Larks' Tongues In Aspic

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.

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. 

I’ve been pretty high, but never King Crimson high

I found myself constantly feeling like I was caught off-guard. This was despite going into this album with 0 expectations or knowledge of what it would be like. So much of it was unexpected. Take the first song Lark's Tongue in Aspic for example. It starts with a simple tune using what sounds like a glockenspiel or xylophone. Am I in kindergarten? What is this trash? Next thing I know I'm being blown away by a disgusting guitar solo. Then a cacophony of string and drum instruments. This is all just the first song. And I think oh so this is just a crazy experimental instrumental album or something? Next song, Book of Saturday, features mostly vocals and sounds a lot like Tool. There's animal sounds, the unmistakable sound of feet sloshing through the mud, and just a vast array of instruments you don't normally hear. You can feel a Pink Floyd influence reminiscent of Time. My first listen to this album was a trip to say the least.

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

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.

not shot these mf actually made this in 1973

Not bad but just a bit too much progressive and not enough rock to keep me entertained and intrigued

prog noodling outweighs good tunes

Garbage! Why is this on the list?

Some cool moments, plus a bunch of proggy nonsense

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!

This one was absolutely sick. I had only known King Crimson from their debut record, which is also great. They definitely switched up their sound on this one, as they basically had an entirely new lineup except Fripp. I think they leaned more heavily into the psych sound with this one. All the theatrical high points of their debut are now replaced with noisy psych freakouts. The musicianship is out of this world. No seriously, you'll be transported to another world while listening to this.

The best of the Fripp/Wetton/Bruford era. A pure smorgasbord of sound, I just can't get enough. Exiles being the only real downside, but the guitar/bass interplay is intricate, beautiful. Crimson, and Fripp especially, had a way of giving soul and feeling (whatever that is) to their odd-time, meanderings. And this doesn't work at ALL without the musical confidence each of the members brings to the party. Very communal. Nothing else like it. Obviously not for everyone but gods among prog fans such as myself.

gloriously weird. 5 stars.

Thought it was absolutely brilliant.

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!

Forward thinking and frequently challenging, Larks’ Tongues in Aspic captures the totality of King Crimson better than just about any other record in their catalog. From the avant-garde soundscapes and unrelenting heaviness of Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Parts I & II, to the sheer beauty of Exiles and Book of Saturdays, and the expansive, polyrhythmic funkiness of Easy Money, King Crimson is at its absolute finest here, delivering one of the greatest progressive rock albums ever made.

This is already a 5 star album for me, but it was fun to do an experiment, as I listened to the streaming album, which I am sure 99% of the people on this site do, and then I listened to my personal Steven Wilson Mix of the album on vinyl, and it is truly night and day. So it makes me wonder how much are some of these albums missed, by listening on your phone or in your car with other distractions. I listened with headphones, no distractions (only to get up and flip the record over) and it was really the way albums were meant to be listened to.

Some all time prog rock wankery here. Lots to love here. The plinky noises at the intro to the title track building up the explosions of noise later in the track. The reverse sounding guitars on The Book Of Saturday. The use of violin and strings throughout reminds of Jethro Tull and their flute. Bill Bruford really decided to leave Yes because Close To The Edge was laborious to show up here and do nonsense like this. It’s still amazing to me how I can love something like this yet still not love EL&P.

Be ready to act as DJ on the volume button - King Crimson mixing is in a league of its own. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic contains some of what you would expect from a KC album from this era - but then it also contains what could easily be described as progressive metal … In 1973. It’s an insane album and a formidable journey through an ocean of ideas and inspirations. Fripp is a mad man, but a welcome one.

Pretty Frippin’ good!

PROG FUCKING PROG!

Had no idea what this was going in, and now I am halfway through I still have no idea. It's as if Jazz, fell into medieval music, held hands, ran through a wind chime. Then, they grabbed some extra instruments and did 'things'. It's a semi-cohesive experimental upset. And yes, everyone should listen once cause wtf did I just go through?

yuck sound

Calling this underrated would maybe be exaggerated, but I still think it deservesto be praised as much as the other 2 records, even if I slightly prefer Red

Yep, shocker, like every other King Crimson record we’ve heard this was also very cool and very interesting throughout. I am just a big fan of this band. Not sure I can pick apart the different levels of quality yet but this is amazing.

What Pink Floyd should sound like.

I've never listened to this album before and i only know King Crimson for their most well known album. Lucky for me to find this one! It's very enjoyable and interesting, always progressing and ploting and metamorphosing. A very satisfying journey, I think I can sit here all afternoon listening to this on the loop. Definitely above 4, like, a solid 4.5 and above.

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

Beautiful prog rock album by King Crimson. Instrumentation is more violin and "stranger" percussion than in earlier King Crimson. The slower songs are jazzy, but the up-tempo ones tend to metal.

Fairly silly album but cool cover and I love Easy Money and all of side two, really. Funny this would come a day after Yes's Close to The Edge because if I am not mistaken this album was the very next recording session for drummer extraordinaire Bill Bruford, jumping prog rock horses at just the right time, given how much more intense and purposeful this record is as compared to the amiable ambling and rambling of Siberian Khatru and the rest of Close To The Edge. Still, as prog rock this album is inescapably geeky in an incel sort of way. Perfect soundtrack to an epic game of Magic The Gathering. Definitely not the album to play to impress your date.

How funny (or perhaps deliberate) to get this album right after Yes' "Close To The Edge", which saw the exodus of Bill Bruford to King Crimson and the creation of this album soon thereafter. It would have been even better if this was the only King Crimson album in the collection, but alas, that's not the case (and I'm not entirely sure they warrant two albums in this collection, even if the lineups were totally different for each album). But at least King Crimson's form of noodling is more varied and somewhat more interesting than Yes', and that's definitely on parade in this album (which has a truly foul-sounding recipe for a title). I'm a bit hard-pressed to identify any standouts on this album, I'll admit, although I *will* say that I am very weary of the prog-rock era's ultra-long tracks, so Part I of the title track is definitely not on the shortlist. Thankfully, the following track "Book of Saturday" is a nice contrast in both length and accessibility. And I can see why "Exiles" was one of their concert standards, as it has a Pink-Floyd-esque-ness to it, although I liked the equally Pink-Floyd-inspired "Easy money" cosiderably more. Overall, though, I'd have voted for more of Robert Fripp's guitar (like in Part 2 of the title track) and a *lot* less of David Cross' violin. I think Alan Niester of Rolling Stone put it best about this album (and probably prog rock in general): "You can't dance to it, can't keep a beat to it, and it doesn't even make good background music for washing the dishes." Even the dishes of leftover aspic-coated poultry.

#521. After listening to The Court of the Crimson King, I was expecting big things from this, but no, this was boring as shit. 2/5: meh

This was 47 minutes of early 70s Prog Rock nonsense. A little too experimental for my liking.

Booooooring

fuck me what drugs were they taking. Its interesting I guess but I don't find it that enjoyable rn, probably deserves another listen.

I've been super disappointed in this album. I love the band and adore some of their other albums, but I find very little to get excited about with this.

The rate went down as the album went on, I mean, it’s a try hard effort. Has its (few) moments tho

Disturbing

Plus qu'un mois de dur labeur, on peut le faire rob

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.

There's good prog, bad prog, then there's this: cacophonous, guaranteed to cure constipation prog.

Yet another album proving why I despise most prog-rock. Senseless noise.

Self Indulgent never ending noise. I prayed and prayed for this to finally end

Starting the album with a 13 minutes instrumental track should be illegal, the rest of the album is also unlistenable.

Not for me, or anyone for the matter

Needs weed

Amazing idea, bad realisation. Did not enjoy it.

Sweet Jesus

Nope. Not my tempo.

Indulgent rubbish.

Couldn't hear half the album only last 2 songs, horrible

Tried two times to listen to it but it didn't hit the button for me, didn't finished 🥲

Awful. King Crimson did great stuff. None of that is on this messy unlistenable album.

Fuck yeah, dude. One of my favorite KC albums. My testicles are flowing with excitement.

Insane. Wow. Was expecting a little too much of the grandiose filler that eventually plagued prog rock, but this was felt very deliberate and necessary in every way. Shoutouts to Easy Money.

Anyone who hates prog is probably right, but King Crimson is one of the best and this album is incredible. Considering the turnover the band had it's wild that the album carries such nuance and experimentation vs where they started. Easy Money isn't my favourite but Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part I and II and The Talking Drum are unreal. There are so many songs that can grab your attention if you give it the time and attention. Truly an album that you find more in the more you listen.

On first listen I wasn't sure what to make of this. It's my first real King Crimson listen. Second listen I did it right headphones and eyes closed. Dynamic. An intense listen. For a number of the tracks I was visualizing a factory that just makes 3D shapes. Moving along conveyor belts, being sorted and packed up. Organized chaos, composition is king.

**King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic: In-Depth Review** **Overview and Context** Released in March 1973, *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* marked a radical reinvention for King Crimson. With Robert Fripp as the only remaining original member, the band’s new lineup—John Wetton (bass/vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), David Cross (violin/keys), and Jamie Muir (percussion)—created an album that is both a milestone of progressive rock and a bold experiment in sound and structure[1][2]. This record is widely recognized as a turning point, not just for King Crimson but for the genre itself, blending avant-garde, jazz fusion, classical modernism, and proto-metal into a cohesive yet challenging whole[3][1][2]. **Music and Arrangements** *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* is a showcase of musical daring and technical prowess. The album’s sound is defined by: - **Angular, aggressive compositions:** The music is often jagged and unpredictable, with sudden dynamic shifts and complex time signatures. The influence of free jazz, modern classical (notably Bartók), and the raw energy of heavy rock is ever-present. Fripp himself described the goal as “Jimi Hendrix playing Bela Bartók”[3]. - **Unique instrumentation:** The band replaced woodwinds with Cross’s violin, and Muir’s percussion arsenal included thumb pianos, bells, found objects, and even a musical saw, creating a soundscape that is both percussive and texturally rich[1][4]. - **Jazz fusion and improvisation:** The instrumental sections, especially in the title tracks and “The Talking Drum,” draw heavily from jazz fusion and European free improvisation, with a rhythmic complexity that verges on the chaotic but never loses focus[3][1][4]. - **Heavy, metallic edge:** The guitar and bass are often distorted and thunderous, foreshadowing the heavier direction progressive rock would take in later decades[3][4]. - **Mellotron and violin textures:** The Mellotron remains a signature element, adding haunting, orchestral layers, while Cross’s violin provides both lyrical beauty and abrasive energy[1][4]. **Track-by-Track Highlights** - **“Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One”:** Opens with delicate thumb piano and chimes, gradually building into a furious, multi-sectioned instrumental. Muir’s percussive contributions are at their most pronounced here, and the piece’s dynamic range is breathtaking[3][4]. - **“Book of Saturday”:** A brief, melodic respite, featuring Wetton’s plaintive vocals and Cross’s elegant violin. Fripp’s backwards guitar solo adds a surreal touch[3][4]. - **“Exiles”:** A moody, atmospheric piece with a memorable Mellotron intro and one of Fripp’s most expressive guitar solos. The interplay between violin and guitar is especially poignant[3][4]. - **“Easy Money”:** A syncopated, bluesy rocker with biting lyrics and a propulsive rhythm section. The song’s live versions became legendary for their improvisational fire[3][4]. - **“The Talking Drum”:** A slow-burning instrumental that builds relentless tension through layered percussion and gradually intensifying instrumentation, culminating in cacophony before segueing into the album’s climax[3][4][2]. - **“Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two”:** A heavy, riff-driven piece that balances irregular time signatures and thunderous bass, laying the groundwork for much of King Crimson’s later output[3][4]. **Lyrics and Themes** Lyrically, *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* is less celebrated than its music. The departure of lyricist Peter Sinfield led to a shift; Richard Palmer-James provided more oblique, less florid words. The lyrics tend to be introspective, enigmatic, and sometimes cryptic, focusing on alienation, existential uncertainty, and fleeting moments of beauty[5]. - **“Book of Saturday”** and **“Exiles”** are the most lyrically poignant, exploring themes of memory, longing, and displacement. - **“Easy Money”** offers biting social commentary, laced with irony and cynicism. - The instrumental tracks, which bookend the album and take up much of its runtime, emphasize King Crimson’s move towards music as pure expression, with less reliance on narrative or verbal meaning[5]. While the lyrics serve the music’s mood, some critics view them as a weak point, lacking the poetic depth of earlier Crimson records[5]. **Production** The album’s production, originally handled by the band, was ambitious for its time. The 40th Anniversary Edition, remixed by Steven Wilson, reveals previously buried details: - **Clarity and separation:** Wilson’s remix brings out the nuances of Muir’s percussion, Bruford’s intricate drumming, and Wetton’s powerful bass, allowing each instrument space to breathe[4]. - **Dynamic range:** The album’s wide swings from near-silence to explosive volume are preserved and enhanced, making the listening experience immersive and dramatic[3][4]. - **Surround sound experience:** The 5.1 surround mix, in particular, highlights the album’s spatial qualities, with instruments and effects swirling around the listener[4]. The only notable production flaw is a slight tempo issue in “The Talking Drum,” where the track slows as it builds in intensity—a minor quibble in an otherwise masterful recording[2]. **Themes and Artistic Vision** *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* is thematically about transformation, tension, and release. The title itself, suggested by Muir, represents “something precious which is stuck, but visible. Something precious, which is encased in form”[1]. This metaphor is reflected in the music’s structure: moments of beauty are encased in abrasive, challenging forms; serenity is shattered by violence; complexity gives way to simplicity and vice versa. The album is also about **collaboration and conflict**. The unique chemistry—and sometimes friction—between the five musicians is palpable. The band’s willingness to embrace improvisation, risk, and even chaos is a central part of its identity[2]. **Influence and Legacy** *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* is considered a landmark in progressive rock, influencing generations of musicians: - **Jazz fusion and experimental rock:** The album’s fusion of jazz, classical, and rock elements inspired bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra and later prog acts. - **Heavy and math rock:** The aggressive, riff-driven instrumentals prefigure genres like math rock and progressive metal. - **King Crimson’s own evolution:** The rhythmic and harmonic ideas explored here became foundational for the band’s later work, with “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two” spawning several sequels and inspiring the band’s ongoing exploration of complex instrumental music[3][1][4]. **Pros and Cons** | Pros | Cons | |---|---| | **Groundbreaking musical innovation:** The album’s blend of genres and experimental approach set a new standard for progressive rock. | **Lyrics are less compelling:** Compared to earlier Crimson albums, the lyrics are often seen as less poetic and memorable[5]. | | **Virtuosic musicianship:** Every member delivers standout performances, with special mention to Bruford’s drumming, Wetton’s bass, and Muir’s inventive percussion[3][4]. | **Not immediately accessible:** The album’s complexity and abrasive moments can be off-putting to casual listeners. | | **Dynamic production:** The 40th Anniversary remix brings out new details and enhances the listening experience[4]. | **Some production quirks:** Minor issues, such as the tempo drag in “The Talking Drum,” are present[2]. | | **Cohesive artistic vision:** The album’s structure and thematic unity are impressive, balancing chaos and order. | **Vocals less prominent:** Wetton’s vocals, while strong, are less central than the music, and some may miss the earlier, more song-oriented style. | | **Influential legacy:** The album’s impact on progressive, experimental, and heavy music is immense[3][1][4]. | **Lineup short-lived:** This unique combination of musicians only lasted for this album, making it a one-off in Crimson’s catalog[1]. | **Conclusion** *Larks’ Tongues in Aspic* is a challenging, exhilarating, and deeply rewarding album. It stands as a testament to King Crimson’s relentless pursuit of innovation, their willingness to embrace risk, and their capacity to merge disparate influences into a singular artistic statement. While its lyrics may not reach the heights of earlier works, and its complexity may alienate some listeners, the album’s musical achievements are undeniable. Its influence continues to reverberate through progressive and experimental music, and its best moments remain unmatched in their intensity and inventiveness.

Llegamos al 26 con éste bandón icónico, uno de los que me acompañó en mis veintitantos. No recuerdo si conocía la banda de antes o si fue por mi primera novia pero relaciono mucho a King Crimson y a otras bandas hermosas de esos años con ella. "Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part I" ya comienza (tanto por ser primera canción como por su apertura) de manera reflexiva y luego viaja hacia el caos, del que sólo King Crimson puede plantearnos una ruta. El resto del álbum continúa con canciones instrumentales y cantadas, pero siempre desde la hermosa complejidad que es esta banda. Muchas gracias y hasta mañana.

I deliberately held off on scoring this for a while as I wanted it to sit with me for a bit, and relisten a few times. After having done so, I think it crosses the border into a five. I find the vocals to be the weakest point - some minor tuning issues, but musically, this is excellent.

I’m pissed that I’m like 900 albums in and only just now got my first King Crimson album lmao this isn’t even their best album, but it’s still fucking incredible - 10/10

"Larks' Tongues in Aspic" is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock group King Crimson. Progressive rock, avant-garde metal and free improvisation are the Wiki-listed genres. I guess I can't argue with any of those on this album. It was the debut of the third incarnation of King Crimson with founding member and guitarist Robert Fripp and four new members including John Wetton (bass, vocalist), David Cross (violin, keyboards), James Muir (percussion) and Bill Bruford (drums). It was noted as "a key album on the band's evolution drawing on Eastern European modernist classical music and European free improvisation." Commercially, it reached #20 in the UK and #61 in the US. It takes awhile for the music to kick in on the opener and 13-minute long instrumental "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part I" and it's the bells. Then a fast violin, fuzz guitar and various percussion sounds. They go slow. There are a lot of speed changes in these songs. Then bam!, there's your heavy metal guitar and bass. Some more percussion and violin. A sad violin sound ends the song. "Exiles" begins with a swirling noise. Wetton singing with very much a longing feeling. Fripp gives a more jazzy guitar. A dramatic ending with a drum roll and violin. Unlike the other songs ""Easy Money" starts loud with pounding drums and a nosy guitar. The fast-slow thing going on again. A song about capitalism. Yeah, this song does remind me of another "Money" song that came out in 1973. The closing song is Part II of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic." An aggressive start. The violin sound gives this a Middle Eastern flair. A memorable cacophonic ending with all instruments on a volume 10 setting. This album moves quick for only six long and mostly instrumental songs. It's complex with changes in tempo, instruments, loudness and styles (classical, jazz, hard rock). There is a lot of improvisation. The MVP might be the creative use of the violin but there's a lot to like here with all the instruments. For a progressive rock album, there was very little reliance on synths or keyboards which was different. I liked this album quite a bit and, yeah, it's in the conversation for one of the best prog rock albums.

What an album!

Fantastic. Always loved King Crimson. Not my favourite album by them. But it's incredible stuff.

Outstanding. Musicianship, lyrics, range of tempos and volume. Perfect.

Fucking love this album

One of the best records you've never heard of. Admittedly took a few listens to fully click and has some more musically challenging moments, but the payoff is a boundary pushing, entertaining and kick-ass album that set a new standard for rock. A great album to sit with and appreciate that also rewards acute listeners

Prog

goated

One of my favorite King Crimson albums. My favorite lineup of the band. It's hard to imagine in just a few years John Wetton would be in Asia singing Heat of the Moment.

really cool prog album. i've never really listened to anything by king crimson outside of 'in the court of the crimson king' so i was really excited to listen to this one when it came up. luckily, i really loved this one too. some really interesting sounds tonally but it still has that great 70s prog sound and the production is great. i especially loved the inclusion of bill bruford here, who does a great job on the drums (as always). yeah, really great stuff!

It turns out that through this list I've learned that I love prog rock and have done a deep dive into the genre only wanting to go deeper. While In the Court of the Crimson King is an easy five-star album for creating the genre, Larks' Tongues In Aspic is another that goes in a completely different direction and nails it again. 5/5

the origin of the world!!!

This feels similar to emperor tomato ketchup in a way that I’m surprised that this one is on here and not others. Red and discipline aren’t. This feels like a melting pot in between the court of the crimson king and red. It does have the jazz influences, and the early metal kind of guitar tones. I think this one pulls from eastern and classical and organic sounding instruments much better than the wake of Poseidon, lizard and islands ones. I think they nailed the very specific style. I also live longer songs, and they sure know how to keep it from being too boring, by constantly changing/adding stuff. I also love the distorted wah pedal use one some songs. The non-vocal centric songs are very unique Only downsides are quite minor, I think the book of Saturday song could have done so much more, and I hate the squelching snare drum type think at the start of easy money (glad it’s only for the start though). Favourite songs: all but book of Saturday. I think I like this pretty much the same as court of the crimson king, red and discipline, because they are all so good for different reasons. Overall around 9/10

Never listened to King Crimson so this was a pretty eye opening experience for me

Yea! Some good music for a change!

Pretty amazing, I hadn't listened to this whole thing before but I recognized something from it being KC fan. I loved the weirdness of this, plus the album cover is so interesting! easy 5 star.

One of my favorite King Crimson albums across all their various lineups. Both parts of the title track presage Prog Metal. When the band first bursts in, the riff is reminiscent of Black Sabbath, but it gives way to Robert Fripp's signature angular cross-picking moto perpetuo. This is an early incarnation of it, later perfected and further honed for the next 50(!) years. Bill Bruford is fresh off leaving Yes after recording Close To The Edge. He was already one of the best drummers in the rock world (progressive or otherwise), and King Crimson afforded him the space and the push to somehow improve. His drumming throughout this album is unmatched. John Wetton is a perfect vocalist and bassist for this KC era. There are similarities to Greg Lake's voice, so he bridges a bit of the past with the future of the band. His voice is strong with good depth. His bass playing is a wonderful complement to both Fripp's guitar work and Bruford's drumming. David Cross adds interesting layers of violin, viola, and flute. His contributions really set this and the follow-up (Starless and Bible Black) apart from the rest of the King Crimson catalog. Jamie Muir adds percussion chaos. Book of Saturday and Exiles are beautiful, if dark, songs. Easy Money is playful (and dark). The Talking Drum is one long crescendo whose payoff is the crushing pt.2 of the title track. For 1973, this album is insane. Some of the best progressive metal since could not exist without this album. This album won't be for everyone. And I don't mean that in a snotty/snobby way. There's a good deal of improvisation, but not in the usual structured manner that most rock and jazz fans may be accustomed to, and that can turn some listeners off. Like most progressive rock from that era, solid arguments could be made for tightening up the arrangements and cutting run times, particularly if the improvisations aren't your thing, or the general repetition of riffs/vamps is tedious for you. Me? I love every bit of it. 5 stars. 5 stars.

Really good beats! Loved the random improvisations

Oh fuck yeah! I actually went and grabbed my better set of headphones about a minute into the first song because I knew I needed to experience this in HD surround sound. Musically this was such an amazing experience. Every song was so different but also flowed together perfectly? The title tracks are such a unique listening experience and are so obviously influential but in almost completely different ways. There's experimental prog and hard rock and beautiful instrumentals. I could have done without the screaming at the end of the penultimate track, but everything else was damn near flawless.

This is not my favourite King Crimson album, not even in my top three. However, it's still an easy five stars. There's moments of brilliance from everyone involved, and it's exciting to know that this line up would go on to create even greater music. I have to give a particular mention to Bill Bruford, fresh out of Yes, and inserting some incredible drumming here. Also, I didn't know this album as well as I thought. I didn't enjoy listening to it on Spotify, so I went and listened to my offline copy four times on the trot, noting how much more dynamic it sounded. Particularly the percussion, which is exemplary here, not that the guitar, bass, and vocals are lacking in any way whatsoever. I always thought of this album as a practice run for Red, but having spent a day with it, I've vastly elevated my opinion, and it really does stand up on its own right. Each replay has yielded more than the one before, the sign of a truly great album.

Finally something interesting!

We’ve had our one king crimson. This is good but the other one was better. And quite ironic given the album before this one was never mind the bollocks. It’s good though inessential. 3.5. Wetton and bruford though. Maybe 4.

Fantastic album. These guys were experimenting with quite a bit in their time, and they were much of the inspiration for my all time favorite band who came after them.

Probably my third favourite King Crimson album, maybe even my second (it's always between this one and *Red* for me -- and of course, debut *In The Court Of The Crimson King* is impregnable), *Lark's Tongues In Aspic* is not mere prog-rock, it's prog-rock with a bite. King Crimson mark III were verging close to nascent metal at the time, and it's what made this record age with grace. Some parts of it even unwittingly foretell post-rock, like that hectic, abrasive and obsessive violin and/or viola performance by David Cross in the opening cut giving its name to the album. Given that post-rock is *never* represented in this list (barring one exception), I'm glad that one of its ancestors is here at least. The eastern European and classical influences sure explain the originality of the sound, as wikipedia recalls us, but the most striking thing for me is the way that all the different influences mesh together. Sounding hard one time, pretty trippy in another, cerebral and yet moving in one moment (the wonderful "Exiles"), fun, groovy and playful in another ("Easy Money"), this LP has a very nice sense of balance to make its admittedly excessive aesthetics sound more accessible. Fun fact for those who know close to nothing about King Crimson. The two parts of the composition "Lark's Tongues In Aspic", opening and closing the proceedings, are just a start here. In the two decades to come, bandleader Robert Fripp would continue to release new parts in the same compositional vein to that instrumental, and include them in other King Crimson's albums. What's mind-boggling about that, is that the renewed line-ups of musicians and music styles used in subsequent eras of King Crimson are very different from the ones the band had during the early seventies. And yet those new parts to "Lark's Tongues In Aspic" never felt out of place in their new surroundings. If this isn't evidence enough that the music on this album is prophetic, I don't know what is. Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 435 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 258 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 319

Over too quickly. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Particularly the instrumentals.

As usual from King Crimson’s early albums, a perfect blend of interesting instrumental jams and accessible rock songs with a twist. The GOATs

Right up my alley

Utter genius - Robert Fripp is god!!! This album is absolute genius

Mind blower, one word, mind blower

A masterpiece of prog. Solid 5 Stars.

I just had the most wonderful time listening to this on vinyl with my new headphones. The album sounded better than I've ever heard it before, what a sublime experience :) This album is a monumental achievement, towering amongst the great creative works of the 20th century. Truly a work of artistic genius and technical mastery. One of the best aspects of the album is its masterful use of dynamics. The instrumental sections are thrilling and diverse, and the musical build-ups are electrifying. The band starts with a "basic" framework, but slowly and seamlessly raises the intensity to a frenzy. The way the musicians vary their playing to increase the impact of the music is just incredible. The Talking Drum is one of the greatest examples of musical build-up I've ever heard: it starts with a soft beginning, but reaches a state of exhiliration before the end. The guitar solo on Easy Money is similar, as are parts of the title tracks. Every track on this album is so well-crafted, and I just love the work by all the instrumentalists. If I had to pick a favorite track it might have to be Larks Tongues' Pt 2; it sums up everything that is great about this era of the band. King Crimson operated in a higher realm of musical possibility than most artists could even fathom. They paved a path into unknown dimensions, going where few musicans could ever dare. Robert Fripp is unequivocally the mad genius and occultist wizard of rock music. If any band could be said to deserve being revered in the style of a cult, it is King Crimson.

So far, this is one of my favorite King Crimson albums. Unlike some of their earlier work, this one doesn’t lean heavily on keyboards. Instead, it takes a more free-form jazz direction with an experimental, avant-garde twist. The heavier guitar riffs scattered throughout the album also stand out, bringing in a touch of early metal influences that give the music an added edge.

4.5

I'll be damned that was so goddamn good

Love King Crimson, easy 5!

If you love noises, this is an album for you. I've once again exposed my love for borderline unlistenable music, and this one is no exception. I loved the Dolmar at the beginning and then when they went back to it. There was only one song or I had to turn my headphones down, and I only had them turned up so much because I was listening while mowing the yard anyway.

Absolutely brilliant: seamless blend of rock, jazz, contemporary classical and more. Standouts were the opening track and “Easy Money.”