ISLANDS

In the context of all King Crimson's seventies output the line up responsible for this album has to be the least rewarding. Islands has a jazz flavour running through the haphazard selection of cuts but there is very little focus involved in organising the structures into cohesive pieces that might have made this a more worthwhile album. The whole selection of the compositions, especially on the A side, comes across as one relentless jam with the occasional inspired moment breaking through, drummer Ian Wallace keeps things interesting from time to time. The monstrous cello which barges the album in on the opener "Formentera Lady" is a false dawn and not a weight with to measure the power, or lack of, on the album. Boz Burrell beside playing bass does his best Greg Lake impression on vocals and it might just be that Fripp was still trying to re-create the first incarnation of King Crimson but while Mel Collins (flute and various saxophones) and Boz Burrell were solid and well capable musicians the music of Islands is one long leaderless jam. "Ladies Of The Road" is more a comedy piece than anything else, serving as a prototype for "Easy Money" on the Larks Tongues In Aspic album which would follow. Boz is credited with "Choreography" on the album notes and I can just imagine him as Crimson Court jester like and being bullied on by King Fripp to act out the routine that might accompany this track. Title track "Islands" is a song that never fully gets going and in that respect is a bona fide piece of traditional prog rock. Fripp must have stood well back at this stage and wondered where he was and where all this was actually going, if indeed it was going anywhere. There was hardly any way to progress with this line up without the music becoming more unclear and more muddy despite the talent of the musicians involved, some serious restraint was needed. Islands is a frustrating and very loose concept but Fripp would trim the band down and move toward new territory while trashing away the frustrations of this period of King Crimson which in my mind is stillborn. The next chapter of King Crimson with a tighter line up and more focused direction would prove very rewarding.

Nearer to 2 and a half stars than three.