Search - King Crimson :: In the Court of the Crimson King

A milestone in rock music

Friendlycard | Norfolk, UK | 08/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If contemporary album reviews are to be believed, "In the Court of the Crimson King" burst like a thunderclap on to the music scene, helped, no doubt, both by the lurid album cover (and better inner sleeve artwork) created by Barry Godber, and by the explosive impact of the opening track, "21st Century Schizoid Man". Commercially, KC were unable to capitalise on this debut because the band effectively broke up, going through several changes of line-up before reaching the Fripp-Wetton-Bruford-Cross version that for many, myself included, represented the high-point of the band's evolution.



Forty years on, does "In the Court" stand the test of time? On the whole, the album - especially in HQCD format - stands up pretty well. The genius of the album was - and remains - the blend of heavy rock and the more ethereal style of the late sixties. Others - notably the Moody Blues - had tried this kind of fusion, but no one did it as boldly or as effectively as KC.



The nuances between rock and etherea determine how the album can be enjoyed today, with the former lasting, predictably, better than the latter.



"Schizoid Man" is a raucous, uncomplicated rock number, and remains vibrant and exciting. "I Talk to the Wind" is much more "sixties" in its style, but remains a good track. The high-point of the album is, undoubtedly, "Epitaph", a complex and superbly textured piece which benefits considerably from Peter Sinfield's lyrics.



In my opinion - and, indeed, those of many contemporary reviewers - "Moonchild" is the weakest track on the album. To some of those reviewers, it was simply too long; seen from the perspective of 2009, the title alone (and the lyrics) are sufficient to peg the track into the flower era of the sixties.



The tour de force here - in addition to "Epitaph" - is the title track, a beautifully complex, structured piece which again benefits from Sinfield's lyrics.



"In the Court" was a spectacularly original album back in 1969, and - with the exception of "Moonchild" - has worn well. KC were not going to be this good again until the magisterial "Red" album in 1974. In both cases, the albums benefit from the Japanese HQCD format. Because of its subtle texturing, "In the Court" benefits particularly from this process. It's still a classic, and better than ever in this format."