(Note: the linked playlist on the above image is slightly off, the final track isn't the same that appears on the record, as it doesn't have a precussion track. There's a version on the KC youtube channel called melody LTAI part 2 which is a pretty bang on live recording. Anyway.)
Lark's tongues in aspic is the fifth studio album by the legendary progressive rock band King Crimson, released 1973. This is one of their many critically acclaimed and fan-loved records, so I thought it's high time I got round to listening to it.
King crimson is one of those bands that is impossible to ignore, whether you're considering sole consistent member Robert Fripp's brushes with the underground and the mainstream, contributing to David Bowie's guitar sound on Heroes as well as the Windows Vista operating system, and then reportedly some 700 more features; or rubbing shoulders with the musical "underground" with the likes of Brian Eno and David Sylvian, and then the ever expanding alumni from the constantly evolving Crimson line up. One of their most recent live troupes included 7 total, with 3 drummers. 3! Can you bloody Adam and Eve it.
What I'm trying to say is, King Crimson is a pretty big deal. I, like most, was first introduced to the band with their debut record In the court of the crimson king a few years ago, and then Red after hearing the 12 minute closing track Starless. My reason for progressing so slowly through the band's discography, like almost everyone else, is that until very recently Fripp has held off digital publication of Crimson's work with an iron fist, so much so that it's become a joke amongst fans that anyone caught uploading album or even individual song rips on youtube will soon feel the wrath of Fripp's copyright. Like I alluded to, Fripp has done a full 180 in the last few weeks and has put all of Crimson's studio work on their youtube channel; maybe out of pity for everyone being stuck at home, who knows. But this has made it more accessible, hence I am here writing this review.
The first track of 6, Lark's tongues in Aspic Pt 1, might as well be an album in itself. It's not far short of a quarter hour long and has more progression in it than most actual albums. It starts with this twinkly intro and rising clanging sound. This lasts for nearly 3 minutes before violin fades in, followed by guitar, and the tension starts building. Bits of precussion are hinted at, then these rapid snare hits fade up into this headbanging guitar refrain, and this all happens less than a minute after the intro, the track is a roller coaster. Alternate lead guitar squeals with staccato snare hits before returning to quiet. This part repeats with increased fervor, and the tracks spins on it's heal again. And then after that section it turns again, the track becomes increasingly hardly to head-bob along to as the rhythms become more erratic, it's nearly impossible to follow any one instrument as the whole thing is so alive, before returning to a violin on it's lonesome with just a few background sounds, which then leave to expose the vilolin on it's own. There's even more and we're hardly past the halfway mark of the track. The tracks just represents conflict and harmony and pure musicianship, it is truly a masterpiece of a song. It also has no lyrics, aside from what sounds like sampled vocals from a film or something.
Book of Saturday is a relatively much more low key affair. It's reminiscent of other Crimson 2nd tracks, from my experience anyway, It's not even 3 minutes, and has some cool reversed effects in the instrumental sections. It's not necessarily as hard hitting as track 1, but it's a nice pallette cleanser for the next song-
EXILES. This kicks off a triplet of 7 minute+ long songs, and this track, as the name would suggest, feels ike being exiled from a medieval kingdom- Crimson not being strangers to mixing medieval imagery with contemporary society- with the start being an unnverving electronic soundscape, we're lumped into a very ye olde English sounding atmosphere, with the voclaist talking about far away lands and drunkards. The instrumental flips between this idyllic folky ambience and the afforementioned unnerving sounds. It's a good track, evocative for sure.
Easy Money is next. I can't lie, the first time I heard this I was instantly reminded of Have a cigar from Wish you were here by pink floyd, as did the structure of the first track, But this one moreso, with's it's lyrical themes and general sound. But the track on this record is it's own thing. The atmosphere is utterly sleezy. The track is littered with absurd sound effects, which although are funny do overshadow the actual musicianship in this track- but even then it makes itself more than apparent in the midsection of the song. The sounds are just so well arranged, there really isn't a dull moment for the 7:54 runtime.
The penultimate track is The Talking Drum. This track really does start from nothing and just keeps layering and layering itself with rhythm. It really kicks into gear when the (what i presume is a) mellotron kicks in to provide some basing between the bass and mid frequencies. The interaction between the guitar and the violin sounds like they're fighting to be heard as the drum eggs them on. The track reaches it's climax before skidding on the brakes and dumping us into the last track:
Lark's tongues in Aspic part 2. This, unsuprisingly, sounds like a continuation of the first track, but not quite as impressive in terms of dynamic constrast anyway. Don't get me wrong, it's still really well arranged and written, it just doesn't hit as hard as some of the parts of part 1. I like some of the erratic violin playing, and the track's meltdown by the end, but it just doesn't feel like a closing track should, I guess.
But overall, the album is very very good. Just the sheer skill of the musicians involved makes this album a marvel to listen to, especially the first track, but the ending is just kind of ultimately unsatisfying. The tracks are all individually work well, and work well together, just the last one feels unimaginative I guess. But it's still very good, and worth checking out even if you only hear the first track.
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