ISLANDS

Another symphonic piece of jazzy-rock which is much more approachable and in my opinion more enjoyable than the very complex "Lizard". The songs on "Islands" are a good mix of groovy/airy jams and sweeping mellotron crescendos, with comprehendible melodies and much better vocals than the last time around (although not much when compared to Lake's work on the first two release). The instrumentation on "Islands" is one of the albums highlights, featuring delicate flute work throughout the opening track, sleazy sax solos here and there, and textural string/woodwinds for a nice added touch; the trumpet player, however, lets out one too many clams to fully max the symphonic appeal of this album. Fripp himself stoops to playing an occasional solo as well, giving a memorable touch to a unique album in a unique band's lineup. They never did anything quite like this again, and after listening I think you'll agree it was a smart move, but you'll likely find yourself enjoying it none the less.