King Crimson Album Poll: “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” (1973)

Tracklisting:

1. Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part One (13:36)
2. Book Of Saturday (2:49)
3. Exiles (7:37)
4. Easy Money (7:57)
5. The Talking Drum (7:28)
6. Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two (7:10)

Personnel:

Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mellotron
Bill Bruford - Drums, Percussion
David Cross - Violin, Viola, Mellotron
Jamie Muir - Drums, Percussion
John Wetton - Bass, Vocals

Additional information:

King Crimson’s 1973 album marked a radical departure from everything they’d previously done. With guitarist Robert Fripp as the only survivor from the original line-up, the new line-up featuring the heat-seeking work of ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford and the virtuoso bass work of ex-Family bassist John Wetton, who also took on vocals here, presented a breath-taking tour of killer riffs, jaw-dropping dynamics, and poignant ballads. Featuring pastoral Vaughan Williams-style interludes from violinist David Cross, this line-up also embraced a spikier sound that was both willing to rock out, as on the unhinged complexities of LTIA Pt2, as well as explore and experiment with unorthodox textures and atmospherics thanks to eccentric percussionist Jamie Muir.

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A masterpiece....that’s all I can really say for now. Do you guys feel the same way or do you think the Crimson has done better elsewhere?

 

A pretty solid effort. The 2 title tracks are amazing instrumentals, Book Of Saturday is a great ballad with a beautiful melody, The Talking Drum is a great heavy Crimson instrumental. I enjoy the other 2 albums by this particular line up more, mostly because John Wetton doesn't sing that well here. That's why I won't put it in the "Clearly one of their best"-category. But if you like what King Crimson does, you're not going to be disappointed with this one.

 

One of their best. I was really caught off guard by this album. I had always thought of King Crimson as a quieter band, and had heard "Book of Saturday" from this album, so I expected this on to be quieter too. The long percussion intro had me thinking that assumption was correct, then the foreboding violin came in, then the creeping bass, then the guitar came blasting in and I knew I was dead wrong.

 

A album for real KC fans, along with Lizard.

 

I'm not totally sure which album I consider to be their best, but its definitely either this one or Red. I probably most of the time lean towards this album. Maybe 55% of the time I think its this album and the other 45% of the time I think Red is their best.

Something like that.

...and what about their supposed masterpiece ITCOTCK? Isn't that their best album?

Well its got the 12 minute Moonchild on it, so....NO!

 

Their best album ever. And the album that made buying a decent pair of headphones essential for teenage me back in the 70s. (And saving up for a Japanese pressing in hopes of less surface noise.) The perfect rock LP for someone just also discovering free jazz and avant-garde music. Still never get tired of listening to it. It seemed like alien music from another planet for someone raised on top-40 AM rock.

Still wonder why Atlantic decided to remove the border for the North American editions. Did they really sell any more copies because of that decision?

 

Essential and mind blowing. One of those albums that changed the way I listened to music. I love the dynamics, the heavy jazz, the contemporary classical influence, and no one can convince me that this is pretentious prog rock. Fantastic cover art.

Also my favorite example of what a great job a re-mix could do, not to mention a great example of what a difference a new lineup could do.

 

A trio of terrific albums from the Fripp-Weston-Brufford-Cross era. The only thing that compared IMHO was the first two King Crimson albums and the 80's version with Adrian Belew in terms of quality.

I do wish that Jamie Muir had stayed with them as he was a creative wild card but he did inspire Brufford to do much the same unconventional approach.

 

Exactly. Beyond genre.

 

Absolutely one of their best. All the Wetton/Fripp/Bruford era albums are magnificent.

 

I hate to say it but I think this was my introduction to King Crimson.
Great introduction, I'm just not now sure why I hadn't got into them earlier.
The way I remember it I was in a record store the day it came out with some friends
and it was playing. I had to have it...

Historically this has always been my favorite period of KC.
This and the next two albums. With Starless being the peak of their creativity.
That's the way I've always seen it.
Although I've enjoyed the entire career.

Of their earlier albums Islands was my favorite.

And now with the band touring again and playing the songs they've chosen to do I could further evaluate everything....

Love King Crimson! And of course I picked the first choice above.

 

One of their best...an essential KC and Prog album.

 

Game changer.

World beater.

Brain melter.

 

I have an old issue of Let It Rock (UK rock monthly) from Feb 1974 with an article "A guide to avant-garde rock" - Soft Machine, Floyd, Caravan, Keth Tippett Group...and Crimson with LTIA as the example.

I went with "Clearly one of the best"- ties with Red and maybe ITCOTCK as the best KC albums in any lineup.

 

Larks' Tongues In Aspic is my favorite Crimson album with both Red and In The Court Of The Crimson King a hair's breadth behind. It's a perfect album with not even a slight misstep to be found.

 

An amazing album. The only reason I have pause calling it their best is only due to the sheer quality of their other top works. That said, an all time favorite across everything I own, easy.

 

Easy Money, Book of Saturdays, and Larks pt. II are three of my favorite KC songs. This is the album that served as a bridge for me from In the Court of the Crimson King to the rest of their albums. So I voted, "Worth recommending."

 

My personal KC playlist begins with 'Larks' Tongues'. While 'Starless' is certainly a 'perfect' song, it's generally 'Larks' Tongues' that I want to hear first when I'm in the mood for the blend of quirkiness & sonic assault that for me represents KC at their best. I think that this is why my affections started moving from the big 'Rock' album Red back to the two more Progressive albums that led to it.

 

One of their best IMHO. I already owned the first two albums when I bought this used at age 16. The record was pretty hacked but I was so floored by what I heard that I immediately went out and bought a new copy. The compositions and the band exhibit masterful dramatic structure and timing, the climaxes hit at just the right moment, lyrical passages bring needed respite.

 

I love "Exiles" and the two title tracks. "Easy Money" is hilarious and of course all the songs really took flight on the road. As a studio album, the original mix leaves something to be desired but when they revamped it for 5.1, LOOK OUT!

 

My favorite Crimson record (and one of the most quintessential prog releases of all time in my view).

I've listened to it countless times, bought the EG CD back in the late 90's, an old crackling copy of the record, and most recently the Wilson 5.1 remix.

Essential listening to be sure. Also, it's great how there's some anonymous wanker troll voting clearly one of their worst in every thread like this. Probably the same person over and over.

 

Adrian, is that you?

 

One of their best. I love Book Of Saturday.

 

Never been a big fan of Easy Money, but the rest of the album is perfect.

 

Too much joy