Reviews (page 4 of 14)
No esperaba que fuera tan bueno, muy melódico con excelentes cambios de ritmo, solos increíbles, los instrumentos de viento lo hacen mucho más único, me encantó
i like i like yes yes
album #31 full of whimsy, which earns major points from me. hard to believe sometimes that this came out in '69. beautifully composed, the symphonic elements bring me so much joy!! the baroque and medieval stylings really add to the narratives throughout and gives the album a fantastical, liminal feeling. ꩜ average track rating: 3.6/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): the court of the crimson king (i love you, "the dance of the puppets") ꩜ least favourite track(s): moonchild ꩜ album rating: ★★★★☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,058 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 17 (+1 In The Court of the Crimson King) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 8 (+1 In The Court of the Crimson King) ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 23
4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/king-crimson/in-the-court-of-the-crimson-king/ Always have my issues with this album. When it’s good, it’s amazing. However, when it goes into its proggy jazzy tangents, I really can’t stand it. Luckily it doesn’t happen too often, but when it happens it really takes out all my enjoyment of this album. Looking at you, Moonchild.
Hivenen liian progea mun musamakuuni. Tykkäsin eniten albumin nimi kappaleesta.
2/3
lo definiría como radical. fusiona varios estilos muy distintos, siento que no se define como uno solo pero si tiende a una oscuridad por momentos explícita y por momentos implícita. dice mucho
I think it's better than I first thought. I know songs that have sampled from this album.
21st Century Schizoid Man - Including "Mirrors"
Felt pretty ahead of its time tbh! Definitely can see the influence this record had in a bunch of other music. Really enjoyed this.
me gustó mucho!
I understand this is the ur-prog record by reputation, and yet it strikes me as exactly right on the edge of what I find tolerable in prog. "21st Century Schizoid Man" makes the Mars Volta, of all things, sound derivative, and it's from the 60s! I liked that. Despite the hippy-dippy shit, I liked "The Court of the Crimson King." A lot of the rest of it verged into more drummy-jazzy nonsense than I'm willing to stomach. This is yet another point confirming my previous instincts that I'm extremely hot and cold on prog as a genre.
- 21st century schizoid man is a great and crazy song. I've definitely heard it before but hadn't realized that before listening. Not something I would listen to frequently when just chilling but definitely a cool piece of music - I really liked I Talk to the Wind - intro of Epitaph is great - most of these songs are too long, I was really losing it during Moonchild - Court of the Crimson King reminds me of something Jack Black would have written/sang in School of Rock
YESSSSSSS
21st Century Schizoid Man: no es mi vibra, para nadisima. toda la cancion es bastante parecida, sakvo el solo de instrumentos que es epico, pero aun asi no me copo. I Talk to the Wind: esta me gusto mas, probablemente porque es mas chill, me gusto el beat, estan buenos, pero tampoco digo wow. Epitaph: los mismo que la anterior en cuanto opinion Moonchild: no me gusto The Court of the Crimson King: meh A Man a City: es normal En conclusion, no me gusta ete tipo de musica. reconozco qu eme gustaron mucho las instrumentales, pero no es para mi
I need to give this another listen. I know it's better than 3 but I'm cranky and nauseous so it's getting a 3 for now. 3/5
Good first time listen, surprised me how good, fresh sounding. 3.9/5
bisschen zu crazy
ABSOLUTE CINEMA
One of only a small handful of releases that can confidently claim to have pushed rock music forward, King Crimson's now-iconic debut shows a band fully confident in the direction it was heading. This album feels like it was made in a vacuum; there's very little of the blues stomping that gave rock and roll its rhythm, nor is there much of the folk and gospel stylings that influenced how the genre would be sung. Instead, King Crimson turned to jazz, medieval folk, and classical music to form a rock album that sounds like it came from another timeline entirely. The heavy use of mellotron substitutes a string section here, but despite how aged and analogue the instrument itself sounds, nothing on this album shows signs of being recorded over half a century ago. It's unlikely anyone would confuse it for a modern release though, as there's a distinctly out-of-time feeling to how these songs are written and structured. Look no further than the soft ballad "I Talk to the Wind" or the grand, sweeping closer, "The Court of the Crimson King," which both sound like musical antiques, albeit incredibly well-preserved. Of course, the main item that drew me into this album years ago was the proto-metal skronk of "21st Century Schizoid Man," which could have come out any time after its release date and still sounded fresh. "Epitaph" is an absolutely wonderful, sweeping ballad, anchored together by the emotive performance of the late great Greg Lake. It's power ballads before the concept even existed. The only other song here is the 12-minute noodling session that is "Moonchild." Much has been made about the aimless free improv that follows the 2 minutes of pure balladry that starts the song. I can't say it's something I revisit very often, and it honestly drags the album down a lot since all the momentum it builds up is ground to a halt. At least the closer more than makes up for it. In the Court is a visual album almost as much as it is a musical one. The fact that this album cover is such a common sight when looking through the shelves of record collectors is basically a meme at this point, but that album art of a screaming red face is strangely evocative. I've always thought it to be some kind of humanoid whose creator just gifted with sentience, only for the creature to realize all the horrors that exist in the world. It's kind of a metaphor for where rock music was in 1969 as the genre went from a naive, good-times genre in the 50s to a much more mature, socially conscious beast by the end of the 60s, thanks in no small part to innovative releases like these. Key Tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph, The Court of the Crimson King
very smelly
I like Epitaph the most so far.
I gave the whole album three listens. It has a cool, pretty unique atmosphere, and I respect the creativity behind it, but it doesn't really click with me. I'm not that much into progressive rock, but I'm glad that I gave it a listen, tho it won't stay in my library.
мені потрібна музика а не шось на 10 хв бля
YESYESYES
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
A bold, ambitious debut that really goes for it. It’s uneven, sure, but there’s something genuinely exciting in how far they push things. You can feel the roots of prog taking shape, moving beyond the Pink Floyd-style psychedelia into something more structured and fully realized. I hadn’t listened to it in ages, and coming back to it now is a really pleasant surprise.
All the king crimson super fans who think that King Crimson is the best prog band seriously need to listen to 1 Rush album. King Crimson isn’t bad, but they’re no where as good as people say they are.
Wouldn't even consider this a bad album. It's a curiosity. It's an experimental and conceptual story. It's hard to listen on repeat, though, and I qualify listen ability as criteria for a good rating. It's interesting.
Fucking annoying. Zero stars.
Classic
Sure the musicianship is pretty amazing as it twists through jazz, psychedelic, classical, rock, but the songs are just so pompous and full of themselves. I guess that's prog for you, but I will not be back anytime soon.
Just no. Too much pompous ridiculosity, not enough music you really want to listen to.
I liked this too so I guess I am softening on prog rock???
Has not aged well
Long ahh songs
insane diverse range of this band showcased within the first two songs. the orchestral frenzy of 21st schizoid man is actually a masterpiece, i love it. overall gives a pink floyd vibe that i really fw
Si te gusta el progressive rock esto es espectacular para vos. Tocan increíble. Yo desconocía totalmente la existencia de esta banda. Igualmente yo no soy muy fanático de este género, me resultó aburrido. No me despertó muchos sentimientos. Yo priorizo eso por sobre la calidad musical por así decirlo. El sentimiento. Como dato curioso, sentí que en el 3er tema se les bajó el volumen de todo, nose si tendrá que ver con algun error o algo de la época. Me resulto raro eso, nada mas.
0/8 bekannt 6/10 Beste Songs: epitaph, 21st century schizoid man, the court of the crimson king Ich könnte schwören, dass ich den einen Teil von 21st century schizoid man aus einer Werbung kenne. Ich kann es nur noch nicht beweisen.
I've never listened to King Crimson before. I wouldn't say I loved the album, but it was enjoyable/interesting enough.
generational .
Didn’t do it for me
Sounds like mix of Pink Floyd and the Beatles Lots of variety Gets slow and boring at the end of some tracks (moonchild) Moonchild is really boring past the 2 minute mark Favorite tracks: epitaph, court of the crimson king
I’ve tried with this a few times, folks I respect love it, I like a lot of Fripp's guest work elsewhere...but it’s just...never happening.
So this is where Kanye sampled the iconic line from
21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph In the Court of the Crimson King
21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph A Man A City
A little too out there and long “silences” that were nice at times but too long at other times
Prog Rock seems to have originated from this album. It demands careful listening, which I didn’t give it. Later Prog (Genesis, Rush, Yes) all sound okay to me, but I prefer music to be direct and to the point. I would prefer pure rock and roll or pop over this. It’s excellent music, for sure, just felt like the songs took forever. 3 stars
It's been a long time since I listened to this.
Great, different, a real travel throug se des!
i recognize its great music, not my style though.
Cannot deny the musicianship but KC has admittedly never been my thing.
A little much for me but I get it
Muy bueno. Hasta corto te diría. Muy para prestarle atención. Vale una y mas escuchas. In the Court el tema estrella. Nota: 4.1 Nota:
Hell yeah
Lesson of the day…opinions on what makes an album appear on this list are ✨subjective ✨
6.3/10 - sorry josh fav song - epitaph
In its context, incredible redefining genre gem. Must listen indeed. The tracks seemed so long and irritating - did not age well But I mean...
8.5/10
i dont like it...it insist upon itselft like 12mins on a track for what..so yh noy my style
As individual tracks, I didn't add any of these to my faves BUT, taken as a whole, what a piece of music! And a debut! 4/5
I’m still rating this a 4 but I don’t disagree with the lower aggregate this has on here. If you cut Moonchild entirely, this is an easy 4 or higher.
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
Iconic album, down to its cover. "I Talk to the Wind" has always been my favorite song here. The extensive jazz influence on the tracks here separates it from other prog records, most often to its success, but unfortunately to its detriment on "Moonchild," a meandering mess. I think without that clunker it would be their very best album!
голос нагадує горіллаз картинка база
I did not know that a jazz version of Iron Man existed, but now I do.
Best tracks: I talk to the Moon, Epitaph Worst: Moonchild Notes: Trippy Prog mixed with lovely calm melodies.
This is amazing, especially for the time it came out. I enjoy the amount of albums on here that are much older than they actually sound.
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
Muy bueno, adelantado a su época
come on it's king crimson! So many iconic songs on one record how can you not give this a 5
interesting sound
me encanta pero siempre he sentido que le falta algo para ser un 5 indiscutible, 4.8
Really cool album. I'd only listened to one song on this album before but did not expect the vibe of the others. Some weird sections of noise and random sounds like parts of Pink Floyd's albums but the actual musical pieces were very good
Demasiado desorden para mi guato
Prog rock...and super long song lengths...to quote Han Solo, "I've got a bad feeling about this." Justified, totally justified. The saxophone parts are cool though. I Talk To The Wind is better, but that's not much of a bar to clear. Damnit...it's just Emerson, Lake and Palmer in disguise. It's so obvious on Epitaph that I'm embarrassed I didn't notice before. Now I can't unhear his voice. Why wouldn't you add a bunch of nonsense noises in the middle of a 12 minute long song? Nothing like random noises to enhance a song. Good lord, this is tedious. Ten minutes of gobbledegook. The Court of The Crimson King is the best song on the album.
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.
King Crimson are a band I’ve heard of but never really heard. I have heard “21st Century Schizoid Man” but a long time ago, I never remembered it sounding quite like this, this was a bit of a ride. “I Talk to the Wind” I really like. It’s a real trippy, calm but sorrowful tune. I dig this feeling a lot and the softer vocals really fit. Up until “Moonchild” I was likely giving this a 5, unfortunately I just couldn’t enjoy whatever they decided to noodle around with for like 10 minutes. It’s far too long a time in my opinion to just improvise a bunch of noises which is what it sounded like to me. The final track brought back the sound I’d heard and enjoyed for the others songs and is a great finale. I love hearing different things, I am familiar with some prog rock but certainly not an aficionado. I liken some of the sound here to Pink Floyd’s stranger material – both are British prog rockers from the same era so no surprise. I dig the majority of the album, the musicianship, haunting moods and powerful lyrics that are perfectly complimented by the music. A solid 4/5 and I’d definitely listen to this again.
Very important album. One of my top ones.
Not my style but pretty good. Long songs so you can enjoy it for a while
Nunca lo habia escuchado ni ningún álbum con este estilo que mezcla el rock con el jazz o la música clásica. Es un buen descubrimiento, me gusta la exploración musical que desarrollan, los momentos de tensión que logran con la unión de instrumentos y silencios. No es un álbum que escucharía diariamente pero que definitivamente inspira mi creatividad.
No mi estilo para nada, pero fue interesante conocer una nueva banda.
enjoyed this a lot more than i thought i would never fully listened to it till now
So freakin good.
Beautiful album! “21st Century Schizoid Man” and “In The Court Of The Crimson King” are absolute classics. I’m going to give this album four stars because “Moonchild” overstayed its welcome.
Nichts für mich😄
4,5/5 Das einzige was mich stört, ist das Gedudel nach Moonchild.
Done
me encantó la variedad de instrumentos y sonidos que hay, y como de esa forma se intenta (o eso creo yo) contar una historia. son canciones muy largas y eso hizo que tardara mas en sentarme a escucharlo.
YYYYYYYEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHHH I love these guys and I love this album hell yeah
Prog rock has always been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, but the last 10(!) minutes of Moonchild makes that almost as an embarrassing of a proclamation as the DNC makes being a democrat
There's a touch of nostalgia with this rating but 21st Century Schizoid Man, I Talk to the Wind, and the title track are just outstanding. Epitaph drags and we won't discuss the backhalf of Moonchild.
"I don't know if I'll ever add any of the songs to a mix, but I will definitely return to listen to the album as a whole. Was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it" - my album review April 17, 2025 Well I came back and it was better than I remembered. (4.5)
Too much
Classic
Really cooool. My brother's a big fan too.
I'm familiar with this one, and much prefer it to Lark Tongues In Aspic.
I waffled on this one because I didn't really *enjoy* most of it (especially the middle tracks), but I do really enjoy a lot of the prog rock albums it inspired and appreciate its importance. So I'm meeting in the middle.
Tä oli samaan aikaan yllättävän hyvä ja huono. Myös yllättävän vieras. Rauhalliset biisit oli hyviä ja miellyttäviä, tuli jotenkin Opeth mieleen aika paljon. Erityisesti I Talk To The Wind oli ihana. Yllättävän huono siks et raskaammat biisit oli yllättävän raskaita. Mä vaan en oo proge 😅
meh
im becoming increasingly aware that prog rock is just not my jam. but overall a pretty good album. I liked the first song on the track a lot.
Prog rock classic but a bit too cluttered playing on some tracks
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
Moonchild drags it down
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
Sympa mais sans plus, je ne suis pas hyper fan des musiques sans paroles et il y en a quelques unes, mais sinon certaines sont sympa comme 21st Century Schizoid Man
Definitely deserves its place on the list, but not one of my favorite prog rock albums of all time. Where it was easy for me to get into Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd, and even The Moody Blues (yes, I am one of those that considers DAYS OF FUTURE PAST an iconic prog rock album), I never felt comfortable in the pocket of KING CRIMSON. While IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING was never quite my cup of tea, I certainly have mad respect for their songwriting risk taking, performance chops, and their genre fluidity. All of the tracks are strong with perhaps the one exception being "Moonchild". I get what they were trying to do, but personally I don't think it works and as much as I love experimentation it was fairly annoying. The "ambient-jazz" interlude doesn't work and goes on way too long.
this album rules
I loved it, very ahead of it’s time too
Good album. Think I’d listened to it at work but still a pleasant listen. Maybe not top of my listening but nice nonetheless.
Goated album Except for moonchild what was that
The sound very full, and not as noisy as typical rock of the later 80s. Not bad!
I don’t like you, but I respect you.
If there was a Mount Rushmore of albums, this would be on it
Es ist ein monumentales Debüt, das 1969 den Progressive Rock definierte und bis heute als stilprägend gilt. Die Mischung aus wuchtigen Bläsern, Mellotron‑Wänden und epischen Songstrukturen wirkt beeindruckend, aber auch schwerfällig. Tracks wie „21st Century Schizoid Man“ oder „Epitaph“ zeigen enorme kreative Kraft, während andere Passagen – etwa die langen Improvisationen in Moonchild – heute etwas aus der Zeit gefallen wirken.
I have listened to this album a few different times and it never hits quite like other people say it does. It's just too experimental for me. I probably won't listen to it again if I had a choice. I am glad Pink Floyd got some influence from these guys and decided to follow the more blues instead of the jazz influence
Feel that I should like this more but I just kinda don’t
Never a great attraction to this album but I know it’s an important moment in time.
It was interesting. Honestly schizo man and the title track are the most worthwhile ones. The rest sound like...idk sound checks or something.
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
I literally feel like bullying this album and stealing its lunch money. It sounds like something only a true nerd could love. Still a good listen.
Lovely
It's been a long time, but it is really a work of genius.
Pretty good!!
Not a fan of Prog rock. These all just seemed to drone on forever and I ended up skipping the last half of almost every song.
better than the other one. the highs were high and the lows were low.
All timer
I've listened to the title track before as part of a past exercise. That was really cool
Didn’t care for the first track but the rest of the album was really good. I respect them making the song nearly 9 minutes, it lets your drown into the songs.
Unique instrumentals that I actually like Gives Beastie Boys vibes in the first track but before that type of music was a thing, after that all I hear is Pink Floyd. I like the variance in music from track to track Feels Like an Epic. Overwhelming at times. Least favorite song- 21st Century Schizoid Man Favorite Song- I Talk To The Wind
Incredible record, let down by Moonchild
clearly incredible and influential, some of the more mellow instrumentals did start to drag but the others make up for it
First 60 seconds of this: hell yeah, this album rules I spent the rest of the album waiting impatiently for it to end. This album was a slog and a chore to sit through.
Moonchild, too much. Otherwise, 4 (not a jester in this court) stars.
Classic prog rock stuff. I don't like this as much as a lot of people but 21st Century Schizoid Man is a great song. I also prefer KC's Red over this, still some very impressive stuff though
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.
one hit wonder
Quite interesting, but a little too experimental from time to time
Excellent for the most part apart from some pretentious noodling half way through that seemed to last forever.
Was not familiar with King Crimson’s work. Truly beautiful. Obviously recognized the first track given that Kanye’s “Power” sampled it.
Surprisingly a vibe, it was cool to hear some origins of samples from other songs I know
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.
Never listened before, nice mix of prog, folk and even jazz elements. Didn't really grab me but pretty good
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!
Eigentlich passt das perfekt in meine Fantasy Playlist. 2 der 8 Songs waren (gute) Remixes, und ich mochte also 4/6 Songs. 'The Court of the Crimson King' (Song) ist gerade einer meiner Favoriten.
Sehr psychedelisch.
Fantastic instrumentals Definitely not an every day listen but great psychedelic rock I wish there was more going on lyrics wise with some of the songs, highly repetitive lyrics for 7-10 minutes starts to get a bit old 21st century schizoid man and In the Court of the Crimson King were standout favorites, I talk to the Wind and Moonchild not so much. Would lean closer to a 3.5 if I could since I loved 3/5 songs. The remaining 2 were good but not something I see myself revisiting often.
I don't think I'm a prog rock girlie
Solid and interesting.
Much of a muchness
3 1/2 Stars: And after all this time King Crimson, a band I'd always heard of but never actually heard, didn't turn out to be the death metal band I always thought they were.
I really enjoyed this more than I anticipated I would, I didn’t know the band well but had been exposed to samples and stuff. Very cool, I loved the big, atmospheric, swelling nature of the songs
Weird but I liked it
DOES EVERY ALBUM HAVE TO HAVE SUCH LONG SONGS! I DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF ATTENTION SPAN! I HAVE A TODDLER! Ok but I do remember Moonchild from when I was young and I thought I was so cool and ethereal listening to it. Definitely a save.
I had a great time listening to this
Wow. Checks all the prog rock boxes. I can see why this band has been so influential to those that followed in the genre.
Very Interesting album. It’s like The Beatles went full jazz and dropped some acid. First listen was not pleasant but by the 3-4 time thru I could start to enjoy the music.
Definitely of a time but I can see why it is loved.
I think more bands need to have a whimsical improv section in the middle of their albums
Prog Rock just is not appealing to me. I don’t really have much more to say about it.
A little indulgent at times, as expected, but at only 5 tracks it's a welcome tonic to some of the overly long albums in this list.
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.
First two songs relate to what’s going on now
No pude escuchar ni un minuto del primer tema. Fue un horror
On a sunday last summer, I had the opportunity to see either King Crimson (or whatever group of people were calling themselves that) for $5 and separately Hanson for $12, both in downtown LA. I couldn't decide and ended up going to neither. In retrospect I should have done Hanson.
The proggiest prog that ever progged. Not bad in places, but drifted off into weird introspective pseudo-Tudor twaddle a bit too often for my liking.
Not my vibe
Listened to that shit already hella goated
Impressive in its own way but just not what I'm looking for in rock music.
I'll be honest here: I never got the hype behind this album. Yeah, it's arguably the first true prog rock album, but that doesn't automatically make it great. As it is, two monumental songs bookend an album that is full of meandering and aimless songs in the middle of it. Personally, if I'm going to listen to a King Crimson album it's going to be one of the three of their 80s albums with Adrian Belew as the frontman.
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.
Very good album is jazz rock with a lot of improv jams full of energy and ups and downs. Really unpredictable and fresh. Loved it
Pinnacle of prog rock. Not always in the mood to listen to this sort of music, but when I am, this album delivers
Very psychedelic and vibes. Not a ton of variety, but good album.
The beginning of this album feels like it influenced Queens of the Stone Age. It starts off as really fun album to listen to but after the first three songs if tapers off and feels like they forgot they were spending money on a studio and just started jamming and is no longer interesting to listen to. Stand out tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man - Feels ahead of its time. I talk To The Wind The Court Of The Crimson King - This is the only song that I recognize from this artist.
Whoooooooo!!!!!!!
Would be a 5 if not for Moonchild sadly.
It was really good I liked it
Not really my style but it was interesting, the instrumentation was cool. I enjoyed the bonus tracks more than the album tracks given more of a jazz influence - this brought it to 3 stars for me.
Banger. "Epitaph" and "The Court of the Crimson King" are absolute classics.
My rating 3.3. Experimental? Yes. You can see a blueprint for other bands but beyond the first song it’s just odd.
I wasn't expecting this album to be so good. Didn't really like moonchild much but that doesn't change my rating.
I knew this was prog rock so feared the worse. However I was pleasantly surprised and at one point halfway through track 3 I was considering that this might be a 4/5. They immediately sensed this and went into a 7 minute interlude of nothing but random percussion. Literally. I’m imagining some stoned guy in the studio very deliberately tinging a triangle every 39 seconds or so. This kind of nonsense is what ruins prog. Ended up a nailed on 2/5, I would happily listen to tracks 1 and 2 again but the rest is pretentious nonsense.
Very chill. Very effective ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💿
Very interesting album, I haven't heard of this act before. It was an experience. The first song was an instant hook, really feeling like a rock song with jazz, blues, and electro music. The rest of the album felt pretty tonally different, and each song was pretty damn long. I really did enjoy it, even with not knowing at all what happened next. 4/5
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
Deze hoes boezemt me altijd wat angst in, maar gelukkig is het album zelf een stuk minder schreeuwerig. Sterker nog, bij Moonchild durven ze hun instrumenten op een gegeven moment amper aan te raken. Alsof ze stiekem moeten warmspelen. Wel een geinig album voor een keer. Een ultiem snob album, waarbij de snobs lekker kunnen doen alsof ze hier vanalles aan snappen wat aan mij compleet voorbij gaat. 3.5 ster. Momenteel staat het album met 3.61 gemiddeld net wat hoger op deze site, dus kan ik beter een 3 geven dan een 4. Wiskunde.
I was vibing with this hard, until "Moonchild" showed up and sucked all the wind out of the sails. Luckily "The Court of the Crimson King" kind of a banger to end us off so they brought me back
It's dramatic. Feels like you're in a play. Short and sweet.
I could hear Black Sabbath style vocals but really could not get on with this. Not for me I’m afraid!
I know these guys are supposed to be super influential and they're on everyone's list. I've given them several listens. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a great track. The rest of the album kind of fades into the background for me, though I totally recognize how awesome this must have sounded in....(checks notes)...1969!!!! It's hard to believe this was released then. It sounds like it came out in the 90s. 3.49 solid stars.
Opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" makes a compelling case for adding more prog to my musical diet, but the rest of the album makes a superior case for NOT doing that. You could blame the giant drop from "Schizoid Man" into the light-rock flute of "I Talk to the Wind," but the plodding "Epitaph" and "Moonchild" are more tedious. "The Court of the Crimson King" brings things back to life, but doesn't make me want to return to this. Turns out my prog diet is just fine, thanks.
Actually the only reason this song is on this list is because it has a lot of good sampling music
actually pretty cool. upbeat jazz vibe i would listen again
Very good!! More of a work of art rather than an album of songs I can dance and relisten to, but I appreciate that. 4 ⭐️
not bad, just a little weird
Funk
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
Really good. Love the instrumentation, especially the brass on track 1. Really innovative with some great improvised stuff as well. The blending of a 60s rock sound and jazz sounds great.
loved this honestly
Better than colidplay
What a weird album. Different to what I normally listen to. Schizo was good. Epitaph different. Moon child was rough 10 mins of disjointed mess. Court also good. Court and schizo into normal rotation.
Not my fav but it works for work!
There's a reason King Crimson's debut album is brought up in conversations about the greatest prog rock albums of all time.
another magnificent prog gem.
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
Little too artsy I think, I think for the time I can see why it was popular but I think it’s trying too hard? Some of the songs just don’t need to be that long. But I did really enjoy most of the songs until I felt like they started dragging so this could maybe grow on me as well. Do feel like I need to deduct and entire point for Moonchild unfortunately 3.5
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.
doamne fereste
I never knew that this was the first ever Prog Rock album. Putting it in that kind of frame makes me like this album a lot more than I already did. I honestly wish more bands did the whole "songs within songs" thing that this album does. A lot of prog bands still do it with multi-part songs, but I just think it's funny to see a really long title that says (including "[like 3 extra songs]"). Anyways, to weigh in on Moonchild, since I see a bajillion people talking about that song in the reviews and I want to join in, I like it. I wasn't too major on it when I first heard the album, but it's nice. The album definitely has a stronger A Side than B Side as a whole, but this is surprisingly well-done for the first ever Prog album.
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
Good album, quite heavy for the time.
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
Wanted to like it more but the songs are sooo long
Better than best
This is seriously such a great and diverse album. The first track is more aggressive, but as the album progresses, you get to hear a few tracks with that beautiful and colorful orchestral sound, very similar to The Moody Blues. Then there’s another track that’s slow, minimal, and avant-garde. This album is widely accepted as the very first official prog rock release, and based on this one album alone, King Crimson really set the tone for all the different directions prog rock would go in as it became more and more popular throughout the 70s.
What the hell? This album already came up! And I still hate it!
Progressive Rock, after many starts and fits, is born with this earth-shattering classic for the ages.
This isy 2nd King Crimson on the list and I enjoyed this more than the last one. These guys were excellent musicians and they make room for everyone to show off without getting into jam band boringness.
Really fucked with I Talk to the Wind. Overall, I don't really think the album was for me. I can see how some can enjoy it, but I wasn't really wowed by it or felt some sort of connection. I probably wouldn't listen again, but I do think it was a decent album and probably has a lot of important messages. I don't have the time to look into that right now, so I kinda just have to take everything at face value. I give it a 4/10.
Very good album, first time listening (JoJo ref also) liked it a lot
In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson, a band out of London, was released in 1969. While the album is Progressive Rock, the band themselves are known for blending many styles into their music. This album is no exception with jazz and classical music blending into their rock stylings to create something to talk about the devastating effects of war, alienation, disillusionment with the ruling government, and the percieved powerlessness of human efforts to stop corrupt forces in leadership and governig authorities. There's quite the legacy to this album. While I've still yet to go through King Crimson's work or this album at least, I've seen it on so many 'masterpiece' lists and the album art itself is iconic both in reference to and in speration to the album. The art, dubbed 'Schizoid Man' was created by a programmer called Barry Godber, who was a friend of Peter Sinfield. A co-founder of the band and the former lyricist. Godber used his own face as the model but would tragically pass soon after the album's release by a heart attack at the age of 24. It was his only painting to ever be released. With the perspective of hindsight, you can hear the band's influence. So many bands have referenced certain lines, repeated specific notes, sampled whole lines and sections, and even some prog rock that came after was clearly inspired by King Crimson, especially this album. 'I Talk To The Wind' is one of the more curious songs I've heard in a while that are about religious doubts and of god. The wind being an analogy for god to refer to how god appears ignorant to us, cannot be seen, but its effects can be felt. While a very sombre song, it also is quite repetitive while I feel like undercuts any wider introspection or message the song might have had. If the song ever intended to do either to begin with. I like the analogy but that's kind of where the interesting part of the song ends for me. Epitaph is a beautiful song made under the threat of nuclear winter during the . The song is inherently fatalistic, made no more obvious by the title and the most repeated line, "I fear tomorrow I'll be crying." I feel like so few songs nowadays are cynical. Perhaps that's indicative of the time we live in or just fear on the part of artists as cynicism doesn't sell like positivity but it's a refreshing tone to hear in a song. It might be the song I enjoyed most out of the album which stand in direct contrast to the song that came after it, "Moonchild." A song I not only disliked the most from the album but actually had a hard time listening to. From jump the song is obviously going for an abstract angle. I would not be surprised to be told the instrumental section was improvised in the studio recording. And the song's lyrics bolster the idea that there's intend to create a discomfort and unease in the listener. Unfortunately I do really like experimental songs, abstract melodies, and improvised instrumentals. I want to enjoy this one too but I cannot articulate just how much I hated Moonchild. Thankfully the next and titular song, "The Court of the Crimson King," is such a beautiful soundscape. The atmosphere is the most beautiful out of the entire album, using common medieval motifs in the verse to build to a strong drone in a repeating refrain/bridge. The refrain substitutes a chorus as the verses have a narrative to them which might be undercut by even a catchy 4 line chorus. The narrative is analogous to common players in a medieval fantasy court being echoes of our own political government system. The Crimson King, Black Queen, Fire Witch, Yellow Jester, Purple Piper, and more are all easy stand ins for figures of authority of the time yet can easily be repeated to use the analogy again in my own time. Overall it's a fun analogy, even if bleak, that I really enjoyed as much as I would hope that this analogy's continues aptness would end. The version I listened to was the original. I was tempted to listen to the remaster as I tend to prefer those versions, when I saw there were multiple with changed and added track-listings I decided not to bother and went to the original. Trying to work out which is considered the true definitive edition is a waste of time for something I've never heard and need to listen to in a day. Anyway, to my overall feelings. I liked it a lot. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a hell of an ear worm I may end up muttering to myself over the next few days like a crazy person, "Epitaph" was a beautiful bit of cynacism that will still with me, and the titular "The Court Of The Crimson King" is one I'm finding myself struggling to decide which playlist to put on. (It could fit in so many yet there's none it fits into more than the others). A great album I would recommend for anybody who likes prog rock or albums with a clear message. Though I will always forwarn people to skip Moonchild.
Never listened to the screamy face man album (largely out of spite?), but this was pretty good. I liked the opener and closer's prog a lot, the middle was a bit slower than I'd like. Rounding up to 4
Maybe I would enjoy this more if I wasn't sober. Good but I didn't like it. For now, a 3.
Kule låter. Kult å ha hørt igjennom, det gir meg allikevel ikke noe stort kick.
Self indulgent Tolkien nonsense
The opening track is just incredible and the highlight for me. It gives me the same feeling as the German band Can where it doesn’t feel attached to a specific time and still rocks. I liked a couple more and was ambivalent to the other two. I can see why this album has such a following. Im not as in love as others but still a fan. Rating: 3.5
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)
I like the artwork and there are some really melodic songs (and some less so).
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
Heard the first song, 21st Century Schizoid Man, I didn’t like it. The lyrics are too macabre and the harsh mechanical sounds are too chaotic for my liking. It’s unsettling, even if it’s intentional. This may be the narrator freaking out about the cruelty of humanity? I really liked I Talk To The Wind, it reminds me of T.S. Eliot poems with a man personifying his surroundings, speaking to the wind (which may be God). A man who is non-religious, though he seems lonely and just wants to be one with the world. He is trying to find some sort of comfort in God, though the act is futile - he gets no response. It feels like the narrator is in conflict with the chaotic reality of the world, and why things happen the way they do. Epitaph was really interesting as well as the narrator falls into complete despair, believing the world is doomed. Set in the Vietnam/Cold War, it highlights the futile nature of religious practices. The traditional definitions of right, wrong, good, and evil as seen by our predecessors are too simple and naive, though we continue to place as the centre of our lives. And when the one thing you seek security and comfort does not live up to its role, man crumbles as they possess no hope for the future. This conflict continues in the lyrics: "Confusion will be my epitaph", highlighting the self-destructive nature of man. I also liked this lyric: "Knowledge is a deadly friend, If no one sets the rules", as knowledge ≠ wisdom. Moonchild feels more like a retreat into a fantasy escapism because the world is too horrible to face - he is forever lonely and confused, and is waiting on some hero or "sun child" to rescue him, but they never comes. The Court of the Crimson King is also quite interesting, obviously being an alias for the Devil himself. It feels like the narrator has come to a new realisation that the reason why the world is so horrible is because we are just dancing to the tune of the devil, like puppets on a string. No wonder it felt a lot like T.S Eliot - he similarly believes humans are horrible creatures that will keep fighting. Also his religious conflict of God as He does not exist nor does He care. Though, he plays more into the macabre nature of human cruelty, mostly because of the Vietnam/Cold War context. The narrator will be lonely and depressed and everything is playing out exactly according to Crimson King's plans. https://www.reddit.com/r/KingCrimson/comments/ili08w/what_is_the_court_of_the_crimson_king_exactly/ https://medium.com/@aliinwonderland/song-review-king-crimson-epitaph-4c86928535e8
song i went back to first after first full listen: 21st century schizoid man (a ska song)
I enjoy progressive rock for the fun they have with it. They push the envelope and tool around with the genre to create unique and interesting mixes. Unfortunately, this can lead to things getting a little esoteric, and the Court of the Crimson King is not immune to this. Don’t get me wrong. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a blast and helps to define the story of the album. But then Moonchild comes along and hits a midpoint filled with what sounds like orchestral warmups. Overall, I enjoyed a lot of this, but it got itself twisted at times trying to tell a story and descending into chaos. Which, y’know, might have been the point, but that really hurts the accessibility of this album.
Very fun album, enjoyed it a lot
Uno de los albumes mas iconicos del rock progresivo y una de mis bandas favoritas del rock prog. Me encantan esos sonidos medievales que logran entre la combinacion de la bateria y los instrumentos de viento que usan, le da esa vibe sinfonica que se impone bastante. Algo que me parece super interesante es el manejo de los silencios y como van jugando con la potencia en cada uno de los temas. Tengo una debilidad por "epitaph", me parece completisimo, no solo musicalmente sino en relación a la letra. Masterpiece que siempre es necesario volver a escuchar.
Mucha flautita poco estribillo El primer tema esta muy bueno lo demas mmeeee Demasiado progresivo para mi gusto
Cool idea. Not for me though 2.5
Notablebtextzeile: Knowledge is a deadly friend If no one sets the rules The fate of all mankind, I see Is in the hands of fools Bin gespalten. Einige Stellen finde ich richtig gut, aber darum herum ist so viel repetetives getüdel, das es mir im ganzen eigentlich gar nicht gefällt. Außerdem vermutlich schuld an sowas wie Fantasy Metal
Alles was ich an Prog mag (das schnelle, freie Chaos aller Ideen und Einflüsse auf einmal) und alles was ich nicht mag (der Rest).
Jeder Song hat eine gute Idee in die sich jemand zu sehr verliebt hat. Es hätte beim Flirt bleiben sollen, es wurde jedes mal geheiratet.
Every song starts out pretty interesting, then just devolves into noise. Best song: The Court Of The Crimson King
Epitath is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.
I was really looking forward to this one, since I’ve seen it on so many favorite albums lists that people/critics make, and I’ve never heard any of it. The first song (21st Century Schizoid Man) is incredible. I wasn’t so sure about the rest of the album on the first listen, but on the second listen I feel like I “got it.” The only thing keeping it from a 5 star album for me is that some of the tracks go on too long, seemingly so the band can show how awesome they are instead of serving the song (“Moonchild” especially). But otherwise an awesome listen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jazziig och exprimentäl rock. Gillar 21st Century Schizoid Man och The Court of the Crimson King mest. Intressant och lite utmanande men utan att kännas för sökt. Det greppar mig inte riktigt, hade nog behlvt några fler lyssningar. Velar mellan stark 3a eller svag 4a.
I can only assume this album cover is supposed to be a mirror showing the face of someone forced to listen to this more than once. What an unpleasant experience.
as a lifelong Pink Floyd superfan...you know what hell yeah
Seems like the spiritual predecessor to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
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.
Fuck a 3 minute pop song, this is where it's at. 922 albums in and I get my 1st King Crimson record. This was so influential on a lot of the music I listened to growing and in turn influenced a lot of the bands I listen to currently. This album is an all timer. 5 stars all day. Masterpiece of prog rock.
good, moonchild is a bit boring towards the end
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
i need more
I get the context, but this is just boring to me for the most part.
Classic Kanye sample to start. Can see how it could've been very influential to a flaming lips, tame impala, etc. Awesome mix of rock and jazz.
It has sparkly moments, and I do see it for most of it. It just so over hyped by a category of people, you know, the ones that fancy themselves music connoisseur, that would say this is the only music worth listening to, that it felt flat. I knew that album, I liked it more than I did the first few times I listened to it and some of it is brilliant, but some of it is also boring nothing burger adjacent, and I land in the middle. Good, important, should be here, but not as good as your uncle says
Really good! Combines jazz and hard rock. Very good album! One of my favorite prog-rock albums!
I swear this got popular on the internet because of the really distinct cover art. I don't know what I was expecting but this is just really not that different from the Moody Blues. I really don't understand the aura of 'prog masterpiece' or whatever internet music people say. I try not to read into any album to get biased by context and metadata. I went on wikipedia just now to see the year it was released (to get distance from Moody Blues) and saw that Robert Christgau called it "ersatz shit". I wouldn't go that far it just wasn't astoundingly different from any other prog. I hope Fripp and Eno is on this list somewhere or that is a travesty.
ok FINE i think it's good!! am i considered a proper music snob now?
Always really enjoyed this album, so close to a 5/5 but i a)feel like being stingy and b)think some of the tracks can get repetitive. That said, the general cohesion and mood of this album is incredibly enjoyable makes a good listen !
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.
Meh, wasn’t terrible, wasn’t great, but amusing? Eclectic? Interesting? Yes, all those.
This is extremely impressive in a way that doesn’t try to blow your mind, it just quietly earns its status. The songs still hits insanely hard, especially knowing it came out in 1969, but it’s Epitaph that had me the most engaged. The whole album has this mythic, almost medieval atmosphere that makes it feel like its own world rather than just an early prog album. “Moonchild” drags a little, but not enough to be overly annoying and it still fits the mood more than it hurts it. Compared to modern albums, it’s rougher around the edges, but that is exactly what makes it compelling as it helps build the atmosphere I previously mentioned. I’m now kicking myself for having put this off for so long.
Digging up the oldies, I see. It was forever ago when I first listened to this album. This is actually the first album I have catalogued on my Rate Your Music page, which probably means that this is the fifth or sixth album I've listened to (I've bumped around and updated the listening dates on some of the albums in there). I'm not sure why I listened to this one early on. I think I was gallavanting through a bunch of different genres at the time and wanted to see what stuck. I don't remember liking this album all that much, but it has persisted within my memory. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is both a great song and a great song name and I, of course, remember the title track. I also remember the songs on this album being long as shit, which is probably what kept this album from entering my rotation. In any case, I'm curious to revisit this one. Hmm. Hrmmm. Despite my best efforts, I'm still not feeling this one. What I suspect to be the most polarising aspect of this album is also the part I find hardest to engage with. Randomly and out of nowhere these songs shatter into a million pieces and become these strange, minimalist, avant-garde tunes. It usually happens during the third quarter of each song and every time it happens it never works and I'm left wondering what the point even was. There's also the question of track length. These songs are way, way too fucking long. If I were to total up the pointless stretches of dead air across each of these tracks, it would probably come out to about ten-minutes of the total runtime. Quite possibly longer given that Moonchild is the longest song on the album and also happens to be most guilty of this practice. If I am to be positive, I appreciate this album aesthetically. I like the grand, massive atmosphere which hangs over each of the tracks, and the instrumentation is generally pretty solid. I was also content to just let this one run. While those janky jigs are annoying, they don't seriously chafe with the music or undermine my enjoyment in a significant way. Overall, this was an okay listen. The aforementioned "21st Century Man" is pretty cool. Great lyrics, and I like the manic energy. The brass is especially good, and I like those harsh, blown out guitars. The remaining jazzy instruments are a bit of a mixed bag, however. The third quarter of this song kind of dicks around and doesn't go anywhere as a result. The title track has a great, operatic feel - a fitting closer. The refrains are the best part of the song. Such a surprising and powerful bit of levity for a song which is generally dour and oppressive. The remaining components of the song, particularly the acoustic guitar are also solid though, much like with 21st Century Schizoid Man and many of the other songs I haven't mentioned, there's still those moments where the song strangely goes out to lunch. I don't need to check the book for this album. It's In the Court of the Crimson King. One of the most iconic and, I assume, influential albums of all time. I cosign this inclusion.
I wish this album art wasn’t so ugly. A lot of track had a nice smooth vibe to them but I can’t say any of them really stood out to me. It’s nice on the whole and definitely something I play in the background while working on something.
Interesting album.
-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??
Para quienes les gusta creo...
8/10 really beautiful variety of jazz/rock music
Good album, honestly up till this poi t I didn't realise that 21st century schizoid man was a sanple
7.6/10 good instrumentals just a lot of open space it feels like? cover is off putting but i tried to not let me get annoyed with it 3/5 due to the long ass songs for no reason since it was half nothing
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.
Looooong songs BUT saved every single one. Big slay of an album; embarrassed to admit this is my first time listening to King Crimson
long and kinda boring
Great album! Didn't know Kanye pulled a sample from this album.
not really my thing
Ok
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.
I'm a known prog rock hater, but this was actually pretty good. Cool to hear the original track that Kanye sampled on Power. Moonchild was still a bridge too far for me, but who knows…maybe I'm coming around to Prog. 4/5 Highlights: 21st Century Schizoid Man