Reviews (page 2 of 14)
Hard not to compare this with Queen II from earlier in the week: derpy fantasy motifs, moments of heaviness, star guitarist with a distinct voice. Both albums are achievements in cohesion and a certain campy posturing. But while I said that Queen II uniquely, among the Queen discography, represented a cohesive unit - the sense of the band playing as one, producing something that was the output of Queen rather than the sum of its parts - I'm not sure I would say the same of In the Court of the Crimson King. This is odd, because In the Court of the Crimson King is the popular exemplar of King Crimson, and the band name is right there. But Robert Fripp, in his writings about music, describes something like God manifesting through King Crimson when they improvise: an entity that emerges when the musicians play together. Bauhaus talked about Spirit, an entity they believed was conjured by their playing. Coil imagined something similar in Elph. No doubt other bands recognise some version of this presence, even if they don't give it a name, when things are really cooking. That was what I recognised on Queen II. Oddly, I don't recognise it here. The force Fripp talks about is clearly already Fripp's force. He is King Crimson in all its permutations. His is the discipline, the posture, the severity. You can hear him gradually defining what this thing is allowed to be. The remarkable thing about the first King Crimson album is that it contains a competing conception of the band, and much of that comes from Ian McDonald. There is far too much McDonald for my taste: excessive woodwind, excessive whimsy, and that whinging voice. I love the album, but I only love three of its five silly, indulgent songs. I Talk to the Wind and Moonchild meander and lose themselves in free-form tootling. This is a very different kind of improvisation from the disciplined expansion of later Crimson. Fripp will allow space for the music to wander, but he rarely lets it become fey. Here the music seems liable to wander off and start smoking a pipe. That isn't entirely a criticism of McDonald. He is superlative on 21st Century Schizoid Man, where his saxophone sounds as though some genuine spirit has possessed the band. And he was wholly responsible for the closing title track, which is glorious, ostentatious and silly. Its neat impression of the A Day in the Life chord would be a satisfying, cheeky ending if they didn't carry on tootleing for another minute with noodling Mellotron. Michael Giles is great throughout too, with those almost unnaturally constant snare hits giving the music a strange mechanical insistence. But McDonald's hippie tendencies wrestle the album's satire into something else. There is a tension between the idea of King Crimson as a ridiculous, grotesque theatrical construction and the idea of King Crimson as a vehicle for spiritual exploration. The former is where I find the album most convincing. The latter is where it starts to drift. Perhaps this is why, despite loving In the Court of the Crimson King, I don't experience it in quite the same way as Queen II. Queen seem to have discovered a shared identity by accident: four dorks finding common ground in high-fantasy heavy rock. King Crimson, on this first record, seem to have discovered that they have a problem. There are several possible King Crimsons in the room. Fripp eventually wins. And perhaps that is what makes the subsequent history of King Crimson so strange. The band becomes a machine for Fripp's idea of discipline. The collective spirit is still there, perhaps more powerfully than ever, but it is no longer quite an autonomous spirit. It has an author. Queen II sounds like four people becoming a band. In the Court of the Crimson King sounds like a band discovering that one of its members is going to decide what the band means. And, for all my griping, the full, severe Crimson is a lot more intimidating than the one that is adulterated by faint whimsy. 3.5 I like Michael Giles drums on this album very much - consistently thoughtful and plenty of weird rolls. I don’t like listening to these drums at the same time, because I really don’t like that snare sound. It is trebly and thin and annoys my ears like someone drumming their nails on a desk. The whole album carries some kind of contradiction like that. It is absorbing, but doesn’t have any good songs. It is oddly entertaining, but I never want to be entertained this particular way. I only ever choose to listen to this album to ponder again why I never choose to listen to this album (and yesterday because the generator told me to). I do like the cover. 3/5
El papá de Pink Floyd. Un descubrimiento increíble, Epitaph me voló la cabeza. Por descubrir albumes como estos es que este proyecto está tan bueno. El unico comentario que tengo es que las canciones son innecesariamente largas.
Great journey through the Crimson King’s universe
Masterpiece
Grungey rock
Moody Blues vibe
Have tried numerous times in the past, but this one never quite sinks in for me
Pretty funky - I like Schzoid man
Too Jazzy
Big, haunting. Really good album, way ahead of 1969. Prog masterpiece.
Original and “best” prof concept LP, still a prof concept LP though
Shout out to ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ - only recognizing that due to Kanye on MBDTF. That said, some pretty cool tracks on here. I could see myself coming back to the first two tracks on this album for sure, though I think the instrumental of Moonchild dragged on so long. Easily could have cut that track in half. All in all, some interesting concepts, and a decent listen
Worthy of a spot on the list for being one of the innovative albums in prog rock history, even if the most influential part for me is picking out a Kanye sample.
I like it for it's innovation, but that doesn't necessarily make it great. Like most of the innovative albums on this list, the iterations from other artist that follow it are better. It's cool to be first, but it doesn't make it best.
Amazing , love the album been listening to it for years , truly a voyage
Even on the million’s listen, it’s still as excited, creative, timeless and jaw-dropping, as it was on the first one.
моя голова звучить так 24/7 крейзі in the best way
2 songs in really enjoying it
A bit pretentious and over the top. Songs were decent prog rock and the court of the crimson king was alright
It started strong then dipped and ended strong. 3 stars for me.
They’re a legendary band, and I’m glad to hear but probably won’t listen again.
I'm annoyed that my only knowledge of this album up to a year or so ago was from the song Power by Kanye. Because now that I know about them, King Crimson deserves a better legacy than that. This band is phenomenal at immersive prog rock that takes you to another world. This debut album might be their best work too. Such epic progressions in every song.
Kändes lite tråkigt i början med blev riktigt bra mot slutet. Lwk skulle ge det en fyra idag men vet att om jag lyssnar på albumet två ggr till så blir det absolut en femma och därav…
Ah the famous King Crimson album. I’ve listeners to this a few times now and it’s grown on me each time. A classic album with the foundation for many rock bands that came after them.
It’s the best album of this series
Pretty sure I've heard this one before. I reckon maybe in like year 11 or something. I didn't think it was particularly memorable then, but I guess it is one of the pillars of prog rock. 21st Century Schizoid Man was sampled by Kanye on Power I think. Wonderful song. I quite enjoyed it. I Talk to the Wind, Epitaph were drained out, nothing really noteworthy. But listenable. Moonchild is avant garde, not really my thing. Sparse, just some dude fuck around on some strings and I think a xylophone. A skip in my opinion. Juxtaposed by the next song, The Court of the Crimson King, a lush intro, then a lull into the sparseness that dominates throughout this record. Then back into the lush. Beautiful. Brings a tear to my eye. So that was it. Good shit I guess. I don't think it has quite withstood the test of time like a Pink Floyd or the Beatles.
like epitaph and moonchild.
Progressive Rock/Art Rock Favorite Songs: *All* Least Favorite Song: *None* I was wondering when I would end up listening to this album within my lifetime, but I didn’t expect to listen to it this soon when this site would randomize this album. I’m glad it did, because this is a perfect album for me. With the exception of the first song as it has a bit of jazzier elements, this album is a bit more moodier and melodic than I would imagine. Think of it like you’re listening to Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, except that lyrically, it sounded different, and there’s other instruments involved. That being said, I wouldn’t put it past anyone who doesn’t think that it’s a 10/10 record (Unlike some other review that I spotted where they complained about how ‘normies wouldn’t tell the difference between a good album because they weren’t wearing the headphones’.). In fairness with Moonchild, the users on Rate Your Music labeled this as “Free Improvisation”, where the final 9:50 of the track is more of a space jam. I can excuse it, but I wouldn’t put it past anyone else who didn’t like it. Overall…I’m planning on getting a CD of this album. 10/10
Masterpiece.
Would be 5 stars if it weren't for Moonchild, but Moonchild exists, so it gets a mid 4
I don’t see why not.
Adored the flute 🪈
How did I never listen to this album start to finish its literally 5 songs
Jazz? Moving bass lines? Harmonic minor scales? Goodness me!! Is this just a man's Mitski? "[21st Century Schizoid Man] acts as a kind of prophecy, predicting that men of the 21st century will all grow [somewhat detached, apathetic, recluse in a fantasy world rather than tied to real connections]" and they weren't wrong! Ugh Moonchild. What a little heaven. Vibes!!! Vibraphone!!! Hitting the bars with the sticks!! Accidentally dropping the sticks lmaoooo yippeee!! Boy what fun I had pressing random piano notes while Moonchild played And Crimson King :) another little heaven
I really like the moments where it is going, and not so much the moments where it kinda isn't really? Some of the spaced out sections felt like I was functionally listening to nothing.
ANOTHER prog rock Friday drop, am I being punked? I do like this better than the Yes album, the opening and closing tracks are both pretty sick. Look for all its well-enumerated flaws prog rock can definitely be very cool. It can also be very self-indulgent and pretentious and there’s absolutely some of that in here too (looking at you, Moonchild). This stuff must go totally nuts when you’re zooted off your ass and time has stopped moving and you’re fusing into the shag carpet. Second act montage needle drop in my biopic: “I Talk to the Wind”
i feel like these boys really like to have fun and I love that for them, its good scurrying around music. I think the fact that there was less singing helped me really sink into the instrumentals here and enjoy them more, I also had some CAD work today for the first time in a while and it made for a good soundtrack to some rote computer work. When there is singing, it blends with the music well and doesn't take center stage which I find very nice, good vibey album to put on. Despite the deeply unfuckable dude on the cover of the album (tough transition after the beautiful young american bowie from yesterday) I think this is a pretty approachable one. I especially loved the end of the album, it felt like video game music, I wish the songs were separated more so i could just save that. I did not listen to the bonus tracks btw, I have not been doing that for any of these albums because I will pretty much always prefer to keep them short. Likelihood that the members of this band lezzed out: 2/5 i just don't really think they were that into each other, they seemed more focused on the music or whatever. music doesn't seem too horny either, these guys are giving off surprisingly buttoned up vibes to me
not to be a band kid but ohhhhh i’ve been waiting for this one 21st century man is a masterpiece, HUGE face melting sound that just kicks your ass for seven minutes. “mirrors”, the instrumental jazz departure in the middle is definitely my favorite part of the record. it’s fine that the rest of the album (up until the last track) doesn’t hit the same because how are you supposed to follow that up? they should have flipped the tracklist around tbh i talk to the wind is good but it should be like 2 minutes shorter. fuckin love the flute soloing but it didn’t need to be doubled twice epitaph is a dark haunting journey, i love how they just put 2 more songs inside of one song. the “march for no reason” bit in the middle absolutely blows me away it feels like the sound just cracks wide open with the mellotron strings and clarinets. more woodwinds! i think moonchild is fun. i really thought the noodling in the middle was stupid and bad at first and i didn’t get it but after reading that they basically just threw it together to meet the runtime they needed for the album endears it to me for some reason. it’s like they finished the song and forgot to stop the tape the court of the crimson king is another banger. i love some spooky ren fair shit. i love how this album makes me feel like a powerful wizard in exile from a dark evil kingdom. 5 stars thank you
I discovered this in like middle school, and I don't think I *fully* understood it, but I *did* enjoy it. The best of King Crimson is pretty much the best of capital P "Prog". And this is pretty soundly one of King Crimson's best. I think what sticks out to me is that this is both, basically proto metal, while also being so regal. For all the surprisingly heavy moments, there is so much richness here in the form of classical and jazz influence. Honestly, I will say, I don't know if this is a 5 for me, just because this is like one of the most acclaimed albums ever, and so I feel that I'm allowed to dock it a little for a couple moments I'm not *fully* sold on. But there are a few *perfect* songs here. 21st Century Schizoid Man is kind of *the* proto metal song for me. The riff is actually *heavy*, the lyrics are dark and vivid and they make you clench your teeth a little, and the solo section uses it's jazz influence to harness a really particular kind of chaos that is really cool. The song just hits like a ton of bricks, it's some of the coolest shit pre-1970, full stop. Epitaph is the other song here that is like completely perfect. It's so epic and rich and immense. It's prog in execution and spirit, totally devoid of the genre's annoyances, there's nothing to get between the listener and Epitaph's rich tapestry of sorrow, complete with some of the most emotive vocals in all of prog. As far as the other songs go, they *are* all good, but in different capacities. To start, I think I Talk To The Wind is the least interesting song here, or at least the most straightforward for sure. The flute forward arrangement is pretty cool, and uniquely sparse, but I also think that it's easily the song with the least interesting melodies and general writing ideas. Although it is pleasant, and has it's fair share of little flourishes. In The Court Of The Crimson King is the only track where some occasional prog goofiness pops up. But it manages to coexist with several of the album's greatest passages, so it's more just that the band occasionally fails to stick a landing here or there. Lastly, let us discuss Moonchild. The beginning of Moonchild is the most gorgeous music on the album, and one of the prettiest melodies of all time. "Then why is it most people's least favorite song here?" You may ask. Well, it's because the song dissolves into ambient soloing after just 2.5ish of it's 12 minute runtime. And then the ambient soloing dissolves into honest to fucking God ambient free jazz, in which King Crimson completely give up things like, meter, key, time, and conventional composition. We will talk about my relationship with this decision in a sec, but first, I would like to mention that this section is why I'm skeptical of so many very online music fans putting this album as one of their favorites ever, because I just don't think *that* many people are actually willing to put up with nearly 7 minutes of this, just on principle. That being said, I actually do kind of like this section, but it took some *work*. I'd advise you listen to it at least once, it's a really twinkly section, largely just guitar and xylophone and drum set, like ripples on a pond. It actually *is* pretty gorgeous in it's own right, but you have to be *very* patient. I think the problem is that if we got quite a bit more of the first 3 minutes, this would be a song I like more, *but* it would be much less interesting. The existence of Moonchild as it is is pretty damn bold, and I must respect it. It does set forth the idea that King Crimson are in it for the love of the game too. Bands who are in it for the money don't add 8 minutes of increasingly abstract improv to the tail end of their best melody, maybe ever. Anyways, as I said, I am learning to like it too. I actually *do* enjoy some free jazz (shout out to Ornette Coleman), though I usually gravitate to the side of the genre that's a little more chaotic than this. Whereas King Crimson basically give the listener the audio equivalent of watching turtles from a bridge. It's not a bad time, and is actually pretty serene, it just may be hard to convince someone that you're not insane for being into it. Anyways, I have my qualms, but this *is* a masterpiece. Rich and powerful, and often beautiful. You have to work harder than some people would convince you, but this really *does* need to be on a list like this. I don't know if I have yet more to find in this album by the way. I definitely have more to find in Moonchild, but would that get it to a 5? I really don't know, maybe we'll see.
it was nice to listen to first song was great the rest was kind of mid
easiest 5 ever
Prog out with my hog out fr fr Really good apart from the instrumental on Moonchild, which really tested one's patience rather. Other than that, really interesting music which was always going somewhere new
Not to be super rate-your-music-core but this album is incredible
Interesting
Damn, what could this have sounded like in 1969? One of the most inventive, unique, and foreboding rock albums ever made. A little self-indulgent (particularly on Moonchild), but super creative and technical, and driven by a powerful vision. An essential listen.
Grotendeels is dit best aardig, gewoon wat kabbelende te gek wauwse experimentteerrock. Beetje Moody Blues-achtig bij vlagen. Kan ik goed hebben. Dus waarom in track 4 (of beter, kant 2, track 1) toch weer van dat uitgesponnen gerinkel, getrommel en andere ongein? Dat drukt het luisterplezier en dus ook het cijfer toch weer naar beneden.
Is dit album nu één grote chaos, of zit het heel vernuftig in elkaar? Dat ik mij dit afvraag toont dat het een interessant geheel is. Het album is één grote beleving, met invloeden uit uiteenlopende muzikale hoeken en met uiteenlopende emoties. De eerste samenstelling is hiervoor een prima introductie. Het uiteenlopende en wat chaotische karakter neemt natuurlijk ook mee dat niet alles voor iedereen even prettig is. Zo vind ik I talk to the wind nogal saai. En heeft de vierde samenstelling me te veel piepjes. Soms is ook dit album teveel 'Kunst, omdat het moet'. Maar net als bij Dagmar, gaat dat niet ten koste van de muziek. Of ik dit album in zijn geheel nog eens zal luisteren, weet ik niet zo goed. Het is met deze muziek lastig te testen. Dit luister je niet twee maal zo snel achter elkaar. Maar ik verwacht de samenstellingen 1 en 5 in elk geval nog wel een los te luisteren en dat is samen toch een flink deel van het album.
Het klassieke debuutalbum van King Crimson, leuk om die voorgeschoteld te krijgen. We kregen al eerder een later album, dat vooral experimenteel was naar mijn idee. Benieuwd wat dit gaat brengen. Het openingsnummer is enigszins bekend, althans niet zozeer in deze versie, maar meer in de sample die Kanye gebruikte. Als tweede komt er een wazig hippienummer, dat me doet denken aan de Amazing Stroopwafels. Wat me opvalt bij het derde nummer, is dat ze nog geen gated reverb hadden, maar wel dat effect proberen te verkrijgen. Verder klinkt het als de Moody Blues, van Knights in White Satin. Vervolgens krijgen we een nummer vol kopjes- en schoteltjeswerk. Het valt me hoe dan ook op dat ook dit best kunstzinnig en soms experimenteel is, en ook bij vlagen best gedateerd door de strijkers. Ik had vooraf toch verwacht dat het allemaal wat ruiger was, en meer de progrockbroertjes van Black Sabbath zouden zijn. Maar zeker in dat middenstuk is het heel rustig en sfeervol, en soms ook weer te experimenteel. Als geheel ben ik er niet kapot van. Zoals Eric al opmerkt, zijn tracks 1 en 5 de moeite waard, de rest is vergeetbaar en zelfs daaronder. Dan wordt de gemiddelde score al snel een 3 ben ik bang.
Perhaps one of the most well regarded albums (at least in online music discourse spaces), I am always apprehensive of listening to albums with such a legacy surrounding them. Surely any fan of prog rock will find plenty to enjoy, and I did find myself getting lost in the music at times, but I can't help but feel this album has been surpassed by the many prog rock albums/artists that came after.
love it! i have heard this but didn’t pay enough attention, i just put i talk to the wind on any playlist i can. it was good to listen all the way through and honestly have been listening multiple times since this.
This album is a masterpiece, not overhyped, just perfect.
The best execution of a five track album I could imagine. This LP was ahead of its time, and only grows on me with each listen. 10/10
Nope. Still don’t like it.
One of the coolest albums I've heard. Standout songs include "21st Century Schizoid Man" and "Epitaph". This album was a spiritual experience, so cool.
KEEP ME IN COURT KING!!
if this is prog rock blueprints we lost the plot somewhere
yeah even if you're not on the proggier side of life, this album absolutely kills everything its laying down, and there's no mercy. Work of a genius (es) but the pretentiousness is still there which stops me giving it a 5 sorry
266. too long
I’m at a festival in the grounds of a medeaval castle. Spent the morning wandering through the gardens pretending that I’m in the Courr of the Crimson King. Like the bombast of the opener and the title track. In between it’s pleasantly ambient
I have actually listened to this album a number of times over the years because of its reputation and placement on “best of” lists. And it has grown on me. My husband calls that brainwashing. I have, in fact, been brainwashed by King Crimson over the years. But. I just can’t ever get into the Renaissance Fair bit. Not here. Not in Zeppelin. Not in Crosby Stills and Nash. I do not like it Sam I am. Not in a tree, not with a bee - you know what I mean?!!? This would be a 5. But the Medievalist mess in the middle takes it down. 4 Boolean: True
Nice King Crimson album, but not my favorite.
Absolute pretentious wank. I don't care if it's "experimental" every song is way too long and crammed with endless fills of garbage. Whenever any song gets good it abruptly changes into mindless noodling and noise for up to 12 fucking minutes. I talk to the wind was the only half decent track, and that's mainly because it sounds like a Beatles knock off. 5* album art, 1* album.
The cover art is a disconnect with the music, I never would have put the two together. This isn't something I'd probably seek out again but it was an interesting listen. 3.25/5
21st Century Schizoid Man.
A bit experimental and hence some good and less so
I should like this more than I do. But it just wasnt that much fun. I respect it, but I dont want to listen to it again
First song is the best tbh then the slow ones I'm like urrrrrrggg
This rocks. I listened to this album a lot in the ‘90s and it still sounds great today. Well, except for that one excessively noodly bit.
Hooray for great music! Yayyayyayyayyay! Good work, gentlemen.
I smoked a joint and listened to it on vinyl. I wish I could give it six stars.
I guess it was just customary to have a bunch of noise right next to your music. The title track though? Next level.
"My coworker be losing his fucking mind"
10/10 claasic progressive
05 The Court of the Crimson King 04 Moonchild
I’ve known King Crimson since I was a teenager, and basically all of these tracks were already familiar to me. But listening to this album from beginning to end really is a complete experience. Beautiful and iconic from start to finish. This is absolutely fantastic music. 10/10
A considerable amount of this album resides in the sunlit, unicorn-filled uplands of practically perfect prog - green and Craig triangle Islands that emerge from shallow. She is a primordial sound, with peaks is peaky is anything in music that “wwwaaaauu, wwwaaaauu, wwwaaaauuu” that bookends “21st Century Schizoid Man,” you know, just before the vox comes in); the fluty bits with whatever that limpid descending arpeggio instrument is and the gentle underlying synth tones on “I Talk to the Wind”; those tymp rolls and beat 3 snares on “Epitaph” - that’s just side 1. Too often the space is in between those sublime moments are filled in with kinda weird feeling, twitchy pseudo virtuosity— I want to use words like “munchkin free jazz” or “can’t stop itching” to describe it, and with regard to the roaming unicorns above, it makes me remember how we used to call raver glitter “unicorn scabies,” and not meaning to make any musical connection between the two, but as far as the metaphor goes, I do feel like listening to those twitchy blurry instrumental parts of this album is kind of sonically akin to what having unicorn scabies would feel like.
Incredible master piece sounds way ahead of its time. Ik this is really hyped by music nerds so I hadn’t listened for the longest time bc I thought it’d be so overrated. I was completely wrong. Michael Giles on drums is the main thing that makes the album for me. I love the poppy light sound of his drums it’s just such a great sounding album
The album I could listen to while studying 3,75/5 ?
I have a weird prg rock soft spot from listening to Genesis as a kid so I didn't hate this. Also I'm so tired from cycling today that it was kinda nice low effort background after catching up on Raw Power first.
By all rights I should not like this nearly as much as I do - it's the kind of bloviated, pompous, self-important stuff I normally dislike intensely (see: Moody Blues, Emerson Lake & Palmer, etc.). Great bands (or bands performing great) just steamroll any contrary inclination against particular types or categories, I guess.
Ion really get why this is so high in people’s lists. Like it’s fine. Nothing too crazy. The title song is clearly the best here
Never ask a woman her age Never ask a man his salary Never ask me whether I think 21st Century Schizoid Man is better than POWER
The best produced album of all time. Will always carry some emotional weight for me, owing to previously arising circumstances.
Really pleasantly surprised by this album. The very beginning of the first track—with the sound of the whistling train—felt like it was giving me an anxiety attack, but thankfully that was short-lived.
I like prog. I knew a couple of these songs. I screamed when I heard the Kanye sample.... that was something that I wasn't expecting! Around the 7-minute mark of the last song when it goes into child's toys sounds, I rolled my eyes and sighed.
Wait this is sounding a lot better than I thought it would ngl. Ok prog rock. I feel like everything I've heard about prog rock has just been making fun of it. Like lowkey who listened to prog rock. Me now I guess. Massive instrumentals. good music but just kinda boring. They're dynamic, it's just rock instrumentals. Bro talks to the wind. This is weird. I like it. Ok what is this? Interesting. But very weird. What are we doing. Not necessarily a bad thing though. Just weird. Genuinely what is this guy on about. Just doing whatever. My least favourite is only that bc it's weird I actually do like it it's funky and interesting I'm just not sure if it's a song instead of a collection of noises. Wait he's actually hitting that. Hold on a sec. Why is every song just a bunch of other songs as well. What are we doing. Literally what. Favourite: The Court Of The Crimson King Least favourite: Moonchild
Didn't pay attention, which maybe says something.
I was teetering on a 5 star review for this as it does fit most the criteria I’ve set for myself for a 5 star album. It’s memorable, impactful, and I’d consider it essential listening. However, it doesn’t meet my other criteria of being near-perfect. There are just a few too many extended periods of aimless noodling throughout this, thus hindering it from quite getting that 5 star rating.
Its not for me 😭
My first time listening to this album. Very interesting.
4 Another one where I'd heard it before but relistening through this project has let me appreciate it a lot more. I even enjoyed the more low key songs that some people here seem to dislike, although I did think the ending to moonchild let the whole album down quite a bit
That was surprisingly good. I think in a dark room with headphones would take it to another level
Album art is a 5/5. The music, bleh
Good
"21st Century Schizoid Man" (and the accompanying prog-jazz blowout "Mirrors") is sensational, one of those songs that demand you crank your speakers, break out the air guitar, and headbang. The rest of this album is unfortunately nothing like it at all, to the point where it almost feels like an entirely different group. The album (aforementioned track aside) feels almost like a parody of prog music, with some musical wanking sections and some "I've been reading too much Tolkien" level lyrics, but then you remember this was essentially the first prog album, and thus the wellspring from where all such tropes sprang forth. Even without 21st Century Schizoid Man, I'd say it's fine. With that song, it gets a little extra juice and four stars.
1. mirrorz - 0 2. uuind - 1 3. epitaph - 2 4. moon - 3 5. king - 1 6. man - 0 7. talk - 0 8. city - 0
Not my style
Some real classics. Musical journeys
JL : 4, The Court of the Crimson King
An unexpected joy. Really thought I'd just put it on in the background but was absolutely drawn in. Bold, dramatic and timeless. Although Moonchild got a bit free style improv plinky plonk hit things.
I appreciate the musicality but really not my thing.
Alright
다채로우면서 밀고 당기는 사운드가 대단하다. 계속해서 미래를 향할 듯한 음악
Album emblématique. L'incontournable de King Crimson un vrai plaisir à écouter et à réécouter.
king crimson no nouryoku
I love progressive rock and this feels like a good but not fully formed version.
I'm a fan of the rock, not so much of the prog. Solid album, though.
Some parts were pretty good and others were pretty odd. Interesting to hear the original sample used for Kanye’s “Power”
Classic album cover. First time listening to this. I would say for me it was mostly just OK but maybe if I listened to it a few more times it would grow on me. 2.5
1/5. Found it a real chore to get through this album, not sure why. Know it comes as a "must have vinyl" but was shite for me.
Cool and different vibes.
Talvez eu tenha pego um momento bom pra ouvir esse disco, um momento de mais calmaria e sossego. É definitivamente um disco que não se pode ouvir somente pra acompanhar alguma atividade, tem que se ouvir com atenção. Rock progressivo nunca foi minha vibe, confesso que não me apetece o lance de músicas extremamente longas, pra que músicos possam explorar milhares de coisas em uma só música (tipo Dream Theater). Mas esse aqui é bem diferente.. Não vou dizer que me apaixonei pelo disco e que vou ouvir mais vezes (talvez, quem sabe), mas gostei da atmosfera, dos elementos até fantasiosos que lembram estética de sonhos (Moonchild). Da pra sentir que existe realmente uma ideia trabalhada sobre tudo. Vi que o disco trata muito sobre questões políticas, guerra, críticas. É algo bem conceitual e acho isso muito bacana. Sonoramente, como eu disse, tem muitos aspectos legais, mas ainda não é AQUILO que me prendeu de fato.
A little gauche to sample Kanye but maybe I’m just “too woke” 🙄. Somehow I’d never actually listened to this before and it mostly lived up to the hype? 21st century schizoid man and the court of the crimson king are so so good. The rest of it is so poisoned with flute and pan pipes and all the other British prog nonsense, and Moonchild - 12 minutes of noodling that resulted in the tragic loss of 1 star for Mr. Crimson. And obviously perfect album cover.
solid 4.5.
Aburrido 🥱😕. Siento que no escuché nada, ya hasta se me olvidó cómo sonaba
First heard this in the mid seventies when an English teacher suggested I might like it. I thought it was weird then but remember liking the title song. Now, I can understand a bit more of why this is held in such high regard. Can hear what influence this was on other music that came after that I love. But as for listening to the whole again, probably not
60s jam band feel
i’m shocked at the year this came out, really set the 70s up for success.
King Crimson is still my greatest find during this project
One of the definitive works of art in music that I have ever stumbled upon. "In the Court of the Crimson King" (I'll be calling it Crimson King) has that kind of sound that touches my heart the most, the extended one with many soul motive, melodic transformations. It has considerable minimalistic takes, its Moonchild is perhaps one of the most avant garde things I have heard so far (and I did like it very much). Speaking of which, it is a gread interlude, playing with silence and making you eager for what's coming next, to a point when the whole thing gets hilarious. The last track, "The Court of the Crimson King", turns out to be a eaker part on Crimson King, using repetitive chorus part and simplistic notes without really getting to the highs that we witness in other tracks. Take "21st Century Schizoid Man", it is as apic as to be soundtrack for some Guy Ritchie movie or something. The following tracks are just great masterpieces that contain so much exceptionally elegant music and that charming singing that is truly soothing. I love it so much that the whole record only contains five songs which in turn encompass some two blended parts. This is how you make great compositions, I feel like with those 3-minute pop standards, we have been left with all these reduced songs that cannot really say a thing at the level at which songs of Crimsong King do. So with this one, I was expecting that I would literally add every single track to my playlist, but even this record did not achieve "perfection". Still, it was so close, and I believe you should certainly give it a try, or rather several ones, before you die. It is one of the greatest albums ever done, I feel. King Crimson did a wonderful job and I am sure I'll return to this record many times. Bravo.
Truly a one of a kind album. The vibes of this album from five songs alone are immaculate. It's a near perfect album that executes sound so damn well.
I would say, this is a pretty unique album, I find it quite interesting but not necessarily really a knockout. I'm not huge on the opening track but I also feel like it's very different to what the rest of the album is going for. I think this album is very open to trying different ideas. I quite enjoy the blending of instrumentation, almost gives the album an orchestral feel to it at points. I'm Always a fan of a jazzy section or jazz in my music. In general, I do feel, however, that the the improv does start to feel a bit like it's dragging on at points in this album, and it kind of makes the length noticeable. It's a decent and off album, I think if I were to give this a few more listens, I might like it more, but it's just not something that was lingering with me. Fav Track: I Talk To The Wind
Muito bom, mas Moonchild é um pouco demais pra mim no momento. Acho que não sou cult o bastante
Foundational to progressive rock. Jazzy elements with sax and hard rock guitar. Craziness of 20th century psych. Dissonance. Flute sounds like wind. Nice synth. Who is the wind?
Couldn’t be anything less than a five
christ, that album went on for-ever.
Amazing new sounds. It felt like playing mario bros but with a melody that is pleasant to listen to.
Jazzy psych rock, preferred the harder sounding songs over the choral-sounding bits
Very funky and experimental for the time. Great listen and the legendary Robert Fripp on guitars
It's an incredible album of late 60's rock. Most of the album is fantastic, with small parts of the songs being forgettable. The first song is an incredible example of syncopation and rhythm. Classic. The album absolutely deserves a spot on the list.
60ndate proge rokk, mis kõlab isegi tänapäeval hästi. Seda albumit saaks ikka korduvalt kuulata, aga esmasel kuulamisel jääb kõige enam meelde see "21st Century Schizoid Man", mis on tuntud kui sample Kanye Westi loos "POWER". Ülejäänud muusika on ka hea, aga ei jää kuidagi pähe ega kummitama. 3.4/5
good, a little weird. pink floyd psychotic era like
I wish I loved Jazz, I wish I could enjoy modern jazz, I should say. Somehow the quality and musicianship of this album in specific is the exception that tests the rule here. They have just enough heavy metal, prog rock and classical mixed in so that I can overlook the modern jazz excesses. I keep coming back to this album, it is a long time favorite.
Trying a little too hard in spots to be psychedelic and use unique instruments. I can see why some might have found this album to their liking but I can also see why this band fell apart and went nowhere.
Didn't care for this. Too all over the place
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph, The Court of the Crimson King This was cool, like if the Beatles did even more psychedelic drugs and had jazz backgrounds. I've possibly heard some of these songs before. They sound familiar. I am a bit confused by the album description though. On the wikipedia description, there is some indication that the album should be "five CDs" worth of music - a box set - but there's only 1h7m of music on YTM, and no alternate versions of the album or other albums containing the precise collection of music. I am not sure why YTM does not have all of the tracks :(
I’d somehow managed never to sit down and properly listen to this album before, despite knowing plenty of its cultural after-effects. It was an ur-text for one of my old musical collaborators, and Barry Godber’s screaming-face artwork fed directly into the visual language of Falling Apart-era Soft Cell. So I knew something of its consequences without really knowing the source. The first thing I had to do was stop thinking of it as “prog”. That word is useless here. This is October 1969. The clichés don’t exist yet. 21st Century Schizoid Man is astonishing. It’s abrasive, physical and almost feral: Lake’s mangled vocal, Fripp apparently off his nut, Ian McDonald’s sax screaming alongside the guitar until the two almost become one instrument, and Michael Giles drumming like a machine programmed by Thom Yorke. This is a band who watch each other. You can hear it. The virtuosity is collective rather than individual: people responding, leaving space, taking it, changing direction together. Even at their most violent they sound like an ensemble, not four musicians demonstrating their chops. Then I Talk to the Wind arrives and almost everything disappears. Flute, tiny percussion, space, Greg Lake being improbably winsome. The contrast reveals that Schizoid Man wasn’t simply “what King Crimson sound like”. They chose to make that racket, and they can choose not to. Epitaph then demonstrates another strength: scale. The Mellotron isn’t accompaniment so much as architecture. At one point it sounds as though the London Philharmonic has been swallowed by a haunted wardrobe. And then Moonchild, which may actually have been my favourite phase of the album. Phase rather than track, because eventually the song gives up being a song. Rhythm almost disappears. Conventional forward motion disappears. Tiny sounds occur, hang in the air and receive equally tiny replies. It’s Watch with Mother deconstructed: bells, little wooden knocks and delicate plunks that ought to accompany a knitted creature completing some modest domestic task, except somebody has removed the reassuring grammar. It amused me enormously. More importantly, it makes the title track work. Moonchild reduces the record almost to particles, then The Court of the Crimson King rebuilds the entire thing at cathedral scale. The Mellotron briefly drops into that familiar toy-like flute register and then the whole synthetic orchestra comes back through the wall, with Giles seemingly carrying the drums in on a hod. And then it simply takes off. Silence. At that point I realised I hadn’t really been listening to five songs in the normal album sense. It felt more like a 44-minute happening: assault, delicacy, apocalypse, dissolution and reconstruction. The record repeatedly changes the apparent dimensions of the room. That’s also why I’m increasingly unconvinced by the familiar description of it as “the beginning of prog”. It feels more important than that. It feels like permission. Sgt. Pepper had already demonstrated that a rock album could invent its own rules. King Crimson seem to have taken that permission and asked how far it could actually go. Jazz ensemble playing, chamber music, noise, pastoralism, free improvisation, abandoning the beat altogether, synthetic orchestration and near-silence are all available. You can hear the possibilities subsequently exploited by Canterbury, Fred Frith, Henry Cow and plenty of other odd corners of experimental rock. And because this is 1969, none of it is cliché. The clichés haven’t been invented yet. Which leads me to the monstrously unfair thought that much of subsequent prog consists of people attempting to remake this album while copying the nouns and missing the grammar: Mellotron, virtuosity, long tracks, portent. Here those things aren’t the point. They’re simply tools available to an astonishingly responsive band. I’m not sure I’d want to live with In the Court of the Crimson King. That keeps it at four stars rather than five for me. But as a single artistic event, it’s extraordinary. Four musicians, a bloke with a pen, and apparently no conception whatsoever of where the permissible boundaries are.
Too low fifor my personal tastes - Kanye West proving again his knack for god tier sampling and trash tier humanity
intersesting cover
For what i heard, it was a good listen, it has kanye sing so good, i will prolly hear it again
Realmente es un álbum que tiene todo el sentido del mundo en esta lista. Siento que si muero ahora tengo un peso menos. Pero hablando enserio está bueno, algunas canciones se hacen muyy largas, pero en general están buenas. La verdad que lo volvería a escuchar.
4/10
Stunning massive records
A decent album. Obviously seminal at the time and a few high points even now. Title track the standout.
Glorious. Considering the whole album is 5 tracks, the potential for prog wankery is high - but no. Schizoid man is a proper METAL opener, but the four tracks that follow have some of the most beautiful melodies and thoughtful harmonic choices I've encountered. The lyrics don't resort to the usual tolkien inspired prog idiocy, and the virtuoso musicianship avoids wanky shredding, instead doing what the music called for. If I had to find a fault, the mix is maybe lacking in a few places, but not enough to prevent a 5*.
Absolutely loved it favorite one so far.
A disappointing album. The beginning of "21st Century Schizoid Man" set my expectations high, but the rest of the album was very lackluster. The epic atmospheric sounds they try to go for are reminiscent of Pink Floyd, but end up being way more hollow. The track "Moonchild (including "The Dream" and "The Illusion")" is offensively bad.
King Crimson and this album always seems to show up in any list of the best albums of all time without exception, but I never understood this because of how boring this album is. The album peaks with an exciting albeit too long song in 21st Century Schizoid Man, and the quality is just a flatline from there on out. This and every other prog rock album is too long and very boring.
Simplesmente um clássico! O álbum considerado a pedra fundamental do Rock Progressivo.
Classic
Of the exceedingly long song genre this album was okay. Some of the length could definitely be cut, or even divided into a separate track as they just feel like musicians fiddle-farting around on their instruments after the song is done, or a reprise. I enjoyed the musicality and probably would find the lyrics evocative on a few listens through. The kind of music I would put on in the background while prepping ttrpg content. As with some of the other albums on the list these early progenitor albums are exceptional for their place in the canon.
The birth of progressive rock. King Crimson is a very hit or miss band for me, but this one is mostly hits (only "Moonchild" doesn't do anything for me). "21st Century Schizoid Man" is an extraordinary display of musical precision, while the title track delights my inner fantasy/D&D nerd to no end. Between King Crimson and ELP, Greg Lake was THE voice of prog for many years, and he always managed to make even the most absurd lyrics sound sincere. And of course, Robert Fripp is one of a kind; perhaps not the best guitarist, but one of the most distinctive. Most of these songs are on my "Best Of" playlist, and I don't expect them to leave any time soon.
Practically birthed prog rock as we know it and even still today, over 50 years later this still stands as arguably the best album in that entire genre. Moonchild does drag on a bit but every other song here is among the best I've ever heard.
Album sympa, pose les base de pas mal de musique moderne, un petit coté cowboy beebop par moment
La primera canción ??????. El resto del álbum es aburrido, casi que ni lo escuché, porque las canciones no me llamaban a siquiera terminarlas, canciones muy largas para ser tan malucas
Prog rock is a thing that I have dabbled in as a listener over the years, and King Crimson is one of its earliest progenitors. ITCOTCK remains one of the great prog rock records, but I find myself returning to it less and less. Taste changes over time, and my love for King Crimson may be fading.
I remember buying this album after seeing King Crimson open for Tool. This was one of my favorite albums for a long time. Hearing it today reminded me why. Just amazing playing on each song. It created prog rock. Just an amazing album.
This is one of my all time favorite albums. Top 3. From the opening track that jumps out of the speakers and grabs you by the throat to the fantasy like lyrical atmosphere created by Greg Lake n Pete Sinfield. Fine musicianship by Fripp Giles n McDonald's multi instrumental virtuoso.
Einige Banger, aber auch einiges mit dem ich nix anfangen kann... Aber sicher stilprägend für die Epoche
Nicht mega catchy aber zum großen Teil schon cool 3.5/5
Belle surprise!
moonchild kinda boring 9/10 best song - epitath
Overinflated egos disguised as music.
Started OK, even pretty decent, then went downhill fast.
Fantastic album. Reminds me of the Moody Blues. A beautiful melody that meanders but the tracks were a bit too long for me. Favorite songs were 21st Century Schizoid Man, Moonchild(the beginning of it), and I Talk to the Wind.
21st century schizoid man sounds super cinematic. Brass instruments sound super clean. I talk to the wind sounds super boring. Epitaph is good. A little slow, but sounds nice to the ears. Self title "Moonchild" is chill, but the songs included on top of the track are straight ass. It sounds like the band ran out of inspiration for a 12 minute song and played random keys on a keyboard for the rest of the song. Final song had some fun instrumentals going but it faded out to background noise rather quickly. Unimpressed, didnt really enjoy this one that much.
Enjoyed most songs
It was good. Liked it. 4/5 on initial listen. Love the cover art. Classic rock music.
Klingt wie der soundtrack eines Fantasy movie.
Great Album, not 100% into it, but will be in my list for a while.
Every other song on here is brilliant. The others are incredibly boring. 3/5 makes three stars, right? No, because these three songs are so great that I’m feeling generous today
A foundational prog rock album that is all over the place tonally.
awesome album
I was sort of dreading this, seen to many posts about it that seemed to suggest it was a polarising difficult album. I actually loved the kick off track, and the rest of the album was a really good listen. Makes think that if Radiohead had formed in 1969 they might sound like this. Second listen just reaffirmed this is a solid enjoyable album. Plays close to the art/prog rock thing I am very iffy on but I never lost interest and will play again
Listening session: july 28th, while eating dinner Listened to before: no Thoughts: interesting album which must have been influential and refreshing at the time, so I could appreciate it. I wouldn’t listen to it in its entirety though because I found that some tracks were dragging on for too long Favourite tracks: I Talk To The Wind & The Court Of The Crimson King
Once they get "21st Century Schizoid Man" out of their system, I like this quite a bit.
You can't convince me to listen to this so giving it a 3 not to.spike the curve. Pls no prog. Big up my man Kanye, hope he hasn't gotten up to shit
i largely do not care for prog rock so i was a little afraid going into this. enjoyed more than expected, not too many weird noises
Very interesting and cool and out there especially for the 60s. I appreciate the vibe but gonna be honest won't be listening again.
Big Robert Fripp fan in particular his work with Bowie, great progrock album. Love the use of Mellotron.
En ymmärtänyt. ⭐️⭐️
Well damn. After listening to it I wondered to the reviews, assuming it would be mostly a 2 or 3 star album and I was wrong. People respect these guys and their movements to prog rock. Not sure what went wrong for me. I mostly found it disjointed.
A masterpiece. Love it.
I'm a KC fan, but this is not my favorite. It deserves some criticism, but it is worth a listen.
This was actually intriguing and for 69 imo impressive?
Essential album for everyone to have heard.
ok prog isn't as bad as i thought it would be but it is still long and boring and probably easier enjoyed when acid obstructs your perception
Sehr cool, kannte einen Song bereits (:
Songs were a little long for me, but they have a cool sound. I couldn’t help but hear an ancestor of jam bands from them—I’m not sure if this is the case, but I def got a “jam” vibe from them.
Great album, when the LPs has great producers.
Hmmm ik krijg bij progressive/art rock toch wel een beetje een beangstigend gevoel. Dat klinkt een beetje alsof ik nu 50 minnuten naar een onsamenhangend experimenteel tyfuszooitje ga luisteren. Maar het eerste nummer is, op de eerste paar seconden na, best wel lachen! Goh ja, de stukken waarin hij zingt zijn echt oprecht wel tof. Maar de instrumentele ztukken gaan soms, naar mijn mening, iets te ver het experimentele in.. Jammer! Maar aan de andere kant, het zal de bedoeling zijn geweest. Ja, ik vond dit eigenlijk wel een prima te behappen album, absoluut minder vreselijk dan ik vooraf had gedacht. 3 reten.
gran album todo sampleado palo te quiero toda y te amo mas
Pretty dumb
Really?
Classic for a reason. This would be a 5 but Moonchild kind of kills the flow for me
ok progressive rock album. I know this is a classic album. There were a couple of not bad songs on this album, but overall not anything I would listen to again and certainly not buy
I had no idea what to expect with this album even though I know the band and iconic cover. Once the explosion in schizoid man I got hooked. Their ability to build up and then payoff with something so strong is so fun in this song. I appreciate a horn section a lot more now. I talk to the wind and epitaph is genuinely such a pretty song. Moonchild was way too art rock for me. Court of the crimson king, the song, was powerful, the weird whistle was dumb lol. Beautiful music but not an everyday listen.
Not really my taste but well produced and very theatrical. I did like a track or two but found a lot of the songs lengthy.
Some great songs and a cohesive whole. Many songs overstay their welcome though.
I can fully believe this was earth-shattering when it came out, but its just kinda okay to me. 21st Century Schizoid man is excellent, but i could take or leave the rest of the album.
I like it but there was so much empty space. Only 5 tracks, 3 bonus tracks, but over an hour long. It was ok.
I've heard 21st Century Schizoid Man sampled in so many songs that I pretty much knew the whole song from front to back despite never listening to it before. Despite this, it's still really cool. Most of this album was solid, though I think Moonchild fell off after the first few minutes and the whole second half of it just sort of feels like noise. Still had a great time overall.
Not sure if it lived up to the hype
When there is actual music playing it isn’t half bad but these prog rock albums seem to extend their playtime by having tens of minutes of just hitting random notes or making noises which add nothing to the experience.
Brilliant and still amazing.
The record that invented prog rock arrived in 1969 fully formed and completely confident, which is either inspiring or slightly exhausting depending on which track you're on. Robert Fripp's band had no real precedent — jazz complexity, classical structure, rock energy, and a darkness that the era's psychedelia was actively avoiding — and the ambition is audible in every bar. That ambition is also occasionally the problem. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is the opening statement and the strongest argument for the record — Greg Lake's distorted vocal and Fripp's guitar creating something genuinely aggressive that still hits hard fifty-five years later. The title track closes the album as a complete contrast, gentle and medieval and orchestral, the Mellotron giving everything its distinctive lush-but-eerie texture. Between those poles the record moves through enough genuine ideas to earn its reputation without fully earning a four. What keeps it there is Moonchild — twelve minutes of sparse improvisation that tests the patience of even devoted listeners and tips the balance decisively. A record that earns a four needs to justify its worst moments, and Moonchild is too much to ask forgiveness for. The three is honest rather than dismissive — this is cool and genuinely impressive and something worth hearing once. It just isn't something you'd inflict on a room of people who didn't specifically ask for it. Respect without love, delivered cleanly.
While you could probably point to earlier albums, this is probably year zero for progressive rock. For some people that’s something to hold against it, but not for me. It’s big, bold, pretentious but brilliant. The improv section of moonchild is too long, and not as good as some of the improv sections on future Crimson albums, but the rest is so good. I prefer Red, but this is the essential Crimson album
Talented musicians. Production quality is good. It started off really promising. But for me, this is a hard pass.
I loved revisiting this album. Genius!
Epic!
This actually kinda slaps when they stop fucking around and play proper music. That said, it has probably the worst album cover I've seen so far. 3.5
This was a banger. I liked every song on the album.
I call this drunk prog rock.
I added two songs to my playlist
Tykkäsin. Selkeästi uraa uurtava levy jota ei sido genrerajat. Yleissoundimaailma tosi miellyttävä. 4/5
This is one of the best albums ever for me. It really is really really well made and the songs are so good. I talk to the wind, epitaph, court of the crimson king... This is one of those albums that anyone should listen to, and that anyone actually can listen to.
No Playlist add: "21st Century Schizoid Man" because I had to put something
The songs are too long, but I loved this. Hadn't heard it before, but this was great.
3 absolute masterpieces in 21st century schizoid man, epitaph, and The Court of the Crimson King. Moonchild had the potential to be like literally my favorite but then they went and just started doing random shit for TEN whole minutes. I Talk to the Wind is also really good just not as good as the top 3. I don't really know how to feel about it tbh might have to give it a good relisten or 2 to fully understand what I want to rate it but I'm definitely feeling somewhere in the 90's. Relistening right now, 21st century schizoid man hits even harder than the first time. Wind is really good but it still doesn't stack up. Epitaph is truly beautiful. This is gonna be a hard one to rate I think especially because it's only 5 tracks long. I'm thinking 94/100
nice
5/5 The first prog rock album
some of it i really like, some of it's funky, some of its honestly kinda lacklustre overall not mad, would listen again
Sometimes let down by songs dragging on too long, but that's the nature of prog, some of my favourite pieces of music all time in here though, great to see where the genre "Started" 1) 21st Century Schizoid Man 2) I Talk To The Wind 3) The Court Of The Crimson King Least Fave: Moonchild
Starts great with 21st C. Schizoid Man, only to fall off of a cliff for the rest of the album. Hippy minstrel psych and zappa-esque farting around. Further proof that just because you can play doesn't mean the music is good.
1 good song
Shattering minds
GREAT! it was like listening to a movie, with all it´s twist and climax of an own movie
Seems good if you are into this type of thing!
One of those classic albums I had a loose awareness of because I’m always going to”21st century schizoid man” thanks to the sample, but that I didn’t really know anything properly about. Incredibly grand and ambitious and so stuffed with ideas that it’s hard to conjure up every exciting thing by the end, but ultimately, this fusion of classical and psychedelic and jazz and rock and everything else of interest to these guys makes a hell of a whole end product. Definitely something I need to keep coming back to so I can really take it in because I think it’s one of those things designed to reward it.
The drummer! Why doesn't anyone write about the drummer? I like the overall sound a lot - but the melodies were a bit dim. It left me a bit empty handed. Overall a stunning record. I never heard of King Crimson (my bad I guess).
Pretty rubbish. Too much prog is basically jazz guys pretending to be rock guys. But the jazz wankery spoils everything it touches
spoko takie do polecenia w tle ale nic takiego takie okey
i don't like this quite as much as i probably should. the puttering around that happens is a trope with progressive rock i'm not really a fan of. but still has some massive moments in the closing and opening tracks. deserves to be one of the 1001? obviously
This was a pretty inspiring album for me. I listened to one song on it a while ago and never got the chance to sit down and listen to the rest. I really had a fun time with it.
Sensacional, excelente, superb.
It was really nice I liked how each one felt different but all together
Very cool and so ahead of its time.
90/100 Wowowoowow man this is some cool ass shit right here. Fantasy type shit, political commentary type shit, jazzy rock type shit. I like it. Relistened for my 1001 albums and its still peak but I get the critiques people could have where they just stop making music for a second in Moonchild and bang around on one of everything in the studio for like 8 minutes. Outside of that yeah it's a classic and I really can't explain it better than anyone else already has. Very fantasy like though which I appreciate
Interessanter Sound der so ins psychedlische ging, hab mich an so alten Pink Flloyd Alben erinnert gefühlt
puh, interessante Mischung, paar ziemlich gute sachen dabei. manchmal doch zu wirr für meinen Geschmack.
Ausnahmsweise mal guter Prog Rock
Very Pink Floydish, psychedelic, think I'd have to be in the right mood to listen to something like that as the songs are very long
Didn’t need to listen to it
FODA
2,3/5
Two king crimson records on one week! 21st century schizoid man: it was an insane name, but it was pretty good. I talk to the wind was very pretty and I enjoyed it quite a bit! Epitaph was just gorgeous music the whole way through. The vocals, the beat, it was just amazing. Moonchild was pretty again and then the title track was a great ending. I see why this is the album people always buy when starting a record collection! It’s lovely, it’s weird, and it feels so cohesive. A great listen today. 4/5 ⭐️ 189/1089
Nyt vasta kuuntelin tämän proge-eepoksen ensimmäistä kertaa ja täytyy todeta että In the Court of the Crimson King on yksi parhaista levyistä, jonka olen tämän musahaasteen aikana löytänyt. Kappaleet ovat pitkiä ja mahtipontisia, mutta ei kuitenkaan naurettavuuteen asti. Oikeastaan ainoa heikko hetki on Moonchildin pitkä improvisoitu instrumentaaliosuus, joka jo vähän koettelee kuuntelijan kärsivällisyyttä.
7/10 I liked it - a lot. But has anyone ever wrote prog rock lyrics that aren't naff? Even PF's are usually a bit sixth form Eng Lit student. Anyway, very good
The word seminal can occasionally be overused, but not for this album. It is (barely arguably - Moody Blues?) considered to be the first album in the new 'progressive' genre, the first time we heard Greg lake's baritone, the first time we heard Robert Fripp's angular riffing and intense harmonic progressions, the first time we heard Pete Sinfield's imaginative lyrics (I first heard them in the 'land of make believe' by Bucks Fizz!)and the first time we saw some outrageous prog artwork. Add to this Ian McDonald's flute and sax and Michael Giles's early 'active' drumming and you have a unique combination. The amount of prog music that starts with this as its blueprint is unfathomable. What a listen.......
Incredible lead/title track, mid album otherwise
Love this. I'm not a big prog rock fan, but this was my introduction to the genre and it's never been topped. No skips. Epitaph and Court of Crimson King are my favourite. Only bit I'm not a fan off is that bit of ambient dead noise lingering after Moonchild, but it works in context of the album.
So so so legendary. One of the most surreal sounding albums ever. Very ahead of the curve, immaculate instrumentation skills front to back. This is exactly what I love about prog rock, they deliver these sprawling compositions that are so vivid and epic and make them seem effortlessly cool. The guitar work is out of this world and super grandiose. The album is super cohesive both instrumentally and lyrically. Manages to make a statement and convey the feeling of paranoia and fear while sounding incredibly powerful. It would have been a perfect 4 track album, but unfortunately Moonchild sticks out like a sore thumb in the tracklist. I think the song starts off pretty but then fizzles out into a bunch of nonsense. The rest of the album is fire and a totally essential listen.
I want to like this more than I do. It's great in places, but then it also spends a lot of time in that twiddly nowhere that I dislike about prog rock.
It's ok
How had I not ever taken the time to listen to this? Back when this was released, album covers were critical, and this cover does not do anything to sell the music on the album.
Difficult one to score as it’s known as the first prog album so do I give it a little extra leeway? Posh hippy fare mainly. A lot more orchestral than I remember.
Objectively terrific album. Another case of "I like the idea of liking this more than I actually like it." Love that each track has it's own energy and for once I'm not mad that they're all very long songs. Overall doesn't grip me as much as it did when I was a wee teen. It's still good, just not something I'd seek out.
Was fine! 3.5
ohhhhhhh THIS is what people are making fun of when they make fun of prog rock
The first track was kind of fun but it was downhill from there
Muy rock clasico bueno es por la banda y la fecha pero clasico de esos tiempos, experimental y atrevido para la epoca
Kai kur per daug experimental, bet zjbs.
Ziemlich abwechslungsreich und vorallem fortschrittlich für 1969. Kann man sich gut anhören.
This is the type of album that makes this project so enjoyable - discovering new albums and music that is enjoyable. It wasn’t perfect for me by any means - but a good solid record by a band I didn’t know much more than one song from.
I really don’t like this at all
Epic start with 21st century schizoid man. God damn a lot of these songs are long as hell.
This was some of the best instrumentals I’ve heard from a late 60s album!
The introduction was kind of misleading as it was quite intense compared to the other tracks that were fairly mellow. All in all, very interesting to see how despite the album being older than my dad, it still feels actual. Also finding out about the kanye west sample was cool
This is great! A rare balance of absolute smasher and intricacy, undeniable classic, better than pink floyd. Love the way that every tune comes in with a scorching guitar riff and then seems to dispiate into twinkliness at the end. Fairly distracting for work. 9 out of 10, one point missed out for questionable fairy-tale related narrative but I suspect that's actually quite deep and interesting too once you get into it. Well done.
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wow. This is an album with a reputation that certainly precedes it. It’s really really good. I do not think that I can really be sure on how I would rate it after only one listen, but I’m going with four stars for now. I am going to spend some more time with it for sure. I can easily see why so many people view this as one of the best albums of ever made. When I was younger, my brother was a big fan of this album but I never actually listened to it. My tastes at that time were not nearly refined enough to appreciate this work. I’m not sure that they are even now. But this is clearly a prog rock masterpiece that deserved the accolades that it gets.
The best prog rock album I've heard so far!
How I feel about this album (before listening): Strong, strange and chaotic. It has an attractive cover and I think it is going to be added to the top 10 albums of my life. Is it going to be better than Pink Floyd (and other bands in this genre)? IDK actually! I'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out. _______________ My opinion about this album is completely without exaggeration and definitely personal, if you think that this album might be interesting for you, listen to it! If not, don't listen! Its your choice. ______________ After listening side 1: WOW! As soon as I listened to the first track, I said to myself: This is one of the few albums that can compete with The Dark Side Of The Moon! (Fact: This album was ranked number 2 on Rolling Stone's list of the "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time", behind The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd!) As I predicted, "21st Century Schizoid Man" was strong and heavy, it attracted me and it was undoubtedly the best track of this album for me so far. After that, it went more towards Jazz, but they were still wonderful tracks, if I were a filmmaker, I would definitely choose" I Talk to The Wind" track for my film!! I will give my general opinion about this album after listening to side 2! 'Till now, it's 4 or 5 star for this album. ______________ After listening Side 2: Yep, that's a 5!! My favorite song in this side is MoonChild (Cus it's prog😼) ______________ WHOLE ALBUM Highest point of this album was surely "21st Century Schizoid Man". It was big, loud, machine and strong. but next 4 songs were mostly calm (Undoubtedly, it was intentional ) But still, the album had its own coherence and order. The lyrics of the songs were interesting and the melodies were unique. The cover was undoubtedly one of the most iconic covers of progressive rock music. It's cool that this wonderful album is the first album of Crimson King. ___________________ My suggestion: If you are tired of repetitive music, you have an artistic spirit, you think Old is GOld and you are looking for one of the most influential albums in history, this album is for you!
After everything I had heard about this record, I had come to expect a difficult listen that required an acquired taste. I was delighted to find out this is a very listenable record, and exciting at all times -- barring one notable case. I was a big fan of the album, and I really enjoyed the guitar riffs and the drums especially. The only complaint I have is that the second half of "Moonchild," or rather the majority (10 minutes of a 12 minute song), is free-form improvisation. I have tried so hard to like this style of playing, and whether it is in jazz or rock or whatever, I hate it so so so much. Nothing happens for 10 minutes on that song! Nothing! You get like 5 musicians standing around in a room, who decide to stop playing and instead choose to stare intensely at each other and attempt to seduce one another with their playing. Maybe when I am older and wiser, it'll be my thing, but god, it is so boring and never amounts to a thing. Thankfully the title track and closer of the album shows up and saves the day with a catchy chorus and gorgeous chords. Good album, but when 10 minutes of a 45 minute record is some hot ass I can't give it a 5. I wish they had condensed that 10 minute session into a 1 minute closer consisting of the best little bits.
Wait...prog rock can sound good? As a man who only emerged recently, naked and shivering, from under the massive shadow cast by Geddy Lee and Rush over Canadian music, I wish I had become aware of King Crimson earlier. I still have a complaint or two, such as that the final hour of Moonchild doesn't quite reach the same heights as the first two, but that is neither here nor there.
this is a classic. i opens with an absolutely banger - "21st century schizoid man". there is no denying that. they open with the highlight and it doesn't get any better, but how could it. i wasn't alive, but i can't imagine anyone had heard something like this before. i have the six disc boxset. "moonchild" really drags this album down. "epitaph" and the title track are awesome. "i talk to the wind" is ok. kind crimson is a hard band to peg down. it has very distinct eras and very distinct lineups. and it's hard to pin down "the best". this one could be in the running for its influence, but there are other strong options and ones i like better. the run from "larks' tongue in aspic" through "discipline" is impressive ("larks'" > "starless and the bible black" > "red" > "discipline").
a solid short little album, finally hearing the whole album makes me realize why it had such an impact during its time, beautiful lyrics and instrumentals, almost like a movie in my head.
wow what an opener! -surprised to hear jazz in a rock song -i love how each song is different and even though i know they're long i'm glad it doesn't sound the same the whole way through -don't think i fully know what 'rock' music should sound like but King Crimson has been identified as releasing 'progressive' rock, i'm vibing with it. top picks - 21st century schizoid man - i talk to the wind
21st century schizoid man - esquizo triparia máxima I talk to the wind - amei a transição de hospital psiquiátrico para flautinha estilo simon and garfunkel
Confusion 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 will be my epitaph 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 5/5 easy
Idk, good but missed the sparkle 👀
She Fripp on my Court till I Crimson King
I listend to a great deal of prog rock when I was a teenager. Then, growing up, I realised how most of it is just sterile viruosity. That's not the case of King Crimson, whose albums I can still enjoy, especially Red and this one. Beyond the technique, they still have something to say almost 60 years later. And it is difficult to conceive an opening as powerful as this one...
Great cover! 20th Century Skizoid Man: fantastic song! Robert Fripp’s guitar playing is out standing! Some of the songs are too long. Typical progressive rock A good album. Four stars.
Listened to on my Bose AE2 Soundlink. Perhaps the most immersive, evocative, and imaginatively invigorating album I have ever listened to. This is an album that I have become well familiar with over the years, and is so rich in layered storytelling and instrumentation that my listens to it are always accompanied by fanciful daydreams of a narrative I have and continue to slowly craft in my mind through front-to-back runthroughs. It's just something I have never been able to do with another album, at least to this degree. I could go about each song in specific detail, and how they all work together excellently to paint such vivid pictures, but I will instead leave a short delve into my absolute favorite track from the album, 'Epitaph.' This is truly one of the most epic songs I have had the pleasure to ever listen to, rising and falling with the rushing motion and energy of an ocean accepting in a riotous storm, layered with lush strings and delivered with a resounding vocal performance. This song is both a bridge between both ends of the album, and a microcosm of King Crimson's ability to compose such a thoughtful, expansive, and enveloping listening experience within 'In the Court of the Crimson King'. Not merely one of the best prog rock albums of all time, but simply one of the best albums ever released.
I love the overall haunting or creepy vibes the album gave off for me. There were certain songs on it as well that stood that to me specifically for that. It’s a great album and a lot of its songs will most definitely be getting on my playlists.
Once, in high school, I was getting stoned over at a friend's house, and his dad found out that I liked Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and stuff, and spent what felt like twenty minutes talking to me about music, and showing me some of his records, and making some recommendations, including this album. So I checked it out, and it was awesome.
I DIDN'T KNOW "21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN" IS THE KANYE SAMPLE!! That's so insane. But I really enjoyed this album (listened during Chest+Back gym session).
21st Century Schizoid man - holy crap. Like, it's brilliant but I wouldn't add it to a playlist. And at a certain point you might just be making noise. It's like going on an involuntary musical odyssey. I feel like I should be leading elephants across the Alps rather than sitting in my room. Things can be incredible without being enjoyable necessarily. Moonchild - this is driving me nuts. I'm not smart enough to appreciate this, it's just noise. Court of the crimson king - very atmospheric, I was playing hole i.o while I listened and it felt like I was on a quest. A man a city - we're getting through this but we are not liking the experience. If other people can read this - this is my personal thoughts lol I'm sure the album is technically very good don't take anything I say seriously idk what I'm talking about. If anything, today I learned that I am not a prog rock girlie. Valuable experience in all.
Hyper surprenant mais on adore
Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:❌️ Fav: Epitaph Least fav: Moonchild
One of the first big examples of what would be considered "progressive rock" and still one of the best examples of the genre 57 years later. The album's opener is the only instance of more "conventional" loud, fuzzed out rock, and then delves into much more jazzy, improvisational material that would became an influence for many bands that came after. Not too often you get a rock band accompanied by a killer brass and woodwind player in Ian MacDonald, and his use of the Mellotron's string samples makes this one of if not the finest album of the 60s to heavily feature that specific set of keys. Shoutouts to Greg Lake getting his big break here as bassist/vocalist before going on to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and for Robert Christgau infamously calling this album "ersatz shit" upon release (I still enjoy his work though <3). 10/10.
9.5/10 This album was my introduction to prog rock and it still sounds as great as the first time, It's just really well made and grabs your attention the whole way. Sometimes I wonder what "The Dream" part of Moonchild as a full song would be like because it's so unexpected compared to the rest of the album.
An LP with contenders for both the best opener and best closer of all time. Top album.
I didn't mind this - proggy but still tight and focused, never overindulgent
Even a genre as unutterably unpalatable as Prog has a classic lurking the closet, and here it is - great album, thank you for sharing RGP, 4 stars❤️❤️❤️❤️ Tom.
The first true prog rock album, probably. It's a glorious statement, from the opener that's one of the great prog rock anthems to the mellow areangements of the rest of the album. This is incredible and near perfect. 5/5
No me gustó tanto.
Very talented but songs are too lengthy for me and slow progressing, reminds me of ancient medieval times. What I would imagine the average monty python watcher to listen to
"I talk to the wind. My words are all carried away. I talk to the wind. The wind does not hear. The wind cannot hear." These lyrics still live in my head rent-free. I've listened to this album a few times before, and each time I find something new to appreciate. I will most likely listen to it again soon enough.
É legal, mas músicas muito longas e ai fiquei com dor de cabeça