IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

I think this isn't the first prog album, but I think it's still a terrific prog album. I'm just a 15 year old Dutch boy but I see this album as real art. Of course the cover is great, it's my favourite album cover. But it's not only the cover that makes this a real great album. It starts already with the fantastic "21th Century Schizoid Man", a great rocking song with strong lyrics with a strong distortion voice and a wonderful chaotic jam in the middle. The follow-up is "I Talk to the Wind", my least favourite album track, but still a great song. It fits in very good after the heavy opening track. Then the powerful ballad "Epitaph", a great song in my opinion, followed by Moonchild, that is dismissed by a lot of reviewers. I think not only the first 2 minutes are great, but also the strange atmospheric mellotronsolo is worth the wait. Than the great finale: In the Court of the Crimson King. With medieval aspects and great drums and flutes, I think it's the ultimate close for a great album like this. Also the "reprise" after the song is great.

All by all I think this is a progressive masterpiece. My favourites are 21th Century Schizoid Man and In the Court of the Crimson King, but the 3 other tracks are great to. In my opinion there's no doubt that this is worth 5 stars out of 5, maybe even more.