IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON

Probably a bit too similar in terms of structure and style to 'In The Court Of The Crimson King', 'In The Wake Of The Poseidon' - King Crimson' second studio offering - has rightly been criticised in some quarters for basically using the same blueprint as it's wonderful predecessor. So, let's examine the facts. 'In The Wake Of Poseidon' starts off with a pacey, discordant slice of arty hard-rock('Pictures'). Check. Moves into a softer, subtler phase thereafter('Cadence & Cascade'). Check. Then finishes proceedings with a challenging, mellotron-drenched multi-part epic('The Devil's Triangle'). Check. But is it any good? The simple answer is yes, it is. Very good. Maybe the group's founder, leader and guitarist Robert Fripp should have branded this a sequel, yet in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter. An expertly-executed, complex, lyrical and highly-atmospheric album, this is classic Crimson and a worthy entry into the canon of great 1970s progressive rock. After the group's seminal debut and 1974's 'Red', this is undoubtedly the next best Crimson album. And 'Cadence & Cascade' is absolutely beautiful.

STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012