Reviews (page 10 of 14)
I've heard this album off and on over the years and apart from '21st Century Schizoid Man', it kinda just washed over me. Can't say it's done much more this time round but 'Epitaph' was worth playing again. I mean it's a classic album but I prefer the later album, Lark's Tongue in Aspic. Mostly pleasant background music for me, this one.
60s jam band, a little dark and chaotic in a fun way. Doodlie jazz on longer songs.
A long-anticipated and dreaded day. It was inevitable that this album cropped up on this sort of list it is a work of genius, right? The problem I have is that I bought it years ago, listened to it once and didn't like it. I'll forced myself to listen again. Long, indulgent, jazz/blues derived solos with a side-order of psychedelia. Lyrically obscure. The musicianship is competent. The drummer needs to calm down and back off a bit. The drums are much too forward in the mix, to the point of being irritating. Period typical abuse of stereo imaging. Standard, rock band, 'simplistic, badly arranged "strings"'. Really why do they do this? All the tracks drone on a bit. 'Moonchild' got very annoying. Interesting, yes. Innovative, sure. Enduring work of genius? Perhaps not. I can't decide on 3/5 or 4/5 for this. It's really a 7/10. Oh for more granularity in scoring! 'Moonchild' and the drumming nudge me towards 3/5.
It's full of great melody's and atmosphere but although I enjoy it all I come away wanting more.
Not my personal favorite, but I can definitely hear its influence.
Strong start and solid album.
Some loverly proggers. Quality is a bit inconsistent but enjoyable album
This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be based on what I had heard about it previously. There were a few songs I actually liked (Talk to the Wind). But there were also songs that dragged. And I get that that is the point (to a certain extent) is the longer run time of songs allowing for more sonically interesting things. But at the same time, I'm not sure it pays off.
I think I’d seen the album cover to In the Court of the Crimson King before I even knew the band King Crimson. The cover is a kind of cartoon face of a man frightened to death or in agony or going crazy. Some may feel that way after listening to King Crimson’s debut album, but for progressive rock fans, it may be their number one album. In the Court of the Crimson King is looked at by many as the first prog album and it certainly sounds like it. I’m no historian, so I can’t tell you if it’s the first, but I do know prog when I hear it. Earlier, I said prog rock, King Crimson isn’t so much rock as they are psychedelic and jazzy with dashes of Jimi Hendrix sprinkled over the top. The opening song, 21st Century Schizoid Man is so big and over the top, you’d think the band was a metal band. While the song features a saxophone, it’s very heavy. The riff is undeniable. I know I heard the main riff before I knew who King Crimson was. In the Court of the Crimson King is a concept album of what, I don’t know. I’m going to get maybe two listens before moving on, so Google it. The album went on to inspire plenty of bands searching for who they were, meaning it spawned a bunch of crappy prog rock bands, but there were plenty of great bands inspired as well. Now, as I said, King Crimson is not metal, though they have metal-like tendencies. They are more jazzy, which I have a love-hate relationship with. I love jazz that doesn’t get too nutty. Meaning, I like jazz when all the instruments are not each playing different songs. King Crimson doesn’t get that nutty, but it does seem at times they all just decided to jam to the point of going off the rails before bringing it back. Overall, the album is fine. I understand it has to be on the list just for the historicalness of it and how it spawned a new genre of rock. As John Cunningham of WhatCulture said about the band, "they threw the bluesy sound of rock at the time out the window. In its place, the group displayed a psychedelic hybrid style composed of acid rock, jazz and classical overtones." So, not a straight-up rock band, but they rock. As with most prog bands and albums, I can appreciate King Crimson, but I don’t think I’ll ever have this in my regualr rotation.
3/5
Prog rock at it's finest.
Ich glaub chönt vill potezial ha aber hed mi doch z wenig gfesslet, darum gömmer mit 3 königliche crimes
:O das album hett scho grosse anime bekanntheitsstatus, drum hani mal müese drilose plus ischs cover und de name cool es isch okay würdi sege... nothing too crazy natürlich immer lustig wemmer no es sample erkennt und the court of the crimson shlong isch au es lustiges lied gsi alles ih allem losi sicher nöd au nod bonustracks du dumme siech hey :O drum segi da mal :O :O :O und da isch no de anime woni gmeint han https://jojowiki.com/King_Crimson
Correcto
I only had heard of King Crimson. There were some interesting and unexpected melodies. Other songs pushed the envelope so much they were hard to listen to.
Didn’t really get this the first time around, certainly not the first half, but there’s some quality to it and they push the boat out with some experimental elements. I think some of that first listen confusion/jarring aspect stuck with me when reviewing but it’s an album of genuine interest.
A vast improvement on the previous KC offering we had
Ok, i can see how this is the start of heavy metal and progressive rock. I can see where bands like Yes and Coheed and Cambria come from. I did not need the expanded version Spotify gave me, as the extra tracks added nothing to the album. It stood just fine without them, like King Crimson intended. This isn't my style, but it wasn't bad. My Rating: 3/5 Crimson Crowns.
Good musicians but far too noodly
The flute playing on this album is amazing! Good early album by this prog rock band
Objectively, they did a lot musically on this album... it just wasn't my thing. I would say this is more of a 3.5 for me, but I can't justify bumping it up to a 4.
Symphonic and very Moody Blues / Tull styled production. Worth listening again because I didn't follow any of the lyrics. Seemed like medieval fantasy trope stuff but I don't know if it had any depth.
I listened to the original release (five tracks). Some of this music seems like a blend of the Beatles, Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull. The first track is somewhat heavy metal-ish, and the rest is experimental rock. I could do without the section with random noises in “Moonchild”. Overall this is groundbreaking for 1969, not quite good enough for four stars.
Aha, another album cover I recognize from being in a lot of people's top albums. The first true prog album, is it? And yeah, I hate it. So that tracks. It does sound more modern than it is (70s perhaps), I'll give 'em that. I've heard '21st Century Schizoid Man' before (because of Kanye, no doubt) but never knew those were the lyrics. Because the vocals are not crisp and clean! But at least the lyrics are interesting, I guess. And there are some interesting bits of jazzy instrumentation. I see why people like it. I don't like it, but maybe hate is too strong. It's fine. It's whatever. It's a low 3.
It has a lot of 70s jazz vibes,, but what do you expect from a 70s jazz album. It is a very scrunch up your face value due to the fantastic use of instruments and makes this 7 mins a journey. The subtle hints at rock throughout the song is really a nice hidden gem. The vocals are alright, but don't get an Adele worthy performance from it. Although, further in the album the vocals become clearer and better than the first initial song. From there on out the mood of the album changes from here to there; from a jazzy lounge vibe then to a more rock aspect but very very under the raps type of rock. There are songs that sounded like just sounds, more over one particular song, but it fits so well what the album tries to convey. For a 60's/70's album the technical aspects of the album are incredible. Would I recommend this to my friends? Not really, because this album is more for a refined listener that do not chase the latest trends, and values sounds more than the vibe it is giving. Overall great album
Reminds me of rock and roll jazz
You can hear elements of Pink Floyd, Yes, David Bowie, and even flashes of Rush and Led Zeppelin throughout this album. Given its release date, it’s easy to imagine that King Crimson helped shape each of them in some way. The sound feels both familiar and foundational—like a blueprint that later giants built upon.
Nice, syret lidt pink Floyd drømmende agtigt. Nok lidt for syret til mig, men fed lyd
Kinda like it, but not my cup of tea.
So that is where all the LSD went.
Mostly I fear it just doesn't really do it for me... sorry. Wish it did
I expected this to be weird and nerdy, but was surprised that it didn't go as far as I thought it would. At least not until side two. The first track, "21st Century Schizoid Man", throws you right into the deep end with its distorted opening chorus, 'hard rock' guitars, and wailing woodwinds. The way they don't build it up makes it feel more like a reprise than a first listen, which is quite a way to start the first track of your first album. I've mentioned this on other records and my usual note is "it's like you're joining a conversation already in progress", but usually the band has put out a few records and has some expectation that the audience knows their sound. It moves pretty quickly from that chorus into jazz-style soloing without much segue. "21st Century Schizoid Man" feel like King Crimson's statement piece and it's no wonder it gets sampled pretty often (probably most notably on Kanye West's "Power"). They back off somewhat (but keep the woodwinds!) for "I Talk To The Wind". This feels like a much more approachable starting point for most people in 1969. It's pop and psych-rock, with a little bit of jazz - a far cry from the onslaught of sound in the first track. "Epitaph" wraps up the first side of the record, and does well to combine the sounds we've already heard into a single (nearly 9 minute long) opus. The cinematic soundscape paints an expansive and optimistic picture for the bleak lyrics to trample over, if you let them. This is probably my standout track of the record, but I don't think you should go into it without warming up with the preceding songs. Side two is where things feel firmly prog rock-y. "Moonchild" seems to borrow more from experimental jazz (think "Bitches Brew" era Miles Davis) than from anything in rock & roll. It's the album's least played track on Spotify and not hard to guess why. "The Court Of The Crimson King" is an appropriate title track for the record. It collects all the pieces into one track and gives us the classic 'renaissance fair rock' sound that defines early prog-rock for me. In my review of David Bowie's "Heroes" I mentioned that David Fripp (the mastermind of King Crimson) was a collaborator, and it makes a lot of sense why they got along. I'm sure Bowie had heard this record, but I wish he and Fripp could have connected during the Ziggy Stardust era. There are 5 tracks and I like 3 of them, and maybe an extra half point for overall concept, brings me to a 3.5/5
Enjoyed
King Crimson are a talented band. This album was an ok one. I always liked 'I Talk to the Wind'. Somehow it makes me think of my dad when his dementia began to advance.
I appreciate KC's artistry and vision. They've been extremely influential on the prog rock scene. But if I'm being honest, this is a mediocre album at best. It's really the only one I'm familiar with so maybe I should check out some others. 3/5 #215
Previously rated: #198 - Larks' Tongues In Aspic (2/5) **************************************** Album #946 After listening to the other one, I knew this one was coming, then I forgot it was coming, so I was surprised seeing it come up. I had heard this once before, and wasn't enthralled with it. It quickly grabs you with 21st Century Schizoid Man, which admittedly is a really cool song (and the reason I rate this a 3/5). After that, there's a lot of hippie ren fair sounding stuff, several minutes of jazz noodling (in Moonchild), and more ren fair fare. It reminded me of that first Pink Floyd album we had to listen to here for some reason. I'd willingly listen to an album full of Schizoid Man type material.
3/5
This may be a bit too close to the beginning of prog rock for me. I love Pink Floyd and Rush for their rock roots, but even some of Yes's work gets a bit too navel-gazey for me and I fear King Crimson is firmly in that territory. You can't have "prog rock" without "rock" and "rock" requires a riff, just as it always has. "Moonchild" is almost unforgivable - "b-b-but we're playing experimental music!" I can't sit here with a straight face and listen to somebody fucking with a xylophone for 10 minutes, even if it was 1969. It just didn't connect with me, personally. Sometimes you meet your heroes and it turns out everybody else got way better at that type of music over the last 50+ years. "21st Century Schizoid Man" rules to this day and "The Court of the Crimson King" is cool too. Those are really the only worthwhile tracks on the album. I gotta go 3/5 if only because the middle section is such a ridiculous snoozefest.
Is that a goddamn flute? There's a lot of shit on here that I like, there are some really cool moments, like the Epitaph song is great music and a great vibe. And then there's a lot I don't like, like the flute. So I'm gonna give it a 2.5 and round it up to a 3 cause of the legacy and the cool album artwork.
That's not my taste in music - But some pleasant songs
I understand that the ‘first’ makes this have weight, but I don’t understand the hype of the actual music. It’s fine. A nice riff and a nice refrain that both come back throughout. But beyond that, there’s a lot of waiting.
Unique sound surpassed by its artwork.
Prog rock with jazz. Tight performance and meandering tracks. I'd heard good things... Epitaph and Moonchild remind me of clean Opeth, but Moonchild has meandering outro, not a big fan Impressive prog for 69 but not as mind-blowing as I had hoped Best track - Epitaph 3 stars
Some really nice songs , some bits spoiled by painful high pitched sounds
Good classic rock album. Kind of jam-bandish but I still enjoyed it. 6/10
Too experimental for me.
This album was all over the place. Started psychedelic rock, moving into background 70s movie music, and finishing off with jazz? It was interesting for sure. I’ll never listen to again though. 3.46583
I like King Crimson but this album is kind of a difficult listen. Lots of discordant noodling that overrides the base tracks.
Pretty tired. I'll just say this is a 3/5.
Found the album interesting but not worthy of the hype? Would listen to again.
I mean, if you remove the long stretches if kindergarteners playing Fischer Price xylophones, it's pretty good.
Ok so yes this was good, a bit all over the place. But there was some really fun musicianship happening here.
I've never heard the album before now, but I'm certainly privy to the influence of this album. The screaming red man on the cover was immediately recognizable to me. As far as what I personally thought of the music, it was pretty good. I can certainly understand it's popularity. 21st Century Schizoid Man had me absolutely hooked & was by far the best song on the album. My issue came with the lengthy, jazzy sections of the songs. Each song is pretty long, and some unnecessarily so. I'm all for just vibing with the music, but I found myself losing some of my excitement when the music breaks would carry on for too long. Overall, one absolutely fantastic song can't carry the rating, so I'll put it in the dead middle.
Så högt och lågt, vissa lite mer chill gillade jag, andra var lite hysteriska
good, but don't see myself coming back to it anytime soon.
Välillä bängeri ja välillä sitte tosi epäbängeri. Nyt oli just oikee hetki tälle albumille ja vibailin välillä ihan kunnolla mutta luulen että vaikka eilen olisi vihannu tätä.
Certainly need to give this one more time. It’s bizarre. But I can imagine the big ones growing on me. Maybe the best album cover ever. Adding 1/2 point for that alone.
Classic
pretty good but less good than I remember
I thought this was alright. Id like to know a little more about the work.
I liked the first song, but not the rest. Why do progressive rock albums consistently have a “look at all the instruments we have in the studio” section?
This prog rock shit can be so hit or miss for me. I thought I was going to hate it but it wasn’t bad. Would definitely listen again at home with a doobie or two. If you’re going to go weird call your song 21st Century Schizoid Man and I’ll be more forgiving.
There's a risk this list might actually turn me into a prog-rock fan... 2.5 (might have gotten a full 3 if they'd toned it down with the flute)
No one man should have all that power
kinda banging
gizzard lizard related? Noodly, kind of goes nowhere, fine I guess
Knew the first song from some commercial. Pretty good overall. Good instrumentals.
I only listened to this once properly, but think it’ll grow on me with more listens.
*The jazz stuff was cool but the overall album was a little too all over the place. Very atmospheric but not consistent enough with a theme for me to give it more than a 3.
This was a wild ride but it was sure interesting
This was tough for me, I'm pretty hot and cold on this album. I loooove "21st Century Schizoid Man" then "I Talk to The Wind" loses me. then "Epitaph" draws me back, then "Moonchild" reeeeeally loses me. and then I like "Court of the Crimson King!" I guess it all just kinda averages out.
The classic opener is such a misdirect because nothing else here comes even close to its loud hard rock groove. I’m not a prog fan so my love is limited, though there are some lovely vocals and melodies.
Ehhhh… there’s better prog around
Prog rock gods - reminds me of Moody Blues. Creative for the time, led to an era of 4 song sets . . .
Like if Yes sang about death and wizards or whatever the shit it was about
Important, original, with long stretches of boredom in between. 3/ 5
Interesting album. Dad had it on vinyl growing up and that cover is seared into my brain haha. A bit too much weird instrumental stuff for 4 stars but really solid otherwise.
It's really quite surprising to hear this album with the knowledge that it is an incredibly early example of prog rock, because this album is also known as one of the greatest prog rock albums; this album knows what it's doing and has the style down to a T. That said, maybe even more surprising to me, is that I actually enjoyed this album a fair bit, as someone who isn't really into prog rock. I think what I may appreciate the most about this album is its masterful use of classical/symphonic style mixed in. Doing this would ultimately become quite a staple to prog rock, but again, there's just something special and notable about how it's done here. The latter part of the "Moonchild" track loses me a bit, but that's not bad at all considering how I normally glaze over when listening to these prog rock albums.
Not a huge prog rock fan but I can see why people like this album.
Very good
I Liked 3 of the 5 songs, so 3 Stars seems apt. Although Moonchild was close to bringing this down to a 2. Here's an idea, don't make the worst song on an album the longest.
Love it. Dated as it is.
Its crazy to me that I've known and listened to this thing since I was 14 or so, and I still had a fairly vivid memory of the songs so I almost wanted to just rate it and leave it at that. But last time I listened to it was probably 6 years ago and since them I knew I needed to relisten to this album. Now, obviously, it's still really good and I still love some of the songs, but that's the thing I feel like while I understand why I Talk to the Wind and Moonchild do to windown between the larger songs... I just kept hoping they'd end sooner so I could get to Epitaph or the title track. Moonchild especially felt too long for an improv track, the first half its fine but the rest just feels so out of place with the rest of the album's atmosphere. I Talk to the Wind is fine, it sounds pretty and its slow but that's about it for me with it, even in the past it wasn't my favorite. But those two out of the way the three remaining songs are just great: 21st Century Schizoid Man? Classic, one of the heaviest songs of the era. Epitaph? Emotional, huge, just such a great song. Title track? Epic in the actual sense, feels so evocative of the idea of whatever the crimson king is. I think what I love about these songs is that they feel so emotionally grounded and with lyrics that so perfectly illustrate all the themes in the album, be it fantastical like the title track or I Talk to the Wind, or more grounded like 21st Century Scizoid Man and Epitaph with war or loss. Other prog bands are great too but KC really did things in a way that sometimes go above and beyond what many did. Now don't get me wrong, this album is only a 3/5 stars because of the two songs i talked about but it's still fantastic for its other songs and I strongly recommend it.
I did enjoy the clearly jazz-inspired parts of this album, my favourite song was Epitaph (although I wasn't much of a fan of the marching interlude) because I liked the dramatics and classical strings. Enjoyed the other songs significantly less though, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars.
This album was many things, genre bending, incredibly technically impressive, progressive, boundary pushing, unfortunately the only area where I found it lacking was being enjoyable to listen to. I understand that that wasn’t the point of this album, but i still don’t think I can give it any higher than 3 stars as a result of my personal music taste.
Enjoyed this more than I expected.
Psychedelic fantasy prog rock pioneers. I understand the historic genre significance, but too much jamming on the recording for me. 🤙🤙🤙
I had never heard of them but the album was alright. Not completely my taste.
ykw I expected this to be a bunch of random pretentious cluttered nonsense, because while i do know songs on here, I had never listened to all of them together, and while it very much is what I expected, i'll give it this - it's some surprisingly pleasant cluttered nonsense. random assorted thoughts: - this has weirdly few plays on spotify for such a well known album - cover art is horrifying - ahead of its time (which seems to be what music nerds like.) the fact that this is the 60s is wild favorite song: "i talk to the wind" overall: 6/10 (sorry rym)
Very instrumental. It was okay. Not exactly my forte but i can appreciate what it’s doing and it’s good at it. The production is great. Something my school band class would play, but I’m missing my chorus’s.
8/26/25. Heard this one before. I think I’ll need a few more listens to truly appreciate it, but love the experimental nature of this album. The instrumentals are also on point.
I enjoyed this album listen! I’d never listened to this album or King Crimson before so that was a new experience for me. I’m not going to lie I thought this album was a little strange but I haven’t listened to much prog rock if I’m being honest. I think ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ was the strongest track on the album, I feel like for me the album went down from there which left me wanting more songs like the opening track. I would give this album another chance in the future!
Des trucs un peu bizarre mais sympa dans l'ensemble
Je ne connaissais pas du tout, c’est pas mal chouette. C’est assez avant gardiste quand même Les morceaux sont un peu (trop) longs donc ça ne s’écoute pas dans n’importe quel moment à mon sens
21st century schizoid man is the standout for me
interesting enough, I liked Epitaph, found Moonchild too long and indulgent, The title track was good - even if 10 minutes long. I have finally listened to it now.
Not a fan of this!
I have finally listened to the funny screaming guy album. Being someone who has listened to The Dark Side of the Moon and was not impressionable in the late sixties, I have to say my perspective is muddled. I am sure that this was a very important album for the time. I am also sure that because it has been half a century since this album was released, I am less impressed by it than I should be. Some parts of this were absolutely fantastic and some of the best music I have heard in months. Some parts of this album were insanely boring to listen to. I will likely be returning to every track except Moonchild. To surmise, I am glad that I have finally listened to this and do not regret my time.
It’s alright innit. Goes on a bit, when songs include other songs it gets a bit silly. 21stC Schizoid Man is a massive riff, though. 3/5 Best Song: 21stC etc
Lots of very cool progressive tunes in this. Songs really draw out way too long although and it gets very boring.
Why am I suddenly craving a giant turkey leg? I grew up in the '70s and was into all of the other hard Rock and prog Rock and psychedelic rock bands of the time. But somehow this was an album I had never listened to before.. I'm glad that I've finally checked that box. Although, I am most definitely never going to listen to this again. Obviously a lot of talent and I can see why people would love. But for me it was just really cheesy and boring (except for 21st century schizoid man, which is pretty awesome).
J - 3/5 Best Track - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
21st Century Schizoid Man amd the Court of the Crimson King are fantastic, and early high water marks for prog. The tracks in between are doing some interesting experimentation, but not interesting enough to elevate the album.
fun album, would listen again.
Highlight Song/s: 21st Century Schizoid Man This is one of those albums that I've been meaning to listen to, but haven't come around too. Most of the tracks were fine to great, except for "Moonchild" for some reason that song triggered me with all those strange sounds around a couple minutes in. I can't explain it that well, but it made my blood boil for some reason
Okay when symphonic, fabulous when jazzy. Stark trea
Great jazz. At least, that's what I'd call it. A bit restless at times, but that's part of it.
I should like early prog rock but I find it kinda cheesy.
Ominous, foreboding, with a real plot line. I’m just not putting this on to listen to music
21st Century Schizoid Man was great. In the Court of the Crimson King was good. Everything else sounded like they were just rehearsing and tuning and forgot the recorder was on.
I will be honest and say I have always thought King Crimson was a band from like 2002. I had no idea they were around in 1969. This was really different, but wow! You can really hear many of the bands that came after this. The fantastical stuff was pretty good, not a fan of the dissonant jazz stuff. But I can see how this is considered a very influential group, some of the sounds you can almost hear other groups listening too and working into their own sound. Really makes me wish I was more fluent with that for examples. I would give it two stars, but I can hear what comes next and that bumps it up to 3.
Another group that I've heard of, but never listened to. This is a heavy dose of prog rock. Overall I enjoyed it until I got to Moonchild where it wanders to almost Spın̈al Tap Jazz Odyssey levels of jazz or whatever they were trying to do there. The artwork for the cover and inside the gatefold is pretty amazing and it makes the album instantly recognizable. I think I can see his brain.
Impressive but perhaps a bit self-congratulatory in the cleverness of the musicianship
No private session used for Spotify. I have certainly have heard 21st Century Schizoid Man and The Court of the Crimson King before, but haven't listened to a complete King Crimson album.
Álbum de menos a más, hay fragmentos interesantes pero otros muy estridentes. 6/10
i like red
Liked this a lot more than I was expecting. Big, sweeping songs with interesting lyrics.
Súper súper rock experimental y me parece que chulo que lo sea porque es de 1969!!! Vamos, canciones de 12 minutazos de las cuales solo 1 minuto tiene letra y que te pondrías de fondo pero no cantar (hay dos frases). Pero se nota que es rock en cuanto cantan y eso me gana, Epitaph FAV. Por cierto increíble que se marquen un jazz rock por la cara.
I'd never heard the originals of court of the crimson king or schizoid man before. It's an interesting album - bit too jazzy for me. It's a proper album though - not meant to be separated. I like that and I feel it would grow on me
Me gustó PERO me aburre al mismo tiempo, tengo un tema con los artistas que hacen esto de meter 2 minutos al final de la canción puramente de instrumental e improvisación, siento que en vivo estaría re copado pero escucharlo así me la baja un montón y quiero ya cambiar de tema.
Alto stand. Buen álbum, por momentos se me hace aburrido pero cuando arranca se pone.
I love me some prog, and this is one of those early examples that would end up defining the genre. But I'm glad it didn't stop here: too much "experimental" in Moonchild, too much repetition in The Court of the Crimson King.
Kanye sampled "21st Century Schizoid Man" in "Power". Long long long album for a lot of repeat songs. 6.3/10
7/10
so hectic.
Surprisingly not familiar with this album, despite having listened to some prog rock throughout the years. Immediately, I recognized the sample from "21st Century Schizoid Man", later included in Kanye West's "Power". A pretty strong 1st track, politically charged with equals parts of eeriness and powerfully rocking guitars/drums. Also lengthy, a prog rock specialty. The rest of the album unfortunately strays from all of that and opts to fill the space with some disjointed ambience. The closing track is a bit of a return to the aforementioned sound, but the whole album makes for an uneven listening experience. That's pretty much the point of progressive rock, though, and this album in particular is usually labeled as the first "true" progressive rock album from what I've read. Those are about the only flowers I can give this album in my honest opinion.
Sehr durchwachsen Anfang bisschen anstrengend aber spannend, dann wurde es besser. Der experimentelle Mittelteil war nicht so meins, es klang irgendwie mehr wie ein Xylophon das die Treppe runterfällt als wie ein Lied, was ich mir gerne in meiner Freizeit anhöre Der Titelsong hat mich dann wieder richtig abgeholt Favs: Epitaph, The Court of the Crimson King
mochte die langen Instrumentalteile und ruhigeren Lieder, aber muss ich im mood für sein
Die ersten Lieder etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig, wird dann aber besser. Viel spannend experimentelles dabei!
Prog rock is new for me and not my favorite newly discovered genre. This was actually pretty good though. Almost a 4.
I absolutely see why this album is influential and on this list, but I just can't get into prog rock.
21st Century Schizoid Man is a 5, the rest of the album is just ok
This would be a 4 if they cut out the non-song portions. The actual songs are great.
It’s ok. I don’t mind prog but prog fans can be insufferable and talk about this band like they are the greatest thing ever. They are ok. I wouldn’t listen again but didn’t hate it. 3
Første låt: å, det er her Kanye har sampla fra Gold Digger. Godt og variert, mellom god gammeldags rock og jazz, prog og alt egentlig. Plutselig er det tverrfløyte på låt nr. 2. Bra album - bærer preg av eksperimentell progressiv rock. Det er gøy. Lange tracks, merging av tracks. Ganske chill album, fint, men litt mye til tider på enkelte låter og partier, men bra med variasjon. Alt i alt, et trestjerners album - ikke helt min type musikk, men fint å ha på i bakgrunnen når du jobber.
Was fine. Single good. Others meh
Interesting Prog Rock Album, a bit high concept for my taste but it wasnt bad
Some really good prog Rock. But I wasn't really in the vibe for it. It's a solid listen but I won't come back to it.
Great musicianship & production-wise, but just not my thing at all really. 3/5
I’ve tried twice. It’s just not for me.
liked songs: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph, The Court Of The Crimson King Moon child gets too noodly, but otherwise this is a pretty good album. 3.5
Historically a very important album and helped define progressive rock. With that said, it has never blown me away and this listen was no different.
Maybe the guy on the cover is listening to this? Bit twiddly at times for my liking.
Interesting enough but I won't be revisiting
Uhh it was ok I liked like 3 songs on it
Impressive for the time. I would’ve loved this, but these days it’s just a bit too meandering and weird to make it a super easy listening album.
I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. Was reminiscent of what I’d imagine a tolerable Pink Floyd would sound like.
Random thoughts: * Very proggy and fantastical * This falls somewhere between Emerson Lake and Palmer and Jethro Tull. * I feel like I should have liked this better. Maybe I need to re-listen with headphones to get the full effect. * I think had I discovered this organically I would have liked it better. * Definitely need to give this one another shot.
it's almost something I would enjoy. almost. it just needs a little more polishing.
Two good songs, epitath and the title Song, but the rest are mediocre, moonchild in particular. 3.5 stars
good album güzel bir albümdü oda toplarken veya ders çalışıtken güzel bir şekilde dineniyor
I can see why it's a big deal but prog just feels a bit wanky to me
Good
The first song - 21st Century Schizoiod Man, is actually a song that I didn't expect to know but it is something that I've heard in the past. I shouldn't have judged "the book by its cover" but I thought that the album would be very disappointing, based on the artwork. Overall, I am happy with the experience, it was very nice - pretty chill from the second song onward, but it was a bit intense during that first song.
This was a good album, way ahead of its time. It didn’t blow my mind, but it was very good and I enjoyed it. Lots of varied styles and influences. I can definitely see how it was a forefather of the progressive genre.
The actual songs are great, but the gratuitous ethereal wankery between them drops this down a star.
I didn't mind it.
21st Century Schizoid Man and In the Court of the Crimson King were alright. Other three songs I didn't love.
One of those "you gotta hear/own/worship it!" seminal prog albums that I just could never get into. Sure Greg Lake has the voice that immediately takes me back to childhood listening to dad's albums (ELP) - not sure I like the chaotic ones here but a few of the more "boring" ones (e.g. "Epitaph") really suit Lake well. But maybe - just maybe - Lake's milquetoast voice *is* a big part of the problem? He doesn't have the mysterious prancey camp of Peter Gabriel or the aggressive attack of 1970s Geddy Lee - instead he's just...there. Sounding pretty and polite. ehh. It's fine - I know it's a great influence on a lot of my favourite bands and for that it's worthy enough to occasionally put on. I guess I'm not as into prog as I thought I was as a teenager. I have to imagine this coming out when it did was a game changer tho, not sure people had heard anything like it before so that definitely counts for a lot. Having said that, gimme 2112 or Supper's Ready all day every day. In fact .... "...walking across the sitting room, I turn the television off...." 5/10 3 stars.
What a trip. Some beautiful stuff in here. Also some very weird stuff. Would be 3.5 if there were half stars
Homework music. Moments of brilliance. Not really my cup of tea.
The influence this album had on the prog giants that followed is clear. On the whole, not quite my thing, but 21st Century Schizoid Man is pretty cool.
Pretty cool! It's clearly distinct from other music of that age.
Progressive. Before it’s time. Powerful, poetic lyrics. Some unusual instrumentals. Sonically intriguing.
Some hits, probably won’t come back to it
Psilocybin Anyone?
A surprise. Want to listen again
Again, an album I listened to on a drive, and it fitted better than United States of America. This one has been floating around since I was a kid but this is the first time I've listened to it, and I actually quite liked it. Bit too much noodling on some tracks though.
Experimentellt, låter som att bandet står och testar olika ljud i studion. Lite jazzigt.
Eclectic, missed cohesion and would've liked the album to have sounded more like the last song
The one that started Prog…I could name one song off this album and that’s about it. This band was a bit too early for me. I can appreciate this album for it’s historical meaning.
Psychedelic rock. I like the king crimson court song. It builds really well. But not my jams.
Nope
Interesting, but not something I'd routinely listen to.
While I understand why it’s considered so highly, it’s far too prog for my ears. It’s not doing anything for me. I do like the artwork though so 3 stars.
I don't think I've ever said "What the fuck am I listening to?" more during an album. In both good ways and bad. I Talk To The Wind is beautiful but Moonchild was like 12 minutes of ASMR. A lot of songs were so drawn out and at times felt like just random noises. It's a mixed bag but I think the chaos makes sense given that they were pioneering a new genre with this. It is very cool to listen to from a historical perspective and has some great moments but I won't be listening in my free time.
I love this LARP shit, but no one can love Moonlight. Strong 3/5 would’ve been a 4 if not for that 5 minutes of garbage. Seriously it’s like they just wanted to waste some studio hours
Complete
Good, but ive gotten kind of sick it because ive listened to it many times. MIddle tracks are a little boring based on my mood. 4 stars objectively. On this listen 3 stars.
It was fine.
3 stars
Teilweise interessant. Teilweise nervig. Werde es mir aber ein zweites Mal anhören.
I'm probably not alone in having the first thought of 'ooh, Kanye West sample'. But this album has a lot more to offer than that. Floyd-esque freaky beauty throughout.
Some of the greatest album art of all time. Musically, I think it’s cool, but it’s never drawn me in. Technical mastery has never impressed me much, historically. The opener will forever be great.
Weird but also interesting, enjoyed this one!
There's only 5 songs on this album so let's go. 21st Century Schizoid: I like it. It's edgy, rock'n, and I especially like how the horns get tangled up. Talk to the Wind: it's pretty in it's melancholy way. nice flute'n. Epitaph: a slowly plodding dirge with sweeping swells of violins and bassoon-like droning. kinda depressing as fuck but it's not bad & the poetry works. Moonchild: a creeping mystery. mythic poetry. I like the percussion. It's a good song for the first 2.5 minutes. Then 10 minutes of wankery that sounds like they forgot they were still recording. Coulda had a decent song if you just stopped at 2.5 minutes. The Court of the Crimson King: it's kind of an odd song but it's not bad. That chorus where the organ rises and the drums are pounding is good. Nice little Callipe organ intermission at 7:25. I also like the bass and flute parts that kick in around 4:30. The songs are long which annoyed me at first but I have to switch gears and give the songs more patience which isn't necessarily a bad thing and there's some interesting songwriting & playing happening.
I was jiving with Side 1, but then Moonchild happened. It was just a really long song with barely anything going on. What even was that? And it takes up more than one-fifth of the album. Kick that track outta here, and this album is overall kinda cool and groovy. The songs were long and felt a little unpolished, but I liked where they took them for the most part. Epitaph was the standout for me on here. Reminded me of the Moody Blues. I was also gettin' down with 21st Century Schizoid Man and The Court of the Crimson King.
Honestly made me feel a little weird but it was the good kind of weird.
I find King Crimson a bit challenging. I like prog rock, but this is difficult. Album started off strong with “21st Century Schizoid Man”, but quickly drifted and I didn’t get it until it picked up again with “The Court Of The Crimson King”. But that was it.
It took me years to figure out why I don't enjoy this album, and it finally hit me today: the drummer sucks. Granted, when you make a drummer sit through 12 minute tracks, he's bound to get bored and start playing some stupid shit. Every fill he plays is somehow worse than the last, none of them serving the music or making sense stylistically. My favorite tracks are the ones where he does not play or is not featured. Also, please adjust the mic for the snare or tell him to tune it. It sounds like a wet fish being slapped against a table. If they got a different drummer for this album, I'd give it another shot. Everything on top of the drums is entertaining and sometimes enjoyable, but hard to truly appreciate when I am constantly being distracted every four bars.
Ok
Þokkalega gott stufd
Very inconsistent.
Not bad.
Good album with one milestone song, worth it for this alone
lord, every song goes on for too long and makes me feel like i need more drugs
Really love 21st century schizoid man, part of it sounds like speed runners. Really like the prog rock of the songs, but the parts where it's just silence or birds or whatever are a bit too long. I've also heard this album before and listening to it again confirms my thoughts, overall I'd love to rate this higher but as a whole album I'd probably give it a 3.
kinda good, kinda bullshit
I liked parts of songs. As a whole the songs seemed too long for me. Large sections of instrumentals that dragged on too long.
ahhh, the iconic album cover. Certainly a landmark progressive rock album that blends a variety of styles into a weirdly chaotic mixture. While often hailed as a masterpiece, it's not without it's flaws. It meanders a bit too much for my taste, like an overly indulgent jam session that overstays it's welcome. That being said, it dared to push rock music into new territory, influencing countless artists along the way. It remains a fascinating and essential listen for anyone at all interested in the evolution of progressive rock.
First time hearing this fabled album. I like this style a lot more than the country rock dominant in this era. I enjoyed the heavy rocking prog and jazz influences, hearing some really good musicians go on journeys. I’m glad I heard it, but I wasn’t compelled by the subject matter so don’t feel called to listen again necessarily.
3 sterne
I'm still a Prince, so...
This is a really interesting album! I don't know that I've ever heard anything like this and can totally understand why this has been considered such an important album in terms of progressive rock. I'm not sure I would want to listen to this all the time, but I really enjoyed the lesson and would recommend it to others.
Cool ! Aussi en theme
influential to many pro rock bands but not THE starter. I only enjoyed what I have heard of r50 years. Maybe with a blunt or some mesc...
I enjoyed it, some songs go on too long but the music is really good
I can see how it could be influential, sounds similar to a lot of famous bands who came before and after (beatles, even reminds me of pretty odd by Panic!, etc). Not something I will probably come back to though. I saved I talk to the wind to my playlist, that was by far my fav one.
good for homework doing
🎧Laid the foundation for prog rock, I’m told. 21st Century Schizoid Man is pretty sick. Some boring musical detours on tracks like Moonchild. Cool album, a little overrated though.
Unlucky that I just had their other album 4 days ago. It seems that the parts where they’re playing “traditional” rock are much better and tighter. Their progressive digressions seem to have become more indulgent and boringer.
It starts and ends on the highest notes. I guess I can see the genius, but the melodies and instrumentation weren’t as strong and memorable as I hoped for. Moonchild in particular dragged on. 6/10
Jazzy Rock or Rock Jazz, glad I heard it once, but not going to be something I remember listening to tomorrow.
For the most part I liked it, but what the fuck was going on in the middle of Moonchild? It almost makes me want to sink this rating to a two. But I enjoyed the rest of the album enough to send it down the middle of the road.
So I’ve always used King Crimson as a joking example of the sort of stuff I hate. “Oh, it’s okay, at least it’s not bloody King Crimson or some shit! Music for wankers!” Which means I really have shocked myself by…not hating this? What does this mean? Am I the wanker now? I’m not saying I love it. 10 minutes a song way outstrips my attention span if I’m honest, some of the twiddlier bits and I prefer my lyrics to make some kind of sense, but I can’t deny that it’s epic, and I can even…maybe…see myself putting it on again, in a certain sort of mood. I guess if there’s a moral to this story it’s that I should have embraced my inner wanker years ago.
Meh, not bad but it didn’t really leave an impact on me
Decent
Some of the tracks are amazing and complex, and some of them are awful. Tricky to rate . 3?
Good album, aware that it was popular and famous but only ever really listened to 21st century schizoid man before, would give it a 3.5 stars really. Kinda crazy that this is from the sixties Fav song: 21st Century Schizoid man
- hat mir sehr gut gefallen (und das trotz einiger sehr langer Songs) - The Court Of The Crimson King war mit dem Refrain schon sehr ohrwurmig 3,25/5
I'm a big prog rock fan (Rush and Yes) so am aware of and respect King Crimson. Have never given this the listen it deserves as it's on countless lists. Definitely appreciating it more.
I can appreciate this. I know it’s important but it isn’t my thing. I’ll go 3/5 due to the importance and the musicality. It’s lush. It’s well put together. I just wouldn’t need to listen all the time.
After listening to Larks' Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson, I thought for sure I was going to hate this album. But this one actually had legit music and not noises. It's not my favorite, but I never really disliked anything that was going on while listening. Average. Really all I have to say.
Oh, we were all familiar with The Court Of The Crimson King. But it was because of the cover art, not the music. The songs were all too long to get any radio play back then. They’re still too dramatic and jazz like for me. The album made for a nice meadow walk, overall a good experience. (2.7*s)
I did enjoy this album. Loved the first track. Loved the flute incorporated in other tracks (I hope, it was the flute :D ). Yeah, overall nice album.
Dunno if I need to listen again
Altogether, a good, solid album. Too self-indulgent by times, but the rest is good listening. Would listen again.
I understand this album's significance, but just doesn't really do it for me after 21st century schizoid man.
Good album.
I think there’s some kind of spiritual blockage in my brain that makes me incapable of truly enjoying prog
Like it 👍 3/5
I recognize why this is significant, but there's just so much that it becomes a blur without any real landmarks
Fourteen year old me probably would have loved it, but I did not hear it then. Still, not too bad.
This was way better than a lot of the prog rock I've been subjected to on this experience. I would revisit this album sometime, in fact.
Weirdly engaging…
Some classics, and a great final piece that sounds more experimental/jazzy. Can see why this is influential.
Unhinged Beatles psychedelic rock 5/10
Very long songs, some were just noise. I still liked it though.
Strange sound - interesting but at times felt like a beginner playing random notes for the heck of it. Some songs were impressive and thought out though, just not the entire album.
Un álbum para hacer más cosas. Siento que tiende a ser repetitivo en las canciones más extensas, sin embargo se siente homogéneo, y necesaria cada canción. El principio y final del mismo se sienten unidos, la parte central demasiado emocional. Pero, no lo escucharía completo nuevamente.
3.5/5
Some pretty cool parts. Great production and atmosphere. Too nerdy for me.
This album was an interesting trip between "wow this sounds pretty good" to "what am I listening to?". Sometimes this would happen between songs, sometimes in would happen over the course of a singular song. However, that's the spirit of prog rock I suppose, with this album being instrumental to the rise of prog rock, and to my shock, an influence on even Kanye West.
There is certainly some good stuff here, I can see the appeal, but it's a bit too much for an hour with the insanely long songs. The whole album didn't grab me that much, but 21st Century Schizoid Man is a certified banger though, so much so that it single-handedly carries the album to a 3 star rating.
J’ai aimé une seule chanson. Le reste est sympa mais trop long
I mean, it wasn’t bad. And I appreciate what it means. But prog rock isn’t really my thing.
Lots of great musicianship going on here, but to my ear sometimes it's ponderous and monotonous. 21st Century Schoizoid Man is a rocker, truly great song. I Talk to the Wind, Epitath and Moonchild all seem to run together until we get to the Court of the Crimson King. Interesting moment in prog, but it's a little dated in 2024.
As pretentious as it comes but yeah it's still decent
Top notch first song, but the rest are all low energy snoozers. Incredibly disappointing.
Great start that fell off quickly.
I've listened to this multiple times in the past in an attempt to enjoy King Crimson. This attempt proved no different to me; I still don't really like it. It's too disjointed or something for me. I'm sure, just like most jazz, it's me, not the band. Clearly talented musicians. Again, I'm disappointed in my level of prog.
Exceeded expectations
Interesting album. Never heard of the band or the album before. I can see why it has such a cult following for the Prog Rock scene. But I'll probably never listen to this one again.
I was somewhat familiar with King Crimson but had never listened to an entire album. Enjoyable enough and you can hear a lot of their contemporaries in the songs. Probably not an album I will listen to again.
It’s fine, I just don’t like progressive rock
Definitely an interesting album. Some parts were good, but the noodling was a bit too aimless at times. 2.5/5 Might listen again
Banger opening tune, great use of woodwinds on the following track, and then it just kind of meanders from there.
It was fine. Some of the songs felt like they took themselves too seriously, which dragged down the bits of the album that were fun.
I loved how the fisrts song was sampled by Kanye West. I will relisten thou. It is not my thing but I hope i get to like it.
Surprised to find I didn't like the opening track all that much... Too jazzy and wanky. Really liked the next few tracks though.
Funky jazz swing with a dash of metal.
Honestly I really enjoyed this. First song is great - really enjoyable when you want good music but not an incredibly active listen.
Lots of instrumental breaks, rly liked I talk to the wind
Well, it's better than "Larks' Tongues in Aspic", that's for sure.
I liked this much more than the other King Crimson album. Was pleasantly surprised to hear the album kick off with a song that was sampled in MBDTF.
Strange and interesting album. Had to give it two listens which definitely helped. With the first listen I would have rated this as 2 but the second go bumped it to 3. Favorite track was 21st Centuruy Schizoid Man.
I gave this albulm a second listen. I never thought that this albulm was able to live up to its reputation, and I still don’t. It’s definitely influential, but I feel like most bands since have figured out what needed to stay and what needed to go. Favorite song: I talk to the wind Least Favorite: Moonchild
This I find quite difficult. I think King Crimson is a very interesting band, which plays really interesting music. The problem is, I have never really liked their music. I have over the time listened quite a lot to some of their albums but I always find something missing. Composing and playing more complex music than most bands is something I like but the result has also to be likable ... and here the problem starts for me.
Enjoyable listen
Evaluating an album like this presents certain difficulties. It’s been over 50 years since this record’s release. Countless artists and records have been influenced by King Crimson. So, trying to listen to this in a vacuum is impossible. All those subsequent offerings color my perception of this record. So, I don’t want to be too harsh in my evaluation. But I found much of this album to be dull. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-in-the-court-of-the?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Not bad
The first 3 tracks are just about as good as prog rock gets. The last 2 tracks are everything that’s utterly terrible about prog rock. Why do they always have to ruin it? 3.2
3/5
I never know what to expect with prog rock, and this was no exception. It was weird, and flirted with a lot of different influences and styles. I thought parts of it were great, but it also got a bit too indulgent for my taste. It has a "jam band" feel at times, and I think they didn't really care if I was actually listening for long stretches. Ultimately, I respect it more than I like it. It plays around with new tools and styles available, and I could almost place some more mainstream works that this inspired. One more note, I'm glad this popped up before that Kanye album did. I really like that this list is randomized, because it keeps genres and eras unpredictable and fresh, but I think a minor tweak so that albums that are heavily sampling or riffing from another are biased to come after would be helpful, at least for people like me who are using this to explore music history.
This started really really well. After track 1 I was ready to give this album 5 full stars. By the end, after I'd been dragged through Moonchild and back, my opinion shifted significantly.
Prog rock for the win! Where would we be without King Crimson and, around the same time, Can?
Too diverse in one album.
is this a jojo reference????
Loved the opening track, but it's pretty average 60s jam band stuff after that. You can hear how this was an influence on bands that came later, so an interesting listen overall.
Definitely the forerunner to Rush.
It was ok. It definitely had some fun moments, and maybe if it was 1970s, and I was sitting on a beanbag chair and listening to it on vinyl with friends, and mild hallucinegics, I would enjoy it more.
Good parts and parts I didn't like as much
I kinda liked the jam band vibe of it
MBDTF reference.
Weird, but in a good way. First song was sampled by kanye on power so its goated. Overall thought it was cool, not too sure its my style tho
I had never heard of the band but I have heard of it's first track, 21st Century Schizoid Man, which was sampled by Kanye West's record; Power. The guitar, drums, and wind instruments add layers that work well together. There were very tranquil, almost therapeutic, moments in the album that were quite refreshing. The Court Of The Crimson King was one of my favorite tracks. Overall this is a good album.
21st Century Schizoid Man is cool, but the rest of the album doesn't do much for me. 3 stars.
The good parts are really good but there are a lot of snoozeworthy parts as well. I like King Crimson a lot but this is not the album I find myself reaching for often. Favorite Track: 21st Century Peepee Man
Notes Father of prog rock Repeatable Ish Influence Kanye
Very cool stuff. My high level take on this is they aren't great song writers, but everything else is top notch. As many epic moments as there are confounding moments. I don't understand the purpose of the diddling on Moonchild that lasts 10 minutes. It does make the intro to "The Court of the Crimson King" pop, but 10 minutes of random sounds feels excessive. At moments I’m definitely engaged and enjoying parts, but there are also moments where it sounds like Spinal Tap with a music degree.
I liked this. Very proggy and over the top, so not my usual thing. But I liked it for what it was
I enjoyed parts of this. If I'd heard it with no context, I'd have said the Court of the Crimson King was by David Bowie (in a good way – the Ziggy Stardust kind of way). Some interesting folk tracks too – I enjoyed the harmonies. Some parts felt intentionally discordant and challenging (21st Century Schizoid Man), but overall it pleased my ear more than it grated. Fascinated that Kanye dug this deep on a sample.
At times beautiful the first two songs and then overbearing the last 2 songs.
Has its moments but overall not good enough to hold attention for the space of a full prog hour.
я была настолько уверена что уже его слушала... в общем довольно приятный, только разный и глуховатый. можно продолжить)
Sounds a bit too experimental for my liking, but not bad overall
Interesting. Some good songs that I’d listen to again.
I can see why this is an important album. Progressive rock is always hit or miss for me. And while this isn’t a miss…it’s not really. Hit either.
It was interesting. It felt different and really enjoyed some of it, but it was not an album I would listen to the whole thing again.
Yeah not bad some odd songs though