING PROG!
What it sounds like inside my head
This is wonderfully 'nanas! 🍌 Don't think I've really checked this King Crimson album out before, so thanks 1001 project! Fave track - I love the contrast of 13 minutes of silliness in "Larks' Tongues In Aspic (part 1)" suddenly breaking out into beautiful conventional "Book of Saturday". It's like emerging from a tunnel, or the sun coming out from behind clouds - lovely feeling!
I totally dig prog rock and this is totally my jam. Larks' Tongue In Aspic (Parts 1 and 2) and Book Of Saturday are the standouts for me. Also love the bonus tracks.
Honestly, don’t know how I haven’t listened to this band before. Incredible. Can’t wait to explore more.
Not quite as iconic, but a bit more soundscapey than In the Court of the Crimson King. I still think it was at a solid 5.
Another obvious choice of a prog-rock album for the list. Beautiful.
It's bonkers. I think it's really good. Can certainly get easily lost on you, though. Favorite Tracks: 3 minutes into pt 1, The Talking Drum 4.5/5
It took me three listens, but I loved it. King Crimson walked so Radiohead could run
A highly inaccessible King Crimson that grows with every listen. Employing a lot of space, these tracks take their time and involve a lot of carefully planned improvisation that's very entrancing to focus on. No bad tracks, every one stood out and felt necessary, which has a leg over In the Court which has "Moonchild." Overall though, it's not as powerful as In the Court's tracks, but about as memorable. "Larks Tongue Part I" is characterized by a juxtaposition between pleasant but sometimes concerning violin textures, and a high-tone metallic guitar that goes hard. It's simple but has so much to offer, taking so many turns along the way, changing the mood and vibe multiple times by the time it reaches the end. "Book of Saturday" is our short pop song, very pleasant, groovy, and folk-like, as if telling a medieval tale. Just three strings (the guitar, violin, and bass), and they're all unpredictable, going wherever they like, but also clear. "Exiles" has a calming cool jazz structure. Very smooth and colorful with a satisfying conclusion. The second side takes a turn as the mood tenses and starts to rock. "Easy Money" immediately gets into it, with a chilling introduction followed by a confusing complicated middle section that introduces all sorts of strange sounds and effects. Ironically enough, despite having the strangest sounds, it has the most consistent groove (between the beat and bassline) and is thus the most accessible track (after "Book of Saturday" of course), dominated by an easy-to-follow cool guitar. "The Talking Drum" is a personal favorite. It's a couple minutes of quiet sparse noise until instruments come in, forming some krautrock-like sound, gradually and gradually building up in anticipation until it explodes into greatness. It's the most frightening track, with the violin and guitar fighting as they get louder and more dissonant. This segues to our final track, the epic "Larks Tongue Part II." It's our hardest rock, very fast-paced and in-your-face but still has its quiet moments. It explodes one more time before ending the whole record.
amazing!
gloriously weird. 5 stars.
C'est sûr qu'à la base j'aime beaucoup King Crimson, donc j'ai un préjugé favorable envers le groupe. J'aime beaucoup cette série de 3 albums (les 2 autres étant Red et Starless and Bible Black). Red reste mon préféré de cette série, mais Larks' Tongues est très près. J'aime les dissonances dans les pièces et ses côtés très rock par moment. Les percussions aussi sont intéressantes. Le côté deux drums sur Larks' Tongues part 2 donne un aperçu de ce que le groupe fera plus tard avec sa formation en double trio. La pochette est superbe.
Un album simpatico. Bello il sound degli anni '70. Interessante la combinazione degli strumenti.
Belle découverte, je trouve ça vraiment intéressant, même si je ne l’écouterais pas tous les jours
Samo se nadam da je dobar kao što je album cover. 8:21. // 9:07 - ovaj album mi je bolji od In the Court of Crimson King, don't @ me.
Normally this progressive songwriting and instrumentals would frustrate me, but I was intrigued from beginning to end! Cool adventure of sounds.
ok
Sko, þetta er alltaf áhugavert, oft skemmtilegt, og ég mun alltaf vera þakklátur fyrir Robert Fripp. Ég ætla samt ekki endilega að hlusta á hverjum degi.
Ein gutes Album, das ich ausnahmsweise schon kannte. Ist nicht zu lang, hat aber ein paar Längen.
Of all the prog rock albums I’ve gotten, this is definitely high on the list. It was much cooler than 2112 and the larks tongues in aspic parts 1 and 2 were the standouts.
excellent hidden gem. I liked it a lot and would like more listens. probably a 4.5.
I was skeptical going in but this was very interesting and enjoyable
After a few days of stuff that isn’t Really For Me At All, I was glad to get an album that I know I love. Not one of KC’s top tier releases, but it’s bookended by some of their most lovely compositions. B+
Not sure I've ever sat down and listened to a King Crimson album before. There was a lot to like here, but it was pretty spaced-out. 3.5/5
I've been taking a deep dive into Prog thanks to a question posited in a Facebook group, "How Prog was Bowie?" The answer: The Man Who Sold the World. Thanks to this discussion, my curiosity, and the movie Mandy, I've been actively listening to King Crimson, early Peter Gabriel Genesis, Can & more of Pink Floyd. To be fair, I had already been lightly dipping my toes into Prog & Krautrock for the last few years. Back to the album - I enjoyed it. It was atmospheric, calming, unnerving, alien, ethereal, and beautiful. You bet I'll be listening to this again. Probably cued up after Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. 4 out of 5 but will likely turn into a 5 pretty soon.
Jag räknade på det och det är exakt 79 gånger bättre än Yes och ELP.
I liked this. I liked the mish-mash and the quick switch into early metal. I liked it.
Real good. Will be adding to my King Crimson rotation along with Crimson King and Red, the latter of which I was compelled to stick on after I listened to this.
Lick me bum bum. It's a freakin' masterpiece. A scrunched up sock full of dog shit thrown at your headmaster. A baby in a manger smoking a rolled up cigarette and shouting cruel observations as passers-by. A proud Norwegian woman slipping over in a dance hall. A couple of Nazi barmen pouring a round of orange juice for a group of yoga mums. The ending of Titanic performed by school children for an unimpressed bank manager.
Creative, exciting, nerdy. I like it!
Speciaal. Maar de willekeur vind ik wel tof
I liked their other album better. Ut I have always been a fan of prog rock
7/10. Mr. Crimson, were those wet sounds at the start of easy money really needed? A couple pretty cool bits, but some sleepier parts too.
8/10 some of the weird animal sounds were grating but overall really cool prog rock, as expected
I'm still not sure I "get" King Crimson, but it went really well with the epic thunderstorms sweeping through the area.
A typically complexing, rewarding listen. Signs of the direction that King Crimson would take on subsequent albums is evident in the title track, but there still remain traces of the old Crimson in the more contemplative numbers Book of Saturday and Exiles. Easy Money is fine musically but the lyrics haven't stood the test of time But overall a really good album
I've never listened to King Crimson aside from the legendary In The Court of The Crimson King but perhaps I should've. This is really good. It does suffer a tad from the pitfalls of prog but it wasn't all that noticeable to me. I could see it being a 5, those title track songs are great. I just can't see it as 5 yet. Maybe after more listens. For now it's a Iron clad 4.
A-spictacular album
listened to again a trippy prog masterpiece
Smash
Been a fan of King Crimson for decades. Really like the noise aspect of this album.
Great prog rock album with some really unique tunes. I'd love to have more structure in it, though.
Great
Unique blend of psychedelic folk and rock.
I mean, is it pretentious, self-indulgent, and pointedly weird? Of course. It's King Crimson. I'd expect nothing less. But it's also really good. King Crimson has the chops to get away with the prog-rock nonsense. It's weird a trippy and painfully slow to go anywhere at times, but that's balanced by the other times. The times when they throw down groves that are so thick and tasty. Or the times when the layering is so complex that you can get lost trying to follow everything that's going on. Overall, it was a great piece of musicianship even if it was exactly enjoyable from start to finish.
Some bits are slow, but good payoff
A great listen - they really venture into various genres in a way that feels authentic and natural, not forced. Nice flow between songs, no complains. I'm becoming a King Crimson fan.
I like prog rock. This album didn’t have as many bangers as court of the crimson king but was overall good
progressive and pretty heavy at times. enjoyed this one. highlights: “book of saturday”, “easy money”.
I love the more dissonant Stravinsky and Free Jazz sounds, but Wetton is such a vocal downgrade from Lake that its nearly jarring, and knocks this album down a peg for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Great sounds. I just wish I had more ears.
Now I know a little more about Robert Fripp! This is the first 'progressive' anything album I have heard on this list for quite a while, what a breath of fresh air! Sounds a lot like some of my favourite bands, I can see where their inspiration came from now (in part).
Weirder than their debut, but still retains a lot of the signature King Crimson prog sound. Big focus on dynamics, whimsical lyrical delivery, and full-band punctuation. I do feel that Larks' Tongue part 2 crescendos nicely into a bombastic end to the album, and there are a few high points to the album, but King Crimson's slower sound does not do much for me in the grand scheme of the album.
There are some rough parts but the soundscapes some songs end up in are absolutely lovely
Jazzy prog rock
Well, this album was an experience for sure. I definitely enjoy the more accessible material of King Crimson more. Nonetheless, it was not at all a bad experience.
nice
One of a handful defining British prog for me. I like it though as usual with prog rock, advanced jazz etc., at times it makes me feel sort of dumb and left wondering if the more challenging parts are just artists taking the piss on the strength of their virtuoso abilities.
Com a la majoria de discos de Crimson, a 'Larks'...' has d'entrar amb la intenció de predre't; de vagar pels seus desenvolupaments instrumentals i deixar-te anar per cada una de les seves excusions sonores. Indiscutiblement, una de les fites del rock progressiu com a génere
Välgjort progrock album. Är inte för intresserade men de e onekligen bra.
"Easy Money" dips dangerously close to Pink Floyd territory but the rest of the album is compelling.
I had moments, early on in this listen, where I was a little worried about where we were headed. I don't mind my prog music getting a little "far out", but I can't appreciate when it devolves into pure cacophony. It was trending towards the latter at points, but it came back around. There were many pleasant moments here, shows of excellent musicianship that made this an enjoyable listen indeed. I look forward to future re-listens of this one.
Nice. I could listen to this over and over.
Rock progresivo. Ni fu ni fa.
Il s’essaie beaucoup de trucs sur cet album. Je n’y reviens pas souvent, mais j’aime bien.
It’s prog rock biatch
While I love King Crimson, this album has never grabbed me.
Rock progresivo. A veces interesante, a veces aburrido.
Before starting this 1001 challenge, I completely misunderstood progressive rock and experimentalism in popular music. So I learned a lot listening to it on some occasions and reading Wikipedia from time to time. It's not my favorite style, and I felt sad when I received some progressive album (apparently, the book's author loves this kind of music). Still, after almost 500 albums, I must confess that I was missing some experimentalism in my daily album. Thanks to "King Crimson" for allowing me to listen to some experimentalism today. I guess that after the subsequent 200 albums, I'll become a fan of progressive rock.
Can hear so many modern prog bands here
Rating: 6/10
Was that Donal Duck at the end of "Easy Money"? If so, amazing Overall, a really decent album enjoyed listening to it too, exciting use of drums, violins, and cello. 3/5
I like the violin. I feel this album could have been stronger if there was more structure/direction.
I don't think I've ever heard King Crimson, although I know they're huge in prog-nerd circles. Could go either way. Ok it's ultra-prog. Sound-wise, it's kinda like if Led Zeppelin substituted songwriting talent for nerdy technical ability. There are heavy rocking parts and folky sensitive bits, extreme displays of jazzy music theory knowledge, long as fuck songs, etc etc. It's all there. It's not bad, and I like ultra-prog to an extent, but for some reason the lack of real songcraft sticks out. Vocals are a weak point as well. Can't say I'd listen again. 3/5.
Interesting for sure. I cant disrespect the talent
This album's name is BAD This album's music is FINE At times it gets kind of prog rocky, and that's GOOD. At other times it does this ambient Brian Eno but in China thing which is VERY GOOD. At other times it's generic 70s stoner crap and that's BAD.
Not my favorite King Crimson album. The studio recording bonus track kinda was the most interesting.
Pretty good but not as good as In The Court of The Crimson King.
I'm just not a prog rock guy. I find it kind of exhausting. That being said, this isn't an awful record, it's just not really my thing. There were a few tracks that I could enjoy but overall I can't really see myself choosing to put this one on again. Standout Tracks: Exiles, Easy Money, The Talking Drum (enjoyed parts of this song)
I must admit I'm one of those weenies that likes Prog. And of all the Prog groups, King Crimson is one of the best IMO, just behind Genesis and Yes. This group never ceases to impress, constantly evolving and changing their line-up, with Robert Fripp the band leader being the only constant. This iteration brings in one of my favourite drummers, Bill Bruford and bassists, John Wetton. David Cross' violin adds another interesting dimension to their sound. I think the two bonus tracks that Spotify tagged on to the end are really good, but to be fair they shouldn't be rated with the original album material. Their almost heavy metal prog sound was highly influential on bands like Porcupine Tree and Dream Theatre and the improv noodling shows that they can push the envelope. However, I think In the Court of the Crimson King and Red are better albums so I hope they show up on this list.
Robert Fripp is an impressive guitar player who’s not afraid to experiment. I like the way he jumps around from heavy rock to jazz to acoustic. David Cross’s violin is also a highlight. Some of the longer songs don’t hold together too well, with the sudden changes of pace, lack of melody and structure, and Fripp’s penchant to create jarring experiences for the listener. I’m not crazy about the vocalist – it’s kinda like they asked, out of the five of us, who’s the best singer?