In The Court Of The Crimson King

it's king crimson, a group that embodies progressive rock and it could never gone wrong

Very impressive. Needs more listens, but so far really enjoyed "21st Century Schizoid Man"

its a fun album. I like their other one and I like this one. 4 stars.

its a classic, eye opener,

4.25

Oh, I liked this. I like the similarities between this and the Moody Blues (which came first, I don't care - give credit to whoever it is - I just like the way it sounds). 4/5

En av pelarna för musiknördar. Aldrig velat se mig som en men är omöjligt att säga att detta är något annat än fantastiskt

Not sure why but I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Cult album. Quite popish for progressive rock. At a certain point it becomes quite boring.

First side is better, second side is a bit too experimental

Very good

One of the classics, for good reason. Moonchild is a little bit filler-ish, but there are plenty of amazing moments to make up for the few lackluster ones

Not much to say and do it justice. Amazing album that does not get stale. It is, I think, too different of modern day, I want to say punk rock, but I do not feel confident in the characterisation. Too different as in, nothing compares. No album realised in 2025 can be like this one. It, too, has a nostalgia factor in it, even though I only knew of parts of each musical piece. I have to say that it is an instant save and a respectable choice for the "Hall of Fame"

well i liked it!

Incredible prog rock, this album deserves the acclaim it gets. Very approachable yet avant garde at the same time. My want to increase the rating on a repeat listen. The album really felt like a journey more than just music which is what I want from prog rock

4.5

Never heard one thing they've done. I love this. I will listen to more now. It's long, a bit over an hour, and only 8 songs but worth listening to.

An essential progressive art rock album which also packs an unusual punch. A great mix of bombast and melancholy accentuated by Peter Sinfields imaginative, unnerving lyrics. Save for 'Moonchild', I think this album offers something for those who are not necessarily sold on Prog Rock.

Quite nice

The songs that are songs are pretty good.

Molto bello

Yes. This is the origin of progressive rock, an it is very avant guard, experimental, genre fusion, etc. It is also pretty amazing. I admit that I don't understand what is going on, but I also can appreciate what is here in my limited capacity.

Brilliant album ruined by 12 minutes of literal silence in the middle

Quite groovy and enjoyable. Prog fun

3.8 2x not what i was expecting. cool jazzy album

This is a quintessential prog rock album. Very good!

Experimental and fun .

Title song is masterful. Great band behind this album.

This one had me feeling like I Talk to the Wind.

It was really interesting. Trippy

Really enjoyed some of this, awesome stuff

Pretty good actually. New to me but i enjoyed all of this and really got into some of it. Some great tunes here and clever use of wind instruments. Very good progressive rock album indeed

Somehow this all holds together, despite the sprawling, monstrous ambition and maximalism of the approach. Opener is dull and dumb, but everything else "I Talk to the Wind" and "Epitaph" are good, particularly the vocals on the latter. Musically, it's interesting and maybe not as altogether out there as its reputation suggests. "Moonchild" and title track are slightly less good, mainly long. Cover art is dumb and not at all representative, which one believes it should be, especially for a record like this. Overall, however, history seems to have been kinder to this album that some other KC outings.

Screamy man screamy man! If you collect vinyl you know this is a prog rock all timer, how have I not listened to it before? This was epic. The only track I didn't like was the boring ahh Moonchild, only reason I brought this down to four stars. Maybe I'm just not high IQ enough to enjoy it.. but I was bored. Every other tune was a pleasure to listen to. I thoroughly enjoyed and will be revisiting this album for years to come. Now I just need to get it on vinyl.

I just want to say that this is my favourite album cover of all 1089 albums. I'm really not sure why, but it's obviously a striking, jarring, memorable piece of art. Anyway, I liked this more than I was expecting to, given that it’s prog! Pleasantly surprised by this one.

Great album but it lost me near the end. Moonchild was simultaneously the best and worst song on the album. 21 century schizoid man is a great name.

hey that was actually pretty good. it felt less indulgent and silly than a lot of other prog that i’ve heard, much more dynamic…these guys know how to edit! i know this is revered as one of the best albums of all time and i suppose i don’t have any reason to dispute it, but i also don’t think i’ll become obsessed with it anytime soon…i quite like robert fripp’s guitar playing on a lot of other songs out there in the world (especially on ”hammond song” by the roches AKA one of the best songs ever recorded) so that tracks.

I liked thaaaaaat. I feel like prog rock is very hit or miss for me (see: Pink Floyd 😀 vs Yes 😐) but this was cool and experimental and interesting, and ultimately not too drawn out. The songs were long but they didn’t feel long because the different movements/”suites” within each one felt dramatic and necessary rather than overkill. The sound of this album has an edge to it that I really enjoyed. But at the end of the day I’m still biased and will choose the Kanye sample as my favorite track because I do think that stands out compared to the rest, even though the album ended really well. *Best tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man*

Love the first and last songs

What a bold album to release as your debut. Feels very ahead of its time for an album released in 1969. Cracker of an opening song. Talk to the wind - nice. The meandering components of songs like moonchild where there's extended periods of meaningless noodling gets very tiresome - like I get this is a prog album but seriously... It's memerorable only in it's ability to create irriration in the listener. Besides that lull in the middle, a strong album. 4/5. The court of the crimson king is such a breath of fresh air after the snoozefest of moonchild.

The album is one of the earliest and most influential of the progressive rock genre. 1969. Distorted vocals, great guitars and drums. Almost sounds like Jazz, super lively. DNA of a lot of later bands and music. Very abstract at times, then back to very traditional prog rock. Ambitious album.

Surprisingly enjoyable.

While it had its moments of getting way too noodly, I get the hype for this one. Very much ahead of it’s time for progressive/experimental rock

前摇的神，无需多言

Liked this more than I thought. Really grew on me. Started a bit weak and then got into it at the end. The song The Court of the Crimson King rips.

Really enjoyed, it was a bit mad but I liked it

Despite being an avowed prog fan, I've never listened to this and never tried to get into King Crimson, always telling myself I'll give it some dedicated time later. That time is now! Unsurprisingly, I really enjoyed it! Not much to say other than it was a great time, just slightly losing me when it gets a bit more free jazz than I'd like. Will definitely listen again.

A landmark prog album. There's nothing really like it. God I love the drumming. All amazing except the 10 mins of pointless noodling on side 2. It's a 5 otherwise.

Second album de KC généré dans la liste. Je l'avais écouté une première fois fin 90, sans vraiment accrocher sauf sur 21st Century Schizoid Man. Et cette opinion moyenne est restée. Depuis j'ai découvert le jazz, et d'autres album de KC, en particulier Red que j'ai plus apprécié. Mais pour moi la révélation a été le DVD 'Eyes wide open' que j'ai trouvé vraiment fantastique. Ce premier album me parait maintenant bien plus intéressant, l'instrumentation, les improvisations très libres et les harmonies originales m'ont finalement conquis. Je ne lui met cependant pas la note maximale, la période avec Trey Gunn étant de mon point de vue la meilleure dans la vie du groupe. => 4.5/5

This is exactly the type of record I’m into. Beautiful, gentle compositions with complementary vocals in well-choreographed frequency. It’s reminiscent of a very good movie soundtrack. Well sequenced and seamless as a listen. This one is really nice.

This was really cool. Need to give it lots of relistens.

good listen, not my style rn but its quality is always enjoyable as the titan for progresive rock it was and it is

If you like prog rock at all this is fundamental for understanding where bands like rush and genesis got their influence from. It’s such a beautifuly composed debut album full of jazz and experimental drawn out compositions. Even moon child which is a huge change of pace holds its own. Also, Kanye even reused the iconic 21st century intro… says enough. 4.5

I’ve heard the album before, and enjoy it. I just don’t think it lives up to the first listen.

“Nice argument. However, I have depicted you as the schizoid man and myself as the crimson king.” “Moonchild” was weird huh.

Pretty good album, I know I’ve seen/listened to some of this but not straight through. There were some times where the mix levels felt off, like the drums were too loud in relation to vocals, etc.

Half of this is a magnificent prog rock album. The other half is trying to be, but not quite getting there. Sure, it may be one of the first, if not the actual first properly prog rock albums and therefore you can justify it taking a while to find its feet, but objectively, this album finishes way stronger than it starts.

Fantastical, and jazzy at times, it's a incredibly fun listen... Experimental and patient too, love the drawn out middle on Moonchild, what a special song

been meaning to listen to this for a long time so i’m glad i got the opportunity! i like some prog but it’s not like my favorite genre or anything, obviously very cool to hear the source of so many samples. i can appreciate the technical merits without wanting to revisit it, and nothing else on the album really comes close to matching that first song imo. but a great time!

Gives me jethro tull vibes, I quite like

already listened to this album, but its a very solid album nice precursor to gybe lol

I was so close to giving this a perfect score, but then the latter half of Moonchild left me feeling irritated and impatient. It got a little too weird and wacky there for me. Outside of this, I love this album. It denies being held within only one genre and walks around between prog rock, folk, and straight up jazz. This album is an easy recommend.

Meant to snag a picture of who this influenced and send it to Jesser. Cool album with a good amount of notable inspirations for other bands to come.

I have enjoyed this album a lot; however, Moonchild really lets the album down by having 10 minutes where nothing much happens which made me feel bored.

Liked it, then didn’t, then did… Some of this was so good and other parts were so-so. Hate the album cover. Overall for me, probably a 3, but I think it’s deserving of a 4.

How did they cook this up in 1969 Would be a 5 if not for Moonchild

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: 21st Century Schizoid Man, I Talk To The Wind, Epitaph, The Court Of The Crimson King Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Was expecting it to be a lot less accessible due to its reputation as a cliche audiophile pick. When they remember that they're recording an album it's awesome, if Moonchild was like 5 minutes shorter this would probably be a 5.

Man kan i stort sett höra resan från Beatles till Black Sabbath hända i realtid. Inspelningen är som vanligt helt fläckfri. Musikernas förmåga lika så. Stundtals blir det bara konstigt och delar av albumet tillför inget annat än ett tidsenligt utlopp av drogkreativitet. Överlag, en bra platta.

Classic Prog Rock album. Had only ever heard 21st Century Schitzoid Man so it was good to hear the whole album.

Mad

Never heard of this but I really enjoyed the album

4.5☆/5 10.07.2024

Really really enjoyed it. Like pink Floyd, the Doors and the Beatles had a weird 3-way baby. Moonchild was the only track to let it down

Loved 21st century schizoid man and epitaph. Enjoyed the quirky psychadelic tinge

Probably overhyped but still great. Basically sounded like the Beatles writing a 40 minute long Bond theme on LSD 21st Century Schizoid Man is such a good song 4.25/5

Unsure if it was the fumes because I was painting whilst listening but very enjoyable, epitaph and crimson in particular

4.5

4 of the most legendary and timeless prog rock and music rock songs of all time. Plus Moonchild.

Second to last song loses me but everything else is sick. Big fan of this album and what it did for prog rock.

A good beginning but later albums like Starless and Bible Black really capture them better.

Thought this was pretty cool - lots of similarities with Tull. Funny to hear the Kanye sample source here. Fripp also played guitar on the Eno/Byrne record - this was better!

Big nostrils on that guy. So nerdy but a lot of cool songs and the improvisational one reminded me of Tom and Jerry

More prog. Why do critics love prog so much I can see why this was so influential, most of the tracks are epic and create a grand sound. I like the softer track I Talk To The Wind as well as the rocking ones. Moonchild is rubbish though so it's a 4/5 for 4 good tracks out of 5

Proper prog done proper. It does get a bit over-weird (Moonchild's second half could do with getting back in its box) but otherwise really good.

Classic. It’s somewhere between Zappa and Jethro Tull in a very very good way.

Always love finding the sample source to newer songs. Very cool album

Great experimental album really lets the drums shine on track 1. Moonchild feels like it got away from them.

For a 5-track (long-ass tracks) prog rock jazz odyssey this is surprisingly accessible. It's actually a gas.

Overall, I really like it!! I realize I haven’t listened intentionally to a whole lot of 60s music aside from the Beatles! So I could definitely hear some similarities in themes and even in the melodies and the mix of instruments that reminded me a bit of some Beatles songs. Over all, it felt like a super cohesive album, like the sonic story was so distinct. When I listened without looking, sometimes it was hard to know when the songs would end/the next one would begin! I loved the use of woodwinds, especially flutes in “I talk to the wind” and sax in “21st century schizoid man” 🎷 I could hear a lot of rock as well as jazz in the album! I loved a lot of the lyrics, I think they seem to be quite political a lot of the time, which can be hard to interpret as I’m so removed from the politics of the time. But from what I read online, there might be some anti-Vietnam war commentary on here, and some anxiety about the direction humanity would be heading. A lyric that stood out: basically the entirety of Epitaph, but maybe in particular, the line “will no one lay the laurel wreath when silence drowns the screams?” Haunting, and really sharp. I’d interpret it as commenting on the sadness and confusion of war, how there is longing for it to be over and to “win,” but there’s also this dread in knowing that when the violence is replaced by silence, victory may not matter the way they thought it would.

Prog rock makes for good listening. Not my fave though

21st century schizoid man is holding this album up by itself. Influence cannot be d denied, though it gets a bit slow in the middle.

Particolare, non lo comprendo, ma bello.

cool sound with great, dramatic instrumentals. the songs are just a little long for my taste

Excellent and not at all what I thought it would be

Love this album

Really cool, inventive album. I listened to the original album version. It starts off insanely strong, and it’s weird that it takes a much more subtle turn after 21st century schizoid man. I loved the 5 song album structure, and I thought epitaph was also phenomenal, but the other songs fell a little flat. Maybe it was the 20+ minutes of avant garde sound making that they slapped onto the songs. There’s a 12 minute song here that could EASILY be 4 minutes, it’s just sound making after that. Either way, almost an insanely good album, gotta bump it down to just really interesting.

Talk To The Wind is lovely.

Classic

Banging album. Definitely one to sit down and listen to, as opposed to a casual listen. Really loved how the varied instrumentation across the album kept the songs feeling varied.

Pretty cool all in all My problem with prog rock is theres always something to ruin it for me 2 minute flute solo being the issue here

I liked this very very much. I can definitely tell Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues were highly influenced by this band. I enjoy the richness of this album. There's a lot happening here, yet I don't feel overstuffed. It's a musical feast for the senses. I also learned that Kanye sampled 21st Century Schizoid Man - is there any genre West didn't sample? Anyway, I will definitely revisit this. I am a fan.

Always wondered why this was so popular with borrowers at the library I worked in, now I know.

4.5 great prog goodness

The album that arguably may have spawned prog rock. 21 century and ourt of king crimson are absolute classics. I talk to the wind feels out of place and moon child is 12 minutes of noises. If it weren't for those two tracks it would be a 5.

If no one man should have all that power, how did the majestic Crimson King acquire these weapons of mass percussion?

very beautiful....if you skip the first track. the range of emotions I felt during is truly difficult to encapsulate in one word so have a few. acceptance, fear, shock, annoyance, etc.

Music is an interesting thing. With 50+ years of hindsight... yes, this style has arguably been done better elsewhere, and yes, this arguably isn't even among the best albums that came out in 1969. But, without any hindsight, this album must have felt super unique and interesting when it came out. And it does still hold up today - particularly, 21st Century Schizoid Man is a jam. In historical context, this is a 5/5. Today, probably a 3/5. So, averaging out, I'll call it a 4/5.

Wow - this was really good. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t quite this. Definitely not the generic psychedelic rock I sometimes assume when an album is from the 60s. Every track is unique and good in its own way; there are elements of prog rock, folk, and improvised jazz, and the whole thing has a mysterious, otherworldly atmosphere. One of the rare albums where I listened to the whole thing a second time right after it ended. I’m stingy with my 5*s, but this is a high 4. Favorite tracks: Epitaph, 21st Century Schizoid Man

Oh wow! This blew my mind! Looking forward to many more listens

Amazing debut album, it's like King Crimson emerged fully formed and mature.

Interesting sound...not sure how to feel. Music used is great buy long tracks aren't my favourite

Fun album. I wish I liked it a bit more, and maybe I would on repeated listens, but as it is, it's only "very good" 3.5/5

I liked this. I should relisten to Lark’s. 3.6

not a big jazz fan, which makes it inaccessible to me. production is good, but i prefer poppier jazz such as steely dan. 4/5

When going into this album, I did not know what to expect as I hadn't listened to very much stuff from the time period with the exception of The Beatles. The first track, 21st Century Schizoid Man, was a great introduction with its memorable but chaotic sound throughout. I talk to the wind was next, and it was my favourite song in the album all the way until the end, I love the calming nature of it in stark contrast to the first song. The third song, epitaph is quite similar to I talk to the wind, and really helps strengthen the middle of the album. Moonlight, however, was the low point of the album for me as I found it quite forgettable and its length did not help as I believe 12 minutes is too long for any song. However, the final song, the title track, did make up for it and is my favourite track on the album, I love just about everything about it from the instrumentals, vocals and the rhythm. Overall, I rate this album 8.5/10, as it was similar to what I've listened to before while different enough to offer something completely adrift from what I've previously encountered, while also having several incredible tracks that I will remember for years to come.

I liked this a lot, it sags a little in the middle, which is the reason I'm not giving it 5*, but there's a lot a good things going on here. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a great start to the album. On Spotify, the only version that is available is a remastered version with bonus tracks that add nothing to the overall experience - which is frustratingly common with older albums, but I'm not marking it down for that.

This is cool. Looking forward to checking this out. Truly never listened to this artist, I know how legendary they are. This is great.

A good album, I liked 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitah and The Court of The Crimson King.

Awesome.

Thoughts before listening: This is a massive prog rock album that gets praised highly by those who like prog rock. I tend to enjoy prog rock although it can sometimes be a bit over the top for me. I definitely know the title track to this album, and I'm pretty sure I have listened to the whole thing before. I'm sure I'll enjoy this. Review: Oh yeah....I've heard this before. The opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" is as well known as "The Court of the Crimson King", especially with the refrain being sampled by Kanye West on "Power". These are both powerful songs that push a lot of my musical buttons, as does "Epitaph". As a whole, this is definitely proggy, and there are some parts that get a little out there for me, but all in all its an enjoyable listen. 4-stars

Surprisingly good

Listened Before? N I've been meaning to get around to these guys for years, and never have. This album is pretty damn amazing. Contemporaries of Pink Floyd, they use a lot of the same techniques and lyric structures. I really enjoyed this and will revisit. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: The Court of the Crimson King

Beim ersten Reinhören dachte ich, das wird nichts. Aber das ist ja genau der Charme des Progressive Rocks, das er sich entwickelt und verändert. Entweder man hat die Zeit zuzuhören oder es gibt keinen Zugang.

....

I often see a lot of praise for King Crimson, but this was my first time listening to them. Most of it wasn't what I expected, but it's quite nice. I can do without the second half of Moonchild though (The Illusion). That's a bit too experimental for my tastes.

Very interesting

So famous, and yet I'd never heard it before nor really paid attention to who was in the group. I enjoyed it, and it brought home to me just how much happened in pop music in the 60s - from where it started, to the amount of experimentation that was going on by the end of the decade, is incredible (and nicely set up the 70s, when pretty much every genre we have today seems to have been established). Anyway, I did enjoy this, I can hear that it influenced many others; prog rockers of course but also I thought of early Roxy Music, and also (to my surprise) quite a bit of Bowie's Man Who Sold the World. Of course it's a bit daft but I don't mind that. Can't decide between 3 and 4 but I'll be generous.

Bookended by two of the greatest prog rock songs ever.

В музыкальном плане прям понра

I think the first time I heard of this album was when watching "Children of Men" as this album is featured as contraband. The album art is worth a star by itself. I've come to realise I don't really like progrock but this is an exception. The first and last track have really cool riffs. "I talk to the wind" a killer flute solo and though I've never appreciated it before, "Epitath" is pretty cool too. Only dud, and what a dud it is, is "Moonchild". Cool album where you can see many other artists took inspiration from. I think it deserves a 4.

4/5 tytułowa piosenka nie aż taka dobra, ale 21st century schizoid man bardzo dobre

no one man should have all that power

I thought King Crimson was a heavy metal band. Psychedelic jams were a pleasant surprise although the vocals were a little too goody goody, sounded a lot like America. The music was fun but the entire album needed more grit.

This is a Mateen album.

21st Century Schizoid Man (including Mirrors) 4 I Talk to the Wind 4 Epitaph (including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" 4.2 Moonchild (including "The Dream" and " The Illusion" 2.8 The Court of the Crimson King (including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets" 4 Score: 3.8

Much better than the other one (Aspics). Seems less prog, still lengthy songs, but better instrumentation.

Very good. Whimsical, and instrumentally intricate. Prefer Close to the Edge tho

4.5 favorite: epitaph least: moonchild is the reason this isn’t a 5

Very good

Enjoyed this one. Not my favorite King Crimson album, but still great.

Funny thing keeps happening. I press play on the album, then immediately I find myself at the end. Looking at the clock, I can see that the time has passed, but don't remember listening to the songs. How does that work?

It certainly doesn’t feel 50+ years old. Could be 10 years old I wouldn’t know the difference.

Ok Picasso

21st century schizoid man epitaph the court of the crimson king

Another first. Loved it. Had no idea 20th Century Schizoid Man was them.

Favorite Tracks: The Court Of The Crimson King 21st Century Schizoid Man

Omg

I should have liked this album more than I did. There was a lot of well played, varied music on there and they explored a bunch of interesting ideas, but the quiet parts were too long and too quiet for me - I lost interest and it was hard to pick it back up. Still a very interesting album though

the defining progressive rock album. their lineup completely changed after this album and they never made an album as solid as this one. Greg Lake's vocals are on point and mesh well with Fripp's guitar. Moonchild is the lone weak song.

I really liked it, sounded smooth and had style

New to me prog rock. Pretty good as that kind of thing goes.

Only notes, can’t rate for some reason

Some albums are best experienced and appreciated windows down and blazing down the highway, while others need 100% focus with over ear headphones in a recliner (and maybe some Indica). This album definitely falls into the latter category. 21st century is a jam, to say the least. So many layers anchored by some complex and well thought out drumming. The middle three tracks are slower and more mellow for sure, but still brightened up by creative back beats, and symphonic elements. This album is a journey, with the two strongest tracks anchoring the start and finish. I can see why it is acclaimed for its influence and associated with the prog greats. There is a lot of ground breaking styles and experimentation going on here, enjoyable listen.

Man I so wanted to give this a 5-star, but a slight downgrade most likely due to long moments of space or too much avant-garde here and there. But still, it’s impossible to argue that this band and album were not part of the foundation for many prog bands soon to come from Jethro Tull to Gentle Giant to Rush to Dream Theater and beyond. The precision and execution are truly mind bending. The drumming alone on 21st Century Schizoid Man merits its own discussion. And what many have probably written off as pretentious and random overall is anything but that. It’s calculated next level stuff that at many times is hard to comprehend.

Oof, this is a tough one for me. I legit love me some 21st Century Schizoid Man. Shit goes hard, y'all. The rest of the album can't really match that greatness, but there's still some solid stuff...and also long sections of beeps and boops, which can make for a challenging listen. My mind is telling me this is probably a 3* album, but my heart wants to give it 4* for the first track and its influence on Prog Rock (even though I'm not exactly sure what Pro Rock truly is). The heart wins out today. 3.75/5

I was unexpectedly surprised by this album. 3.75 if quarters and halves were allowed.

Not usually a huge prog rock fan but I really liked this album! Favorites were ‘I talk to the wind’, ‘the court of the crimson king’ and’21st century schizoid man’. I can definitely see how this sound influenced Pink Floyd.

Red is better

pretty nice

Don't ask me why I haven't heard this album before today. You'd think being the progressive rock fan I am (i.e. I love Pink Floyd and two/three Yes albums and don't hate ELP) I'd've heard this sooner. But, no. Blame it on the thing's overwhelming popularity, blame it on the fact that I wouldn't be able to have its cover shown on Last.FM... Most likely, blame that I just never got around to it. Whatever reason, it doesn't matter. I've finally gotten to this album, and, boy, am I glad I did. This is some premo-prog rock. Seriously, every song (save maybe one) scratches that exact itch. From the bombast of "21st Century Schizoid Man", to the way it quiets down for "I Talk To The Wind", to that Mellotron riff on "The Court Of The Crimson King". An exception aside, I don't feel there's a moment wasted. Impressive for an album where the shortest song of five is **six minutes**. (And that one exception, by the way, is "Moonchild". That's not an unpopular opinion, I hear; most fans of this don't like how "Moonchild" just... Doesn't end. I'm aware there's a remix by Steve Wilson that chops off two minutes and fans prefer that version—but that's besides the point. I'm not into all the free improv, in short.) In fact, "Moonchild" dragging on as long as it does is the only reason I'm not awarding this album a 5. Believe me, otherwise it completely deserves a 5. I mean, with how it lives up to being the codifier for prog? You bet your entire ass. But... Eh. If the remix were the version I listened to, maybe. In any case, I'm just happy to finally have this one under my belt. And I should actually go listen to other prog albums, too. Like THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY or... I'unno. TARKUS? I meant to get around to that one but never did. Maybe with this album on my mind, I can—... Eh, later.

schöne Bombast- und Eso-Rock Band aus den 1960ern

Epitaph and TCOTCK only good tracks

Loved this even if it gets a bit slow at times. It has all the markings of a great prog album but also isn't afraid to veer into other themes and genres. I can see why this is a classic. Standout Tracks: 21 Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph

Where has this album been my whole life? I LOVED THIS! Peak the Kanye sample.

Very helpful to put this in context. This is 1969. This is when the White Album came out. Really ahead of its time, and I always thought this was a little later, like maybe ‘72. I’m a fan of prog because I enjoy the composition of it, and the lack of pop structure.However, I very much feel the gaping hole where the soul and the warmth is missing. That said, I do feel a visceral response to the final track, which is powerful. Great album no matter how you slice it though.

really fun and creative album, especially considering it came out 1969 - big fan of it and the creativity it sparked on everything from Kanye to future prog rock.

I can see why this music influenced so many. Just sparse and captivating.

Epic, impressive that this was recorded in the 60s. Maybe a bit too much flute in the second track. Classic prog rock drumming throughout the album which is very prominent. 4.5

Another four

3.5

If I have one major complaint of this record, it is pacing. It knows how to take a song that grooves super hard, and immediately superglue a brick to the brake. It's a very impressive record, aside from aforementioned pacing and the, dare I call it, "studio noise" during "Moonchild". But man, it really hits a lot of the right notes. Favorite tracks: "21st Century Schizoid Man", "I Talk to The Wind", "Epitaph"

Great album to start with. Something I would never have chosen to listen to and I really enjoyed it. Great to get away from the same old.

Well for me, this is the acceptable end of the progressive rock spectrum and I have something of a soft spot for this album from my student days (when it was only 7 or 8 years after release. The cover is a classic - look at the panic in the eyes!. Anyway, I can give this a strong score not just because I kind of like it but because it was a pretty influential album.

A classic. Nothing is as fun or as bonkers as the opening track, I was losing my mind the first time that I heard it. I love the punchiness of the drums, especially the snare, even if the technicality doesn’t match the Bruford years. (4.5/5)

4.5/5 Really solid album, def one of the psych rock/ art rock bests and the instrumentation is sublime, amazing album

Really enjoyed the vibe of this one. Listened to it on a rainy day and it was perfect.

I know of King Crimson but can't say I know any of their songs. If you like prog rock, you undoubtedly love this album. If you aren't a prog rock fan, I think you'll still appreciate it as very good. I'm in the latter camp. For me, it's the mixing of sounds that is so interesting and cool. It gives it a medieval sound. And so a lot of credit to Ian McDonald's work on the flute (I Talk to the Wind), sax (21st Century Schizoid Man), and Mellotron (Moonchild) among other instruments (so many on Epitaph and the title track). Robert Fripp's plucking and playing on guitar also gives it that vintage allure and there's something about Michael Giles' timing and dexterity on the drums. The lyrics are pretty good too (really make you think), which I should hope given that Peter Sinfield's only job was to write lyrics. I can't say I noticed Greg Lake's bass all that much but he shows some nice vocal styling going from snarling on 21st Century Schizoid Man and the title track to more soothing on Epitaph or Moonchild. But then we get that noodling (as it's called) on Moonchild - band members just playing around with sound. I just. I'm sorry, I don't get it. Is this part of prog rock experimentation? At first I was bored as the song slowed to a crawl not even 3 minutes in and then I was a bit puzzled about 2 minutes later when the noodling made me think Mister Rogers' trolley was going to come by. Maybe it's experimental genius but to me it felt like 7 minutes of aimless play (not heaven) that I probably could have done without. Thankfully it was followed by (and closes with) the title track, which was more like the opener 21st Century Schizoid Man (a true masterpiece - the sax layered over guitar and the lyrics, chef's kiss) in its energy and ferocity. You really feel the emotions in both songs. Although again I could probably have done without the last 3 minutes of experimentation. Still, that fusion of rock (guitar, bass, drums) and other sounds (keys, winds, horns/brass) on this album is a revelation.

My first ever listen to this album. Super intrigued by the album cover. Its brilliant tbh. Its an album cover you'll never forget. Wow, 21C schizoid man goes absolutely bonkers half way through. Cracking way to open the album. Great tune. An absolute banger to be precise. I really enjoyed how mellow "talk to the wind" went. That solo was beautiful. Could have listened to it for another 5 mins. Absolutely nailed the flute work. Epitah. Some real nice acoustic and slide guitar. Quite a euphoric track. I love how much the drum beats vary throughout the songs. Very different styles. Moon child really goes out there. I enjoy the start then it goes into a total mind fuck. Very experimental. Its like a bunch of mates tripping on LSD whilst having a little jam session not giving AF who listens. Court with the crimson king is a cracker. Its wild when it slows down and blasts out tones which remind me of the mario bro's on the NES. Its genuinely hard to believe this is a first album. I think it would be a near perfect album if it wasnt for the lull in moonchild. Nevertheless, excellent album. I'd give it a 4.5 but i cant. So it will have to be a 4/5. Not quite a full 5 for me because of moon child. Great stuff though. Definitely an album ill come back to.

Knew the name but don't think I ever listened to the music. Except for the first track really liked this. Worth exploring more.

I was nervous about another prog rock album, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. It ranges from pretty standard rock to video game-y to very 60s renfaire. The tracks are long and wandering, the sort of thing that lends itself to getting stones in a basement and listening to. Not sure it needed an extended version, though.

A classic for a reason. I have this on vinyl, so clearly loved it enough to buy it at one point, but I think it's so classic that I just rarely turn to it. It's also probably the only King Crimson album I know well enough to make any sort of commentary on. Might dig into other stuff now that I'm back here. I hear 1974 is their year.

4 for variety. I’ll probably revisit this one, but get the setting and substances right.

The flute on I talk to the wind is everything. Hadn't heard any of this apart from 21st century schizoid man before. Wigging out and jazzy with it. It's pretty good but probably won't be listening to this on the regular. But in a certain time and place this is sweet and the flute and mellotron make it 👌

I really like the wind section on song 2

I had never heard of King Crimson and my only familiarity was from Kanye West's sampling of 21st Century Schizoid Man. I really liked this album though on first listen and am looking forward to a future relisten. The only song that didn't do much for me first time through was I Talk To The Wind. The other 4 at least I found interest in. Hard to pick between 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph, and Court of the Crimson King for favorite from first go around. I loved the heavy feeling of 21st Century Schizoid Man. The lyrics were a little hard to pick apart on first listen but I liked the vibe. The lyrics of Epitaph were both comforting and horrifying in the fact that they felt like they applied to today, as well as the time in which they were written. Court of the Crimson King had a familiar feeling so maybe I have heard it somewhere along the way once or twice and not remembered it. I absolutely love the imagery in this one.

Me gusta mucho y he estado dudando mucho rato, pero creo que no quiero ponerle un 5. Pero vaya maravilla de disco, merece su fama.

Dog the meandering guitars, layered instruments, and LOVES EPITAPH!

Listen to the lyrics. Very cool! Variety of instrumentals is unique

Pretty okay

the first few tracks were kinda weird to the ears but the last few were quite good

Great, dynamic album with incredible instrumentalists. Drums and woodwinds in particular flash a lot of skill. Like much prog rock feeling takes a back seat to technicality and fantasy/sci fi themes take themselves a bit too seriously.

#204. Albums like this are why I started doing this. To find albums that I have never heard [and would probably otherwise never listen to] that are good and that I like. But unfortunately this list is pretty weak. Out of the probably like 150ish so far I've never listened to previously, this is only like maybe the fifth one I want to listen to a second time. I don't know why I never listened to this before, it's fairly similar to shit that I do like, but here we are. Definitely adding this one to the list. 4/5: yarp

This is one of the albums I have been meaning to listen to for the longest time. I knew 21st Century Schizoid Man going in, and I kind of expected the rest of the album to sound like that, but only the title track has the same sound. The slower songs aren't bad, just not what I was expecting. It is crazy that this album came out in 1969, it is way ahead of it's time. Great drumming on the songs that bookend the album. I don't find the album cover super appealing, but it is definitely iconic.

classic ahhh rock

4.5/5. A staple in progressive rock history. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a feat unto itself, love it even more now that I know it’s meant to be an anti-Vietnam War song.

The Large red man is staring at... something. What is he looking at? Why is he so frightened. Further we tread into the maw of madness but what do HE see? a great album! I love the mixing and the use of horns. Fantastic early prog rock.

Glad Kanye plucked these songs out of obscurity

This is one of if not my dad's favorite band. I expected not to like it but found it enjoyable. 21st Century Schizoid Man was my favorite track. I laughed at the horns towards the end of In the Court of the Crimson King. Listening to this makes me want to give an honest try to their other givings as well as progressive rock in general.

What a delight! So surprised because I confused King Crimson w/ King Diamond and I really didn't want to listen to satanic metal this morning. Thoroughly enjoyed this album especially the atmospheric sounds of Moonchild. Also I had no idea that Kanye West sampled from this album.

Þessi lét mig endurhugsa alla skoðanir mínar á proggi fyrst þegar ég hlustaði. Aðalega 21st Century Schizoid Man. Hlusta enþá aðeins á þessa plötu og Red. Geggjaðir gítarar hjá Fripp. Talk to the wind fallegt þó það sé smá nördalegt prog. Epitaph aðeins of mikið prog samt fínt. Moonchild geðveikt svo furðulegt og þunnt sound á öllu. Og svo The Court Of The Crimson King bara epískt. Sorry pabbi 4.5

I liked this far more than I anticipated and it sticks in my craw to say it for personal reasons that don’t belong here lol. I can see their influence and I guess I can’t really claim to like The Mars Volta and not like this

I like it :D

Sure!

I bought this on vinyl 25 years ago, and it's always a favourite listen. The first Crimson I heard was from Discipline, so I was used to that slicker version of Crimson with Adrian Belew. Hearing this rougher version of the band, with Greg Lake singing is mind blowing enough, but the idea that Court of the Crimson King was originally written as a country song by the guy from Foreigner. It's a treasure!

Loved the bookend songs, the stuff in between ranged from kind of cool to annoying. I can hear the beginning of so many of my favorite bands in here.

some parts of I Talk To The Wind really reminded me of the Beatles. this album is one of the (recently relatively few) instances where I absolutely agree it's a must-listen. the musicians kick ass, all of them, but I love the drums in particular (especially on The Court of The Crimson King), an incredible blend of jazz and rock drumming. cool stuff

Liked the first track. The last track/title song is good but also very generic. Overall, loved the album. 4 stars.

It was a good album. I really liked the first couple of songs.

A really good piece of rock music.

not sure about the first track but the rest of this album is awesome

I liked this a lot more than I predicted! The straight up noise was grating at times but this guy is very very talented!!

It was pretty damn good. Can see why it influenced so much prog

I really enjoyed this! I think I’m learning I’m into prog rock. Moonchild was cool and also wavered further into the art rock side and lost me just a bit. Overall a really interesting listen with some great musicality!

This record has so much reputation to live up to I am not sure it ever could. It's a great record, but it lags at some points. So the highs are crazy high, but there is a lot of just meh in here as well.

a must listen to anyone semi-interested in music

Tight, influential and inventive. Ahead of its time.

There is a time in my life, when this would’ve gotten an easy five stars. It is still a great album, certainly notable and influential, great album cover, challenging and memorable. But I think I have become somewhat disillusioned by the sheen of progressive rock, and some of the things that I once loved about this album— like the extended instrumental noodling on “Moonchild,”—feel too self indulgent now. But the journey of this album is tremendous. “21st Century Schizoid Man” is so heavy. I love the use of Mellotron on this album (I’m a sucker for that sound). I think what’s keeping me from giving it a full 5/5 is how self-serious and humorless it is. I also feel like if we’re talking about early prog albums, this list egregiously omits “Days of Future Past” by The Moody Blues, so I’m pouring one star out for that album.

Some pretty incredible stuff on here. And some pretty tasty noodles, too.

Now, this is what this list is for! I have listened to quite a lot of music in my life. For the most part, I know what I already like and I know some of the things that I don’t like. What I was really hoping for was to find some of these gems that I just didn’t know existed. Now, this is a perfect scenario. I was driving on a beautiful spring day in an area I wasn’t even familiar with with the windows rolled down. This album was absolutely the right album at the right time! The differences in textures and tones, instrumentation vocals kept light and springy I’ve heard of King Crimson for many years, and somehow missed the boat. I just bought a new ticket. All aboard!

What a strange album. The first track, 21st Century Schizoid Man, is awesome. So much energy. (Am I right in thinking Kanye samples it at some stage?) After that it's much more laid back. It's fine, but nothing comes close to the first track. 3.5 stars

I, Giorno Giovanna, have a dream

Reddit’s favorite album. Just listened to this a few months ago as I gave it yet another chance. I think it’s always going to be good, not great for me. Epitaph and ITCOTCK are my two standouts.

Five stars for the gorgeous vocals of Greg Lake, the sublime flute work of Ian McDonald, particularly on the bonus track duo version of I Talk to the Wind, and the masterful guitar performance by Robert Fripp. Standouts also include The Court of the Crimson King and the perfect Lake song, Epitaph. I have to subtract a star for the free-form jazz influence. I got into prog/art rock in high school, and the classical music and Medieval or Renaissance influence was part of the draw. I get that when this album was first released in 1969, it was hailed as the New Sound, but years have passed and the free-form jazz-rock hybrid has been parodied too successfully. "Tap into the Future," indeed. Opening the album with 21st Century Schizoid Man, and having that devolve into the rock version of an orchestra warming up, was off-putting. In conclusion: centuries old influence = great music; free-form jazz influence = get this song over with already.

Psych/prog with all the bells and whistles. Very spectacular at times. Also quite experimental at time - almost learning towards slow experimental jazz.

Super -

Some of the albums make me question just how they were recorded when they were, and this is another one of those. It sounds SO crisp and clean. I think Moonchild is the obvious low point here but I really enjoyed the other tracks.

So fresh and experimental. New sound for me.

+1 estrella extra por la portada

Solid

very atmospheric album. really gets you in

Makes me want to put on flip flops and smoke a pipe in my vegetable garden

Tiens, du rock progressif. Un album d’une heure mais avec 5 titres, ça ne trompe pas. Évidemment ça part en free jazz par moment et c’est bien relou. Évidemment il y a des expérimentations sonores j’imagine trippante et c’est bien relou. “21st Century Schizoid Man” part bien pendant 2 minutes, le reste part en couille avant de retomber sur ses pieds à 1 minute de la fin. Ca enchaine avec “Talk to the wind” toute douce, assez agréable en admettant une impro de flûtiau sur les deux dernières minutes. “Epitaph” repart sur du plus grandiloquent, peut être une des meilleures de l’album. “Moonshine” est bien pendant 2min30 avant de virer en trip complètement vide de tout pour 9 putains de minutes. Et pour finir “In the court of the Crimson King” qui nous apprend que Polnareff leur a tout pomper pour écrire “Lettre à France”. Encore une très bonne chanson. Il y a donc de l’excellent et de l’intolérable sur un même album. Il faut savoir trier, mais dans l’ensemble c’est effectivement très bon.

A stone cold classic

Prog rock has been one of my best takeaways from this project. Its a genre I'd never really explored and the more I hear the more I'm into it. For me this wasn't up to the level of Yes or Rush, but still a great precursor.

Amazing album especially for its time. Really interesting changes almost never felt bored, drummer was pulling out some fucking beats - great listen. Feel like this should be a 5, but despite enjoying listening to the album I won’t be rushing back to hear it again. I think 5 stars should be reserved for albums that I want to put on and listen to again and again. This felt more like going to Thorpe park, I had fun but probs won’t be back for a couple of years. It still is a very very high 4 though Stand out songs: 21st century schizoid man The court of crimson king

Solid album, own it. Really trippy and weird with a huge reputation.

This is really unique, super interesting album. It seems like it's generally classified as progressive rock (and I haven't been a big prog rock fan so far), but it's very early prog rock and pretty different from what came in the '70s. It's definitely a rock album, but it's also really jazzy and classical music influences too. The original release is 44 minutes but only five songs, so they're each pretty long. There's long stretches on most of the songs that are like jazzy and symphonic, it's really unique. This is also partially famous in more modern times for Kanye sampling "21st Century Schizoid Man" on "Power" (I had no idea where it was from until listening to this). The part that he sampled has this super like fuzzy electric sound that seems way ahead of its time on here. Beyond that, "I Talk To the Wind" has this really simple beautiful sound that's really enjoyable, "Epitaph" is great too, and "The Court Of The Crimson King" is really big and grand sounding to finish. "Moonchild" loses the plot a bit for me (it's long and a bit more meandering than the others), and there are times where the long songs lose my attention a bit, but overall I really enjoyed this a lot. This is one that was great to listen to closely and I can also see playing in the background and enjoying too. Favorite song: 21st Century Schizoid Man Other: I Talk To The Wind, Epitaph, The Court Of The Crimson King 3/1/24

Gostei Mt desse, de vdd, não achei que ia gostar tanto, escutei só ele o dia todo, e escutaria mais, são Mt gostosas de ouvir, uma vibe boa, onde não eh Mt sobrecarregado de coisa mas ainda tem uma história Mt boa em cada música, uma progressão de acordes e uma composição musical realmente boa. O rock eh clássico mas não eh brega, que eh um estilo de rock que eu não gosto nada, a estrutura de cada música não segue um padrão continuo e repetitivo, assim não fica brega, cada som parece único e cada estrofe cantada tem um significado artístico legal. Além disso, gostei da dinâmica de repetir as músicas so que mais enxutas e com diferenças pequenas mas significativas. 8/10

Mjög gott progg. Progg sem ætti eiginlega að vera hlustað á í þreyttum La-Z-boy í brún-teppalögðu herbergi með appelsínugul-mynstruðu veggfóðri á veggjunum.

Really cool psychedelic album. From what I’ve heard it was ahead of its time.

Ik schrok wat van het eerste lied, maar de rest is echt wel nice

A+ Album title and art. Starts super strong, love the gear change into the second track. Loses its way a little the further we get in, but overall quite an enjoyable trip. Confusion will be my epitaph As I crawl a cracked and broken path If we make it we can all sit back and laugh But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying If that isn't 2016 - 2024 in a nutshell I don't know what is.

3.5

Le rock progressif est vraiment de la musique narrative. Ça paraît parfois cacophonique, mais je trouve ça plutôt contemplatif

classic

Unexpectedly awesome

As a prog child, this hits all of the right spots. It does get TOO creative in sections, but the title track "Court of King Crimson" is a forever banger.

Never heard of these guys, and I will definitely come back to this one a few times. There are some drum and guitar runs here that remind me of Yes but with a more straightforward structure.

Really enjoyed this. Playful and inventive in all the right ways. Wasn't crazy about the more jazzy bits especially the second half of Epitaph but 21st Century Schizoid Man and In the Court... stood out to me as highlights. I think I like prog now

Enjoyed this more than I expected to. This band never seemed to fully click for me but this listen I definitely appreciated a solid accomplishment in dramatic and progressive rock. First track is levels above the rest, though. Three and a half.

Great prog-rock album. Probably not for everyone but I was really into King Crimson back in high school so this one holds a special place for me.

yeah this is good shit

21st Century Schizoid Man I Talk To The Wind The Court Of The Crimson King

Cosmic horror music! Really all about the first and last tracks, but damn, ain’t they something!?

Interesting…don’t know that I’d ever listened to the whole thing before…if it was the starting point for prog-rock I get it, though I’m pretty sure Genesis and Yes already had their thoughts in mind by this point…they all seemed to be coming at it from different points, no doubt because of different influences and goals

I've liked this album for a long time. Also liked the bonus tracks on Spotify. Reading the Wikipedia article, I'd love to hear the country version of the title track.

Yessir

Lovely prog

4.2 I’ve never heard most of this album before and I really enjoyed it. Musically it is very good.

I don’t really like prog rock, it’s often so pretentious and bloated. This album is a rare exception, maybe because it was one of the earliest it wasn’t self aware or self absorbed and so it comes across as earnest. There are a lot of horrifying moments (as in 21st Century Schizoid Man), but also beautiful moments (I Talk to the Wind). The two lengthier tracks on Side 2 feel more like classical suites than rock songs, but they avoid being too abstract by retaining an overall form and theme. I couldn’t decide if this was good or great, I think I’ve had differing views over the years, but it doesn’t have many spare moments and it’s really a well executed document for its time.

While I can't help but love Pink Floyd's material in the next few years after the release of this album, there I definitely a certain level of appreciation I can't help but have for the first ever prog rock album. The guitars are absolutely phenominal with how loud yet simultaneously dreamy they are, and the incredible vocals also can't be overlooked. There were definitely a few moments that dragged on a bit and didn't really feel like they added anything, but on the whole this is an amazing album to create a new genre with.

Early prog rock. It seems that the halfway point of this record is the precise moment that the genre disappeared up its own bottom. Side 1 is really accessible but still epic. I love, love, love the strings. All three tracks are really cool. The start of Side 2 tips into territory of experimentation at the cost of enjoyment and is barely music for the 12 minute long 'Moonchild'. Fortunately the record comes back to epicness for the closing quasi-title track. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Epitaph Date listened: 30/01/24

I really liked the vibe of this album

Et af de der covers man har altid set og som har sat sig fast. Tror faktisk kun at jeg havde hørt The Court Of The Crimson King før. Pladen er fed progressiv. Jazz i første nummer, men altid med rockede undertoner.

I'm familiar with songs and hung out in a basement and listened to this on vinyl at some point in my life, but a top to bottom listen of this album is not an experience I had done often or in a long while. I know how influential it is though, and that always makes me excited to listen. 21st Century Schizoid Man is just...excellent. Banger track doing a bit of everything and being lovely about it. It is like an over the top movie chase sequence is a song. The rest of the album doesn't hit the same highs for me and the three longest songs REALLY feel their run time, but there is a lot of musically good stuff happening and I did enjoy listening to the entire album even if it did drag in a few moments.

Increasingly my yard stick for this endeavour is "Would I buy the vinyl album of this?". Yes, yes I would. It sits at the junctions of all sorts of musical alleys that I enjoy. Psych, jazz, prog, rock. It never strays too far into the weeds. For 1969 album it simultaneously sounds of it's exact time and the future.

I never listened to this band before. Don’t know how I missed it. Good listen.

Very cool album, considering it's from the 60s too. Got a bit pretentious and filler-y in the middle but it's bookended by two phenomenal performances so I'm quite pleased

I really liked most of this album but didn't love the first song (or its reprise). Pink floyd/Beatles vibes

Interesting and atmospheric at times, but leaves a little to be desired enough. Not weird enough to be eclectic, but not normal enough to fly under the radar.

This is a supreme listening experience on a good vinyl press.

Amazing album one of the best of the 60s low 9/10

fino mi rey

Jazzy and experimental, me gusta.

Fan van de stemeffecten Goede melodieën Overgang I talk to the wind is nice Niet verwacht dat dit album ook mooie, rustigere stukken zou hebben, aangenaam verrast Moonchild sleept wat te lang aan met de guitar plucking Mooike, 4 sterren

Back in the day my boyfriend loved King Crimson but I was less enthused. Listening to this album again after all this time gave me new appreciation for them.

Kind of liked this one

I found the album very psychedelic and unique. The band consisted of some very talented musicians, who didn’t play their instruments in a traditional rock and roll fashion.

Es una muy buena referencia

Not really my cup of tea but the album was really well done!

Classic album with multiple moments where I felt good things. Also love when guys write 8 minute long bleep bloop songs. Ahead of its time. But yes

My first time listening to King Crimson. I listened to it twice. First with earbuds and then with my headphones. I was sitting relaxed with subdued lightning on the second listen. It was an interesting experience. I enjoyed it and will go back and listen to the album again. I’m curious now about some of their other albums, which I will have to check out. I watched some YouTube videos afterwards on some songs from this album. An early video taking place in Hyde Park in the late sixties, where the band performed 21st Century Schizoid Man, was short but cool to watch. I was a teenager living in London when this took place.

Cool

Trippy

Great album. Great to hear the original spark of the genre. Doesn't hit and all songs, but the great ones are spectacular.

classic

This is a much laudited album that I have wanted to listen to for a long time. Not seen it at any festivals or I would have done before now. Well now, that wasn't what I expected. Don't really know what I did expect, but that wasn't it. Not to say I didn't like it, I did. I just didn't expect that. I would buy it, and it's one I will keep an eye out for. Got to be a 4.

I've been peripherally aware of King Crimson, but haven't listened to any of their albums until this review. 21st Century Schizoid Man really sounds like it could be coming and going in different directions. Is it metal? Is it psychedelic rock? Fripp's soaring solo and extended jam clearly signals the beginning of prog rock... I Talk to the Wind slows down the blistering glory of the first song. Epitaph expands out and sounds a little more epic, and reminds me of early Bowie. Moonchild has about 2 minutes of structure then devolves into a free form minimalist sound jam that might be in place with early Kraftwerk before they went electronic. In the Court of the Crimson (Kiiiiiiii-iiii-iinnnng ahhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh) is the epic conclusion with that great chord progression/hook and keyboard solo. This track edges out 21st Century Schizoid Man for me.

- Absolutely a classic, full of amazing tracks. - Taking one star out because the interludes are too long, breaking the flow of the album, specially after "Moonchild"

Terraforming album. Prepares the ground for Emerso Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd ...

i fw this, listened to it in the car so no notes as i listened, just moonchild was a real ebb but i didn't mind it. prob need to relisten without road noise drowning that song out, 4.5/5 round down to 4 5 is tough maybe with time

I really loved the elements of jazz in this record. it caught my be surprise. I also realized this is where kanye got his power sample. i can see myself playing this record in it’s entirety again.

Vor zwei Jahren schon mal gehört, damals nicht so gefeiert, aber dieses mal hats mir gut gefallen. Vorallem das Sax und die Klarinets sind geil oft.

Crazy ass album, definitely need another listen before giving a rating fully but I’ll give it a 4.5 for now

pretty enjoyable listen even though its a little slow for my taste

I actually really enjoyed this album, excluding “moonchild”. Great mix of rock, jazz, and a smattering of other genres, kind of reminded me of some of the songs on Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, or some stuff by radio head. Very full sounds, great drums and it was neat the hear where Kanye get his sample from. I really liked the build up in some of the songs and the big crescendos. Would listen to again.

Wow, fun time trip to a different era!

Like it a lot!

Did not enjoy the first song of the album but enjoyed the rest quite a bit.

I feel like this is an album Bob Belcher would really be into. LOL