LIZARD

King Crimson's third album comes across as something of a crisis. The first two albums were so very alike in construction and arrangement that listeníng to Lizard injects a nervous tension, in both listener and perhaps the musicians when they recorded it. "Cirkus" starts off in a strong well meaning manner but soon after a chaotic free form jumble of sounds is let loose as the musicians weave a heady mix of classical jazz and what not. It has a few reminders of the past and a little hint of the future but Lizard is certainly standing alone in the King Crimson catalogue, which in itself is odd since many of the King Crimson albums can be paired or form a trio with others to form a set. The first two are like this and so are the trio of albums released between 1972 and 1974 including the monumental Red. And though the album that followed this one, Islands, may have a little in common with Lizard what they would have in common would tend to fall on the side of their oddity rather than strength of the music contained within. King Crimson have been labeled as a progressive rock band but the tag is too simple for a band so complex and unique and if anything those traits come to the fore on Lizard. Yes they are progressive but are they really a prog band? The term in my opinion is almost generic now, but King Crimson were never generic. This album is a band crashing while waiting. For what? Who knew. But it was still a way off. Robert Fripp is certainly a visionary and always worked for the now. Lizard is an album that takes getting used to while never becoming accessible.