Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Slows down a little for my taste in the middle but bookended by some terrific, serpentine, technical wonders of songs. The be all end all KC for quite a few folk but I love the subsequent albums where they bare their teeth a bit more.
I love this album. The quintessential proto-prog rock masterpiece. I had to knock a star off because it gets too noodly in parts, I'm pretty sure the freeform widdly bit in the middle wasn't there when I've listened to it before
Enjoyed this album much more on the 3rd listen.
so robert fripp went “it’s prog time” and progged all over the place. yet i don't understand it. some parts are decent. 4/5
Crazy pull for a first aIbum. Luckily i even have it on vinyl already. I love the songs individually, but i do not understand the choice to have such a calm interlude in the middle of the album. I prefer Albums to be structured like the Hero's journey in terms of intensity.
KINGO CRIMSON!!!
This one is a true musical journey. There are so many crazy moments, both good and not so good. That kick in from moonchild to court of the crimson king hits like very few songs can. The flutes, clarinets, and xylophones add so much intrigue, even if the parts sound more like noodling than an actual song at times. I love this genre, I love this period of music. The freedom to be experimental and creative is unmatched. Overall, I found the piece as a whole to be enthralling and inventive, but not necessarily amazing songs. I think a high 4/5 and many more listens to digest are in my future.
Bonkers - the contrast between the first track and the rest is hilarious. I have a soft spot for the whole thing though.
LOVED this one! 4/5 only because the order of the songs. It started abruptly with the heavy guitar and volume of the schizoid man song, and in my morning fog, it was tough to all of a sudden vibe to. Then it mellowed out! And gave some beautiful melodies and lyrics, it had some neat segments with goofy and bizarre noises and such. It slowly built up the energy again through each song that by the time the radio version of schizoid man came in I was ready and excited for it and enjoyed it a lot more. The transition after the first song between the energy of the music was good and got me in the mood for the higher energy stuff. Fave songs: (A lot of em) I talk to the wind (both versions!) The court of the crimson king (ofc) Moonchild —— The rest of them were really good too! Epitaph was a vibe, etc etc, but if I had to choose 3 (1/2 bc duo version of i talk to the wind) to return to, it would be those 3
Classic and groundbreaking for its time
Kult!
low recording quality, which isn't really a problem but would've loved a remaster/remake. jazzy. i hope these notes are private... nvm, quality didn't matter. the composition is very, very good, feels like I'm watching a spectacle but with my ears. i should probably buy a cd for my grandparents, make them listen to something "new"(i don't think they've heard foreign music that much)
Interesting. Some songs were better than others. Sometimes there is jazz, others pure rock, at times it feel like they forgot to play some instrument, because it is just a couple of sounds in the background. To me, it sounds experimental, innovative, creative, and I appreciate that. So I will give them a 3,5/5. A better grade would depend on listening the whole album paying more attention.
Oddly, because I've probably not listened to this in the past with quite the same degree of scrutiny this project encourages, the mark I'm about to give, having now done so, is lower than I'd have thought. So much of it is a clear five, but now that I've actually read the lyrics ... well, without wanting to be too harsh on a record I really like, there are too many patches of sixth-form poetry to go that high. To the extent that this influenced so much of the properly cringe-worthy prog that was to follow, it's therefore a four for me.
I often think of this as one of the greatest albums of all time, but when tossing tracks on a playlist that I’d actually want to listen to, only the first and last song make the cut. The middle has always seemed to me to be the anticipatory silence, with some noodling and decent poetic imagery, before the big slamming finale. I have this on vinyl, and sometimes you can barely make out that music is playing at all for like a half a hour of this if you’re spinning it at a party and have it at a volume that won’t blow people away in that finale. But what a finale it is. Have ever heard anything quite like In the Court of the Crimson King?
Both really enjoyed more than expected!
Was a really good time until the weird stuff started up... but it's King Crimson, it's Prof, it's too be expected (as I've said about every Prof album on this list).
Alle proginteresserte 50+ sitt foretrukne profilbilde på Facebook. Man hører at King Crimson står seg fra mengden av samtidige progga 60-tallsband, men det fremstår litt uferdig. Det tar seg opp på de neste platene.
Wanted to love it but idk
Yeah this does kinda slap...
Interesting mix of casual and homey with complex anthems
4 yeah this was good
The album’s dramatic and melancholic atmosphere sometimes even reminded me of Japanese kayōkyoku in an unexpected way. While some of the longer passages felt excessive to me, the overall sense of scale and influence was undeniable. Epitaph was my favorite track, and I was surprised to learn that the punk label Epitaph Records took its name from the song, which really showed me how far this album’s influence reaches.
Finally, finalmente, a prog album that I can get behind. This isn't full of orks and wizards, it's not got a grating voice, there are no lute and mandolin solos. Just well crafted epic songs. Hats off and a great new addition to my rotation. An album cover I recognise and could name but have never one felt the urge to explore, until now.
Honestly awesome album.
can't decide if this is a 4 or a 5, i'm going to say 4 because my god did the song 'moonchild' drag on
classic
4.5/5
Lately I acknowledged progressive rock as one of my favourite generes in music although I'm very far from acknowledging King Crimson for the greatness of this album. It its a big thing, it is something revolutionary, but I will die on a grave with opinion that I...simply don't like it.
This album was great - weird at times, self indulgent at times, but ultimately have relistened and would relisten again. This is one of those albums I understand why it’s on this list…. Good music
In time grew like less that some of their other albums. Not sure what else is on the list. 4.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 74/294 (24%) Will I get: Already have
breathtaking in its own singular way. one of the best first listens i've had so far with this project
7/10 Aside from the 10 straight minutes where it felt like they were trying to wake up a sleeper cell inside of me, it was pretty darn good.
An album I've constantly heard about but never actually listened to. I would see it posted almost every day on /mu/. One of the better Progressive Rock albums I've listened to. Definitely better than any Yes or Nektar album I've heard... Might even be better than DSOTM, or maybe I've just listened to that one too many times.
listened to again still super great
A lot better than I thought it would be! Track 1 is a sample on Kanye West's 'Power'. Some great songs, though they do go on for a bit... value for money, I suppose!
this is so f#cking frantic... and i love it.
I was prepared to be underwhelmed - another British rock album?? - but this won me over.
It feels awkward giving this a 4 and I really wish there was a .5 system but I just think Moonchild (especially Moonchild) and the title track don’t stick the landing as well as the first 3 tracks do on here. Nevertheless, this is a highly influential record and one of the definitive greats though, and always a pleasure.
gem finder!!! Ball knowledge required. Fire ablum and lwk iconic
The Court Of The Crimson King is pretty baller. I feel like that gotta be Declan’s theme song. And of course 21st Century Schizoid Man is a vibe and a half. Also gotta take a sec to admire the album cover pretty sick.
(87/100)
crazy instrumentals and influence
7.5/10 - Super impressive musicianship. This is the closest I get to being excited about Prog. Somewhere solidly between a 3 and a 4.
There's a few minutes of Moonchild that halts the flow of the album, but other than that it's a masterpiece. It's probably my favorite prog album and the musicianship is unreal. 9/10
Reading in a sunny russel square leaning against a tree
3.5 - Good
This is like the 5th highest rated album on rym. Is it good? Yes. Is it really good? Yes. Is it the fifth greatest album ever? No. Can I see why people might say that? Eh, kind of I guess. Still damn good, maybe it'll grow on me. 4.5/5
there is a lot of vocal dislike for this album, but the ratings suggest otherwise. I actually enjoyed it. First song was a little bit unforgettable, but the rest of the first side was excellent. Moonchild was a bit innocuous but the title track made up for it. Standout track was I talk to the Wind. I would listen to this again. 4 stars
4/5. Kul att få höra 21st century Schizoid man.
The album as a whole blends rock and fantastical elements -- with the flute and choir-like vocals -- that are especially showcased in the track "The Court Of The Crimson King." This album is definitely gearing me towards more of the band's discography. faves: 21st Century Schizoid Man and The Court Of The Crimson King
i feel like this would go crazy if my mind was altered but as it stands this was an enjoyable listen for a walk on a spring day. horns on track 1 came on when i was mindlessly staring at a woman's ass and suddenly i was the (fav:) 21st century schizoid man
Not sure what took me so long to listen to this one, its amazing. A few more listens and im sure it will be a 5.
It’s easy to see why this is considered the ground zero of Prog Rock. I really dug it, especially the opener, "21st Century Schizoid Man." It's a wild ride, a crazy mix of jazz and hard rock that still sounds super fresh, even with that sample Kanye stole... The whole band is amazing, from the Mellotron to the sick drumming that keeps it all together. But the rest is a bit hit or miss. "Epitaph" and the title track are amazing, but the middle section gets a little much. "Moonchild" is a bit too long and noodly for me. Still, it's a super cool, atmospheric album that I'll definitely listen to again.
Rate: 8/10. 21st Century Schizoid Man es la canción de los comerciales!!!!!!
Some really good songs, but a bit overblown for my tastes.
Over the top, pompous lyrics, extended musical sequences that seem to go on forever, I shouldn’t have liked this but I did, it was very enjoyable and stands up well nearly 60 years later. I remember seeing that album cover in record shops when I was a teenager but I had no idea who King Crimson were then.
Know if this album but never heard it. Probably exactly what I expected and I enjoyed it mostly. I would say it is a bit too meandering and almost straying into the ambient in parts though. The lively bits don't hit quite like some other big prog rock bands and the lows are lower. Still good though
A great album. I feel like I would have listened to it eventually. I enjoyed most of it, though it might grow on me with a few more listens, especially the instrumental section on Moonchild. Overall, an interesting listen.
This is great listening
this record introduced me to one of my favorite bands, so yeah i'd say i like it! not my favorite of theirs, but hard to deny da classics
8/10 - Kæmpe Fan Ikonisk album af episke dimensioner. Er vild med de første tre numre samt det 5. og sidste (Hvis man ikke medregner bonus tracks), men Moonchild er for lang og stille til mig. Hvis jeg kunne rate albummet uden moonchild ligger vi nok på 9/10 (Track 1) 21st Century Schizoid Man: Perfekt sang til en get-hyped-playliste (Track 2) I Talk To The Wind: Smukt nummer! Fløjtesoloer er undervurderet (Track 3) Epitath: Aldrig har fortvivlelse lydt så smukt <3 (Track 4) Moonchild: Første to minutter - :)). Sidste 10 minutter - ZzzZzz (Track 5) The Court Of The Crimson King: Masterclass i dynamiske udsving. Prøv lige at vær lidt mere dramatisk
An album I've constantly heard about but never actually listened to. I would see it posted almost every day on /mu/. One of the better Progressive Rock albums I've listened to. Definitely better than any Yes or Nektar album I've heard... Might even be better than DSOTM, or maybe I've just listened to that one too many times.
Such a cool album. Upon my first listen, I thought some of the songs dragged on a little too long for what they were. There was a lot going on, and then a big pause or repetition before the song should’ve ended. However, with another listen, I don’t think any of these songs actually have that problem. Even though some of them do repeat a lot, they are so sonically interesting throughout and with their solos it doesn’t become boring at any point. The only song that I do feel like struggles with this is Moonchild. The beginning of the song sets up such a cool dreamy vibe and then completely changes into something that is basically unlistenable. I struggle with developing interest for a song when over half of it is ambience or uninteresting guitar. If there was anything I would change about this album, it would be Moonchild’s second half. Other than that, amazing. Mid-High 4 stars.
i was always under the impression king crimson were overrated as hell and that i didn't like them. are they overrated??? maybe, depends who you ask. but are they good??? yes they fucking are. this album does a lot and it does it well, i don't really know how else to word it
Some really lovely songs on here. There were definitely parts where it dragged and parts where it got a little squeaky for me, but overall I really enjoyed it. Not something I would normally listen to, but after listening to this I think I would listen again. Fav song: Epitaph Least fav: Moonchild
A few improv moments that went on a little long for me but otherwise shocked by how much I enjoyed this. I'd never heard of King Crimson before and I feel like I've fixed an important gap in my musical education. Favourite song: In The Court Of The Crimson King Least: Moonchild
Would've been a 5* if it wasn't for 'Moonchild'
Heard this one before, good album. Amazing for a 1969 release though.
The prog rocker that gets all the credit. It may not actually be the first, or the best, or any of the other nods it gets and ultimately gets dinged for. But it’s a good album. Hooky, hard and inventive. The middle suite gets a little too spacey before it’s reeled back in. But no matter what anyone says, this one goes hard.
Listening to 21st Century Schizoid Man and walking past Jackson Square felt pretty fitting. The lyrics are crazy, holy shit. Helmet Skelter sorta vibes, but crazier. I’ve never really appreciated this song as much as it deserves- it goes so hard especially for 1969. Some very cool passages (and dark tones) on Moonchild- those rolled off drums are ahead of their time. I didn’t listen to the bonus tracks. Not that I thought I wouldn’t appreciate this, but I enjoyed it more than I expected.
awesome. melodic hooks on 21st Century and the title track are historic. there’s way more mellow moments and balladry on this one than I remember. I always thought of this as one of their most raucous and straight ahead, which it is in some ways, but still very melodic and dynamic, experimental at times. flutes are gorgeous. the string mellotron on In the Court. what an absolutely massive track. feels monumental. I have Crimson records I like more but this listen definitely put this one up a few notches.
aw yeeaahh hell yeahhb baby king crimson awwww yeahhh crimson kingggg
Prog rock truimph
amo il sassofono.
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.
I think it's better than I first thought. I know songs that have sampled from this album.
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!
Good first time listen, surprised me how good, fresh sounding. 3.9/5
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
YESYESYES
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.
I liked this too so I guess I am softening on prog rock???
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
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
21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph In the Court of the Crimson King
21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph A Man A City
It's been a long time since I listened to this.
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:
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
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.
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!
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.
Muy bueno, adelantado a su época
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
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.
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.
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
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)
Really cooool. My brother's a big fan too.
Moonchild drags it down
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
The sound very full, and not as noisy as typical rock of the later 80s. Not bad!
Lovely
Pretty good!!
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.
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
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
Excellent for the most part apart from some pretentious noodling half way through that seemed to last forever.
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.
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 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
I had a great time listening to this
Listened to that shit already hella goated
Very psychedelic and vibes. Not a ton of variety, but good album.
Whoooooooo!!!!!!!
Would be a 5 if not for Moonchild sadly.
It was really good I liked it
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
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
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 ⭐️
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.
Better than colidplay
another magnificent prog gem.
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 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.
Good album, quite heavy for the time.
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
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.
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.
Seems like the spiritual predecessor to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
good, moonchild is a bit boring towards the end
i need more
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.
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 !
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.
8/10 really beautiful variety of jazz/rock music
Looooong songs BUT saved every single one. Big slay of an album; embarrassed to admit this is my first time listening to King Crimson
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
Oväntat bra
Generally, loved it. 4* because some moments here you probably had to be at the party to fully get it. Bloody good party though!
well that was kind of magical
So whimsical, it almost carries you away. Never heard anything quite like it, but I want more.
人声很少，满意！
Fire sample shout out Kanye
I like it. Would listen again probably only in album format
Low key a vibe
YES! but not the band YES!, good prog rock album
3.5 round up to 4
It’s prog in its purest
Class album except Moonchild which is shite. Great cover. Fuck Gary
Prog masterpiece
Good, but a bit boring
oh i LOVE this! The rollercoaster of instrumentals in the first track is awesome. Every single song in the album evokes a different emotion. Epitaph is a personal favorite - it's like a beautiful-sounding tragedy unraveling in my ears. good shit. There was no bad song. 8/10 - will definitely listen to this again!
Experimental, but really cool. Love the variety of song structures and instruments, and the drumming in particular too.
If there's one thing to critic about this album is that it has some freeform improv in the middle of it. Some of the best things in the genere you could hear besides that sore spot on it.
I still need to listen to it some more to gel, but I don't think this is the best King Crimson has to offer, despite what RYM says.
"In the Court of the Crimson King" by King Crimson is an absolute classic of late-60s and early-70s prog-rock. I honestly cannot remember when I first heard it, but I have listened to this album many times over the years and I still really enjoy it every single time. I am a big prog-rock fan in general, so this album naturally speaks to me. It has that perfect mix of ambition, atmosphere, and musicianship that defines the genre at its best. It also reminds me of other great prog albums from that era, like "Days of Future Passed" by The Moody Blues, both in mood and in scope. Fun fact: the iconic album cover, with the screaming face, was painted by Barry Godber, who was actually a computer programmer and not a professional artist. Sadly, he died just a few months after the album was released, making this painting his only widely known artwork.
I can hear how Bad Religion's 21st Century (Digital Boy) was inspired by 21st Century Schizoid Man. Some of this music was too far off the deep-end and some of it was really great. I really liked the way A Man A City really leaned into the jazz.
Super cool album, really liked the variety of sounds
Wow, I loved this. Shockingly I’d never heard of King Crimson until now, let alone heard this album so this was an unexpected delight and I look forward to delving into the rest of their discography. I’ve only stuck to 4* because I could have happily listened to double the length of this album. Oh no… do i like prog rock now?!
A landmark album, so I’m told, and I will say it definitely sounds newer than it is. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a little too chaotic - could have used a consistent bass line. It feels more meandering than schizophrenic. I Talk to the Wind and Epitaph are much better… moving and swelling in ways that feel beautiful and purposeful. And then there’s Moonchild. Never have I ever heard a longer stretch of directionless messing around on a record. The musical equivalent of doodling. It’s fine as background noise, but it’s not good. Finally, the Court of the Crimson King is the highlight of the record. Everything comes together (although there is a minute more of pointless noodling near the end that keeps it from being a perfect song). This record has some 5/5 moments and some 1/5 moments… but the good parts are so strong I still think it’s a light 4, and an album that I think could grow on me with repeated listenings.
Really fun, actually!
Can't believe I've never listened to King Crimson before, really good and didn't feel self-indulgent like some other prog albums on the list.
Älskar kaosig saxofon!
Det är ju tufft att följa upp öppningen som är 6/5 men är ändå imponerad från start till mål. Finns också nåt kaxigt inatt riva av den jäveln direkt och sen ba ta ner det. Bara lyssnat en gång på hela albumet sen innan och det växte denna gång.
Kan man ge nen femma på potential? Nä kanske inte. Kommer återkomma och kanske höja denna
I feel like such a pretentious fuck for loving king crimson as much as I do. But I do. They’re a phenomenal band that make phenomenal music, still it’s kinda worse than the last album I listened to from them
Jazzy-prog came moving in to odd time signitures at the tail-end of the 60s. It's by turns, mellow, angry, rifftastic, OTT and everything in between This album is a classic for a reason - and not just the album cover. Best Tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man; I Talk to the Wind; The Court of the Crimson King
Album 19 Top 3 favorites off the album: The Court of the Crimson King, Moonchild, I Talk To The Wind I'm feeling uninspired today, so another uncharacteristically short one. This was a good album. I like the blend of jazz and rock and such, and liked the variety in instrumental breaks. I think most tracks were the appropriate length, though a few came close to feeling almost excessively long (looking at you, Moonchild). Despite that, I found myself enjoying all the ground covered in those longer tracks. Overall, a good listen, and one I might occasionally come back to.
7/10
Легенда (хоча не мій улюблений альбом крімзон)
Some bits were a little too weird, but mostly awesome
music blend
veramente assurdo, decisamente originale. poche parole e tanta musica. influenze jazz. esperienza da fare, anche se non sono canzoni che ascolterei tutti i giorni
Great, heavy prog, good songwriting regardless.
saatana kuin pitkiä biisejä. Biisit on elokuvamusiikkimaisia mielikuvan maalaajia, oikein hyvin uppoaa tällaiseenkin paskiaiseen mitä minä olen.
This is a really good album. Its got some moments which feel self indulgent and tedious(most notably the hammy jammy section of the opening track and whatever was happening at the end of Moonchild), but the powerful moments make up for it IMO. Especially I Talk To The Wind (one of the best songs ever maybe) and the closing track's epic washes of mellotron and vocals. I'm pretty averse to prog but I think this album does a good job not fully succumbing to the genre's penchant for melodrama and nerdy wankery. Lyrically it can get a bit bardy at some sections but it's still relatable and poetic. The vocals are good. Good album
Epitaph 10/10 Court of the crimson king 10/10
Didn't fully click...yet
Epitaph y Moonchild fueron mis favoritas. Me parece un poco divertido el switch entre 21st Century Schizoid Man y I talk to the wind. Me gusto bastante este álbum, aunque para escucharlo tendría que estar en un mood bastante específico
חריף
After the generally 'meh' feeling inspired by previous albums in the 1001 albums book, this one blasted through my ears and made me feel a thousand things. Firstly, I felt a little bit of awe. I never realised that genres could fuse together so... majestically. I didn't quite know what to make of the first track apart from "woah". Then I Talk To The Wind came on and calmed it all down. The flute (was it a flute?) and then the brass (was it brass? I wish I actually knew something about music!) were mind-blowing. Epitaph is a bit more meh, and the reason this album is getting 4.5 stars. Moonchild feels a little like a lost out-take from an early Pink Floyd album, but I guess that's the genre. I know this is going to sound w***ily pretentious, but I... like it? The Court of The Crimson King feels faux grand with a merry go round interlude before the drums kick in. It sounds like a prog rock version of the Pentiment soundtrack (again, sorry to all music-knowers out there. This comparison is a bit meh). Will listen to the whole album again tomorrow because I need to meditate a little more on it.
Unsure about the first song. I appreciate it and think it's super cool, but it's not something I'd listen to it repeatedly. The rest of the album however is fantastic.
Awesome. Have it
it's super long for only having 8 songs. it's definitely an album that's perfect for background noise when you're working or cleaning. it's nothing too crazy but also sounds good to the ears. overall i'd give it a 7.9/10.
Very beautiful to listen to. I had no idea Kanye West sampled ‘21st century schizoid man’ for his song ‘power’. Some songs did feel a bit too long, because of the fact that there isn’t much versatility in jazzy instrumentals nearing the end of certain songs. Other than that, so damn good!!
Best!
A Czech friend made me discover this 29y ago, and it is still very good, there is so much happening in this music, it transports you places. I absolutely loved it! But, its not as good as I remembered it was. Hence, 4*.
Fun and somehow always finds a way to surprise you. Fantastic album.
Brilliant album Varied and interesting Listened to years ago but happy it was included in the list
10/10 album cover. Album is an all time classic, although I think I enjoyed Lark's Tongue in Aspic more. King Crimson are incredible!
A very solid album
The generator had a proggy classic Monday in mind for me and I'm pleased with it's decision. The ambient, empty ass middle section of Moonchild was probably my personal highlight, but the whole thing lived up to its rep.
The instrumentals are pretty good. Some of the songs sound like the soundtrack to a detective movie.
Very good, reminds me a lot of Pink Floyd which is one of my favorite artists
Listened and loved before, didn't listen for a long time. Not perfect but still great. Favorite track: Epitaph.
yeah, classicy classic for drinking beer and pretending to be smarter than you actually are 4.5
Never listened to this whole record. Much more jazz than I was expecting.
Fun album musically, but does not give the listener nearly enough to chew on to justify such a long tracklist. Album is bloated beyond belief, and holds bland instrumentation throughout
i like it. as much as it was a really old album, the beats of the songs gave me an old cartoony vibe idk why and some songs we honestly good. this an album i would listen to like once in a while tho to.
Ah, screaming man. You see this in every vinyl collection. It's grand and ambitious, but it's not consistently engaging enough for a 5. Epitaph is definitely a top 3 KC song though. Their heavier and more experimental expression through 1972-74 overshadows the years prior by a long shot. Best song: Epitaph Worst song: Moonchild Cover check: AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Excellent album. I have heard it several times before but this time I feel like I really gave it a chance and it finally clicked for me. There is a lot going on with the music, many different instruments are used to create a really interesting maybe a little whimsical at times work. It feels really cohesive too with the songs leading nicely from one to another even though all the songs have a unique vibe to them. This would be something I will put on at home when I have time to chill out and listen to a record.
What a wild ride. So weird, yet still approachable. Jazz elements...pop...rock...psychedelic. Big energy
I've seen this album on many top 10 lists and have given it a chance before. I didn't before reviewing but gotta say I don't particularly get their hype, not bad but again not a fav.
Brilliant, essential prog rock album.
talk to the wind epitaph the court of the crimson king
The album has a really good sound, needs to be listened to at a decent volume to really get into it
Really enjoyed this. Thought it was a good mix of interesting, intense, drama, and weirdness.
It's a big Proggy boy. Everyone knows the art. I had never listened to the entire thing before, even though I like Proggy boys. Some parts are too faffy and it lacks the emotional connection of Pink Floyd's best work, but it's good.
1. 21st Century Schizoid Man Kinda interesting almost silence at the beginning, I like the opening, ooh this is nice. Reminds me of like messier Cage the Elephant stuff. Dunno how I feel about the double time part, but the breakdown is really cool. Interesting squeally guitar part. I would like it, but it's almost a little too fast for the feel, just sounds a little rushed. I love the slower tempos a lot more. Very cool ending though, can't complain about the cacophony. 7.5/10 Mostly good, just a couple things that were a miss with me 2. I Talk To The Wind Don't know if the transition between the two songs is quite perfect, it feels like it could have been executed slightly differently, but still nice. But I like the this song, it's kind of floating, very contrasting to the 21st Century Schizoid Man. Beautiful double solo, very in-style and love the flute. Oooh the ending flute solo is absolutely peak. 7/10 I didn't have any above average feelings about this song, but it was still really beautiful and cool 3. Epitaph Okay I like the transition on this one, Epitaph is seeming really cool. This song is really soulful and I love it, nice and a little romantic while still being experimental and interesting. Love the little build in the middle of the song, gives a cool start to the change in it. I like the way it turns back to its original melody after the break, honestly this song is really cool. I like the drums near the end, seems fun for the drummer, maybe would like a slightly different tone on the kit, but eh. 8/10 Really cool song, soulful, love it's build, the middle section was a little less noticeable but still really cool 4. Moonchild Nice beginning to the song, very somber, I like it, tasteful. I really want this song to build like all get out. I like the time the King Crimson has taken with this song, it doesn't happen too fast, but there is always something that is happening, it's great. Love the random ride hits, they give the song a nice little bit of color, the slow guitar build is also great. Just beautiful. I try to like the random noise sections, but usually I just can't get behind them, they're too arrhythmical and just like some sort of noodling, with no clear purpose. Like the return to normalcy though, it's very refreshing actually, it's interesting how even though I don't like the arrhythmical stuff it still can add to the story of the song. 7.5/10 This song was really cool for the most part, it's just like the extremely progressive parts that get me, I'm never quite in the mental space to listen to stuff like that 5. The Court Of The Crimson King This is also a cool song, very good counter to the previous song, I like the feel too, dark, kind of feels medieval. The double(ish) time feel is much more applicable in this song, and I like it a lot more. Like the consistent use of flute throughout the album, makes the whole thing more cohesive. Honestly, I can see how all of these songs kind of go together, all the songs are very distinct but go together so well, in their own weird way, it's really cool. Pause, after that the little organ is kind of interesting, but I can kind of see how it fits? But I do like the little reprise after that, it's very triumphant. The little finish I feel was unnecessary, and a little random, but it does give a little bit of nice closure. 7.5/10 Really brought the whole album together and finished it strong, but I can't say that I was that extremely into the song, it was still great though I was honestly really scared that I wasn't going to like this album, but it surprised me and I thought it was great. The back half was definitely stronger to me than the front, but both were amazing. I liked the back half because it helped me see the picture of the whole album, and that was really cool to see. Overall the album wasn't revelatory to me, but that might just be the way I am. Solid 4/5, definitely a little more, but not quite perfect.
Enjoyed it way more than I expected! The fusion between jazz and rock was fenomenal
Listened on my laptop while reading/browsing Pinterest in the evening after a long-ish day of hanging out with Leo. This is one I've been putting off for ages, and have just gotten round to listening to thanks to this site. I'm enjoying it so far (about halfway through as I write this). Finished the album, loved it! Found the quieter pieces much more engaging than the noisier ones, but I guess that is just my taste.
Technically brilliant and way ahead of anything in its time. Very doomy in feel but with excellent production. A bit too noodly for me though. Favourite tracks are “Court of….” and “Schizoid”. 3.5 *
Pretty fun
Wicked album
Certainly did not knock my socks off but there was some really high quality jazz in here in between some sadly more mediocre songs. Favorites were A Man A City, The Court of the Crimson King, Epitaph, and 21st Century Schizoid Man
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. I’d only ever heard the first track, and I’m glad I finally sat through the rest. Great background vibe album
326/1089 - When working with slower rhythms it's usually hard to keep interest. One way of doing this is changing things up very slightly from phrase to phrase (an extra cymbal hit here, remove or shorten a note here, add an instrument for a second, etc.). You can also play random shit on vibraphone, guitars and drums for 10 minutes and sound like every BMus Composition Senior recital piece too which isn't as enjoyable. In the Court of the Crimson King does both.
Solid 4, ahead of its time and dripping in proggy goodness.
Enjoyed that one.
Good stuff. Court of the crimson king single is a belter of a song
One of those cases where I know it's five stars before the needle drops (editing from later: I guess I forgot about Moonchild). Just a joy to have an occasion to break this bad boy out. Though man that album art is a lot. Anyway, we'll see if I have further comments. Listening notes: -The start of this album is about as good as it gets. -We get a lot of the prog riffing where the band just does nonsense for way longer than makes sense. but here it works because they're just so good. Also I feel like I like prog more every year. -I think the first and last tracks here overshadow it, but Epitaph is dope as hell. -Apparently I totally forgot about Moonchild. Such wasted space in an otherwise perfect album. Can I give five stars when like a third of the runtime is this wet towel? -Love the fantasy allusions in the final track, prefiguring the centrality of fantasy lit in metal and prog that Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin would feature much more prominently. Review: This rocks, but I think I'm obligated to remove a star for Moonchild, a senseless wandering that wastes 12 minutes. No harm when I'm not paying close attention.
Very good songs. Short album. Would listen multiple times.
Loved "I talk to the wind" and "Epitaph". And the popular "21 Century Schizoid Man" is a recognisable classic. A great album, 4 stars.
Good album. I’d never heard a King Crimson album before, but I am familiar with Robert Fripp. This album surprised me. It’s apparently considered the first prog rock album, and it’s definitely in that genre. There’s a lot of instrumentation here outside the normal guitar/drums/bass ensembles of rock music. It’s very jazzy at times, and there’s a lot long instrumental, free-form jazz interludes. Having said that, most of the tracks don’t feel like they overstay their welcome. Short album, every song is worthwhile, although, some I’d prefer not to hit on shuffle on my drive to work.
zwüsched grandiose 5er track und 'chli zu weird'-2er tracks hets alles debi gha, aber willi epitaph sicher 7 mal glost han und de track fast scho d entdeckig vom november isch, gits im Durchschnitt guet gmeinti 4 ritter-schläg vom King Timson
It’s such a mood. I can see myself listening to the album again. The only right way imo to listen to this is listening to the whole album. I can’t see myself adding just one song to a playlist. YAY!!
I only recently started listening to more King Crimson (saw BEAT live and really dug it)... I'm no expert, but this is definitely a candidate for my favourite album of theirs.
Wow! Very cool album. Not sure I'll revisit immediately, but an enjoyable listen.
La naissance du prog apparemment. Donc le moment où c'était encore un style parfaitement acceptable.
For some reason, I had never listened to this project in full before. I really liked 21st Century Schizoid Man, but I think I was afraid of the other songs on the album being even weirder than that one if that makes sense. Or maybe I was afraid of the other songs not being on par with the opening track. Weird reasoning, I know, but I’m so glad this album was chosen for me and I finally gave it a listen. I’m not really a jazz or a prog rock girl, but DAMN, this album caught and kept my attention. These are some talented musicians and the songwriting is amazing. These lyrics are great too and are just full of imagery and meaning that resonates with me, especially during these crazy times. I love how this project can go from crazy to something magical and ethereal. I’m really glad I gave it a chance. I’m not even a fan of songs that have a long runtime, but I can easily sit through Moonchild even though it’s really weird. The ending is so pretty 😅. Idk, they did something right with this album. One thing is that maybe some songs are a little too long, but like I said, I can still sit through and enjoy them. Standout songs: opening track, Epitaph, and The Court of The Crimson King.
Menn som vase rundt på gitaran sine i halvanna evighet e sikkert gøy for folk, men kanskje ikke for mæ.
Enjoy this fragmented album. The concepts in this are undoubtedly experimental and they land some major influences here to my ears. Even the jollier instrumental sections with flutes and plinky plonks I enjoyed for its skill. It was a mastery of erratic yet melodic. It always maintained a composure which allowed the music to remain engaging and fluid while also having different tempos and themes. Really hard to rate as there are times that you feel you are listening to a backing sound rather than a set of music tracks. Then each track has its oddities and large length which make listening to distinct tracks an irrelevance. For its extremely interesting concept, I went back to for at least 4 times I have to bump it up to 4. Clearly so much to it. Very interesting find I have never heard of before.
This a little gem of an album is a slightly less mainstream but still well regarded English prog rock album that, although I was aware of, I'd never given a critical listen. It's really good and right up my street. Yeah it's got some pretty experimental bits that are a bit left field ('Moonchild' could be half as long without losing anything at all), but overall it's a great example of the genre that lots of people probably pass over to their detriment.
A proper prog rock album. This feels ahead of its time and a lot better than the 70s guff associated with prog rock. Only in the noodling of Moonchild does this become over indulgent. The rest of the songs are a good mix of slow and rockier tunes.
Good
For years and years, I've listened to "21st Century Schizoid Man." I knew it before Kanye sampled it. I've loved that song for its in your face size of sound, its inventive recording methods, and its insane, manic instrumental interlude. It's an absolute thrill ride of a track and is an incredible way to open an album. I actually thought to myself as I was listening to the opener that the next track would sound nothing like it. I was so glad to be right. It's almost a complete turnaround, honestly. No vocal distortion, no grand or in your face sound. Just a happy sounding, jazz flute, summer of love type sound. It's really pretty, and immediately shows this band's range. "Epitaph" is sort of in between. It doesn't go nearly as far as the opening track, but it does elevate the sound in terms of size and scale from "I Talk to the Wind." "Moonchild" is overly long. It's a pretty song, but the instrumental half is meandering and unnecessary. I really didn't need it and the album isn't better for it, in my opinion. The title track, though, is where it's at. What an incredible piece of music. It reminded me a little of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd, which would come in the middle of the following decade. The chorus on this song is almost hypnotizing. I want to hear it over and over again and still have it feel new. It's at once soaring and almost triumphant while also being haunting and dizzying. I really liked this album. I can forgive the second half of "Moonchild" but "Epitaph" is a snoozer for me. That brings it down to a still very solid four stars. What an album. And for the year in which it was released? I don't think anybody was doing anything quite this big or expansive in the late 60's. I'd be happy to be proven wrong. Standout Tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man, I Talk to the Wind, The Court of the Crimson King
I was raised as a Moody Blues fan since my mom was obsessed with them (im named after one of them afterall) - I swear "Epitaph" fits perfectly in "Days of Future Passed" and a lot of the rest of it sounds very Moodys too.
Interesting, exciting, and well composed. Not my favourite King Crimson album, but I can see why this works the best for many.
The Good: We are in the presence of royalty! The Bad: We aren’t sure if the kingdom is worth visiting… The Ugly: This rating having taken 1 month to write… Yes, it was a month ago that this album presented itself, and seeing as I’ve started paying closer attention to Prog music lately, I thought that I should give this album a critical listen so that I could hand with the cool kids… Thus, on the first spin, I was paying close attention and thinking that this wasn’t that bad at all… On the second spin, I don’t recall what I was thinking as I wanted to experience the album while cleaning my office… By the 5th spin I was starting to get confused… Yesterday, partially thanks to a weird jazz album, I thought I would give King Crimson another go… so here’s my thoughts: 4 songs that comprise the album of 35 minutes… I wasn’t able to finish the first song, and by the first minute of the second song I decided to play Stevie Wonder’s Song’s in the Keys of Life… For now, I know that I will have to listen to this several more times… which means that I need to give the damn album a 4*
I thought this album would be really boring based off the first two songs of it. The next thre were icnredibly cool in that boring prog rock way but they were super interesting too. I vibed supremely with epitaph, moonchild, the court of the crimson king, and the melody in 21st century schizoid man was very good. 4/5 stars.
8.7 - I was very impressed. I wasn’t expecting such a solid album. Very good musically and very good voice. Best: I Talk to the Wind (9.6), Epitaph (9.3). Worst: 21st Century Schizoid Man (8.2), The Court of the Crimson King (8.2)
Grand and experimental. Epic in both scope and execution, if not altogether perfect. Something as intricate and complex as this is must’ve blown people’s minds when they heard it for the first time in 1969.
My appreciation for King Crimson has continued to grow over the years. I’ve never been a super fan like many of my musician friends but I’ve always enjoyed occasionally diving into one of their albums. This is the one I’m most familiar with and so far has proven to be my favorite. An early prog album that really paved the way for the genre. “21st Century Schizoid Man” and “I Talk To The Wind” are my favorites on this one but really the whole journey is incredible. 4.5
La chanson d’ouverture est excellente! Ça rock fort. Beaucoup aimé la « ballade » Epitaph. Par contre Moonchild n’allait nulle part. Bon prog! J’ai mieux aimé que Yes.
This album was definitely an experience. My favorite had to be "The Court Of The Crimson King" because a) it had really cool melodies and b) it made me feel like I was in Alice and Wonderland or something like that. And then that whole part where it stops and then starts again at around 7 mins literally felt like I died and then was in the process of being recreated with little pixels coming back together. Then there was also "I Talk To The Wind," which just felt like a world of its own. That song is actually beautiful. For whatever reason, it makes me feel like being in a mystical version of Central Park (maybe it's the oboes??). When this album wasn't being a fantastical journey, it was just very strange and honestly kind of bipolar (sorry)...just because it would go from being very calm to literal alternative progressive hard punk rock that makes it very hard for me to believe this was released in 1969. But all around, a pretty cool album.
okay yea!! surprisingly yea!!!
'21st Century Schizoid Man' - Already pretty lost for words. Pacing is spot on, drumming is so chrisp, sax is wild, guitar is cool. That was fucking dope. 'I Talk to the Wind' - Took me by surprise, nice slow pace after a crazy awesome opener. Flute and percussion work well together. 'Epitaph' - Pink Floyd vibes, duh. Thumbs up for the foghorn stuff. Damn this ending is cool as fuck. Oooh Tinglessssssssss ok this is sick. Thought I was bored in the middle then it smacked me with that ending dayummmm. 'Moonchild' - Annoyingly I read already this was the 'worst' track so I hope im not swayed cos of that. I should be working rn dafuq. For now I am liking the 'interlude' kind of vibe. 2 minutes in thumbs up. I am listening to this on my laptop so I feel like the quality is hindered here. Babadumdum dingle dangle. I feel like listening to this in a forest would be so sick. As much as this writing appears to be ADHD asf, I feel like people who find this sort of stuff boring (when listening to an album) just have adhd. Ok tbf wtf is going on now hahahahaha. I must have adhd - wtf are they doing. They really put a cattapiller on the drums and told it to cook. Im fucking w it. Am I? Idek. Yeah I am now bored. Imagine analysing this lol. "Yo dude chill this conveys the crimson king's mindset its genius" sybau. OK.... its going places. Oh lmfao, it in fact did not. 'The Court of Crimson KIIIIIIINGGGG' - We are so back! this is fun. Harmonies are rousing. This fast hihat bit is cool. Flutes back. building... nice. I do think the lyrics can be a bit annoying - but then it hits that kingggggahhhhhh bit and all is forgiven. Hmmmm interesting album - definitely willl have to listen again to enjoy more. First track is totally awesome. Some bits are a bit samey but wow its highs are really high. I understand why it is regarded as such an influential classic. "greetings my lord - AAARRGGGHH"/10
Why do songs have to be 8-10 minutes long? It starts making me nervous and I could have done without Moonchild. Despite that....this album is pretty cool and super diverse. The whole jazz element colliding with rock, and then they bust out the flute?! Ain't that fun. Talk to the Wind is a very beautiful song.
Robert Fripp á mögulega bestu gítarinnkomur allra tíma, þá árin 1977 og 1980. Hér er hann, og bandið með honum, oftar en ekki í ljómandi góðu formi. Moonchild er svolítið langt og stefnulaust, en hin lögin eru öll alveg solid og stórgóð.
I can see why so many bands wanted to do this. This was a real musical journey. So many moments would suck in a vacuum. But in the context of the whole album they work in their place. For the most part, a good listen.
This is my second listen to this album, if you are a prog rocker this is a great piece. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a masterpiece. The rest of the album is a great blend of jazz rock fusion
8/10 At it's dynamically varied, inventive and virtuosic best, this album is absolutely magnificent. The smoothly pulsing ebbs and flows of the work take you on a real journey as the songs rush, stride and drift by. The drum work in particular is so strong. I just kept having my attention grabbed by little adornments and rhythms that were there for a moment and then gone, and it's all delivered with such control over the timing. In general, the musicianship is just wonderful and, with one particular exception, doesn't ever descend into self indulgence. That one exception is Moonchild, which does drift a little too much into avant garde farting around. That would be more forgiveable if the track didn't account for over a quarter of the runtime. Perhaps with a few more listens, loud, in a dark room, this would start to enchant me a little more, so I will give it that time at some time in the future. I can hear so many other bands who would follow in various parts of this, from Black Sabbath to Pink Floyd that it's influence is undeniable. I've heard this album a number of times before and it still manages to delight and surprise, something I'm always happy to experience. 21st Century Schizoid Man - This has got riffs for days. It varies between heavy and jazzy, driven and frantic. The speed and tightness of the playing is so good all round and they can so smoothly change tempo, it's super satisfying. Some of the ride cymbal rhythms really jump out at me as being of such high technical quality, in particular. And that cacophony that they wind everything up into is fantastic. I Talk To The Wind - There's more of a folky edge to this one and the flute work is just lovely. It's far more of a straight down the line song, but it's a great palate cleanser after the opener. It's such a nice vibe, but the drums keep the little hint of frantic yet restrained mania to provide a slight edge to things. Epitaph - This is a great song. It soars with a fantastic grandiosity and there's a deftness to the dynamic flow of the sections as parts come and go and the chord structures ebb and flow. But it's all narratively held together by the focal that anchors at all. Really nice. Moonchild - Back to something with a bit more of a folk edge, at least to begin with. It does drift quite a lot into very sparse, noodly sections that lose a bit of momentum. I think with focused listening in a dark room there's probably more in there, but it's not as engaging in passing as the rest of the album up to this point and it does drag on for quite a long time. It does, however, all come together into something very pretty by the end. The Court Of The Crimson King - This gathers up the highlights of everything on the album up to this point and blends it into a really satisfying journey of a song. The grandiosity, the dynamic and tempo ebbs and flows, and the virtuosity of the playing, it's all there. At points it's subtle, at others epic, but it's all woven together in a satisfying narrative arc
I really liked some of the trance-like passages in this album
Un poco sandwich inverso... La primera y la última son clasicazos históricas cojonudas, las canciones del medio un poco menos sustancia
I enjoyed it. It sounded very much of the era in a good way.
TWENTY FIRST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN
Good songs, long but good. Some more boring than others
Nicht meine Musik, aber durchaus nicht schlecht.
Boy I hate this album cover. Great album though
A classic which I have never heard, plus a horrific album cover, there is a reason I haven't listened to this fuck knows what it is! Great first song, years ahead of it's time! First song reminds me of some of the more progressive Sabs
Epic. Crazy. Wild. Especially for its time. It has all sorts going on and it does it all so well. All of the tracks are grand and ambitious in their own ways. I love the way the transition from the brutal, distorted, screaming of the opener to serene, melodic, melancholic of the second track. The flute is up there with some of the best ive heard in popular music. I didnt enjoy the second half of Moonchild, but aside from that this album is a stone cold classic. Favourite track - Epitaph. 8.5/10
Classic album from an amazing group of musicians
I love 70s prog so much. 60s prog was still getting there. This album obviously gets a ton of credit for laying the foundations for prog rock, and it deserves it. That being said, it leans a little hard on this sort of epic, cinematic balladry and loses me a bit in “Epitaph” and “Moonchild.” The first track is the best one and it’s a damn masterpiece, and my corny heart can’t help but embrace “I Talk to the Wind.” Beautiful hippie shit. The last track is pretty cool too but still doesn’t reach the heights of “21st Century Schizoid Man.” I love this album’s influence and what it represents but it’s not as good as what came after. Still, must-listen #229.
I like this record
This is an iconic album, despite the disturbing cover.
Prog rock, good variety
Superb prog psych rock classic
I like this. A bit on the progressive nerdy side for me but enough blazing rock in there to get the juices flowing. Richie and Margot seemed to like it.
Þetta kom á óvart og var bara drulluflott. Er þessi plata bara soundtrack manneskju með geðklofa?
Awesome album a pity they could not maintain the intensity.
So much novelness! And some real standouts, and - as ever - wonderful to hear the first time music did something. But to interrupt all that skill and bomnbast with some random improv noodling????!!! Really detracted from me, and is probably to blame for a lot of the prog out there that doesn't vibe with me
Fantastic, caught me by surprise having only known 21st century prior to my listen, loved it, but the bits(you know the bits) kinda sucked the air out a little too much for a full 5
I went in blind with this one, came out pleasantly surprised. Reminded me of the Morning of the Earth soundtrack.
Hell yessss
I always liked King Crimson, but they were never among my favorites. I think their highs are extremely high, but they tend to struggle with consistency. Case in point, going from Epitaph to Moonchild is probably one of the most steep quality drops I've heard in any album (not because the latter is very bad, but because the former is really good), and it's 12 minutes long—more than a quarter of the album. But Moonchild, despite begin by far my least favorite song on this album, still, in my opinion, has the best lyrics and vocals (maybe on par or slightly behind the title track, though). KC kind of just like having some parts where nothing happens in their songs, of which I'm not a huge fan, and Moonchild is the most egregious example. Like, they're so good individually but for some reason don't always manage to showcase that together at the same time. If only they could combine all of their talent in one song and call it Starless or something. But that would never happen. I am also not a huge fan of I Talk to the Wind, but I can't say it's a bad song—it just doesn't fit my preferences, being too quiet and laid back. The three other songs, though, are incredible. I think this album is imperfect and at this point slightly dated, but it created what is, in my opinion, the most consistently exciting genre of music ever. This album sort of puts the music industry as a whole into perspective for me. Like, it came out in 1969. Every time I listen to a mediocre rock album released in the 70s onwards, I always think, “Seriously? This came out after prog became a thing?” The genre whose whole idea was to attempt to introduce new concepts into rock created a lot of unique and exciting music, it turns out. I’m a big proponent of the theory that art only gets better over time. It is like science, in a way. Artists discover new ways of creating stuff, and newer generations, as well as benefiting from technological development, get a bigger pool of knowledge to draw inspiration from. But although there have obviously been numerous great albums released since In the Court of the Crimson King, the vast majority of music still can’t catch up to the greatness achieved by prog musicians in the 70s. The reason why probably boils down to commercial appeal, of which prog has none. It is widely regarded as “challenging” music, although I never understood why. For me, progressive rock never forced me to think about the complexities of its composition or whatever to enjoy it and just sounded great. But I digress. I guess most people tend to stick to what’s popular and never go out of their way to find something new because of the “if it’s popular, it has to be great” mentality. And musicians, when seeing this, might be inclined to replicate that popular sound to reach a wider audience, so music ends up staying stale. It probably wasn’t that big of an issue back when people had to buy music. Now that music is virtually free and consolidated basically in a single library (with minor variations between providers), we have a very easy metric of popularity, like the amount of streams on Spotify. Using that, people may dismiss everything that doesn’t reach their arbitrary boundary of popularity, and it reduces the chance of up-and-coming musicians to discover that music too and drawing inspiration from it. Yes, music creation is also a lot more accessible now, but only 1% (if not less) gets any amount of fame, so I can't necessarily say that there are more active "big" artists when before. I don’t know how to conclude this. I’m stupid. Don’t listen to me.
Kinda good kinda odd
Great stuff. Wish this came up in the winter because I feel like it would play much better than on a beautiful sunny day (like today)
meget funny! fede taktarter og spændende dynamikker i løbet af albummet! Jeg synes helt klart det er et album man kan høre en gang imellem, men det kommer nok ikke i min faste rotation.