LIZARD

I know I intentionally listened to the song "Lizard" before (many years ago), and possibly have heard some random tracks, but I don't think I have heard the whole thing in order. Here are my impressions as I listen.

Track 1 - Cirkus (Including "Entry of the Chameleons")

Definitely getting the Crimson vibe here. A lot of hard panned instruments in the mix. Gordon Haskell seems to have the type of Baritone voice that Fripp prefers, but he's no Gregg Lake or John Wetton. Still, not a bad track, but I don't know that I'd rank it at the top of my Crimson list.

Track 2- Indoor Games

Kinda jazzy. The horn section takes center stage here. I like the change at around 2:20. Fripp is doing some "Octave" soloing at around 3:30. Some free-form jamming with the Sax and Synth....The song doesn't feel very cohesive. I like the acoustic strumming the most in this one.

Track 3- Happy Family

Kinda seems like a continuation of Indoor Games. Some trippy vocal effects. Fripp was in a very jazzy mood on this album. But kind of psychedelic jazz. The songs are very loose. Sometimes it doesn't even feel like the whole band is playing the same song.

Track 4 - Lady of the Dancing Water

Starting out more like a folky ballad. Nice flute. Haskell is not my favorite vocalist...He's ok, but something about his tone just doesn't agree with my ears.

Track 5- Lizard

a) Prince Rupert Awakes- Always nice to hear Jon Anderson's voice. This movement reminds me of an "Art Song", especially in the verses. There is actually a Na-na-na hook, nice! Is this what Yes would have sounded like if Fripp joined instead of Howe? I've heard rumors that that was considered. I like the mellotron. This is a nice collab, and the most cohesive song thus far. b) Bolero- The Peacock's Tale- This seems to be an instrumental interlude. Getting back to more free-form Jazz. c) The Battle of Glass Tears....OK we have "Sub-Sub-Sections" in this movement. I think that is the most prog thing in the history of prog. i) Dawn Song Drop down to a pianissimo (very quiet) dynamic level. Haskell back on vocals (Bye Bye Jon).... ii) Last Skirmish- Riff sounds familiar, feel like I've heard it incorporated into something else...Quintessential KC. iii) Prince Rupert's Lament-Volume drops back out again, and gradually increases with Fripp's sustained guitar, then comes back down again. d) Big Top- Kind of a surreal circus band, playing with the pitch and tempo as it fades out.

Overall impressions:

Not my favorite Crimson album. Tracks 2-3 especially don't hold much appeal for me. Track 1 & 4 are ok...not bad, not great. The title track is certainly the showcase of the album. I know that my Yes-fan is showing when I prefer Prince Rupert Awakes over the rest of the album. But the overall track is pretty good. If I listen to it again, I might skip tracks 2-3. I appreciate what they are doing there, but it's just not for me. 2.5 out of 5 stars