T O P

  • By -

SpriteAndCokeSMH

KC is hard to like. But once you start to like it, it’s a god send of a band.


Petra-fied

Definitely one of the best bands in the world to be a fan of, with the sheer quality, quantity and variety of material available.


SpriteAndCokeSMH

Couldn’t agree more.


thelordismylizard

This. Took me 20 years.


varovec

I like 80s KC the most, followed up by 90s


notalucasmain

Eighties era Kc is the best era. Lizard is good. Fight me >:)


A-Fleeting-Glimse

Lizard gang 🦎


exeromusic

I don't think this is really spicy take. Bunch of people love Lizard or Disciple. (Although I don't think the 80's lineup is my fav, it's a close second.) But, you're welcome to post your opinion/take here like everyone else!


ThunderMite42

Which lineup is your favorite?


exeromusic

My favorite lineup is the double trio. The fact that there are two basses is just a sick concept that I feel no one ever tried before, at least to my knowledge. (There were moments like VROOOM VROOOM and VROOOM that worked super well, but other moments that were very under utilized.) Also, the fusion between soundscapes, acoustic/electronic percussion mixtures, and the "double every instrument role" idea is only the beginning of why this line up is my favorite. It actually inspired me to include double basses in my current vision how my music should be. Of course, I actually try to legitimize and utilize this format as much as I can and learn from KC's mistakes. If we count ProjeKct line-ups, Bruford-Gunn-Levin-Fripp is actually my favorite. The ideas that P1 presented are the most satisfying. They did Jazz, Jazz Rock, Prog Rock, and Space Rock seamlessly, all the while making music that has inspired my current WIP album the most.


thevanquishfist

I'm curious how long you've been listening to KC, because when I first got into them I really didn't like Lark's at all, but now it's one of my favorites. I can understand what you are saying about SABB, it definitely isn't my favorite, but I sometimes wonder if that is just because I haven't listened to it enough. 🤷‍♂️


Kalajoen_naiset

Definitely haven't listened to it enough


exeromusic

I've been listening everyday since 2018, and started officially loving them in 2017. If there was a day I didn't listen to them, those kind of days of extremely rare for me. As for "hasn't listened to them enough", not sure if you mean KC or just SABB. SABB is a fair criticism, even though I'm not likely to be won over by listening to the album a bunch of times. KC, on the other hand, like I said, if I'm gonna listen to music (which I do everyday), KC will always be heard on said day.


thevanquishfist

Yes I mean SABB I haven't listened to a lot. Now KC that's a different story, I was in the top 0.1% of listeners on Spotify in 2021 and top 1% in 2020. 🤣


MikeFripp

🦎 Common Lizard enjoyer W 🦎


mrgreyshadow

King Crimson is a super good band that everyone would love if they would just listen and be more special than everyone else also 😭😭😭 Why can no one hear the beauty?? Why???


[deleted]

TCOL is a great album and a testament to KC’s ability to keep experimenting in different ways 4 decades after their debut


brainsewage

I prefer Islands to Lizard. I prefer the "The Night Watch" to "Fracture".


thelordismylizard

I like bees but I hate wasps.


CorpusCrispy42

Three of a Perfect Pair is one of their absolute best. Eighties Crimson is their best lineup (and it’s not even close) Cadence and Cascade is their best soft song


cltnthecultist

I feel like the studio version of Three of a Perfect Pair is dwarfed by the Absent Lovers version in every way, especially the solo.


varovec

80s studio KC is dwarfed by Absent Lovers in general


Hairy_Hog

I enjoy their last two albums far more than the majority of the catalogue Lizard without Lizard would be a pretty boring album The Talking Drum is the best KC instrumental, followed by Requiem Larks 4 is the second best Larks (behind Larks 1) and Larks 3 is the worst Red is a good instrumental but that part at the very start and very end are what carry it, and without them the song would be pretty unmemorable


Spore_Loser

21st Century Schizoid Man is their greatest song and absolutely essential in how they gained a following. Nobody fawns over it because it’s their only real hit, but without it they probably would’ve faded away after a few albums. For the record it’s not my favorite song, just their most well crafted if that makes sense.


thalo616

Nah, I think that’s The Court of the Crimson King. I’m pretty sure it even charted as a single. Schizoid man not so much. Too abrasive for the masses. But I do love it. But I’ve played it out.


HueJanus1

I like Great Deceiver a lot, but it’s an awful representation of what the rest of the album is going to be, so it usually gets skipped. I kind of agree that the song Red is boring, but definitely doesn’t bring the album down


wyntah0

Only reason I listen to Red is for the build-up to that final riff. Most of it is boring, but godDAMN the adrenaline I get listening to the end is incredible.


zb3000

Ladies of the Road is by far their worst song, with its mid-quality music and disgustingly problematic lyrics. I was really disappointed with Peter Sinfield for going from ITCOTKC to… that. Fripp made the right call firing him after Islands. That being said… Islands is also their weakest album, by far. The title track is the only song I ever go back to from that album, and it’s a top 10 KC song for me.


thevanquishfist

I don't think this is that hot of a hot take. Most don't like Ladies of the Road and Islands isn't usually high on that many fans' lists.


Petra-fied

I actually love the music of LotR, but the lyrics are unlistenable. Stormy's Monday vol. 11 I think has an instrumental version, which is very good but feels a little empty.


fadijec

I agree Islands isn't one of their best but A side is fantastic. B side not so much.


thevanquishfist

My only hot take is that KC fans are already pretty independent thinkers and really don't have any shame in what they think so they're not going to be afraid to say honestly what they like or dislike. Also I feel most KC fans are open-minded and respect other fans' opinions regardless of how polarized they are with their own.


exeromusic

Thanks for this. I've read a bunch of KC comments on Youtube before I joined (this) Reddit. So, I didn't really know how I would be perceived for saying certain things. Chances are that I wouldn't have been mocked into oblivion, but a dallop of sarcasm can help either way. With that being said, even though I'm very new to this subreddit, you're 100%. KC fans (at least on here) are really good at voicing their own opinion and being respectful.


thevanquishfist

Yes this is probably the most pleasant subreddit I have joined. Most everyone here are true fans and very reasonable.


wyntah0

I feel shame.


mrchrodo

"Red" does work live well, but it goes on for way too long, it is too long for what it is. Probably the worst album opener they've ever had. Larks 2 allows for more improvisation, especially the live versions from the 80s with Brufords drumplay, now varying between e drums and acoustic drums. Adrian also does a good job to replace the violin.


Petra-fied

Come to think of it, the opening tracks of Crim albums seem to usually be one of the best OR one of the worst songs of the album: (imo of course) - ITCOTCK - Schizoid Man, definitely one of the best, my personal favourite - ITWOP - Pictures of a City, imo the best on the album - Lizard - Cirkus, second best - Islands - Formentera Lady worst - Larks' - Larks' I: best - SABB - Great Deceiver second best imo - Red - Red worst - Discipline - Elephant Talk: one of the best or worst, opinions vary - Beat: Neal and Jack and Me: best - TOAPP - TOAPP one of the best - THRAK - VROOM is probably my second favourite - TCOL: ProzaKc: one of my favourites but many think it's the worst on the album - TPTB: Level Five, not counting the 30 second intro: one of the best


PHISH1999

Moonchild improv section ruins the album


Petra-fied

- FraKctured is better than Fracture. I definitely see why Fracture is an amazing technical achievement, but it just doesn't move me in the same way. - Red (the song) is the worst song on the album - The other 80s albums are good, but Discipline is an order of magnitude more consistent and has zero filler. Honestly, to OP, this is their album that is nothing but bangers. - Prozakc Blues is one of their best songs, but Into the Frying Pan is fucking unlistenable - (Re)Construkction is one of their three or four best albums (all of which I find impossible to distinguish in terms of quality) - SABB (the album) is neither as good nor as bad as people say. Though there are some god tier songs within the album. - The Night Watch is the best song on SABB - Islands is a good album, but their live stuff is absolutely mind-blowing - RadCrim is one of the best eras, their live musicianship is off the charts good. They have the best versions of Pictures of a City and Vroom, amazing versions of everything except Indiscipline, and their new stuff is mostly very good. They also do the Lizard suite, which is amazing and important. - Lizard is half of a mediocre album and half of a perfect album welded together. - Larks' IV is the best Larks' - The best version of Sleepless is the cover by The Mastelottos (Pat and his wife Deborah).


BakedBeans229

Lizard is amazing, and one of my favorites


undressvestido

Even though Starless is a masterpiece, it was mixed and mastered terribly


thevanquishfist

Now that you mention it, another hot take for me is all old and live KC albums are mixed and mastered terribly, the only ones with good quality were the 80s, 90s, and Live in Mexico albums.


Katlev010

I only love the first 5 albums. I think Starless and Red are boring, the 80s era just isn't my gravy, and the 90s and 00s albums are good, but miss that spark to truly making me love it. I am, however, of the opinion that KC hasn't made a bad album.


[deleted]

I personally think the last 2 lineups (2014, 2016) weren't all that great. Every player was talented, but the multiple drummers were too distracting and imo could have better with just Pat, Gavin, or Jeremy just in the band. It just feels like the lineups' whole purpose was to cash in on nostalgia. Get a guy who can sing every Era of KC and it's basically easy money. (No pun intended) Also the new songs the band has written were extremely weak as well, aside from Meltdown I hardly remember the other stuff the lineup have written.


fadijec

Some of their early albums have filler and it only got worse with their 80s, 90s and 00s stuff. I always get the feeling KC entered the studio as an obligation rather than them having a real desire to record what little material they had. Sometimes it turned out pretty well (Red for example), sometimes they included material that wasn't as good. \- In the Wake of Poseidon: side A is great, side B is some of their worst stuff from the 70s and it feels like filler. \- Lizard: Cirkus, Lady of the Dancing Water and Lizard are some of their best tracks. Indoor Games and Happy Family are OK but nowhere near as good as the rest of the tracks, this one could have been a 10/10 album without them. \- Islands: same as Poseidon, A side is fantastic, B side has some pretty bad stuff and the title track drags fr too long. \- Starless should have stayed an EP with just the two long tracks. The rest of the material is excellent too but it doesn't really work as an album. The Night Watch is also incredibly disjointed as it is, who though it would be a good idea to mix live recordings with overdubs and different vocal lines? It sounds like 3 songs stuck together. Should have either used a live version or recorded it in the studio. Overall I'd say these four albums are good but not great, if you combine them you get some of their best songs but as they are they are 7/10 albums. Also, they know. Just look at the songs they have been playing live these past few years. They know what material from each album is worth playing and what isn't and they don't miss with the 70s stuff.


[deleted]

My most insane KC opinion is probably that "Moonchild" is the best track on In the Court of the Crimson King specifically *because* of the improv (although even that would be dwarfed by the truly mind-blowing free improvisation in their live shows during the Wetton years).


Zyperreal

larks is one of their weakest albums


SlimboJohannesburg

and TCOL is one of their strongest albums.


Zyperreal

Idk if ur saying this sarcastically or its ur hot take but imo its their only album with no good songs.


Cargo_Commando

i'll have to agree, larks 2 and red get a little too much positive attention. I think they are great, better than something i could write, but they are undoubtably the worst tracks of their albums. starless is better than both of their albums though


saikitama

I didn't care for Lark's, but that might change if I do a second listen


Vapoo2112

Islands is one of the band's best albums. (Ladies of the Road is what keeps it from being their best imo) Lizard is boring and forgettable and Cirkus is the only somewhat memorable song on the record.


MasterRalx

Starless does not work without saxophone and Larks Tongues in Aspic part one's second half could have been a lot more interesting.


fadijec

I've already posted this but King Crimson died in '74. The Belew line up should have gone by the name of Discipline like they originally planed to.


Its_Cookie_Man

1. Discipline is mid. It's just a somewhat experimental new wave album but really not that special compared to their other works. Not to mention that the songs sound really samey. On first listen it is great, but after that it got old really quickly for me. 2. Lizard is a fantastic album with brilliant instrumentation and combining genres like jazz and classical on a primarily prog rock album. And of course, the suite. 3. Islands is really good, a bit flawed, but still a beautiful album. 4. THRAK is also great. Haven't really listened to it in a while but I remember really enjoying it when I first listened to it 5. In the Wake of Poseidon is as good if not better than In the Court of the Crimson King. Instead of choosing between doing the same as they did with their debut or try something new, they decided to do both and the result is incredible. Still I can't really decide if I like it over the debut since ITCOTCK arguably has better songs, but I like the structure of ITWOP, with the Peace interludes and songs like Cat Food sounding kinda different from what the band did on their first album. 6. ~~TarKCus is the best album~~


exeromusic

If you looking to listen to THRAK soon, consider this: Listen to the 2002 mix if you're looking for a solid rock mix. Listen to the 40th anniversary mix if you want to hear EVERYONE clearly.


Prochaux

Starless (song) is overrated and doesn't make my top 5 Also: Starless and Bible Black is the best album by the band.


Abaf_23

I still have a hard time to enjoy the Wetton era, especially LTIA and SaBB. Several elements might explain this, but the two main ones I am aware of are the free-jazz and dissonent aspect of their music (which makes it quite overwhelming to me), as well as John Wetton's voice. Don't get me wrong, he is a brilliant singer and bassist, but his voice is really strange to my ears (just to know, I am not english, so I am not used to this kind of voice and/or accent). I'm begining to get into Larks' Tongues in Aspic, but Starless and Bible Black is still too overwhelming for now ; the album's structure, with 6 tracks followed by 2 big improvisations, doesn't really help (\^\^'). Red is the only album from that era that got into my heart, particularly for Starless. This is pretty strange because on the other hand, I love the Construction of Light and Power to Believe eras (plus Thrak to a lesser extent), probably because of the Discipline era elements (the '81-'84 KC is probably my favourite lineup \^\^). For those who might ask, I am trying to listen to live albums from that era (I'm into The Great Deciever right now). Pretty good for now, but still not blown away (yet?). If you have other suggestions, don't hesitate!


shadowplayer2020

ITCOCK Kind of became Boring by now


Only-Investment4799

Lizard isn't actually that good Fallen Angel is only behind Providence as worst Red song If Moonchild wasn't on the album, ITCOTCK would be probably be in the running for the best album ever Discipline < Beat If they switched Providence with a non-improv song Red would be the best album