King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
(Label: Island/EG Records; 43:54/43:45; Recorded: June-August 1969, Wessex Sound Studios, London; Producer: King Crimson; Released: October 10, 1969)
| Review | by Lindsay Planer |
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This reissue of King Crimson's debut, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), renders all previous pressings obsolete. In the late '90s, Robert Fripp remastered the entire Crimson catalog for inclusion in a 30th anniversary edition. Nowhere was the upgrade more deserved (or necessary) than on this rock & roll cornerstone. Initially, King Crimson consisted of Robert Fripp (guitar), Ian McDonald (reeds/woodwind/vibes/keyboards/Mellotron/vocals), Greg Lake (bass/vocals), Michael Giles (drums/percussion/vocals), and Peter Sinfield (words/illuminations). As if somehow prophetic, King Crimson projected a darker and edgier brand of post-psychedelic rock. Likewise, they were inherently intelligent -- a sort of thinking man's Pink Floyd. Fripp demonstrates his innate aptitude for contrasts and the value of silence within a performance, even as far back as "21st Century Schizoid Man." The song is nothing short of the aural antecedent to what would become the entire heavy alternative/grunge sound. Juxtaposed with that electric intensity is the ethereal noir ballad "I Talk to the Wind." The delicate vocal harmonies and McDonald's achingly poignant flute solo and melodic counterpoint remain unmatched on an emotive level. The surreal and opaque lyrics are likewise an insight to Peter Sinfield's masterful wordplay, which graced their next three releases. The original A-side concludes with the powerful sonic imagery of "Epitaph." The haunting Mellotron wails, and Fripp's acoustic -- as well as electric -- guitar counterpoints give the introduction an almost sacred feel, adding measurably to the overall sinister mood. Giles' percussion work provides a pungent kick during the kettle drum intro and to the aggressive palpitation-inducing rhythm in the chorus. "Moonchild" is an eerie love song that is creepy, bordering on uncomfortable. The melody is agile and ageless, while the instrumentation wafts like the wind through bare trees. Developing out of the song is an extended improvisation that dissolves into a non-structured section of free jazz, with brief guitar lines running parallel throughout. The title track, "In the Court of the Crimson King," completes the disc with another beautifully bombastic song. Here again, the foreboding featured in Sinfield's lyrics is instrumentally matched by the contrasting verbosity in the chorus and the delicate nature of the verses and concluding solos. Of course, this thumbnail appraisal pales in comparison to experiencing the actual recording. Thanks to Fripp and company's laborious efforts, this 30th anniversary edition sports sound as majestic as it has ever been within the digital domain. Frankly, the HDCD playback compatibility even bests the warmth and timbre of an original 1-A vinyl pressing. This is especially critical during the quieter passages throughout "Moonchild" and "I Talk to the Wind." Initial releases were housed in a limited-edition gatefold replica of the original LP packaging and were accompanied by an oversized 12-page memorabilia booklet with photos and press clippings from the era. |
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http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lecibk096akq
Credits:
| Tony Arnold | Remastering |
| Dik | Equipment Manager, Equipment Technician |
| Robert Fripp | Guitar, Keyboards, Remastering |
| Michael Giles | Percussion, Drums, Vocals |
| Barry Godber | Cover Design, Cover Art |
| Simon Heyworth | Remastering |
| King Crimson | Producer |
| Greg Lake | Bass, Guitar (Bass), Vocals |
| Ian McDonald | Flute, Reeds, Keyboards, Vocals, Mellotron, Vibraphone, Woodwind |
| Hugh O'Donnell | Design |
| Tony Page | Engineer, Assistant Engineer |
| Peter Sinfield | Lyricist, Illustrations, Spoken Word |
| Robbin Thompson | Engineer |
| Robin Thompson | Engineer |
| Vick |
Equipment Manager |
Charts & Awards: US #28; UK #3 Gold
40th Anniversary re-issue
The 40th Anniversary re-issue comes in 3 different formats:
- The 2CD version (catalogue number DGM5009) comprising CD1 and CD2.
- The CD/DVD version (catalogue number KCSP1) comprising CD1 and DVD.
- The 5CD/DVD version (catalogue number KCCBX1) comprising all CDs and DVD.
CD1
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- "I Talk to the Wind"
- "Epitaph"
- "Moonchild"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- "Moonchild" [full version]
- "I Talk to the Wind" [Fripp and McDonald duo version]
- "I Talk to the Wind" [alternate take]
- "Epitaph" [backing track]
- "Wind session" [extracts from the session that produced the intro to "21st Century Schizoid Man"]
- tracks 1-5: 2009 Robert Fripp & Steven Wilson re-mix from the original multi-track master tapes.
- tracks 7-10: Alternative takes from the original studio session. Mixed & produced by Steven Wilson.
CD2
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- "I Talk to the Wind"
- "Epitaph"
- "Moonchild"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- "21st Century Schizoid Man" [early instrumental recording]
- "I Talk to the Wind" [BBC session, from bootleg source]
- "21st Century Schizoid Man" [BBC session, from a BBC transcription disc]
- "The Court of the Crimson King (Part 1)"
- "The Court of the Crimson King (Part 2)"
- tracks 1-5: 2004 re-master, transferred of the original 1969 vinyl mix
- tracks 7-8: BBC Radio 1 session
- tracks 9-10: A-side and B-side from the original vinyl single
CD3
- "21st Century Schizoid Man" [trio version – instrumental]
- "I Talk to the Wind" [studio run-through]
- "Epitaph" [alternate version]
- "Moonchild" [take 1]
- "The Court of the Crimson King" [take 3]
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- "I Talk to the Wind"
- "Epitaph"
- "Moonchild"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- tracks 1-5: Alternative takes from the original studio session. Mixed & produced by Steven Wilson.
- tracks 6-10: De-clicked vinyl transfer of the first Island Records stereo UK pressing run.
CD4
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- "Get Thy Bearings"
- "Epitaph"
- "Mantra"
- "Travel Weary Capricorn"
- "Mars"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- "A Man A City"
- "Epitaph"
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- tracks 1-7: restored bootleg, recorded live at Hyde Park, London, 5 July 1969
- tracks 8-11: restored bootleg, recorded Live at Fillmore East, New York, November 1969
CD5
- "21st Century Schizoid Man"
- "I Talk to the Wind"
- "Epitaph"
- "Moonchild"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- "The Court of the Crimson King"
- tracks 1-5: mono album mix used for radio promotion only in the USA
- track 6: edited, mono single mix used for radio promotion only in the USA
DVD
- 5.1 Surround Sound mixes available in DTS 5.1. Mixed & produced by Steven Wilson.
- 24/48 High Resolution Stereo mixes of CD1.
- 24/48 High Resolution Stereo mixes of alternative takes from the original studio session (CD3 tracks 1-5).
- 24/48 High Resolution Stereo mixes of 2004 re-master, transferred of the original 1969 vinyl mix (CD2 tracks 1-5).
- "21st Century Schizoid Man" - film from Hyde Park concert 5 July 1969.