King Crimson - Islands (6 tracks) +Album Reviews

...Let me tell you of the sailor's tale, of islands galore..

Eddie Lancekick | Pacific Northwest | 01/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"King Crimson the band, in their own right, is like an ancient, lost civilization: They once ruled with dignity and style, class and power, and though they are not around any more, many of the things we have today still come from them, and their influence on rock music and progressive rock themes.

What makes this album stand out to me is the overall tone, the guitarwork is done extremely well and paces itself throughout with songs like "Formentera Lady" and "The Letters". Sailors tale and "islands" are also vintage prog rock. The sound quality is excellent and the mixture of overatures vs. jamming out type tunes weaves well in and out of each other to give us an extremely diverse, well recorded progressive rock treasure that is not listened to or discovered enough by the people who walk the planet today."

Beautiful, Intense, Sparkling,Chaotic, Wild, Weird, Restful

Talking Wall | Queen Creek, AZ | 07/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been listening to Crimson since that age of 16 in 1972. A "friend" got me fried on about 5 joints of weed(my first experience with pot and pretty much my last) and played "In the Court of the Crimson King" The weed experience didn't take but King Crimson sure did. When I recovered (and it took a few days!) I went down the mall from record store to record store buying up the catalog that did exist at the time (a whopping 4 albums). Island was the second King Crimson I purchased.

Many Crimso fans won't get this at all. It isn't full of blazing Robert Fripp guitar etudes but Fripp does note that his single echo guitar solo (lot's o' diminished and altered dominant chords played at alarming speed) Sailor's Tale was the beginning of the next phase of his playing style. Most of this session was pretty laid back, Formentera Lady has lots of windchimes and flute, they even hired a mezzo soprano singer with a very haunting voice. This gal is singing beautifully while Mel Collins plays a jazzy tenor solo complete with the odd Pharoah Sander honk and squawk here an there. This interlude evenually fades and Ian Wallace begins tapping out the time signature for The Sailor's Tale, Boz comes in with a jazzy (but repetitive bass line that Robert taught him to play) and then we get the urgent melody played in unison by Mel and Robert while Ian drives the whole thing along. This is a stunning, let me write that again, stunning moment in the Crimson catalog - a must have just for this little trilogy alone.

Rest of the Lp is good, others have mentioned the Beatlesque Ladies of the Road (Just want to feel your Fender?). Islands is another peaceful track that finishes up with a rousing cornet solo by Crimso guest Mark (Fallen Angel) Charig.

No, this isn't Fracture or Son of Fracture or Son of Fracture Junior. It's a different Crimso that, contrary to widely-held opinion, was a very good band... the other members left King Crimson to go play blues with Alexis Korner? That just doesn't make any sense to me.

The 30th anniversay edition was lovingly remastered. Buy it you Crim-head. You know you want to. [...]"

Definitely an underrated album

Joseph C. Helton | 09/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a jewel in the King Crimson catalog, make no mistake. It's a bit more subdued and introspective than other KC offerings, but it is outstanding. Definitely a good addition to your cd collection."

Peaceful kings of crimson

Deven Gadula | san francisco, ca, united states | 10/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
If you are looking for great rock music of the early 1970s, the golden era of rock, look no further. The music of King Crimson has possibly influenced as many bands and musicians as that of Pink Floyd's. King Crimson is one of the most prolific rock bands ever and Robert Fripp one of the most influential musicians of all time. They have been releasing great albums since 1969 to this date. My favorite phase of their musical development was the very beginning, their first 4 albums, which I find more peaceful and beautifully structured. I am sure to many fans of this great band what is missing in these early albums is world class drums and bass, heavy riffs changing the tempo of music. To me this is the perfection of that early music of King Crimson. They were able to achieve variety and complexity of their progressions by other means. The first album, In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969), with Greg Lake (who left shortly before completing their second album to establish EL&P) is such a classic and novelty that its place in the history of rock music has been established for ever. However, what unites the following 3 albums In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970) and Islands (1971) is the absolutely superb mastery of flutes and saxes by Mel Collins. The jazzy feeling of these 3 albums has a lot to do with Keith Tippett, a jazz piano player who participated here as well. The following album Larks' Tongues In Aspic started the saga of the new King Crimson lineup with Bill Bruford on drums and John Wetton on bass and vocals and their sound became much harder and heavier.

Coming back to Islands, it features 10 musicians including obviously Robert Fripp on guitar, mellotron and Peter's Pedal Harmonium; Mel Collins on flute, bass flute, saxes and vocals; Boz Burrell on bass guitar and lead vocals; Ian Wallace on drums, percussion and vocals; Keith Tippett on piano; Robin Miller on oboe; Mark Charig on cornet; Henry Miller on string bass; Paulina Lucas singing soprano and Peter Sinfield adding lyrics and sounds. The sound of this album is as full as the lineup. Again, for the most part this is more of a peaceful jazz influenced rock suite than your typical rock album, but given time, the effect is spectacular. This album is very even and when I say that the title track could be my favorite, with its prelude Song Of The Gulls, I am probably doing injustice to Formentera Lady and Sailor's Tale which are beautiful and very artistic. Back in 1997 I have compiled 74 minutes of the King Crimson I wanted to have an easy access to. It is called Peaceful Kings Of Crimson:

1. edit

2. Cadence And Cascade

3. Exiles

4. The Court Of The Crimson King 1

5. Song Of The Gulls

6. The Court Of The Crimson King 2

7. Islands

8. The Court Of The Crimson King 3

9. I Talk To The Wind

10. Lizard - Prince Rupert's Wake

11. The Night Watch

12. In The Wake Of Poseidon

13. Epitaph

14. Lady Of The Dancing Water

I guess for the most part this could be called the best of early King Crimson. Once again, I absolutely appreciate the greatness of their harder, heavier and later music. I just like to float in more peaceful background more often than not.

"

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