ISLANDS

I love Crimson but this album is weak. This this the fourth album and the fourth line-up of Crimson.The constant changes really start to wear thin on this album as Robert Fripp was desperately trying to recapture the glory of the first line-up. Peter Sinfield's lyrics also take a step back. There is a lack of coherent ideas and a deficient sound overall. This is due to the fact that they really didn't have a bassist. So what do they do? They decided to give Boz Burrell some quick lessons on the instrument. (Boz Burrell actually became a decent bassist for Bad Company) This leaves Ian Wallace to lighten his approach. The album has a spacey, airy feel. Not that this is a bad thing, but its light and airy feel is a consequence of the minimalized rhythm section and the material doesn't suit it. To me the high points are the end of Formentara Lady and the entire Sailors Tale. The Letters is a poor remake of an older KC song called "Drop In" which was a lot better. "Ladies of the Road" could be good with a better rhythm section. Parts of this song sound like a band that is just starting out in a garage somewhere. Song of the Gulls is a nice piece but Islands is terrible. A simple song stretched over 11 minutes containing a dismal cornet solo reprising the verse.

This album came after the overdone Lizard. This one is the exact opposite. Half baked. If you are new to Crimson don't start with this one!

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