King Crimson - Lizard CD

List All 10 Reviews

 Crimso's LIZARD : A Rainbow of Timbres & Styles
Often in conversation with fellow music enthusiasts over the years, a common question has been asked. And while it is difficult to pinpoint ones "favourite album" , I most often have answered with "KING CRIMSON, LIZARD". While "In the Court..." when first heard, was an epiphany; jettisoning me beyond the realms of 'Sabbath and AliceCopper', it was LIZARD that showed me the wonderful collisions of previous Frippy fusion with hard bop, orchestral classicism, warped ragtime, bolero rhythms and so much more! Indeed LIZARD is a complex album, and many a time I've heard it derided and totally under appreciated. However, while KC albums 1 and 2 (COURT & IN THE WAKE ...) are some much out of the same mold (and wonderfully so), LIZARD brought so many of their underlying elements to the fore. On it, I find FRIPP'S guitar work all the more diverse, eloquent, layered and,come the end of 'Prince Rupert's Lament', iconoclastic in the face of other guitarist's work of the time. (This mentioned movement, the title track's last, show cases the once trademark 'infinite' Fripp sustain). Other tracks (Cirkus,Indoor Games) have layers of acoustic guitar work as well as some beautiful, glassy, clean LesPaul, chiming and at times, funky. Other newer colors are revealed in a variety of keyboards. Not only is the sacred MELLOTRON as present as ever, but both Fripp and Keith Tippet (the incomparable...)splay out a wide sonic pallete of electric & acoustic piano, organ and synthesizer--all used tastefully and to good effect. Tippet's piano work under Jon Anderson's (YES) vocals (solo,layered,and sometimes backward and 'pre-verbed') ,is worth the admission price alone. Also worth mentioning is the mighty stamp of fellow 'KeithTippetGroup' members Mark Charig(cornet) & Nick Evans (trombone). With these monsters supplementing the already fiery and mercurial Mel Collins (saxes & flute) for a horn section, the improvisation overall, gets spicey indeed. (I did mention hard bop & warped ragtime did'nt I?). However, every yin has its yang, and along with the above players in their more lyrical moments, is the presence of...an oboe. Robin Miller (on CorAnglais or English horn as well) performs with great expression on the title track. Playing no doubt, melodies primarily penned by the Fripp, it's a wonder that a simple minor hexatonic 'blues' scale can be made to sound both so somber and so lovely (DawnSong). Briefly, but with equal appreciation, Gordon Haskell's vocals are a nice change up from the venerable Greg Lake's anthemic & intense croonings (groonings?). Haskell's are a bit more delicate with an under current of 'twisted' at times. (Crimsonologist will remember him as a guest vocal on 'InTheWake of Poseidon's' "Cadence and Cascade")--and his bass playing is in the pocket, a solid anchor under the ebbing tides of the other players. Also drummer Andy McCulloch is quite the curious concussionist. One can tell that he's enjoying himself during the freer moments of mayhem while being relentlessly consistent through the bolero section of 'Lizard'.(The only snit is that sometimes the overall snare work gets to be a bit busy for my tastes, but he's a sensitive and inventive player nonetheless). Ahhh, and then there's SINFIELD! I've always been attracted to his 'obscurantist' poetry, as I once read it called. Here, as previously, his words and pictures don't disappoint (if ya like that kinda thing). I do like it -- I DO think it's good. While it's almost sacrilegious to speculate too much on the meaning of any poet/lyricist's work, this album's cover art (by Gini Barris) has some clues. (Hint : HappyFamily is about the Beatles) I'd love to ask dear Pete if ' Lizard' is a commentary on the church/organized religion and a character lamenting their lost, perhaps 'genuine' ,spirituality due to religion's exploitation of the faithful. Heavy Stuff. Yet also balanced by the sardonic wit of 'Indoor Games' and the idyllic romance of 'Lady Of The Dancing Water' Enough said...LISTEN for your self - more than twice. It is dense...like an onion made of aircraft aluminum. And it certianly demands the listener's involvement. But that's what good music does, among other things.... I STILL think it's my favorite album. I dig it! jmpk 9-16-06
Submitted by jmpk (SandyCreek, PA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  3 of 3 found this helpful.

 One of my favorite weirdest CD's
The sound on this was really odd, kind of like Gentle Giant with a bit of the Moody Blues, and remained one of the strangest sounding rock albums I've ever heard. Yet I always liked it because it was so engaging. The cynical lyrics and the trippy musicianship is great, Gordon Haskell has a hypnotic voice; his solo record is a forgotten classic kind of Nick Drake-ish style singing and songwriting. Robert Fripp really went to town on this compositionally, I bet he was thinking of Stravinsky and a lot of dissonant post-modern classical music mixed with bebop jazz and Jimi Hendrix, you can hear that in there but it really sounds more like a Moody Blues epic feeling to it with an edge and a strangeness. There's nothing like this album that I can think of. It's kind of like if Trent Reznor was very happy on anti-depressants, went to therapy, got a bit angry at his parents but wrote it all out in metaphor about the medieval era and hired the Moody Blues to play it.
Submitted by Andrew M. (Santa Rosa, CA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  1 of 1 found this helpful.

 Way ahead
This was one of the first two KC albums I bought. The other one was "In the court of". That one was the so-called "classic" kc album, but it was "Lizard" that really blew me away! Definitely no less a classic than Pink Floyd's "The dark side" or "Deep purple in rock" only different and incomparable. Hardly known to the public and sometimes underrated by both fans and KC's Robert Fripp himself!
Submitted by rzandstr (the netherlands)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No

 An epic masterpiece
This is one of my favorite Crimson albums (along with Red and In the Court). Of all the different line-ups that Crimson has seen, I see this one as one of the most innovative. The songs are layered heavily and your ears are bombarded by several instruments played by brilliant musicians. Pete Sinfield's lyrics are rather ambigious, but vivid and full of imagery. The final track represents just one more high point in Crimson's prog legacy, breaking the 20 minute mark and displays every member's outstanding ability to play their intstruments. Yes vocalist, Jon Anderson, lends his melodic voice to the track as well. Overall, a glorious, epic album from one of the best prog bands.
Submitted by Justin (Vincennes, IN, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No

 Great undiscovered masterpiece
The new 2009 mix sounds great in my car. Probably the best album for 5.1 Surround Sound. After reading the liner notes, I would say that Steve Wilson is a genius. Fripp would agree. I had only heard the first 3 songs on scratched vinyl in the mid '70's. The original album cover was very unique, but Crimson always had the best covers anyway. Can't wait for the rest of the catalog remixes & bonus features.
Submitted by bill key (rogers, ar usa)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 2 found this helpful.
This review is for a different format.

List All Reviews

Have you heard this album?