LIZARD

Amusing that a singer-bassist of King Crimson wins decades later commercial success as a singer for a wide audience. But seriously: should I give this 5 stars since this undoubtedly IS a masterpiece of jazzy prog rock? No, I should rate it as I personally like it. I do think it's a hell of an album with all those fantastic musicians from Keith Tippett (p) to Mel Collins (fl,sax) and other blowers. Full of cheerful insanity to put it fripply. But I don't like Haskell's throaty voice very much. Maybe Greg Lake would fit here? (Not John Wetton, that's for sure.) Jon Anderson suits perfectly into the opening movement of the Lizard suite. It's a marvelous but rather difficult epic to digest as a whole, mainly because of some ear- teasing faint/loud contrasts. But each track in this album is genuine Crimson. Perhaps my favourite one after the debut. Obligatory to any friend of both fusion and progressive rock.