Until recently, I had rather overlooked King Crimson's debut album, seeing it as a slightly flawed relic of that age when psychedelia was giving way, in stumbling and uncertain steps, to progressive rock. It had therefore become unfairly associated in my mind with a stage in the development of rock music which was characterised by untidiness and a lack of direction and focus.
Thankfully, following a re-appraisal of this work it has become one of my favourite albums of all time, and it is arguably one of the first genuinely credible prog-rock records. Far from being aimless and nebulous, it has a striking maturity and confidence at its very core.
The album's forceful and uncompromising opening track, '21st Century Schizoid Man', sets things up very effectively, though in truth it is not that typical of the work as a whole. It does exude the sense of creativity and melodic vibrancy which permeates the LP, but it is more visceral and aggressive than most of the other material on show. The instrumental passages have a jazz-like flavour, and the pleasing separation between instruments is a feature of In The Court Of The Crimson King in general. This first number does sound and feel more futuristic than the rest of the album, because of its vaguely 'avant-garde' elements, and its edginess, and some of its traits possibly contribute to misleading impressions of the record in a wider sense.
By way of a switch of moods, 'I Talk To The Wind' is blissfully airy, almost ethereal, and a true delight, with the keyboards and woodwinds providing agreeable textures. Some subtle vocal harmonies also augment the pleasing and delicate recipe.
'Epitaph' is my personal highlight of the album, as it manages to encompass both the epic and the intimate. Again, the production is quite sparse in nature, with lots of room left for the instruments and vocals to 'breathe'. A fine, expressive lead vocal by Greg Lake, too. The Mellotron on this track is relatively unobtrusive and sparingly employed, crucial in engendering its atmosphere, and in ensuring that it does not lapse into bombast. Indeed, two of the hallmarks of this record as a whole are the control and restraint, which are indicative of good taste on the part of all concerned.
Of the songs here, 'Moonchild' has perhaps the strongest and most appealing melodic foundation. Again, the playing is delicate, and although the 'closing section' I suspect divides opinion, it is not the sort of passage which one could condemn as self-indulgent or pretentious, but instead it highlights the group's breadth of talent, with some dreamy 'improvisation' by Robert Fripp and Co. I'm sure this part of the song made more sense in 1969 than it does today, but it does not grate with me at all, and it is ultimately harmless.
The 'title' track brings matters to a close in dramatic and impressive fashion, and this time the Mellotron is much more to the fore, creating a daunting backdrop, interspersed with notable flourishes from other instruments. The more rhythmic edge, and menacing tone, to this number carry slight echoes of the opening song, making them appropriate 'bookends' in that sense. The 'light and shade' of the verses and choruses is highly affecting, and brings this track in line with the album as a whole, and the technical finesse of the players is once again exhibited to fine effect. Lyrically, parts of the track can be seen to serve as a pre-cursor to much of the prog genre which this record helped to launch, although Crimson were there first, pretty much.
In The Court Of The Crimson King is a compelling, compact and composed creation, and it still stands up much better than the bulk of the other albums which heralded the dawn of the progressive rock era. It exudes the musical and philosophical fecundity which would be a feature of the band's work up to the middle of the Seventies, and King Crimson's early music remains vital and potent after all these years.
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