2009-06-17 -- 3/5:: Innovative, well-played, but dull
I've been a big fan of classic rock from the late 60s and early 70s for a long time, liking groups like Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Blind Faith, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and the Who. I recently decided to expand my horizons and check out more bands from this period, including King Crimson, Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, and Captain Beyond.

I was very impressed by the Wishbone Ash and Captain Beyond debut albums, finding them exciting and a lot of fun to listen to. (I find Uriah Heep's first album good, but not great.) In contrast, I find this debut album from King Crimson somewhat dull, with the exception of the opening track, "21st Century Schizoid Man". I'm not saying that it's a bad album; in fact, I see that it was very original at the time and that the members of the band are all talented musicians, but it just doesn't grab me and make me want to listen to it over and over.

I believe that this album was one of the earliest progressive rock albums. I imagine that my response to it might have been very different if I had actually heard it in 1969 before hearing all the progressive bands like ELP and Yes that were influenced by it. But I can't help but evaluate it in the context of all the other music that I've heard.

I do find the opening track, "21st Century Schizoid Man", more exciting than the rest of the album and like the way it speeds up in the middle for the "Mirrors" instrumental section which features fast bass lines from Greg Lake and dynamic guitars, keyboards, and woodwinds backed up by complex drumming. This is an outstanding song.

The next song, "I Talk to the Wind", is a ballad that has its charms including nice vocal harmonies and beautiful flute, but it's kind of sappy. "Epitaph" is a slow anti-war march. This is the song that comes closest to achieving the excitement of the first track, but it goes on too long for such a somber piece. Even the critics who acclaimed the album when it was released criticized the vapid "Moonchild" tune for being too long; while I appreciate the group's willingness to insert a jazz improvisation in the middle, it is uninspired. Maybe you need to be stoned to appreciate it. The final title track is quite similar in many ways to "Epitaph" and also drones on longer than it should; the similarity to "Epitaph" and its position after "Moonchild" makes it even more problematical, since I find myself tired of the album after the first two minutes.

I want to emphasize again that I think the musicians on this album are all very skilled and that I respect their originality. But I find this album somewhat dull and repetitious and don't think I'll be listening to it very often.

2009-06-10 -- 5/5:: CD purchased - I love the CD
I really love this CD! It came in excellent new condition with no damage. It took a little longer than I thought it would but I was satisfied and love the CD the more I listen to it.

2009-05-11 -- 5/5:: In the Court you shall bow before the King
Before you even open this album up you owe it to yourself to study the cover for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Okay, now you are prepared for what you are about to encounter. The debut, and perhaps the most commercial of King Crimsons' early work, it was evident to most that this was the start of something different and, if you were into it, a leap outside of something most of us simply referred to as "Rock". Progressive Rock, if you will, was about to take us somewhere we had never been before. All the songs are good so I won't go into a song by song critique. Much like my first statement I think that aside from listening to the music you owe it to yourself to find the lyrics if you are not privileged to own the actual vinyl original. That helps to complete the experience and is very much a part of this King Crimson effort.

2009-04-27 -- 5/5:: King Crimson
Great CD, an amazing band, way ahead of their time, great to have this again

2009-03-07 -- 5/5:: prophetic rock
Reviwers here primarily are evaluating the musicianship and emotional mood that the music creates, which of course is penetrating and great.

The most important theme though I believe to be the lyrics.
Written by Peter Sinfield in 1969, it gives a fine sense of where the world is headed, the musical equivalent to George Orwell's 1984.

Substitue Rothschild for the Crimson King, and you have an allegorical
scenario similar to the Mozart's Magic Flute where freemasonry was exposed.
The fire witch was left standing in Dresden on Ash Wednesday during the firebombing of February 14, 1945 when several hundred thousand people perished.

With Epitaph the plot and mammon's destiny are unveiled, with the prayer of hope left hanging by a thin thread ... are we there today ?