ISLANDS

This album sorely tries my firm resolve to review albums that don't move me and that must convey a type of album review in it itself. This has to be one of the most boring albums I've ever listened to and, issued by the incredible King Crimson, makes it all the more baffling to me.

Ok, I can see that mastermind Robert Fripp felt compelled to streamline KC's sound from the incredibly rambling and brilliant jazz and symphonic juxtapositions of the previous Lizard album. But gone now is the incredibly tasty drumming of the sorely underrated Andy McCulloch and the plodding rambling bass of Gordon Haskell. Future Bad Company member "Boz" Burrell is handling bass and vocals with fellow new man Ian Wallace on drums. Burrell was a rudimentary bassist at this point and he severely drags down or inhibits any flights of fancy by Wallace throughout the songs.

Surely Fripp on mellotron and guitar and the incredible Mel Collins on flute and sax can carry the day? And guest jazz virtuoso Keith Tippet on piano? All but Collins adds any fire or life to these lifeless songs.

The lead off track 'Formentera Lady' starts off with a long boring (that word again!) droning bowed bass by a session player before devolving into a mind numbing two note procession on electric bass throughout the remainder of this long tedious song. Collins tries his best to inject some life into the copse, but alas, it won't budge. "Sailor's Tales" starts off well with Collins in some type of alternate free form jazz world of his own before the song switches to a slower time and introduces abrasive electric guitar, smothered in echoplex, by Fripp that goes nowhere. It is quite a good technical exercise but it's poor music. "The Letters" is a sleepy ballad that has none of previous KC charm or breathtaking melodicism like "Cadence And Cascade" or "Lady Of The Dancing Water" from previous albums. The quirky "Ladies Of The Road", with it's faux Beatles' chorus, is a bad joke and must be one of the worst tunes that KC ever committed to vinyl.

"Prelude: Song of the Gulls" is a completely instrumental piece performed by a chamber ensemble. With an unremarkable melody, it is devoid of all that could have made it something listenable. Particularly by some inspired playing of Fripp on guitar and mellotron and flute or sax by Collins. The title track "Islands" is supposed the album's highpoint, but is another missed opportunity with lackluster guitar from Fripp, or any arresting mellotron work. In fact, the mellotron strings sound like new age soundscape material. Collins tries but, again, his great skills on flute and sax can't salvage this slow paced and overlong melancholy song.

There, it's done. I can now put Islands back up on the shelf again and enjoy ten other Crimson albums that are masterpieces or thereabouts. The sooner the better. 2 stars.