IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON

Poseidon's Wake is among Crimso's more sinister albums (which is saying a lot). It's very gloomy, and foreboding, and still very experimental. But apart from being jagged and wicked, this is an extremely jazzy album. In this album, we see the start of something of a trend. Especially with their 2003 release, the format of the songs is similar. There is a short vocal song (Peace, or The Power to Believe) which leads into the explosion of the proceeding song (Pictures of a City, or Level Five). That short vocal song is very brief, but filled with meaning and foreshadowing and begins to shape the overall atmosphere of the album. Skipping this song will make the listening of the album very different, as is the same with The Power to Believe.

Pictures of a City is a very, very jazzy tune which is similar to 21st Century Man in many respects, but at the same time its own song. The saxes mimicking the guitar (or the guitar mimicking the saxes) is very effective and darkly exhilarating. Greg Lake's vocals fit like a puzzle with the music, but unfortunately for the last time. He left the band at this time, after Crimso toured with The Nice, and keyboardist Keith Emerson invited Greg to start a separate project, to be named ELP.

Cadence and Cascade is one of King Crimson's softer tracks. It is excessively easy to draw similarities to I Talk to the Wind, and the song later to come, Lady of the Dancing Water. Its lyrics' meaning is hard to decipher. The title track is odd, and not quite as aggressive as other songs, and even moderately touching with strong mellotron. More jazz to come with Cat Food: a very free-form, nimbostratus piece that is mildly dull. But the bulk of the experimenting, and the aura of menace comes from the eleven-plus minute track The Devil's Triangle. It's excitingly twisted, and very moody and atmospheric. At times it is somewhat boring, but for the most part holds the listeners attention with its many, many layers of ominous sounds, and even a reprise of the melody from In the Court of the Crimson King (track). The album wraps up with another version of Peace, and many seconds of silence.

I wouldn't consider this Crimso's best work (nor, of course, their worst), but it is a very different side to them (and yet, simultaneous, very similar to their debut release). Perhaps this album is kept in the dark because it wasn't ground breaking, like In the Court of..., nor was it extremely innovative as Larks' Tongues.... But despite lack of popularity, I find this album enjoyable and verydark!