LIZARD

It probably blew acid-boiled minds when it was released because of its richly detailed, colorful music and artwork. It also sounds like a record still standing in the shadow of The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper" LP, in that it begins by establishing the action in a colorful and theatrical environment, and then goes on to spin a series of eclectic and gently surreal tales in lyric and sound. Unfortunately here, the general effect is lifeless and contrived. Matters are not helped by Gordon Haskell's atrocious vocals replacing the bronze baritone of Greg Lake. On the plus side, Fripp has here avoided "Poseidon"'s error of imitating the structure of their iconic debut, and Jon Anderson's vocal turn at the beginning of the "Lizard" suite foreshadows the build-up- battle-and-aftermath piece he wrote for Yes a few years later, "The Gates of Delirium."