IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON

See, it felts like with every new album came a new band to perform it, with Robert Fripp leading the charge as always. So when "Court of the Crimson King" was done, the band split ways, but Fripp still had a record deal and still had songs, so guest musicians were thrown together and Greg Lake made off with a PA system, and can be heard in most of the songs on this album.

Getting to the elephant in the room right away, yes, it sounds very similar to "Crimson King". On one hand, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! On the other hand, it kinda defeats the whole point of being 'progressive' doesn't it? Nonetheless, it's still one of their better albums by far. Sure all the "Peace" songs are soft interludes that break up the album, but the fact is this album feels a bit more structurally sound than "Crimson King". "Pictures of a City" isn't as catchy as "21st Century Schizoid Man", but the same groove and feel is there, more tight but just not as well composed. "Cadence and Cascade" would be a lovely ballad, had anyone but Gordon Haskell sung it, and the self titled track feels WAY too much like "Epitaph". Sure, these are basically leftover sessions Fripp finished up and turned into a new album, but it just feels like "Court of the Crimson King, Pt. Deux: Electric Boogaloo". Can you believe Fripp actually wanted Elton John singing on this record? Oof.

"Cat Food" is one of the brighter spots. With a funky beat reminiscent of Carl Palmer's work with ELP, the chords groove and contrast with the outlandish and jarring piano work schizophrenically scattered throughout the track. This is fresh, a standout song that has a classic rock groove with just enough progressive influence to keep you on edge and to keep the whole album from sounding like stale bread. "The Devil's Triangle" caps off the album as basically one progressive-itized version of Bolero, with some spastic sections near the end. (Honorable mention to the b-side "Groom" which is basically a spastic improv).

In short, it's a nice addition to the prog catalog, but if you've heard "Crimson King", you've heard this album, which begs the question, who won out, the fans for hearing Greg Lake on one last Crimson record, or Lake who made off with a sweet PA system for agreeing to sing?

My money's on Lake, bless his soul.

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