The Smiley Smile Message Board

So I was reading the "[Band's] best album, and why" thread and was wondering if any other Beach Boys fans are also King Crimson fans. I was going to post something about them on the aforementioned thread, but thought it might be interesting to start a whole new one, considering they are a band that is so different than the Beach Boys.

I think their best albums are their debut "In the Court of the Crimson King," "Red," and "Discipline". Anyone else listen to this amazing prog rock band? And if so what are your opinions of them?

I would defenitley agree those are their best albums altough I do like Lark's Tongue and the USA live album as well. They have a few albums and tracks I can't get into but on their best material they can be amazing. At times Bruford and Wetton and later Bruford and Levin could be a positivley devistating rhythm section.

Time to dig up an old thead, methinks... :hat


Any topic begun by someone calling themselves slothrop (as in Pynchon's awesome Gravity's Rainbow) is okay by me.

I love KC. To the albums already mentioned (except the live USA) I would definitely add Lizard, with its breathtaking "Peacock's Bolero" (a must-hear) and Islands. A more recent album that intrigues me is the somewhat forbidding THRaKaTTaK, a selection of unsettling live instrumentals, including the wonderfully titled "Mother Hold The Candle Steady While I Shave The Chicken's Lip":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2NPybgArPA

All the studio albums I've heard have their share of magnificent cuts.

Any other KC devotees out there these days? 

I like them, but only really listen to In the Court, Larks' Tongues and Red. The other albums are kinda hit and miss for me, mostly miss.

I like them up to and including Discipline. After that they lose me.

It took me a few years to really get in to them but now I'm hooked. In the Court of the Crimson King is the best place to start for anyone looking to check them out. My favourite album by them is Lark's Tongues in Aspic.

I like them. In The Court Of The Crimson King is my favorite (I Talk To The Wind is an absolutely beautiful song). I also like their second and third album (In The Wake Of Poseidon & Lizard), great mix of loud and soft and very dramatic prog rock. Their early 80s stuff is rather interesting too. I dig the Beat album.

I was a King Crimson obsessive back in the 90s and saw them 6 or 7 times. I've cooled on them considerably (funnily, after accidentally meeting Robert Fripp in Detroit Metropolitan Airport).

I came into fandom by way of In the Court of the Crimson King but, ultimately, most appreciated the 80s line-up and albums (Discipline/Beat/Three of a Perfect Pair).

I don't think they have a perfect album, but Discipline comes closest, with In the Court of the Crimson King, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and Red coming in close behind.

I would advise a novice to pick up any of those 4, but be aware that they are remarkably different from each other.

I think Red and Starless contain a little too much noodling in places. If they had condensed the best tracks of each on to one record, it would have been their best album.

I'm with you on that idea. I think Red needed one or two more actual songs in the place of the "Providence" live improv and then you'd have a near perfect album. Their improv game at this time was strong, but "Providence" is not a good representation.

On "Starless and Bible Black," some of the improvs are better than the actual songs which seem somewhat undercooked to me.