In The Court Of The Crimson King

This shit rules...progressive rock that sounds fantastic, but doesn't come across as too 'smart' for a pleb like me.

A fitting pick for my 100th album in this challenge. This was a first time listen for me despite seeing this album being recommended everywhere. And I see why, it is a pretty great prog album. I feel like this is an album that I will just grow to love the more times I listen. Definitely going to be seeking out a record of this now. Favorite Track - 21st Century Schizoid Man Least Favorite Track - I Talk To The Wind ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the best of all time, really made my teenage years a lot more tolerable, love it to death <3

FANTÁSTICO!!! Obra prima da música.

I hear Dio in the opener. I talk to the wind Herb Alpert raindrops. Balm for the soul.

9/10

1st prog rock album, 1st song i heard on lsd, stellar artwork. 10/10

Oh man I am INTO THIS

Legendarisk. mfw Epitaph ( ‾ʖ̫‾)

Much of this is not something I would want to listen to, but some parts are so brilliant, 5 stars.

imho, best prog rock album ever created.

Love the musicality and energy on this. The sax solo on A Man a City is top!

Very interesting listen, love how the songs kinda keep you on your toes. 21st century schizoid man is an all timer of a song.

Как же я этого ждал🥳

4.5/5

El disco favorito de mi papá!!!

5/5

I can’t believe they debuted with one of the greatest prog albums of all time just to make an effing JoJo reference…

Hey are you a parking ticket? Cause you've got FINE written all over you. - me to this album I get that not everyone loves prog. But the sheer musicianship of Giles, Fripp, Lake, and MacDonald - oh man, to paraphrase Homer. How can you not love that Mellotron? Another record discovered through Max, my college roommate who's passed on, so there's many memories associated. 80s/90s kids who worshipped the 60s. My daughter loves this record! I took her to see KC at her request. Fripp sat in the back wearing headphones facing stage right lol. Was v good tho.

Not my favorite King Crimson album but certainly the most iconic.

One of the cornerstones of the genre. It won't change your mind if you're dead set against prog, but it is technically amazing.

One of the greatest albums of all time!

Pre listen: This is one of my favorite albums of all time I will take any excuse to re-listen to this whenever wherever. Mid listen notes: God i love this so much. You feel this album in your teeth. It claws it's way into you heart and never let's go. It's stop and start is so incredibly engaging even when not "active" listening it grabs so much attention. Listened: I still adore this album it just hits me right like 90% of the time jazz and funk and rock are just joyfully combined into a fever dream. It's not perfect but it's damn close.

Imagine this being your debut album???

Amazing from first song insanely good album 5 stars

Legendary!

Without a doubt on the list. The instrumental work, the arrangements, the lyrics, the vocals. You can listen to 21st Century Schizoid Man a hundred times and pick out something new each time. I Talk to The Wind. Moonchild. Come on. The songs on this album are so good they even make Kanye and Vincent Gallo come off well when they use them. Foundational prog rock taking a whole bunch of skill and creativity and pushing the bounds. The Court of the Crimson King is an unbelievable end to an album.

I tried on 3 listens to formulate thoughts about specifics, but every time I just get swept away and before I knew it, the album was done. No notes.

Aito progeklassikko. Hittibiisi tuttu, mutta loppulevy kyllä myös oikeenlaista tykitystä. Välillä jumittelevaa, välillä hassuttelevaa, välillä rautasta vääntöä. Kyllä tämä vois mennä lisäkuunteluun

I'm a huge Krimhead and this album is a landmark for progressive rock. The instrumentation is outstanding.

What a banger!! Moonchild only takes this down from a 5 for me - others are such a good mixture of proggy jazz, sounds old but so fresh. There are a lot of modern jazz vibes too. 4.75/5

1969. Regarded as the first true progressive rock album. Describes the devastating effects of war and conflict, societal alienation and disillusionment, the perceived futility of human efforts against powerful, corrupt forces, unchecked authority and corrupt leadership.

From the very first second to the last, It's absolute perfection.

One of the best Prog Rock albums ever.

de menos a más

Its the motherfucking court of the crimson king baybeeee

fucking great

I'm ascending Fave track: In The Court of The Crimson King

One of the greatest debut albums of all time and basically the invention of prog rock. The quantity of great bands and music that were directly influenced by this album is staggering. And the iconic album cover that complements the music in a way I can’t really describe has to be mentioned too. A seminal record. 5/5

One of the best albums ever made!

There is nothing to add, it's just a fantastic album

Red screamy man only deserves our love for being an icon of music grailz.

jolla total

Still cant believe this album was made in the 60's. This version of the band stayed togheter for not even a year before they 2 members left. In 9 months they made one of the most influencial and of the best album ever. Crazy shit. Peter Sinfield is such an underrated KC member. He wrote all the lyrics on the first 4 KC album and they are so great. I could keep glazing this band for a long time. This album is a masterpiece, its a classic and its.. almost a 10/10 because of "Moonchild". While not a terrible song, I kinda like it when im in the rigth mood, it drags the album down by a bit. I skip it most of the time. 5/5, just dont abreviate the name of the album👍

No notes, jist perfection

I didn't think a 60s prog rock album was going to be my first 5 star review, but here we are...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, what the fuck! Ahhhhhhhhh! Anyway, sick fucking album.

Fantastic prog rock album. 21st Century Schizoid Man is so weird, so creative, it sounds fresh as you like after many listens. Epitaph (the breakdown and "chorus" especially) and Moonchild are the other heavy hitters. Such a weird and visionary album, love the album art. Tip top. I knew it, but I forgot I loved it.

Unique listening pace

I was just thinking about what album will be my first 5. I love the moment when you know you’re in for a ride during the first track or two, I knew this was going to be a fantastic listen by I Talk To The Wind. I really went into this with low expectations; haven’t been feeling great about my recent albums and told myself if I don’t like the first few tracks I’ll stop listening, but wow! I had recognized the album cover but I couldn’t have told you the name or the artist. I’m glad I can finally say I’ve listened and appreciated this work of art, and it led me down a rabbit hole of other music the rest of the day. Maybe I just need more prog rock in my life? Definitely will be listening to this again and maybe some more King Crimson.

Nice!

One of my favorite albums of all time. Feels truly like I am traveling through time and space when I listen to it. I adore King Crimson and I think they get to more interesting places that predict entire styles of music but this is still a very unusual example of late 60s British prog, like it's kind of insane that they go to the places they do and get as heavy as they do. God I love it. I LOVE IT!!!!

A perfect album. Anyone who says otherwise is a pooper

A surprise hit for me. All I could hear were where the Mars Volta got their inspiration from. Some fantastic guitar and strange twisty sounds.

THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KINGGGGGGGGGG

Yeah this is great

Personal G.O.A.T.

Listened before. Peak album but moonchild is eh. 9/10

Mungkin menjadi contender salah satu album terbaik yang pernah didengar. Track awal yang nonjok dan eksploratif membuka album seperti mas-mas berotot penuh kasih sayang. Lirik-lirik yang sarat sosial dan relevan dengan keadaan sekarang menjadikan album influential. Walaupun terdapat lagu seperti 'Epiphany' yang dari segi musik, not my cup of tea, tapi liriknya tidak membuat telinga ingin menjauh melainkan tetap mendengar. Sebagai penyuka era medieval, title track bagai suguhan pertunjukan pada era pertengahan yang membuat terkesima. Hear ye hear ye this album!

One of my favourite albums.

Favorite Track: The Court Of The Crimson King

absolute banger

YESSSSSSS

1 - 21st Century Schizoid Man (the iconic opener to this album from its eerie, rumbling start to the free jazz chaos of the end. This one is probably the most accessible of the traditional skronk prog songs Crimson made, and definitely the one with the most obvious message; a clear anti-war statement. An iconic piece and an indelible piece of prog history; Voyager record worthy) 5/5 2 - I Talk to the Wind (a more soothing ballad with all the pretty artifice of the more conventional pop songs of the era. It still carries a pensive, pessimistic tone, especially with its final "the wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear" line in each chorus. A welcome change of pace from the mania of the previous piece) 4.5/5 3 - Epitaph (the soaring "power ballad" of this album, not that such a concept existed yet in 1969. Lake delivers the best performance of his Crimson career on this one and it stands as yet another highlight on this album. The Mellotron really shows its vast symphonic sound here (and on the closer coming up later)) 4.5/5 4 - Moonchild (a pretty and soft ballad followed by about 10 minutes of what many would describe as aimless noodling. There are some interesting snippets here and there but the sheer length of this improvisational piece grinds the album's momentum to a halt. It at least serves as a showcase of the band's ability to move into full on indeterminate territory, though they eventually did it much better with Providence from "Red") 3.5/5 5 - The Court of the Crimson King (this was undoubtedly the best way to close this album. Pulling out all the stops, this song pulls out the symphonic Mellotron sound, the soaring "Kiiiing" refrain and even some oddly quiet sections towards the end before resolving to a final coda in a different key. The album doesn't end without leaving behind some uncertainty as the full circle moment of a noise freakout leaves the listener somewhere between a a blissful world of the Crimson King and the chaos of the Schizoid Man, both of whom are displayed on the front and back covers. An excellent way to close out and a sign of prog innovations to come) 5/5 OVERALL - 9/10

Excellent!

King Crimson was a serious gap in my musical culture, a situation I'm glad to have finally fixed. Apparently this is patient zero for prog rock - a genre that many people here seem to feel strongly about for some reason. Personally I don't really care one way or the other, but I can totally see how this album would feel incredibly different and original in 1969 ; it does sound way ahead of its time on many levels. Overall I loved it - the symphonic parts are fantastic, and I've always been a fan of long songs that take the time to set a mood and build a complex soundscape. There's basically no song I disliked, each of them was interesting in its own way. I really enjoyed the drawn-out, dreamy part people seem to hate in Moonchild (I think it's wonderfully subtle and meditative, and really deserves to be listened with headphones), while Epitaph and Court of the Crimson King are just beautiful songs. All through the album, the experimental bits, the mixture of quiet and bombastic moments, the trippy instrumentals and the soulful voice or chorus absolutely feel like the blueprint for Pink Floyd or even late Led Zeppelin. How did I ever miss this ? A superb discovery for me. 9/10

generational .

Great, different, a real travel throug se des!

Hell yeah

Always enjoy listening to this one. I Talk to the Wind and Moonchild are def slower, but they still sound so pretty. 21st Century Schizoid Man and In the Court are incredible openings and closers, but Epitaph is easily the highlight of the album.

Pretty fantastic

Jason was right, some songs were too long tho

I always skip Moonchild when I re-listen, but decided to stick with it this time…bad choice; all the noodling “let’s just make improvised sounds for minutes on end” suuuuuucks. Other 4 songs are all timers though, so 5 it is

come on it's king crimson! So many iconic songs on one record how can you not give this a 5

Que albunazo. Muy instrumental pocas palabras, pero mezcla de manera perfecta rock, soul y hasta R&B. Top top cada cancion es larga y es como si cada una contara una historia.

Very important album. One of my top ones.

So freakin good.

4,5/5 Das einzige was mich stört, ist das Gedudel nach Moonchild.

Classic

Unfortunately, no one will every be high enough to enjoy this album to its fullest extent. This is the epitome of English stoner rock. Trust me when I say this sounds fantastic on surround sound hi-fi vinyl. It's a 10/10

I wish more albums on the generator were hidden gems (to modern young adults) like this. The sound of this really stuck with me especially considering the technology available at the time. Very effective use of drugs and money

I had a very magical experience at the same time as I was listening to this. The addition of the music was… wow

Goated album Except for moonchild what was that

If there was a Mount Rushmore of albums, this would be on it

heard this many times before. i don't even really need to relisten to give my rating 21st Century Schizoid Man - 5/5 I Talk to the Wind - 5/5 Epitaph - 4/5 Moonchild - 5/5 The Court of the Crimson King - 5/5 Average score: 4.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i probably don't have to praise this album so much, but this is honestly one of those albums that's probably as close to a perfect score as an album can get. i only gave Epitaph a 4 because it's simply my least favorite of the tracks. definitely an album to hear at least once, if not more

This is another album I really should have already been familiar with. knew I should have been familiar with, but wasn't. Reading about what I was hearing, I learned first via Wikipedia that "skronk" was a term invented by Robert Christgau, but then later learned through the OED that it's been in use since the 19th century. Skronk, a really skronking definition of skronk, would just refer to "21st Century Schizoid Man." Overall, I love this album. Interesting throughout, I didn't/couldn't get bored through the long tunes and it was riveting enough that it distracted me from my work. Easy 5/5 and could not possibly be omitted from a must-listen list.

This is album I’ve heard so much about, and the artwork is engrained in my mind, but somehow I have never listened to a King Crimson song before. I really don’t know what sort of sound to expect. • 21st Century Schizoid Man has so much going on, and I’m not even three minutes in yet. I love the main riff, and the unison lines between the horns and guitar were awesome. The drums are also absolutely going off for the whole thing, even joining in for the unison lines later in the song. • As an aside, just from this song along I find it shocking that this was recorded in 1969. The production is amazing • I like that immediate vibe shift at the beginning of I Talk To The Wind. The previous track ended in complete pandemonium, and I appreciate that there was no attempt to smoothly transition between the two songs. This song itself is also pretty nice. It also sounds pretty modern (though the vocals do feel very 1960’s) and the flute throughout is lovely • I’m about halfway through Epitaph now, and it’s striking how different each of the songs have been so far, with such varied instrumentation. The album still feels cohesive, but there’s so much variety on offer. • Moonchild isn't for me. I can appreciate the idea of throwing a freeform improv section into a song, but it's so sparse for so long that it just feels like it's dragging along. • In the Court of the Crimson King has some really great moments. It feels like a really grand ending to the album. The final part with the whistles, before the drums come in, feels like something from a Yoshi soundtrack, which is not a bad thing by any means. Once the drums do come in, it's a genuinely beautiful send-off to the album. I really liked this album. It's so different to what I usually listen to, but it just works. I'm aware of the impact King Crimson had, and this might be the best prog rock album I've ever listened to. I'm really torn between 4 and 5 stars, purely because of Moonchild in the middle of it. Without that song, this would be an easy 5 stars, but that track halted the album's momentum and really didn't improve the overall listening experience. However, looking at the other tracks, and especially the first song, I feel like it has earned that perfect score. Favourite song: 21st Century Schizoid Man

It's been a long time, but it is really a work of genius.

All timer

HOLY SHIT!! What an album man this was so damn good. On top of being one of the most explosive and mesmerizing albums I've ever listened to in my whole life, all the songs are amazing! All the songs had this (for lack of a better term) aura around them that just elevated the whole listening experience for me as a whole. Also the album art fits this album perfectly and is amazing in its own right. Favorite song on here is hard to choose, it's like picking between a favorite kid, for now I'd say The Court of The Crimson King, but that could change. This album is an 11 outta fucking / 10 for me absolutely amazing album, that I urge everyone to listen to.

It started with very fast paced songs and eased down into no lyrics just melody, maybe that was the point of this album. Since last two songs' names were dream and illusion. I really felt like I was dreaming or in illusion. Additionally, songs were good as separate songs not just it is good because it is in the album. Really good. Chaos and peace at the same time. Really loved it I wanna give 5/5 but I heard it in the morning that is my fault. I should have heard it in the night in my bed rocking and just chilling at the same time. I will give it 4.5/5 because this album works depends on the context of person. At the end of this album I really felt calm once in a while. Not energized not sad just calm like I was in a therapy or smth. I just saw it was 1969's album I think it was ahead of its time. So my mind changed 5/5 no doubt now.

This album fucks!!!! I don't care how slow Moonchild or Epitaph is, I love it, this is where prog got its grips for then coming 70s. Just unbelievably good, and still holds up so much. Is it overrated? yeah, but it's still great!

Wow. Checks all the prog rock boxes. I can see why this band has been so influential to those that followed in the genre.

I think more bands need to have a whimsical improv section in the middle of their albums

yes.

Enjoyed. Reminds me of Pink Floyd but more instrumental and experimental

Love it, great variety within the album. Psychedelic. Glad I put this on.

Ok, très gros morceau. Pour ma part, je trouve que l'album mérite amplement son 5/5. En effet, c'est selon moi une performance pour le coup extrêmement progressive par rapport aux sonorités de l'époque, avec énormément de variétés sonores. À mon sens "21st Century Schizoid Man" éclipse vraiment tout le reste de la tracklist avec une ambiance magnifiquement bien gérée, melant une guitare extrêmement compressée, type de son très peu utilisé pour l'époque (sauf peut être chez Jimi Hendrix et quelques rares sons des Beatles), une voix elle aussi modifié, et un orchestre de cuivre phénoménal qui guide tout le morceau. Personnellement je trouve que c'est un énorme point fort de l'album et une des meilleurs intro tout type confondu. Néanmoins, elle fait passer tout le reste pour une longue suite beaucoup plus dépouillés et biens moins travailés (même si les sons au global restent très biens, certains un peu longs mais excellents) avec une seule grosse remontée grâce à "In the court of the Crimson King". L'album doit alors se penser selon moi comme non pas une suite de titres mais plutôt un long périple comme peut l'être DSOTM ou Ageatis Byrjun.

Pinnacle of prog rock. Not always in the mood to listen to this sort of music, but when I am, this album delivers

Banger. "Epitaph" and "The Court of the Crimson King" are absolute classics.

I wasn't expecting this album to be so good. Didn't really like moonchild much but that doesn't change my rating.

this is one of the best albums i or anybody will ever listen to in their entire lives. there are no bad songs? it is one of the best works on this stupid list. such a breath of fresh air from this dookie list that im committed to

It's dramatic. Feels like you're in a play. Short and sweet.

Excellent, sounds so far ahead of it's time. By far the best prog album I've listened to

I've heard of this album's reputation, and it mostly lives up to that. I wasn't a fan of the 10 minutes of almost silence in the middle of the album, but everything else was brilliant, especially epitaph and the court of the crimson king. Would be 4.5/5 of that were possible but I'll give it a 5

loved this honestly

There's a reason King Crimson's debut album is brought up in conversations about the greatest prog rock albums of all time.

A classic for good reason, what luck that the first prog rock album is still one of the greatest Maybe the most iconic album cover vs how many people have actually heard a track from the album? Can you think of anything that it applies better to? Used to listen to this a bit 10+ years ago, in that time Epitaph is weirdly one of the ones that sticks in my head more than the well-known bookends. This one doesn't half prog out like, some tracks go on outrageously long - Schizoid man in a jazzy way that bands like black midi owe a huge debt too, Moonchild in a more calm way that makes you forget you've got an album on. Not a big deal anyway since there's only 5 of them so it doesn't outstay its welcome First heard the title track in Children of Men (really really great film if you've never seen it). The constant drum fills are so good, makes the organ(?) so satisfying as a payoff to them Kanye was absolutely a genius for using this for POWER, recontextualising a 60s prog sample onto a maximalist hip hop track which literally paints himself as a 21st century schizoid man is a masterstroke, but I digress In case you're wondering what the frontman Robert Fripp is up to these days, this is what the frontman Robert Fripp is up to these days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkKfMotNoI

I felt like I should have listened to this a long time ago, and then I listened to it again. It’s surprising in its diversity, and I was sure it was produced more than a decade after it came out.

Ik kon wel zonder het noodelen op moonchild, maar de rest er om heen is fenomenaal, zeker voor een album uit 1969! 9/10

Perfection? Sure.

LOVE

theres not much for me to say that hasnt already been said about this album. Its absolutely incredible every song feels like every member of the band put their heart & soul into it 9/10 Favourite: 21st Century Schizoid Man Least Favourite: Moonchild

Better than best

Progressive Rock, after many starts and fits, is born with this earth-shattering classic for the ages.

Absolutely one of the greatest pieces of music ever put to record. Groundbreaking, genre-defining, boundary smashing prog rock. After a short preamble that opening riff kicks in and the world is changed forever. I've got four different mixes of this album amidst a huge KC collection. Today you've given me an excuse to play all four. Apologies for the sycophantic riffing, carry on with your day. ;0)

Wow, if this is the origin of prog rock, they did a great job setting the stage. 21st Century Schizoid Man rocks so hard with bass guitar, drums, and a saxaphone that open the album with all cylinders firing. It has a sick riff and feels truly inspirational for all the prog rock to come in the next decades. I also absolutely loved I Talk to the Wind, what a changeup. The woodwinds here are so beautiful and I love the flute solo, sounds like something Peter Gabriel would pull off in Genesis a couple years later. And finally Epitaph is also amazing. It's grand sounding and kind of middle ground of the first two tracks. I didn't care a ton for Moonchild, but the highs of the first 3 tracks are enough for me to overlook it.

Album 110. In The Court Of The Crimson King — King Crimson (1969) It’s not an album. It’s a miracle. Revolutionary - it defined the prog rock genre. I must relisten to this album at least twice, not today, but soon. "In the court of the Crimson AHHHHHHHH AHHHHH AHH AHHH! AHH AHH AHHHHHHH!" "Confusion will be my epitaph." This is perfect. It’s so deep in music history, culture and influence that I've heard some parts of this album somewhere. But to listen to it fully is the best experience. 21st Century Schizoid Man has been sampled/referenced in many tracks, movies, etc. For example, POWER by Kanye West, that I reviewed earlier in the challenge. Jazz parts are phenomenal. It's basically jazz fusion, which I love. The album combines rock + jazz + classical = wow🎸 What a discovery! 5/5 Liked songs: — 21st Century Schizoid Man - Including "Mirrors" — I Talk To The Wind — Epitaph - Including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" — The Court of the Crimson King - Including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets" — A Man A City [Bonus Track] - Live At the Fillmore West

Epitath is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.

as a lifelong Pink Floyd superfan...you know what hell yeah

Phenomenal debut. One of the first ever prog records remains one of the best. Expertly sequenced as we journey through proto-metal, jazzy interludes, distorted vocals, dreamlike quieter moments. As much as I also like and appreciate Red, I don't think King Crimson ever topped this one.

Dieses Album ist eines meiner Lieblingsalben: tolle Songs und ein noch besseres Cover.

Ahead of it's time. timeless. "Epitaph" sounds like it would be at the end of a Tarantino film.

Rad

There’s a reason this is considered one of the most influential albums of all time. Absolutely brilliant stuff. Shocked this was my first time hearing it in its entirety…

Thought this album was heavy metal for a second (confused King Crimson with King Diamond), but it turns out to be an absolutely excellent prog rock album! Recording a rock album that sounds like this in 1968 is crazy, this could be released today and have huge impact. I would describe the album as sounding like Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull forming a supergroup, but all the lyrics focus on the futility of conflict and pain. Elements of hard rock, acid rock, jazz, and classical all blended perfectly together. I loved this album and glad this list brought it to my attention, as this will garner a perfect score and be my 12th 5/5.

5/5

love this album one of my favorite prog rock albums short sweet simple (not really) but awesome shouts out 21st century schizoid man

ok FINE i think it's good!! am i considered a proper music snob now?

I first heard this album when I was 16 and immediately thought, "could I be a prog rock guy?" I quickly discovered most prog rock is pompous, nerdy, libertarian show-off nonsense designed to make listeners feel "smarter" than other rock fans. I absolutely despise 99% of prog rock albums but, somehow, I unabashedly love this album. Why? Maybe because KC recorded this album at the tail end of psychedelia and before prog rock had a chance to crystalize into a coherent set of conventions. This album has a distinct 60s feel to it (e.g. mellotron, acid rock guitar, Vietnam war critique lyrics) that quickly evaporated by their second album. It probably also matters that this album was the only one recorded with this lineup, which means it truly is 1 of 1 (and the drums play a HUGE stylistic role here). Despite the high-concept complexity and virtuosity on display here, there is nevertheless a "smallness" to this album -- it's five great pieces of experimental rock and it doesn't ever get over its skis. I will gladly defend this album, even (and especially) against its devotees -- I loved every moment of re-listening to this from beginning to end.

only takes a few minutes to understand that this is something very special.

-At first I had like a pink-floyd type impression of this album, but this album obviously came before its time. But honestly interesting.. its like a mix of rock but also like a little bit of jazz? mostly instrumental, but hey I’m not complaining I like a little bit of music there doesnt always need to be singing involved( at least in some of the songs like 21 century..) I really like I talk to the wind…this is such like a chill vibe? "i talk to the wind my words are all carried away the wind cannot hear?” bars. well mostly i think there is just long music breaks or like periods of time with just music which I dont mind and i’m not complaining. court of crimson king the song in the album is fyee like the cord progression chills.. it feels like I’ve heard it before because I probably have? but it fits so well for like the theme of this album..creators defiently knew what they were creating. lowkey crazy..in the court of the crimson kinggg ahhhhhHHHHhhhhh…gosh I love all the instruments they are using I know I already said that but I think I’m hearing flute??

This isn’t just an album, it is an experience. The concept from beginning to end is executed beautifully, and even in the slower moments I was waiting for more. The relisten value is so high, and I know I would get more out of it with each listen. It just clicked for me. Top Songs: I Talk to the Wind, The Court of the Crimson King

Poster child for prog rock, so damn creative and refreshing

Schizoid man gives me anxiety, but a good anxiety. Well done, a great start. I talk to the wind is very beautiful, I like this one the most so far. I struggle to hear lyrics, so I need to research this album a bit. Epitaph is starting beautifully. Absolute shivers just now, honestly. It makes me feel the way I do about the current state of things in America. Amazing song. Now on moonchild. Beautiful song about the moon, it gives me a peaceful yet melancholy feel. I can hear the moonlight in this album, and I think this is a beautiful piece of art. onto the court of the crimson king, this album is now a favorite of mine for life. An amazing song with beautiful mentions of medieval times. Love that.

Great album! Didn't know Kanye pulled a sample from this album.

The perfect use of sound and silence since the beginning. The beautiful harmonies and accompany for a sentimental voice through the sound of protest. This shit is true good art because it feels so human. It's a love letter to being alive.

Loved. Epitaph feels psychedelic.

I feel as though the concept of an album is inherently strange. Is it a random assortment of songs or an interconnected story sometimes only loosely linked by a central theme. In the Court of the Crimson King has to be listened to all at once. I can't describe why. I, of course, have heard of this album before but never gave it a listen. Wow. One of the best listens I've ever experienced. Will be purchasing this ASAP. And it's from 1969? That I couldn't believe. In absolute awe.

5 stars

wowww

Masterpiece.

Prog masterpiece.

Wow really been getting some of the best albums ever recently. I'll just say I think that this clears ALL 'prog rock', as I think a good deal of that era is rubbish, including unfortunately people like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as I think Greg Lake sings on here. I don't think any band up to this point minus some of the Frank Zappa stuff incorporates so many distinctly 'non-rock' bits into it, like the flutes and stuff on I talk to the wind, and obviously the free jazz thing on 21st century schizoid man. Instrumentals and instrumentalists are totally incredible, I love the mellotron bits, which I think Robert Fripp plays, they totally make some songs, like Epitaph. Also the lyrics and singing are great, its very progressive (no pun), and he might be the best (or second best after Adrian Belew) King Crimson singer. 21st Century schizoid man could maybe be one the most ahead of its time songs ever, its for sure a proto-metal song, although its (in my opinion) much better than most of the 70s metal stuff, which seemed confined to such a specific box, which this most certainly isn't. I feel like the only low point is the part where not much happens in the middle of moonchild, which I don't think is really that bad because I respect the experimentalism but I think it just lasts for too long. But overall I love this! Favourite songs: all but moonchild I guess. (I think maybe I like Red a little more than this, but it probably changes a lot. Overall around 9/10

Classic! The start of prog

Awesome, many were influenced by this album.

Perhaps the birth of prog, for some it might be the peak. It isn't for me personally, but it is still undeniably great.

Stone cold classic. I've loved this album for a long time, and I'm so happy to revisit it 10 years after I discovered it. I just wish Moonchild's length was cut somewhat. Very Strong 9/10

цей альбом і цей гурт став самим кращим моїм музичним відкриттям за остані років 10. абсолютно всі пісні в альбомі неймовірні. глибові, соціальногострі лурікси і магічне темнофентезійне звучання.

4.5/5

que loco que es el arte y la musica. habia tratado de escuchar este disco otras veces y no podia (osea lo terminaba sacando) hoy fue tipo: dale nicole es el unico que te queda dale una chance. y me encanto. todos. nose porque las primeras veces no pude conectar. verdaderamente todo el sonido me encanta, lo siento un poco versatil, como que va cambiando el tono en el disco y hasta dentro del mismo tema. pero bueno nose, aveces la musica es eso no ? conectar en un momento y en otro no. mismo tema distitnos dias y la percepcion cambio por completo.

I just listened to this album for the first time the other day. It's really really good. Easily the best non-Pink Floyd prog rock album I've listened to. An incredible album, crazy that this is a debut. I can see why this is a must listen, King Crimson really cooked with ts. 10/10 would recommend.

I do not need to relisten to this album to know it's a 5. I Talk to the Wind and 21st Century Schizoid Man all time bangers.

GOAT

can't believe I never heard this before but I guess that's the point of this thing

9/10

Heard it before, liked it.

Пиздато и гениально. Впервые послушала эту группу, вряд ли буду слушать постоянно, потому что это прям сложная для меня музыка, надеюсь, что больше будут узнавать о группе и возвращаться к альбому по настроению. Темно, мрачно и тягуче.

Hard to believe this came out in the 1960s, as the first true prog rock album it was so ahead of its time. Top 3: 21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph The Court Of The Crimson King

The best prog rock album I got thus far. Not too difficult though.

j' aime beaucoup très bonne decouverte , 1 ere chanson pub drôle

I can’t believe I missed out on this album for this long. Everything about it is perfect, from the lyrics to the little jam sessions. It’s so perfectly infused between rock and jazz and contemporary rock. 10/10.

Porque me recuerda a Amílcar

This is a once in a generation album. Complex arrangements. Vocals that stun. A landmark in recorded music

The rest of this album is so good I'm actually willing to forgive Moonchild

Respecting a piece of media for your personal taste in it as well as its place in history are usually two different lenses, but I just love this album. Had a game of Warhammer 40k where my opponent brought out Magnus with his T-Sons and we jammed this album. Was a great time.

Lyckas vara både svårgenomträngligt och lättillgängligt på samma gång. Det är så jag vill ha min prog. Alla andra flöjter tittar avundsjukt på tvärflöjten. Först och bäst. En solklar 5a jag inte kommer revidera.

Fripp-tripp! Undrar om han hade västen på sig redan då.

Robert Fripp är tillbaka! Med en friggin vengeance m8. Här sätts strukturen för hur en progglåt ska vara och som den sätts.

wow!! jag har aldrig lyssnat, blev helt tagen av detta Verk. oväntad femma för mig, som med jorge ben bor. jag lyssnar ju aldrig på funky samba eller progg! älskar det här projektet!! så kul att läsa allas recensioner också!

96/100. The sound on this record is incredible and it’s honestly wild to think this came out in the late 60s. It’s one of the best art rock albums of all time, and easily one of the greatest debut records, full stop. The atmosphere, the ambition, the sheer confidence of it all still holds up today.

Brain Candy classic

9/10

yes

I’d give it 4.5 stars, because „Moonchild” goes on for WAAAY too long. Apart from this, a perfect album.

Wow what an incredible piece of music. It's been year since I heard the titular track (on radio, shortened), but listening it and taking it in the context of this LP is quiet the experience. With 5 tracks only, this behemoth of Prog Rock is an unforgettable ride. Pretty insane talent on display, instrument wise but lyrically and in the composition too. Almost 60 years old but the music feels ahead of its time, and pretty relevant in what is has to say. I'll spin this one for a very very long time.

Супер класика, буквально минулого року переслуховував. Дуже красива музика

wow!! the opening track was so freaking insane and i fully understand the way in which i it was influential for its genre!!!

A grand, epic statement that birthed prog rock and remains one of its most esoteric and greatest totems. The tracks here evoke moods, whether it be the fear of "21st Century Schizoid Man" or the resignation of "Epitaph". I like prog as a genre, so this was always going to be a hit with me. But it truly is an excellent album, with an iconic cover and songs to boot. If nothing else, "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a Certified Banger, so listen to that at least once. Not all of the list's albums are essential, but this is, especially for prog heads. If you hate this, you probably just don't like prog rock as a genre as this is pure prog brilliance.

No soy fan de los sonidos de los 70, muy psicodélicos, pero este disco me hizo cambiar de opinión. Definitivamente un viaje que repetiría mil veces

21st Century Schizoid Man - 5/5 I Talk To the Wind - 4.5/5 Epitaph - 5/5 Moonchild - 4.5/5 The Court of the Crimson King - 5/5 What is must have been like in 1969 to turn this on and hear something completely radical to whatever was considered rock or pop at the time. Funnily enough I got into KC through their 80's trio of albums, so going back in time to see how they evolved is interesting. Easy 5/5. Overall: 5/5 Favorites: Yes

nunca lo habia escuchado por entero, solo canciones sueltas y es increíble este album

Utterly phenomenal. Set Mellotrons to kill. This gave birth to a whole genre, none of which came close to emulating the scope of this album. Even the (lengthy) duff track doesn't detract from the tour de force that is side one.

This is a masterpiece.

I think this is the best album ever made 1/1001

Fuck yes

Not just a record, it's a revelation.

It's a great feeling when a band you've tried to listen to for years just clicks. What an album.

Love

Heard about the album before, but never listened to it. Finally got to hear it, and it was amazing

Kocham ten album od dawna! Pierwsze wydawnictwo Króla, które miałem okazję usłyszeć i do dzisiaj jest moim ulubionym. Nie jestem może zbyt odkrywczy w tym stwierdzeniu. Niemniej jest to ten album, który łączy popularność i wartość artystyczną. Arcydzieło muzyki. Uważam, że każdy, kto interesuje się muzyką powinien poznać ten krążek!

O que não falar de In the Court of the Crimson King?Uma combinação estonteante de jazz, rock, música clássica e sinfonia. A sua quintessência transcende, sua música que me é tão familiar e que mesmo ao tratar efeitos devastadores da alienação e guerra me conforta. Moonchild sempre será a música que a pequena massiu ouvia para ser, simplesmente existir, como a pequena criatura derivada da lua.

Already listened, and what an album this is. Easily one of my favourite albums of all time, some of the best sounds I've heard on an album from around this time, I think this album is perfect, deserving of a 10/10.

LOVE LOVE LOVEEE the instrumentals !! Exactly my taste to the T

No. 67 10/10 didn't expect it to be that good.

Ovo je u mojoj kući nešto ko Biblija

10/10 didn't expect it to be that good

i love prog rock incredible intros

This is one of those albums I see all the time in people's collections, but I'd never listened to it myself until now. I definitely get the hype. That was a phenomenal record. Epitaph in particular felt transcendent

King Crimson's debut changed rock music in the late 60's and into the 70's by essentially bringing Progressive Rock to the forefront. Longer songs with complex structures, highly technical instrumental passages, obscure lyrical themes, and an approach to composition more akin to jazz or classical music. This was, of course, not an accessible form of music to get into, especially for the musicians. The barrier to entry was simply too high. So it's not surprising there was a revolt against it in the middle of the decade which gave way to Punk Rock. Despite the dominance of the genre for half a decade, not many bands ever reached the heights of this album, even King Crimson themselves. The variety of songs here is remarkable, especially considering there is only five of them. The two mellotron epics of "Epitaph" and the title track ground the album and present the mood and structure that most Prog-rockers would attempt in the years to come, while the folk-y "I Talk to the Wind" is more like a send off to the music of the prior decade. Then there are the jazz-rock tracks. I can only imagine how radical and abrasive "21st Century Schizoid Man" sounded to audiences at the time as its uneven rhythms still sound daring and experimental. And the improvisational section on "Moonchild" wouldn't sound out of place in a full-on Jazz Fusion record. Truly a perfect record and a must listen to everyone interested in the art form, even without being a rock music fan. Key tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man I Talk to the Wind Epitaph Moonchild In the Court of the Crimson King (yes, every track.)

Overall Rating - 4.60/5 (9.20/10). Great album. No notes.

I've loved this one forever. It's one of a kind though, the band changed drastically over the years following guitarist Robert Fripp's crazy experiment directions, most of which I also love, but they never repeated the take of this first album that pretty much launched prog rock.

Bangin, love everything about this, wish this had more recognition than the song that sampled 21st century schizoid man... Was looking forward to this one popping up. Love how theres a bit of everything on this one, from more fast paced sections, to slower rythyms, to creative experimentation. 9/10

Everything about this album-- the cover art, the pioneering use of classical instrumentation, the all time great songs like "21st Century Scizoid Man" and the title track--make this a no doubt 5 star. Sure, they get a little Spinal Tap at times such as in the middle of "Moonchild" with its free jazz interlude. But, damn, the tightness of the playing and the epic scope while also including the quieter, intimate songs like "I Talk to the Wind" and "Epitaph"...what an amazing album. The lyrics are thought provoking and profound as well.

Absolutely batshit in the best way. There's no better way to open an album than with 21st Century Schizoid Man. With that percussion and those vocals, theres an argument to be made that this one is the first 'heavy metal' song. And at the tail end of the 60s, they perfected that bardic psych folk sound that so many groups were lamely attempting, while also just fucking with the listening audience with the jazz noodling and classical flourishes. Court of the Crimson King ties it all together to conclude, bringing it back sonically closer to the opener. Proggy perfection from King Crimson

Goeie vibe wel! Epitaph was mn favo

One of my favorite albums of the '60s!

A fabulous concept albume further enhanced by the astounding artwork by Barry Godber. The artwork was universally adopted and must have sold many copies of the album by those mesmerised by its power.

I haven’t heard any songs from this band, but I have seen the album cover a lot. 21st century schiztoid man - holy moley what a strong start, ok this is great, I love the drums and clarinet (I think 🤷‍♀️) and all of the switches in the song, I thought it drag because of how long it is, but it didn’t at all I talk to the wind - rlly like the vocals and the tone, very soft and pleasant, ok flute solo, ok bass solo, this is just a really nice listen 😛, ok flute solo part 2 Epitaph - nice soft start ish, looove the build with the drums and vocals, ok yearning, YES CRESCENDO, lowkey getting medieval now 👑, the clarinets are back, love the drum fills near the end, this is so good what the heck Moon child - oh my 12mins long, the soft start is nice, now they’re smashing their instruments randomly for a while, ok it’s not bad, but I feel it’s not as good as the other songs so far 🤷‍♀️ The court of the crimson king - this feels so grand (like a king🤴, a crimson king if you will🤴), THE FLUTE IS BACK, why did it go into an adventure time beat, ok we’re so back OVERALL: ok woah, this is album is rlly rlly good, I was worried that the songs being 7 to 12 mins long would drag on, but I didn’t have that issue at all. Except for moonchild, which got a lil experimental and just wasn’t my fave, all of the songs are sooooo good, and I understand why this album is so influential. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

- LOVE THIS ALBUM - so beautiful - truly takes u along a journey

'cause I'm a 21st Century Digital Boy...no, wait, what? Amazing.

Loved it. Can't believe I didn't know about this, it's the blueprint for so many things I love. Long live all flute music.

la primera que conocí fue 21st Century Schizoid Man xq venía en el guitar hero 5 (y qué pedo de rola, imagínate empezar con eso tu discografía, más cuando el resto del disco no suena así), pero me acuerdo mucho la primera vez que oí el title track, el papá de un amigo de la secu que era prog head me preguntó si la conocía y la puso y a la fecha cuando la escucho pienso en la impresión que me causó. así se ha de sentir flotar alv

nossa, muito bom. Psychedelic rock é certeiro. The Court Of Crimson King, termina o álbum muito bem. Mas desde 21st Century Schizoid Man o álbum manda muito. Com certeza vou ouvir mais.

talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique.........

Jazz, rock, and classical music fused into something wholly unlike the components it was derived from. Does it always work? No... not always. But when it does, it’s brilliant. Robert Fripp would continue pushing those boundaries for a very long time. It’s not my favorite King Crimson album, but its place on the list makes perfect sense.

One of my all time faves

i love this album epitach is one of my all time favorite songs.

Wahnsinn, wie gut das gealtert ist. Meisterwerk und seiner Zeit weit voraus.

King Crimson is the SHIT

Absolutely amazing! I loved all the songs but personally love I talk to the wind! This album so is underrated!! The instrumentals are insane

King Crimson. 'Nuff said. Add it to your playlists.

Listening to this immediately after Supertramp, I am reminded what this prog rock moment in history was truly capable of producing. This album opens with an absolutely devastating face-melter (astutely sampled by another album on this list) and continues to employ baroque pop, jazz-inflected winds and percussion, and indecipherable lyrics in effective and surprising ways. I mean, who builds an entire riff out of harmonics? A rock opera with a vibraphone battle? Listening to this album you feel in one moment as if you’re climbing the Misty Mountains and in the next like you’re descending a spacecraft onto an abandoned exoplanet. Who needs TV when you got an LP?

This is my first album on this website! I am enticed by its absolutely phenomenal instrumental tones from its drums to guitars. The Vocal range is just downright phenomenal. I couldn’t recommend it enough and a great start to 1001 albums Each track has its own individual and unique atmosphere that creates such a brilliant array talents from each part. I listened all the way through without shuffle and each track led seamlessly into the other.

PEAK!!!!!!!!!

It was my first time listening this album despite being familiar with iconic cover art. I preferred the more intense parts of the songs. When I listen to albums like this one I wonder how it would be to listen it in the year it was released. First thing is that we are now more or less culturally biased to appreciate music like this. Second thing is that we know how music genres changed. Experiments from 60's are not that innovative to us because we know theirs offspring.

Something a bit weird, a bit different. The track The Court of the Crimson King elevates this to a 5 though.

historic for a reason ngl

Surprisingly really fucking good

no many can stay schizoid after listening to this album

Eternally progressive.

Incredible record.

lovelovelovelovelove epitaph is the song of all time

old school

Absolute banger

Psychedelic rock

Masterpiece, even if it's not easy to hear at times. "Epitaph" is one of the greatest songs ever written.

Masterpiece man. One of the Best prog rock album of all time.

Love me some prog, and this is the King

An album i'll permanently associate with /mu/, the greater general terminally online internet music community, and Kanye West. It's awesome nonetheless.

They gave us prog rock and helped usher in my favorite (and I think most interesting) decade of music (70s) in their influence

The challenge with this album is that the interlude is such a flop, but the rest is so strong. The highs are higher than the lows are low. Kanye's such a genius for sampling this album

pretty awesome, very iconic. The last song is sooo good Will I listen to again: 100%

love how the different influences originating from this band/album are palpable in several bands i know (contemporary and older ones). at times it feels like Mars Volta, there's pink floyd in it, Porcupine Tree, Opeth and a myriad other flavours. i could go on and on! still it feels original, because certainly it is - the origin, a cornerstone of prog rock!

One of the greats on an artwork side for sure. But the music itself is just as high quality. The opener is probably my favorite song. It has the most structure. But after that it devolves into a more free form type thing. And usually thats not what im in it for. But here it keeps my attention the whole way through. There are some sparce and dissonant passages that I find very interesting on moon child. And the ending title track is still ambiguous and mind melting but it does come back to some structure again. Its a classic and there is a reason everyone had seen the boogies of this terrified red man. Listen and love it

I've heard of this, and I've seen the cover art a thousand times, I was expecting prog rock of top tier quality. That much is evident right away, track one side A, what killer riffs and displays of talent. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a work of art from the moment you read its title until its thick bassline decides to leave your mind's eye. The rest of side A was so unexpectedly beautiful. The rest of the album really doesn't feel quite as dark and terrifying as the album art does, which ends up reflecting the introduction better than the overall energy. The two songs that follow that intro went in a direction I wasn't expecting. It's artsy, in the sense that the typical mainstream listener would have to pay extra attention to understand the layers of talent. We're paying attention to the empty spaces, to the subtleties of the instruments, and I'm sorry, we're also gonna play the fuck out of the flute. Jethro who? Ian McDonald has some of the most impressive credits I can remember on an album of this magnitude, with his wind instruments and keys becoming essential to the energy of the album. I was unaware I'd be falling in love. What a beautiful listen. 4.7/5

For me, King Crimson are masters of atmosphere and mood, first and foremost because of their sensational timing and also because of their diverse repertoire of harmonic and melodic approaches. For me, these qualities actually come before their undoubtedly excellent rhythmic and polyrhythmic ideas, making King Crimson one of the very few bands that really come into their own in their quieter moments. That's why I could listen to the tracks “Epitaph” and “Moonchild” from this album all day long, while I find the other three tracks quite good. 40% absolute killer material, plus one of the most iconic covers—is that enough for five stars? In direct comparison to the same year's "Unhalfbricking" by Fairport Convention (that I reviewed yesterday): certainly yes!

The complex production and soundscapes, including deep mellotron and orchestration are perhaps the strongest points of this record. Yet the complexity is perhaps the reason it has influenced countless musicians but completely forsakes commercial appeal in virtualy every way. At once, it was a statement of purpose, a coming-of-age and a brilliant flash of inspiration unleashed on the world. What it wasn't is accessible. They disregarded commercialism and put out an art-rock record... and proceeded to make a career out of it. It's a near-perfect record that should certainly be listened to... closely... by any music fan. It takes some effort to really dig into this record and appreciate it's depth and complexity.

OK, you know the deal. One of the head honchos of the prog sphere right here, for a host of very good reasons. The instrumentation are clean and well thought of, song structures and songwriting are poignant, inspiring with just the right amount of complex to not make a fool of itself. What I love most about this album is how captivating it is. Almost every time I listen to it, I leave what I'm doing and just stand there life a 50yo dad with my hands on my hips and think, "Damn." And that's honestly amazing, because I've never had that kind of experience with any album I've listened to. Not going to go into each song, but I will highlight the band member's contributions. Lake's vocals perfectly fit the medieval aesthetic, the sound of the drums are crisp and sharp, and the whole thing is gelled up by Fripp's "chess game" guitar work. Can't praise it enough. Interesting and captivating all throughout One of the ways you can determine the worth of an album is by how well it has stood since its release, and even though the tides of the musical world have vastly changed since its inception in 1969, In The Court of the Crimson King has always been well above the water. That alone should put it above half of the albums ever created. Now that I read this, these paragraphs have no sense and connection to each other, but fuck it, I'm too drunk to do a revision. It's a good album, check it out.

I've tried listening to other King Crimson albums before and never really been convinced by them, but this one was genuinely great.

Super interesting album. Sounds so extraordinary and unique.

one of the first prog bands, great album its a classic with 12st centry scitzo man

No notes, flawless album

one of my all time favorites

Icónico. Increíble para la época. Vanguardia. 9/10

What a beautiful record. At first I did wonder if this was just too prog for me, but there's real beauty as well as experimentation here. Seems like roughly the first side is more like a solid rock album with some progy bits and the second side is more like intense prog with songs occasionally breaking out.

One of the greats in prog rock. Possibly in the top five best debut albums ever.

Wow… one of the best progressive rock albums i’ve ever heard. how they pulled off some of the stuff they did in 1969 is beyond me. can’t recommend enough so unique for its time and has so much contrast just within the album with large sound to precise detail. insane album

One of the best rock and roll albums of all time

start

Perfect memories thankd

I'd never knowingly listened to King Crimson before this. I'm not sure why but I had some negative connotations with that album cover. Turns out I had heard them before though as the opener _21st Century Schizoid Man_ was familiar to me, and more importantly, very very good! Having seen the album in many a car boot sale over the past decade, I'm now kicking myself for not buying it, as this is truly brilliant stuff! Incredibly expansive and bold, especially for a debut and some beautifully warm production. The aforementioned opener blasts out with its proto-metal style before we're treated to a more measured but thoroughly engaging series of slow-burners; improvisational in feel, always moving and evolving with moments of psychedelia or jazz and with an array of different instrumentation. The closer and title track lifts the energy back up but with a more sombre note than the opener. The sparse verses are punctuated with the dense blasts of the rich chorus which increasingly build each time to the denouement. I don't have a lot of frame of reference for this, I can hear the **Pink Floyd** in its trippier side and having got into this years **Black Country, New Road** album, I can hear the lineage from this album to that. I was fortunately fully focussed when listening which I'd say it needs as its nuance could easily be lost as background music. It rewards that focus though with a rich palette of sounds and dynamics and you're always wondering what direction they'll take next. I'll be keeping my out for this at my next car boot sale for sure! Anyway, that's what I think... alternatively, Robert Christgau called it... "ersatz shit"

Yes.

Großer Name, Tolles Album, tolles Cover, erste Blinde 5! c

Wow, still great, love it all

What a powerhouse start to the album, I'm amazed that this came out in 1969. Not a huge fan of the cover art, but this album slaps front to back, gotta go 5 stars.

This wasn't what I was expecting at all with a name like that and the cover picture. The different genres mixing and the smooth singing is just great. I am having trouble what to call this or how to explain it to other people and I'm loving it, every part of it. The jazz sections blew me away and the album as a whole makes me want to go back straight away and I thing I just might.

I've been sleeping on this album. I regret that I haven't been listening to this for years now. Very similar to the best of Pink Floyd, in my opinion. Great chill listen with plenty of layers to enjoy.

Not much else to say about this album, except that it's not just one of the best prog rock albums, but one of the best albums of all time.

I bought this on vinyl (no CD back then!) when I was still at school and it was already 12 years old by then. To say it blew me away is an understatement, who new this sort of shit existed even in peoples minds? I still listen to on a fairly regular basis even after all these years. The album cover still gives me the creeps though.

🐐

Awesome album, 21st Century is a legendary song, I could listen to it over and over again, despite the lyrics being so minimal. I can understand why someone might not like it, and Moonchild kind of drags on, but otherwise it's so great. The drumming is very crisp on this as well.

this has no right to be this good wtf sort of kinda pink floyd vibes ill give it a 5 bc why not

I own it on vynil and discovered it about march 2024

Might be my favourite album cover

mid 5

I have listened to the In The Court Of The Crimson King before, and as more of a Floyd fan, I expected to give this a 4/5 during the relisten. However, this album is so good that I don't think I can give it anything less than 5/5. I remembered it being good, but it's actually just great.

A return to a great record. Its difficult to not feel that the time for "21st century schizoid man" has only really come in the present. In all it's proggy glory, In The Court Of The Crimson King is full of hooks and instantly memorable melodies.

Perfection. The greatest Prog Rock album ever, and one of the greatest ever in general. An enormous, influential, chaotic, genre-defining album that (for me) can be regarded among the greatest pieces of music ever created. It's the Mahler 2 of Prog Rock.

Son du futur. Le mix, on croirait du indie des années 2000, aucun sens que ce soit 1969. Moonchild c'est incroyable.

This is one of my favorites for sure

One of the all-time classic progressive albums. Just an expansive and beautiful album.

First album I ever bought and still love listening to it!

de uma melancolia tão sutil e maluca ao mesmo tempo que me senti estonteado com a construção das faixas, onde as produções formam uma aura progressiva na obra, além da psicodelia que corre nos mínimos detalhes trazendo uma forma única de fazer e sentir rock. 5/5

10\10

Top 3 albums of all time

Wow wow this was amazing!

Headphones on for this one. Gotta soak up the experience.

Ok man I gotta admit it: Robert Fripp is a mad genius. Whatever that man's project is, I gotta say: he's really doing something. This is an A+ album, where even the nothing noodling dipshittery in the middle of Moonchild has its place. The guy loves a ballad, and well, there's one here, sports fans! But really it's just stuffed full of ideas and unlike Outkast (didn't see that comparison coming, did you?), who also have a gorillion ideas, these all fit into a tight little package. One and done, move on. Economy AND a pile of riches, wow. This isn't an album you can just tell someone to listen to: they have to make it here on their own. But when they get here, whoa, it's 1969! Anyway, too bad this spawned so many other prog-rock imitations. Otherwise unimpeachable.

I mean.....I mean..... It is one of the best prog albums ever. It set the tone for all others and yet it's not one of those albums where the idea is half baked. This is a fully formed album. It's wild how well done it is. I love this album. Without it we do not get to ELP, Tool, Rush. It's the foundation for those.

“I’ve been here and I’ve been there and I’ve been in between.”

ok so not something i think i will return to for casual music listening but undeniably an incredible and transforming listen

No skips, not even Moonchild

Real great album, the smooth grooves and the musical proficiency makes it for me.

Goated. What an incredible atmosphere

To add to the pretentiousness around this album, I first listened to this while walking around the Louvre. Was not expecting to find the source of a famous sample used by Kanye West to start it off. I Talk to the Wind and Epitaph are masterpieces in my eyes. Listened to both in an underground rock bar in Tokyo, I was reminded of their excellence. Moonchild (first part) is beautiful too (although drifts around a lot afterwards). Not the easiest listen in places but overall a masterpiece, and one of the best prog rock albums out there.

This, to me, is the classic prog rock album. It's complex, sprawling and full of fantastic imagery. It set much of the template for other bands to come, including some less math rocky bands like Pink Floyd. It won't appeal to everyone but for those interested in the genre, it holds up incredibly well.

Strong 4,5

Makes me turn crimson from how good it is

Unlike the majority of this style of rock album that is the penchant for this list, this album benefits from being put next to its peers. Like putting Usain Bolt next to some high school track stars. Are they all athletes? Sure. But one of them is obviously bounds ahead. Contrasting this to the similar albums of the time really highlights how insanely good this album is.and some of the best drum sounds you'll hear