Reviews (page 9 of 13)
21st century schizoid man is my jam!
I had never heard this all the way through. Quite liked it. Nice surprise.
I always struggle to get my head around the fact the guy that sang “I Believe in Father Christmas” is also a member of King Crimson
really high highs but some weird ass lows manages to hook you with interesting compositions that give a sense of moving forward, only to completely change the atmosphere they have created through certain creative decisions and risks that, in my opinion, dont quite pay off
Very interesting hearing the source song for a famous sound bite. Perhaps a bit too experimental for my tastes
Not bad, but kinda “out there”. Not something I’d just put on in the background
Decent
i think most people would agree this is a definite must-hear-before-you-die album, but i don't think i was king crimson's intended audience unfortunately. that being said, the one song i did really appreciate was i talk to the wind. hearing that for the first time gave me lots of hope for the rest of the album, and while the songs after that didn't end up peaking my interest, hearing the duo version completely brought it back. the two tracks are probably the ones that sound least like the rest of the album though, so this makes absolute sense. favorite tracks: i talk to the wind, i talk to the wind (duo version)
It was kind of a lot, some of it just felt like noise but the guitar and instruments were interesting
Yeah these songs long
How come this is seen as a prog rock pioneering landmark yet isn’t a tiresome double album? I quite enjoyed it. The opener was a banger and there was far more variety than I entitled to expect.
It's a classic prog album that stays a tad too long in spots.
kijk het is oke maar sommige liedjes waren echt langdradig
Love some good prog-rock. I had heard Court of the Crimson King before. It still rocked. The rest of the album was solid. I'll probably explore their discography more. I have been itching for some prog-rock recently.
Interesting prog rock album, version on YouTube Music blended songs together to make a 1.5 album version. Likely won't listen to this again, but it had its moments.
overrated as hell but not bad
Some days I just wish I was on acid Sounds like somebody gave a preschool class drugs and told em to go apeshit on the xylophones
5/10 - Weird one hearing the original of whatever the Kanye song is (all I can think of is "gold powers, Austin Powers"). Some boss instrumentals and vocals but falls flat for me generally with song length being excessive; stretches of time in some songs where nothing is really happening and doesn't seem to further any aspect of the song. Not bad but wouldn't actively listen to again.
Rather better than I thought it was going to be. It’s obviously still a bit much, but it’s clearly massively influential and I heard precursors to lots of music I enjoy.
It's really good but it's not my cup of tea. It was very interesting the comments and seeing a lot of Jojo references so that really stood out to me. I wonder which of the Jojo's has this album.
Very well put together. Easily a well done album. Like I like my steak
I didn’t have high hopes for this album, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not going to be a high rotation album for me, but it’s not awful.
legendäres sample mit 21st century scizoid man, aber sonst bisschen underwhelming. 2.8 sterne
This would be good if not for one thing: it’s prog.
This album was hard to rate. Most of the songs are two-parters where half the song is great and the other half is terrible.
I can see where many of the bands I listened to in the 70s got it from, but this does all seem rather self-indulgent. It’s some far out ideas set to numbers.
This is prog rock in its essence, as only King Crimson can do it.
Creo que es el primer album de Rock Progresivo que escucho. Me gusta toda la vibra de fantasía medieval. Vale la pena seguirlo escuchando.
Baladas psicodelicas, es lo que se me viene a la mente al escuchar este álbum Muy adelantado a su época definitivamente, no parece del 1969 Solos muy buenos La voz del vocalista es cruda en ocasiones, pero puede armonizar para las baladas que vienen en el álbum Personalmente me gusta más el lado psicodelico que la parte de las baladas, pero no está mal, no es que desentone con la propuesta del álbum, más bien lo hace sentir muy diferente a lo que uno acostumbra de artistas al inglés en el buen sentido de la palabra Un agasajo de álbum 3.4
Not the biggest fan of prog rock but this is ok as far as prog rock goes. 3/5.
Ganz gut, aber für mich nichts Besonderes: 7/10. Die Leute hypen dieses Album viel zu sehr.
Fine. Long winded.
all over. experimental. jethro meets bardcore with a splash of floyd.
Hmph. Interesting to say the least. Would I listen again? Doubtful. Playlist? No. 2.5 rounded up to 3 for it's influence on bands I really like.
Never heard of this album or band. Sounds like a 90s band, so I'm shocked to see this came out in 1969. The band that anointed prog rock. Some parts are cool. Some just feel like experimental because they took too much LSD and stretched a 4 minute song into 10. I guess I should've been there in the 60s.
For me, this is a “sit down and listen” kind of album which demanded attention from the listener. There’s a lot of variety in instrumentation. A few sections felt a bit drawn out and where I lost interest, other parts were able to draw me back in. Not usually something I would listen to but enjoyed the immersive listening experience.
I enjoyed this intellectually, but I couldn’t connect with it for some reason.
Interesting will have to try another spin..doesn’t grab me right away.
Starts very strongly. 21st Century Schizoid Man is to me, the Beatles crossed with Led Zepellin. And the last song The Court of the Crimson King finished the album very well. But in between too much long meandering prog for me. In particular Moonchild's 12 minutes of prog noodling can get to fuck.
Ihan hassua proge-antiqueta. Ei kuitenkaan jatkuvaan käyttöön.
personal rating: 4/10
1. No 2. someone put this on a playlist for me like over 10 years ago and I never really got into it. This song is actually pretty nice now that I'm giving it another listen. 3. Actually kinda cool 4. I like the weird gentle melody towards the middle. Wait actually they can wrap it up now 5. not for me
A melodia, a voz, a atmosfera da segunda faixa me ganhou. Muito diferente. Triste. Melancólica. Densa. Mas o albúm precisa maturar, ainda. Rock Progressivo não costumo gostar de primeira.
7/10 - long riffs, some iconic tunes, recommended
Interesting instrumentation, chaotic and beautiful at times. Something I world have to really be in the mood to put on, can’t think of a time where it could be in the background.
Always loved this album.
킹구크림슨...베스트: I Talk to the Wind
A little proggy for me but enjoyed some of the musicality
21st Century Schizoid Man is a classic, if not in its own right then as the basis for Power. I remember it as being impossible in Guitar Hero, might need to go back to it now. Could chop off a minute or three as it doesn't really develop in a particularly interesting way. The flute solo on I Talk to the Wind took it from just pleasant to pretty good. Epitaph kinda surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I think that one's going into (semi)regular rotation. The back half (two-thirds? hour?) of Moonchild is absolutely asinine and a real time-waster, which sucks because the actual song part of the song is really nice. At least when the last track kicks in it reminds you that music exists, even if it's underwhelming.
L: 6 M: 8 F: 7 O: 7
very 1969 english rock band. great album, i can appreciate but not my jive
Pretty dang good, some songs went way too long tho. 21st century schitzo man obv good.
Cool album, fun to listen to, but won't be going into my normal rotation.
6/10
Weird British rock
I thought this album was pretty good, but it was definitely too experimental for my taste and had a very similar sound throughout. I enjoyed it but there were definitely some parts of it that I did not enjoy as much.
it was okay... high point was i talk to the wind, i liked it more than i was expecting to like anything from this album, esp the flute solo at the end low point was moonchild after they stopped singing... it was too understimulating for me
Rest of the album never rises to the level of 21st Century Schizoid Man but I can respect the craft.
already had 3 songs peak 3.5/5
Know schizoid man which is great but haven't heard anything else before. Court of the crimson king was also pretty good too. Middle tracks didn't stand as much and there was the classic 8 minutes of random guitar sounds that certain prog bands seem to be fond of. Considering this was released in 1969, the good stuff is incredibly ahead of it's time. Balanced against the middle bits, the album is okay. 3.5.
Was ok to listen to, recognize the sample
liked
it doesn't have the version of i talk to the wind that i like
Des bons moments et d'autres bien chiants. Je ne sais pas quoi en penser
Nice background music for working/studying.
Enjoyable listen but probably won't be back for another
Overrated
182/1001 First listen. I feel like I should like this. I want to. The bands I like, like this. I like what they’re doing, I just don’t like the sound of it. The instruments. The singing. Meh. I’ll try again sometime perhaps. 5/10
No esperaba que fuera tan bueno, muy melódico con excelentes cambios de ritmo, solos increíbles, los instrumentos de viento lo hacen mucho más único, me encantó
i like i like yes yes
Hivenen liian progea mun musamakuuni. Tykkäsin eniten albumin nimi kappaleesta.
21st Century Schizoid Man - Including "Mirrors"
I understand this is the ur-prog record by reputation, and yet it strikes me as exactly right on the edge of what I find tolerable in prog. "21st Century Schizoid Man" makes the Mars Volta, of all things, sound derivative, and it's from the 60s! I liked that. Despite the hippy-dippy shit, I liked "The Court of the Crimson King." A lot of the rest of it verged into more drummy-jazzy nonsense than I'm willing to stomach. This is yet another point confirming my previous instincts that I'm extremely hot and cold on prog as a genre.
- 21st century schizoid man is a great and crazy song. I've definitely heard it before but hadn't realized that before listening. Not something I would listen to frequently when just chilling but definitely a cool piece of music - I really liked I Talk to the Wind - intro of Epitaph is great - most of these songs are too long, I was really losing it during Moonchild - Court of the Crimson King reminds me of something Jack Black would have written/sang in School of Rock
I need to give this another listen. I know it's better than 3 but I'm cranky and nauseous so it's getting a 3 for now. 3/5
I like Epitaph the most so far.
I gave the whole album three listens. It has a cool, pretty unique atmosphere, and I respect the creativity behind it, but it doesn't really click with me. I'm not that much into progressive rock, but I'm glad that I gave it a listen, tho it won't stay in my library.
Classic
Has not aged well
0/8 bekannt 6/10 Beste Songs: epitaph, 21st century schizoid man, the court of the crimson king Ich könnte schwören, dass ich den einen Teil von 21st century schizoid man aus einer Werbung kenne. Ich kann es nur noch nicht beweisen.
I've never listened to King Crimson before. I wouldn't say I loved the album, but it was enjoyable/interesting enough.
Didn’t do it for me
A little too out there and long “silences” that were nice at times but too long at other times
Prog Rock seems to have originated from this album. It demands careful listening, which I didn’t give it. Later Prog (Genesis, Rush, Yes) all sound okay to me, but I prefer music to be direct and to the point. I would prefer pure rock and roll or pop over this. It’s excellent music, for sure, just felt like the songs took forever. 3 stars
Cannot deny the musicianship but KC has admittedly never been my thing.
6.3/10 - sorry josh fav song - epitaph
голос нагадує горіллаз картинка база
I did not know that a jazz version of Iron Man existed, but now I do.
Best tracks: I talk to the Moon, Epitaph Worst: Moonchild Notes: Trippy Prog mixed with lovely calm melodies.
Demasiado desorden para mi guato
Not my style but pretty good. Long songs so you can enjoy it for a while
Nunca lo habia escuchado ni ningún álbum con este estilo que mezcla el rock con el jazz o la música clásica. Es un buen descubrimiento, me gusta la exploración musical que desarrollan, los momentos de tensión que logran con la unión de instrumentos y silencios. No es un álbum que escucharía diariamente pero que definitivamente inspira mi creatividad.
enjoyed this a lot more than i thought i would never fully listened to it till now
Done
Prog rock has always been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, but the last 10(!) minutes of Moonchild makes that almost as an embarrassing of a proclamation as the DNC makes being a democrat
I'm familiar with this one, and much prefer it to Lark Tongues In Aspic.
I waffled on this one because I didn't really *enjoy* most of it (especially the middle tracks), but I do really enjoy a lot of the prog rock albums it inspired and appreciate its importance. So I'm meeting in the middle.
Tä oli samaan aikaan yllättävän hyvä ja huono. Myös yllättävän vieras. Rauhalliset biisit oli hyviä ja miellyttäviä, tuli jotenkin Opeth mieleen aika paljon. Erityisesti I Talk To The Wind oli ihana. Yllättävän huono siks et raskaammat biisit oli yllättävän raskaita. Mä vaan en oo proge 😅
im becoming increasingly aware that prog rock is just not my jam. but overall a pretty good album. I liked the first song on the track a lot.
Prog rock classic but a bit too cluttered playing on some tracks
Sympa mais sans plus, je ne suis pas hyper fan des musiques sans paroles et il y en a quelques unes, mais sinon certaines sont sympa comme 21st Century Schizoid Man
Good album. Think I’d listened to it at work but still a pleasant listen. Maybe not top of my listening but nice nonetheless.
I don’t like you, but I respect you.
Es ist ein monumentales Debüt, das 1969 den Progressive Rock definierte und bis heute als stilprägend gilt. Die Mischung aus wuchtigen Bläsern, Mellotron‑Wänden und epischen Songstrukturen wirkt beeindruckend, aber auch schwerfällig. Tracks wie „21st Century Schizoid Man“ oder „Epitaph“ zeigen enorme kreative Kraft, während andere Passagen – etwa die langen Improvisationen in Moonchild – heute etwas aus der Zeit gefallen wirken.
I have listened to this album a few different times and it never hits quite like other people say it does. It's just too experimental for me. I probably won't listen to it again if I had a choice. I am glad Pink Floyd got some influence from these guys and decided to follow the more blues instead of the jazz influence
Feel that I should like this more but I just kinda don’t
Never a great attraction to this album but I know it’s an important moment in time.
Unique instrumentals that I actually like Gives Beastie Boys vibes in the first track but before that type of music was a thing, after that all I hear is Pink Floyd. I like the variance in music from track to track Feels Like an Epic. Overwhelming at times. Least favorite song- 21st Century Schizoid Man Favorite Song- I Talk To The Wind
one hit wonder
Quite interesting, but a little too experimental from time to time
Was not familiar with King Crimson’s work. Truly beautiful. Obviously recognized the first track given that Kanye’s “Power” sampled it.
Surprisingly a vibe, it was cool to hear some origins of samples from other songs I know
Never listened before, nice mix of prog, folk and even jazz elements. Didn't really grab me but pretty good
Solid and interesting.
3 1/2 Stars: And after all this time King Crimson, a band I'd always heard of but never actually heard, didn't turn out to be the death metal band I always thought they were.
DOES EVERY ALBUM HAVE TO HAVE SUCH LONG SONGS! I DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF ATTENTION SPAN! I HAVE A TODDLER! Ok but I do remember Moonchild from when I was young and I thought I was so cool and ethereal listening to it. Definitely a save.
Very Interesting album. It’s like The Beatles went full jazz and dropped some acid. First listen was not pleasant but by the 3-4 time thru I could start to enjoy the music.
Definitely of a time but I can see why it is loved.
A little indulgent at times, as expected, but at only 5 tracks it's a welcome tonic to some of the overly long albums in this list.
First two songs relate to what’s going on now
On a sunday last summer, I had the opportunity to see either King Crimson (or whatever group of people were calling themselves that) for $5 and separately Hanson for $12, both in downtown LA. I couldn't decide and ended up going to neither. In retrospect I should have done Hanson.
The proggiest prog that ever progged. Not bad in places, but drifted off into weird introspective pseudo-Tudor twaddle a bit too often for my liking.
I'll be honest here: I never got the hype behind this album. Yeah, it's arguably the first true prog rock album, but that doesn't automatically make it great. As it is, two monumental songs bookend an album that is full of meandering and aimless songs in the middle of it. Personally, if I'm going to listen to a King Crimson album it's going to be one of the three of their 80s albums with Adrian Belew as the frontman.
Very good album is jazz rock with a lot of improv jams full of energy and ups and downs. Really unpredictable and fresh. Loved it
The beginning of this album feels like it influenced Queens of the Stone Age. It starts off as really fun album to listen to but after the first three songs if tapers off and feels like they forgot they were spending money on a studio and just started jamming and is no longer interesting to listen to. Stand out tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man - Feels ahead of its time. I talk To The Wind The Court Of The Crimson King - This is the only song that I recognize from this artist.
Not really my style but it was interesting, the instrumentation was cool. I enjoyed the bonus tracks more than the album tracks given more of a jazz influence - this brought it to 3 stars for me.
My rating 3.3. Experimental? Yes. You can see a blueprint for other bands but beyond the first song it’s just odd.
Deze hoes boezemt me altijd wat angst in, maar gelukkig is het album zelf een stuk minder schreeuwerig. Sterker nog, bij Moonchild durven ze hun instrumenten op een gegeven moment amper aan te raken. Alsof ze stiekem moeten warmspelen. Wel een geinig album voor een keer. Een ultiem snob album, waarbij de snobs lekker kunnen doen alsof ze hier vanalles aan snappen wat aan mij compleet voorbij gaat. 3.5 ster. Momenteel staat het album met 3.61 gemiddeld net wat hoger op deze site, dus kan ik beter een 3 geven dan een 4. Wiskunde.
I know these guys are supposed to be super influential and they're on everyone's list. I've given them several listens. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a great track. The rest of the album kind of fades into the background for me, though I totally recognize how awesome this must have sounded in....(checks notes)...1969!!!! It's hard to believe this was released then. It sounds like it came out in the 90s. 3.49 solid stars.
Opener "21st Century Schizoid Man" makes a compelling case for adding more prog to my musical diet, but the rest of the album makes a superior case for NOT doing that. You could blame the giant drop from "Schizoid Man" into the light-rock flute of "I Talk to the Wind," but the plodding "Epitaph" and "Moonchild" are more tedious. "The Court of the Crimson King" brings things back to life, but doesn't make me want to return to this. Turns out my prog diet is just fine, thanks.
Actually the only reason this song is on this list is because it has a lot of good sampling music
not bad, just a little weird
What a weird album. Different to what I normally listen to. Schizo was good. Epitaph different. Moon child was rough 10 mins of disjointed mess. Court also good. Court and schizo into normal rotation.
Not my fav but it works for work!
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
Wanted to like it more but the songs are sooo long
This isy 2nd King Crimson on the list and I enjoyed this more than the last one. These guys were excellent musicians and they make room for everyone to show off without getting into jam band boringness.
Maybe I would enjoy this more if I wasn't sober. Good but I didn't like it. For now, a 3.
Kule låter. Kult å ha hørt igjennom, det gir meg allikevel ikke noe stort kick.
The opening track is just incredible and the highlight for me. It gives me the same feeling as the German band Can where it doesn’t feel attached to a specific time and still rocks. I liked a couple more and was ambivalent to the other two. I can see why this album has such a following. Im not as in love as others but still a fan. Rating: 3.5
I like the artwork and there are some really melodic songs (and some less so).
Heard the first song, 21st Century Schizoid Man, I didn’t like it. The lyrics are too macabre and the harsh mechanical sounds are too chaotic for my liking. It’s unsettling, even if it’s intentional. This may be the narrator freaking out about the cruelty of humanity? I really liked I Talk To The Wind, it reminds me of T.S. Eliot poems with a man personifying his surroundings, speaking to the wind (which may be God). A man who is non-religious, though he seems lonely and just wants to be one with the world. He is trying to find some sort of comfort in God, though the act is futile - he gets no response. It feels like the narrator is in conflict with the chaotic reality of the world, and why things happen the way they do. Epitaph was really interesting as well as the narrator falls into complete despair, believing the world is doomed. Set in the Vietnam/Cold War, it highlights the futile nature of religious practices. The traditional definitions of right, wrong, good, and evil as seen by our predecessors are too simple and naive, though we continue to place as the centre of our lives. And when the one thing you seek security and comfort does not live up to its role, man crumbles as they possess no hope for the future. This conflict continues in the lyrics: "Confusion will be my epitaph", highlighting the self-destructive nature of man. I also liked this lyric: "Knowledge is a deadly friend, If no one sets the rules", as knowledge ≠ wisdom. Moonchild feels more like a retreat into a fantasy escapism because the world is too horrible to face - he is forever lonely and confused, and is waiting on some hero or "sun child" to rescue him, but they never comes. The Court of the Crimson King is also quite interesting, obviously being an alias for the Devil himself. It feels like the narrator has come to a new realisation that the reason why the world is so horrible is because we are just dancing to the tune of the devil, like puppets on a string. No wonder it felt a lot like T.S Eliot - he similarly believes humans are horrible creatures that will keep fighting. Also his religious conflict of God as He does not exist nor does He care. Though, he plays more into the macabre nature of human cruelty, mostly because of the Vietnam/Cold War context. The narrator will be lonely and depressed and everything is playing out exactly according to Crimson King's plans. https://www.reddit.com/r/KingCrimson/comments/ili08w/what_is_the_court_of_the_crimson_king_exactly/ https://medium.com/@aliinwonderland/song-review-king-crimson-epitaph-4c86928535e8
song i went back to first after first full listen: 21st century schizoid man (a ska song)
I enjoy progressive rock for the fun they have with it. They push the envelope and tool around with the genre to create unique and interesting mixes. Unfortunately, this can lead to things getting a little esoteric, and the Court of the Crimson King is not immune to this. Don’t get me wrong. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a blast and helps to define the story of the album. But then Moonchild comes along and hits a midpoint filled with what sounds like orchestral warmups. Overall, I enjoyed a lot of this, but it got itself twisted at times trying to tell a story and descending into chaos. Which, y’know, might have been the point, but that really hurts the accessibility of this album.
Alles was ich an Prog mag (das schnelle, freie Chaos aller Ideen und Einflüsse auf einmal) und alles was ich nicht mag (der Rest).
It has sparkly moments, and I do see it for most of it. It just so over hyped by a category of people, you know, the ones that fancy themselves music connoisseur, that would say this is the only music worth listening to, that it felt flat. I knew that album, I liked it more than I did the first few times I listened to it and some of it is brilliant, but some of it is also boring nothing burger adjacent, and I land in the middle. Good, important, should be here, but not as good as your uncle says
I swear this got popular on the internet because of the really distinct cover art. I don't know what I was expecting but this is just really not that different from the Moody Blues. I really don't understand the aura of 'prog masterpiece' or whatever internet music people say. I try not to read into any album to get biased by context and metadata. I went on wikipedia just now to see the year it was released (to get distance from Moody Blues) and saw that Robert Christgau called it "ersatz shit". I wouldn't go that far it just wasn't astoundingly different from any other prog. I hope Fripp and Eno is on this list somewhere or that is a travesty.
Meh, wasn’t terrible, wasn’t great, but amusing? Eclectic? Interesting? Yes, all those.
Digging up the oldies, I see. It was forever ago when I first listened to this album. This is actually the first album I have catalogued on my Rate Your Music page, which probably means that this is the fifth or sixth album I've listened to (I've bumped around and updated the listening dates on some of the albums in there). I'm not sure why I listened to this one early on. I think I was gallavanting through a bunch of different genres at the time and wanted to see what stuck. I don't remember liking this album all that much, but it has persisted within my memory. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is both a great song and a great song name and I, of course, remember the title track. I also remember the songs on this album being long as shit, which is probably what kept this album from entering my rotation. In any case, I'm curious to revisit this one. Hmm. Hrmmm. Despite my best efforts, I'm still not feeling this one. What I suspect to be the most polarising aspect of this album is also the part I find hardest to engage with. Randomly and out of nowhere these songs shatter into a million pieces and become these strange, minimalist, avant-garde tunes. It usually happens during the third quarter of each song and every time it happens it never works and I'm left wondering what the point even was. There's also the question of track length. These songs are way, way too fucking long. If I were to total up the pointless stretches of dead air across each of these tracks, it would probably come out to about ten-minutes of the total runtime. Quite possibly longer given that Moonchild is the longest song on the album and also happens to be most guilty of this practice. If I am to be positive, I appreciate this album aesthetically. I like the grand, massive atmosphere which hangs over each of the tracks, and the instrumentation is generally pretty solid. I was also content to just let this one run. While those janky jigs are annoying, they don't seriously chafe with the music or undermine my enjoyment in a significant way. Overall, this was an okay listen. The aforementioned "21st Century Man" is pretty cool. Great lyrics, and I like the manic energy. The brass is especially good, and I like those harsh, blown out guitars. The remaining jazzy instruments are a bit of a mixed bag, however. The third quarter of this song kind of dicks around and doesn't go anywhere as a result. The title track has a great, operatic feel - a fitting closer. The refrains are the best part of the song. Such a surprising and powerful bit of levity for a song which is generally dour and oppressive. The remaining components of the song, particularly the acoustic guitar are also solid though, much like with 21st Century Schizoid Man and many of the other songs I haven't mentioned, there's still those moments where the song strangely goes out to lunch. I don't need to check the book for this album. It's In the Court of the Crimson King. One of the most iconic and, I assume, influential albums of all time. I cosign this inclusion.
I wish this album art wasn’t so ugly. A lot of track had a nice smooth vibe to them but I can’t say any of them really stood out to me. It’s nice on the whole and definitely something I play in the background while working on something.
Interesting album.
Para quienes les gusta creo...
Good album, honestly up till this poi t I didn't realise that 21st century schizoid man was a sanple
7.6/10 good instrumentals just a lot of open space it feels like? cover is off putting but i tried to not let me get annoyed with it 3/5 due to the long ass songs for no reason since it was half nothing
Ok
Some great prog music. Superb musicians. However still not my favourite KC album due to some wishy washy or flashy tracks
If The Moody Blues hadn't made music like this first, then sure, "Invented."
Well, "21st Century Schizoid Man" is good. The rest? Well, it hasn't changed my opinion of prog much.
kind of cool, jazz esc
Okay never heard of them before
Enjoyable after the first song!
Hell yeah. Gritty, intense, and yet very orchestral. I cannot tell if this a manifestation of drug use, anxiety, anger, or all of the above. 21st Century Schizoid man is a classic. There are some dull moments and then some really banger ones. Best heard on vinyl.
Quite a diversity of sounds, a melting pot of jazz and prog, but does not stand out to my ears
This album is new to me and takes you on a bit of a wild journey. Lots of sounds, musical experiences, genres. It's a fun listen and definitely doesn't bore you. Some parts really resonated with me and others not so much. I love 21st Century Schizoid Man - so good.
I don’t know this album is really good but it just doesn’t do much for me. 21st century schizoid and the title track are really good and the title track reminds me of thick as a brick which I love but idk? The other tracks are alright too but yeah I think their is much better stuff, especially from the late 60s.
It's almost one of those albums where the cover doesn't reflect the music inside besides maybe "21st Century Schizoid Man." The rest is proggy fantasy music. It's fine. The music is mostly alright, but I can't really do the vocals. But I guess the vocals do match the fantasy feel of the album. It's fine. I'd never put it on again, but at least I've finally listened to that album with that one cover of that dude's crazy face screaming.
meh
Another rock opera adjacent album. Complex but still mostly interesting
Absolutely understand the value of the record. It's clever, it's a sophisticated, it opened a gateway to whole other realm of music,. Sadly, that is not a realm in which I ever want to live. I could last the rest of my life and most of the next one never hearing a prog record again, and, yet, I suspect, given this enterprise, I will have no such fate. No fault of the album's, but it is is just Not. For. Me. To be perfectly honest, I made it about halfway before turning it off. Sorry King. Mr Crimson. Sire. It is what it is. I've got 1000 more albums to get through.
If ever there was an album that could be described as "awesome in parts" this is it. The band is virtuosic tight, inventive and pretty much unlike anything else. Fripp's guitar playing is impeccable. 21st Century Schizoid Man is astonishing. Epitaph and the title track are equally brilliant. But two problems exist. One is the lyrics. The band had a member whose sole job was to write the words to the songs. And what a set of self consciousnessly arty, pretentious nonsense they are. YOU HAD ONE JOB!!! (Sinfield went on to write lyrics for Emerson Lake and Palmer and didn't get any better.) And then there's the.band's fixation on pastoral, fey, mellotron love ins that, at the time, probably seemed like the music of tomorrow but now seem like unlistenable excess. So 5/5 when they're good. 2/5 when they're being "artistes".
Pretty fun prog rocks, gets a little dull in some spots. I understand it’s a landmark record, and it’s definitely with listening to, it’s just not really my favourite.
Har alltid haft svårt att ta till mig det här albumet helt ordentligt. Det har en viktig plats på proggrocks-himlen men jag föredrar fan andra band från den här eran. Med det sagt är det en otroligt stark öppning, med 21st century... och I Talk To The Wind innan det faller av lite sen. Ändå en solklar trea!
This was a very interesting listen. A lot of it was solid rock, but it was kind of all over the place -and some songs had weird, unpleasant noises (likely intentional based on the song title, but still not enjoyable). I'm not really sure why everyone seems so obsessed with this album - it's not bad, but certainly not 5 stars.
I liked 21st Century Schizoid Man, The court of the crimson king and Epitaph
6/10
This may be sacrilegious but I really prefer 1980s King Crimson with Bill Buford, Adrian Belew, and Tony Levin. Obviously the title track and 21st Century Schizoid Man are classics but I really like Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair better than this album.
Liked the opening track 21st century schizoid man immediately, and soon realised that this was not an album you can put on in the background, but demands to be listened to. My interest piqued and waned throughout, but definitely an album I’d want to spend more time with to appreciate more fully. I’d expect to skip to the end of moonchild more often than not though. 3 for now.
This isn’t my cup of tea, but I can’t say I’ve listened to anything else quite like it before
interesting sounds & managed to keep my interest. sounds like more fun to play than it is to listen to and some of the songs go on forever for no good reason
21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
Like the music by the song an are very long. instrumental is great.
Kul att jag kände igen öppningslåten från att Kanye West samplat den till power!
Some decent tracks but equally some absolute mental stuff!
Album 1/1001. Listened 1/6/2026. A little too stoner rock for me. 3/5 on a good day.
Kanye Power! But too jazzy
Maybe not king but a prince at least?
Interesting album, filled with long tracks. Plays out like a soundtrack to a movie. Highlights: “21st Centruy Schizoid Man”
The songs were long but I loved the flute sounds
i feel like this is more of a 3.5 cause when it’s good it’s great and when it’s not, it’s just pots and pans banging around
Honestly, I thought I'd like this more. Didn't dislike it by any means, but it was a bit of a let down. I actually think I've probably listened to it before over the years but just forgot, and that probably tells you all you need to know.
an eclectic mix of genres,i can see why its such a highly regarded album in the industry,felt sometimes more like a studio session than an album however. 3.5 stars.
Still don’t care about prog
i liked it a lot but wouldn't listen again
Muziek als expressie. Dissonantie. Ongebruikelijke complexe (minder dansbare) structuren. Beetje hypno.
First album that I have generated ever hope it’s good
Never heard of this band or album. Apparently it's one of the first true progressive rock albums. At times, it was very appealing. But there's a bit too much experimentation and empty air for my tastes. It was at times a 4/5, but drops down to a 3/5 for those weird moments between rock.
Очень долгие песни, но для меня это с непривычки. Понравилась moonchild. пока писала week 3 the artictic way понравилось слушать. прикольно! иногда буду слушать
I quite like this one, most the songs are so good, only thing im so-so about it the lengths cause why are all (like 90%) of the songs 10-12 mins long? holy moly
Creative, sophisticated in its way, the epitome of prog rock but less melodic and compelling than some other exemplars of the genre
Some truly crazy prog rock.
real immersive soundscape, just not my thing
Album No. 0101 on my list. I was actually looking forward to this album very much. „In The Court Of The Crimson King“ is one of these albums that you see everywhere on lists of the best/greatest/most important albums of all time. Yet, I’ve never listened to it before. The album is a progressive rock album indeed. Complex, extensive songs, Jazz and orchestral influences, you name it. It just seems though that I don’t really find a connection to the music, unfortunately. I’ve listened to it twice now, but I think I don’t really get the album. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is good music, and I understand that on an intellectual level. But I just don’t have any emotional connection I think. Again, this is unfortunate because I get why this album is considered to be so influential. Maybe it’s just the length of the songs. Sometimes I just had to wait too long for something exciting to happen… If my Gen Y monkey brain is responsible, I’m sorry. I’ll add “21st Century Schizoid Man”, and “The Court Of The Crimson King” to my playlist. 3/5 stars.
Too fucking long, there's a good argument to be made to just get to the fucking point. It did sound great, but when it goes on and on and on, it is hard to love it.
Para escuchar de fondo está bien, hay algún rato que me he quedado un poco ??? porque son solo sonidos extraños pero por lo demás me ha gustado. ¡La de I talk to the wind me ha gustado bastante!
Cool to see the sample of Power by Kanye West
1. 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors") - 6/10 2. I Talk to the Wind - 6/10 3. Epitaph (Including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow") - 6/10 4. Moonchild (Including "The Dream" and "The Illusion") - 3/10 5. The Court of the Crimson King (Including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets") - 6/10 don't get the hype
Skjønner ikke helt jeg.
I feel like I should be traveling through the woods in Game of Thrones while on mushrooms when listening to this.
Kind of cool and I can see how this impacted a lot of music after. I'm not sure I'll go back to this but if you're really into prog rock I can see how you'd like this. 3/5
some parts i really liked but some parts i REALLY hated
It was fine but not really my type of music.
Album: In the Court of the Crimson King Artist: King Crimson Rating: 56.8/100 Verdict: An iconic cornerstone of progressive rock that oscillates between heavy, timeless classics and wandering experimentation that sometimes misses the mark. Track-by-Track Analysis 1. 21st Century Schizoid Man Including Mirrors This opener defines the classic King Crimson sound. It is aggressive, precise, and undeniably heavy. It is impossible to listen to this without making the connection to modern hip-hop; the track was famously sampled in Kanye West's "Power," bridging the gap between 1969 prog and modern culture. Decades later, the song still hits like a classic—it hasn't lost any of its edge. 2. I Talk To The Wind Things start to get interesting here, shifting drastically from the opener's aggression to something much softer. The first half almost felt like a skip; it leans heavily into a Moody Blues or Yes aesthetic. It is surprising to hear this side of the band—while King Crimson is often associated with dark, sardonic, and complex sounds, the first half of this track sits firmly in the realm of Baroque Pop. 3. Epitaph Including March For No Reason And Tomorrow And Tomorrow This track carries a similar energy to "I Talk To The Wind," maintaining a more melodic and atmospheric approach. However, it feels heavier in spirit. Certain movements within the song evoke the doom-laden atmosphere of Black Sabbath, creating a moody bridge between the album's softer textures and its darker lyrical themes. 4. Moonchild This starts with a "jam band" energy, evoking the atmospheric tension of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter." However, the track loses its momentum about halfway through. Around the 5-minute mark, it devolves into random dissonant sounds that feel less like a composition and more like aimless wandering. For the casual listener, this becomes a definite skip. 5. The Court of the Crimson King After the dissonance of "Moonchild," this track is a relief—"finally music" again. It opens like an acoustic operatic ballad, returning to the grandiose structure that defines the album's best moments. It serves as a fitting, majestic closer that redeems the lull of the previous track.
21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN WAS SUCH A BANGER OMG and then after that it got a bit average for a while, and then there was a song that sounded like a primary school music project, and then the last song was a banger again but it went on for a million years and then right at the end they brought out the primary school kids to play some flutes just before the final chorus-y bit. AND THEN the song ends and you think it's all over and then someone's cat walks over the keyboard or something, like the musical equivalent of sdkghslrukhgkdfg. i mean what a journey. maybe 3.5????
Grooy grandpa rock complete with a lot of flute playing. Starts of strong with 21st Century Schizoid Man, but hits some rough patches by the time you get to Moonchild
I don’t know how I’ve managed never to listen to this. It’s pretty good! I particularly like “Epitaph” and “The Court of the Crimson King.” The album’s not entirely my thing, mind you. There are some silly prog rock clichés, which help make even 44 minutes seem long. But the album is somehow both of its time and (sorta) avant-garde. Interesting. 3.5?
Kind of boring. I can see how it was once pretty progressive but by modern standards seems tame
All hail the prog progenitor. Ahead of its time and mostly enjoyable - it’s still recognizable as rock music, but I did get annoyed around the halfway point of “Moonchild” at what sounded like directionless noodling. A lot of compelling moments though.
Pretty interesting. Worth listening to at least once.
I know that I've heard tracks from "In The Court Of The Crimson King" before today, but I cannot put my finger on exactly when. Early prog-rock ... it's nice to listen to every once in a while.
Surprisingly recognisable
Not a huuuge fan of King Crimson (a bit too experimental for me), but this album is a classic
I've heard this album off and on over the years and apart from '21st Century Schizoid Man', it kinda just washed over me. Can't say it's done much more this time round but 'Epitaph' was worth playing again. I mean it's a classic album but I prefer the later album, Lark's Tongue in Aspic. Mostly pleasant background music for me, this one.
60s jam band, a little dark and chaotic in a fun way. Doodlie jazz on longer songs.
A long-anticipated and dreaded day. It was inevitable that this album cropped up on this sort of list it is a work of genius, right? The problem I have is that I bought it years ago, listened to it once and didn't like it. I'll forced myself to listen again. Long, indulgent, jazz/blues derived solos with a side-order of psychedelia. Lyrically obscure. The musicianship is competent. The drummer needs to calm down and back off a bit. The drums are much too forward in the mix, to the point of being irritating. Period typical abuse of stereo imaging. Standard, rock band, 'simplistic, badly arranged "strings"'. Really why do they do this? All the tracks drone on a bit. 'Moonchild' got very annoying. Interesting, yes. Innovative, sure. Enduring work of genius? Perhaps not. I can't decide on 3/5 or 4/5 for this. It's really a 7/10. Oh for more granularity in scoring! 'Moonchild' and the drumming nudge me towards 3/5.
It's full of great melody's and atmosphere but although I enjoy it all I come away wanting more.
Not my personal favorite, but I can definitely hear its influence.
Strong start and solid album.
Some loverly proggers. Quality is a bit inconsistent but enjoyable album
This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be based on what I had heard about it previously. There were a few songs I actually liked (Talk to the Wind). But there were also songs that dragged. And I get that that is the point (to a certain extent) is the longer run time of songs allowing for more sonically interesting things. But at the same time, I'm not sure it pays off.
I think I’d seen the album cover to In the Court of the Crimson King before I even knew the band King Crimson. The cover is a kind of cartoon face of a man frightened to death or in agony or going crazy. Some may feel that way after listening to King Crimson’s debut album, but for progressive rock fans, it may be their number one album. In the Court of the Crimson King is looked at by many as the first prog album and it certainly sounds like it. I’m no historian, so I can’t tell you if it’s the first, but I do know prog when I hear it. Earlier, I said prog rock, King Crimson isn’t so much rock as they are psychedelic and jazzy with dashes of Jimi Hendrix sprinkled over the top. The opening song, 21st Century Schizoid Man is so big and over the top, you’d think the band was a metal band. While the song features a saxophone, it’s very heavy. The riff is undeniable. I know I heard the main riff before I knew who King Crimson was. In the Court of the Crimson King is a concept album of what, I don’t know. I’m going to get maybe two listens before moving on, so Google it. The album went on to inspire plenty of bands searching for who they were, meaning it spawned a bunch of crappy prog rock bands, but there were plenty of great bands inspired as well. Now, as I said, King Crimson is not metal, though they have metal-like tendencies. They are more jazzy, which I have a love-hate relationship with. I love jazz that doesn’t get too nutty. Meaning, I like jazz when all the instruments are not each playing different songs. King Crimson doesn’t get that nutty, but it does seem at times they all just decided to jam to the point of going off the rails before bringing it back. Overall, the album is fine. I understand it has to be on the list just for the historicalness of it and how it spawned a new genre of rock. As John Cunningham of WhatCulture said about the band, "they threw the bluesy sound of rock at the time out the window. In its place, the group displayed a psychedelic hybrid style composed of acid rock, jazz and classical overtones." So, not a straight-up rock band, but they rock. As with most prog bands and albums, I can appreciate King Crimson, but I don’t think I’ll ever have this in my regualr rotation.
3/5
Prog rock at it's finest.
Ich glaub chönt vill potezial ha aber hed mi doch z wenig gfesslet, darum gömmer mit 3 königliche crimes
:O das album hett scho grosse anime bekanntheitsstatus, drum hani mal müese drilose plus ischs cover und de name cool es isch okay würdi sege... nothing too crazy natürlich immer lustig wemmer no es sample erkennt und the court of the crimson shlong isch au es lustiges lied gsi alles ih allem losi sicher nöd au nod bonustracks du dumme siech hey :O drum segi da mal :O :O :O und da isch no de anime woni gmeint han https://jojowiki.com/King_Crimson
Correcto
I only had heard of King Crimson. There were some interesting and unexpected melodies. Other songs pushed the envelope so much they were hard to listen to.
Didn’t really get this the first time around, certainly not the first half, but there’s some quality to it and they push the boat out with some experimental elements. I think some of that first listen confusion/jarring aspect stuck with me when reviewing but it’s an album of genuine interest.
A vast improvement on the previous KC offering we had
Ok, i can see how this is the start of heavy metal and progressive rock. I can see where bands like Yes and Coheed and Cambria come from. I did not need the expanded version Spotify gave me, as the extra tracks added nothing to the album. It stood just fine without them, like King Crimson intended. This isn't my style, but it wasn't bad. My Rating: 3/5 Crimson Crowns.
Good musicians but far too noodly
The flute playing on this album is amazing! Good early album by this prog rock band
Objectively, they did a lot musically on this album... it just wasn't my thing. I would say this is more of a 3.5 for me, but I can't justify bumping it up to a 4.
Symphonic and very Moody Blues / Tull styled production. Worth listening again because I didn't follow any of the lyrics. Seemed like medieval fantasy trope stuff but I don't know if it had any depth.
I listened to the original release (five tracks). Some of this music seems like a blend of the Beatles, Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull. The first track is somewhat heavy metal-ish, and the rest is experimental rock. I could do without the section with random noises in “Moonchild”. Overall this is groundbreaking for 1969, not quite good enough for four stars.
Aha, another album cover I recognize from being in a lot of people's top albums. The first true prog album, is it? And yeah, I hate it. So that tracks. It does sound more modern than it is (70s perhaps), I'll give 'em that. I've heard '21st Century Schizoid Man' before (because of Kanye, no doubt) but never knew those were the lyrics. Because the vocals are not crisp and clean! But at least the lyrics are interesting, I guess. And there are some interesting bits of jazzy instrumentation. I see why people like it. I don't like it, but maybe hate is too strong. It's fine. It's whatever. It's a low 3.
It has a lot of 70s jazz vibes,, but what do you expect from a 70s jazz album. It is a very scrunch up your face value due to the fantastic use of instruments and makes this 7 mins a journey. The subtle hints at rock throughout the song is really a nice hidden gem. The vocals are alright, but don't get an Adele worthy performance from it. Although, further in the album the vocals become clearer and better than the first initial song. From there on out the mood of the album changes from here to there; from a jazzy lounge vibe then to a more rock aspect but very very under the raps type of rock. There are songs that sounded like just sounds, more over one particular song, but it fits so well what the album tries to convey. For a 60's/70's album the technical aspects of the album are incredible. Would I recommend this to my friends? Not really, because this album is more for a refined listener that do not chase the latest trends, and values sounds more than the vibe it is giving. Overall great album
Reminds me of rock and roll jazz
You can hear elements of Pink Floyd, Yes, David Bowie, and even flashes of Rush and Led Zeppelin throughout this album. Given its release date, it’s easy to imagine that King Crimson helped shape each of them in some way. The sound feels both familiar and foundational—like a blueprint that later giants built upon.
Nice, syret lidt pink Floyd drømmende agtigt. Nok lidt for syret til mig, men fed lyd
Kinda like it, but not my cup of tea.
So that is where all the LSD went.
Mostly I fear it just doesn't really do it for me... sorry. Wish it did
I expected this to be weird and nerdy, but was surprised that it didn't go as far as I thought it would. At least not until side two. The first track, "21st Century Schizoid Man", throws you right into the deep end with its distorted opening chorus, 'hard rock' guitars, and wailing woodwinds. The way they don't build it up makes it feel more like a reprise than a first listen, which is quite a way to start the first track of your first album. I've mentioned this on other records and my usual note is "it's like you're joining a conversation already in progress", but usually the band has put out a few records and has some expectation that the audience knows their sound. It moves pretty quickly from that chorus into jazz-style soloing without much segue. "21st Century Schizoid Man" feel like King Crimson's statement piece and it's no wonder it gets sampled pretty often (probably most notably on Kanye West's "Power"). They back off somewhat (but keep the woodwinds!) for "I Talk To The Wind". This feels like a much more approachable starting point for most people in 1969. It's pop and psych-rock, with a little bit of jazz - a far cry from the onslaught of sound in the first track. "Epitaph" wraps up the first side of the record, and does well to combine the sounds we've already heard into a single (nearly 9 minute long) opus. The cinematic soundscape paints an expansive and optimistic picture for the bleak lyrics to trample over, if you let them. This is probably my standout track of the record, but I don't think you should go into it without warming up with the preceding songs. Side two is where things feel firmly prog rock-y. "Moonchild" seems to borrow more from experimental jazz (think "Bitches Brew" era Miles Davis) than from anything in rock & roll. It's the album's least played track on Spotify and not hard to guess why. "The Court Of The Crimson King" is an appropriate title track for the record. It collects all the pieces into one track and gives us the classic 'renaissance fair rock' sound that defines early prog-rock for me. In my review of David Bowie's "Heroes" I mentioned that David Fripp (the mastermind of King Crimson) was a collaborator, and it makes a lot of sense why they got along. I'm sure Bowie had heard this record, but I wish he and Fripp could have connected during the Ziggy Stardust era. There are 5 tracks and I like 3 of them, and maybe an extra half point for overall concept, brings me to a 3.5/5
Enjoyed
King Crimson are a talented band. This album was an ok one. I always liked 'I Talk to the Wind'. Somehow it makes me think of my dad when his dementia began to advance.
I appreciate KC's artistry and vision. They've been extremely influential on the prog rock scene. But if I'm being honest, this is a mediocre album at best. It's really the only one I'm familiar with so maybe I should check out some others. 3/5 #215
Previously rated: #198 - Larks' Tongues In Aspic (2/5) **************************************** Album #946 After listening to the other one, I knew this one was coming, then I forgot it was coming, so I was surprised seeing it come up. I had heard this once before, and wasn't enthralled with it. It quickly grabs you with 21st Century Schizoid Man, which admittedly is a really cool song (and the reason I rate this a 3/5). After that, there's a lot of hippie ren fair sounding stuff, several minutes of jazz noodling (in Moonchild), and more ren fair fare. It reminded me of that first Pink Floyd album we had to listen to here for some reason. I'd willingly listen to an album full of Schizoid Man type material.
3/5
This may be a bit too close to the beginning of prog rock for me. I love Pink Floyd and Rush for their rock roots, but even some of Yes's work gets a bit too navel-gazey for me and I fear King Crimson is firmly in that territory. You can't have "prog rock" without "rock" and "rock" requires a riff, just as it always has. "Moonchild" is almost unforgivable - "b-b-but we're playing experimental music!" I can't sit here with a straight face and listen to somebody fucking with a xylophone for 10 minutes, even if it was 1969. It just didn't connect with me, personally. Sometimes you meet your heroes and it turns out everybody else got way better at that type of music over the last 50+ years. "21st Century Schizoid Man" rules to this day and "The Court of the Crimson King" is cool too. Those are really the only worthwhile tracks on the album. I gotta go 3/5 if only because the middle section is such a ridiculous snoozefest.
Is that a goddamn flute? There's a lot of shit on here that I like, there are some really cool moments, like the Epitaph song is great music and a great vibe. And then there's a lot I don't like, like the flute. So I'm gonna give it a 2.5 and round it up to a 3 cause of the legacy and the cool album artwork.
That's not my taste in music - But some pleasant songs
I understand that the ‘first’ makes this have weight, but I don’t understand the hype of the actual music. It’s fine. A nice riff and a nice refrain that both come back throughout. But beyond that, there’s a lot of waiting.
Unique sound surpassed by its artwork.
Prog rock with jazz. Tight performance and meandering tracks. I'd heard good things... Epitaph and Moonchild remind me of clean Opeth, but Moonchild has meandering outro, not a big fan Impressive prog for 69 but not as mind-blowing as I had hoped Best track - Epitaph 3 stars
Some really nice songs , some bits spoiled by painful high pitched sounds
Good classic rock album. Kind of jam-bandish but I still enjoyed it. 6/10
Too experimental for me.
This album was all over the place. Started psychedelic rock, moving into background 70s movie music, and finishing off with jazz? It was interesting for sure. I’ll never listen to again though. 3.46583
I like King Crimson but this album is kind of a difficult listen. Lots of discordant noodling that overrides the base tracks.
Pretty tired. I'll just say this is a 3/5.
Found the album interesting but not worthy of the hype? Would listen to again.
I mean, if you remove the long stretches if kindergarteners playing Fischer Price xylophones, it's pretty good.
Ok so yes this was good, a bit all over the place. But there was some really fun musicianship happening here.
I've never heard the album before now, but I'm certainly privy to the influence of this album. The screaming red man on the cover was immediately recognizable to me. As far as what I personally thought of the music, it was pretty good. I can certainly understand it's popularity. 21st Century Schizoid Man had me absolutely hooked & was by far the best song on the album. My issue came with the lengthy, jazzy sections of the songs. Each song is pretty long, and some unnecessarily so. I'm all for just vibing with the music, but I found myself losing some of my excitement when the music breaks would carry on for too long. Overall, one absolutely fantastic song can't carry the rating, so I'll put it in the dead middle.
Så högt och lågt, vissa lite mer chill gillade jag, andra var lite hysteriska
good, but don't see myself coming back to it anytime soon.
Välillä bängeri ja välillä sitte tosi epäbängeri. Nyt oli just oikee hetki tälle albumille ja vibailin välillä ihan kunnolla mutta luulen että vaikka eilen olisi vihannu tätä.
Certainly need to give this one more time. It’s bizarre. But I can imagine the big ones growing on me. Maybe the best album cover ever. Adding 1/2 point for that alone.
Classic
pretty good but less good than I remember
I thought this was alright. Id like to know a little more about the work.
I liked the first song, but not the rest. Why do progressive rock albums consistently have a “look at all the instruments we have in the studio” section?
This prog rock shit can be so hit or miss for me. I thought I was going to hate it but it wasn’t bad. Would definitely listen again at home with a doobie or two. If you’re going to go weird call your song 21st Century Schizoid Man and I’ll be more forgiving.
There's a risk this list might actually turn me into a prog-rock fan... 2.5 (might have gotten a full 3 if they'd toned it down with the flute)
No one man should have all that power
kinda banging
gizzard lizard related? Noodly, kind of goes nowhere, fine I guess
Knew the first song from some commercial. Pretty good overall. Good instrumentals.
I only listened to this once properly, but think it’ll grow on me with more listens.
*The jazz stuff was cool but the overall album was a little too all over the place. Very atmospheric but not consistent enough with a theme for me to give it more than a 3.
This was a wild ride but it was sure interesting
This was tough for me, I'm pretty hot and cold on this album. I loooove "21st Century Schizoid Man" then "I Talk to The Wind" loses me. then "Epitaph" draws me back, then "Moonchild" reeeeeally loses me. and then I like "Court of the Crimson King!" I guess it all just kinda averages out.
The classic opener is such a misdirect because nothing else here comes even close to its loud hard rock groove. I’m not a prog fan so my love is limited, though there are some lovely vocals and melodies.
Ehhhh… there’s better prog around
Prog rock gods - reminds me of Moody Blues. Creative for the time, led to an era of 4 song sets . . .
Like if Yes sang about death and wizards or whatever the shit it was about
Important, original, with long stretches of boredom in between. 3/ 5
Interesting album. Dad had it on vinyl growing up and that cover is seared into my brain haha. A bit too much weird instrumental stuff for 4 stars but really solid otherwise.
It's really quite surprising to hear this album with the knowledge that it is an incredibly early example of prog rock, because this album is also known as one of the greatest prog rock albums; this album knows what it's doing and has the style down to a T. That said, maybe even more surprising to me, is that I actually enjoyed this album a fair bit, as someone who isn't really into prog rock. I think what I may appreciate the most about this album is its masterful use of classical/symphonic style mixed in. Doing this would ultimately become quite a staple to prog rock, but again, there's just something special and notable about how it's done here. The latter part of the "Moonchild" track loses me a bit, but that's not bad at all considering how I normally glaze over when listening to these prog rock albums.
Not a huge prog rock fan but I can see why people like this album.