ISLANDS

With Gordon Haskell and Andy McCullogh gone, the consistant trio has to find two more members. They are Boz Burrell (future Bad Company ? bassist) and Ian Wallace. This results in an non- organized mish-mash that if it wasn't for the two last tracks, I would've forgotten this album.

Formentera Lady is a song that goes nowhere, including very dissonant strings and winds. A song that tries to be beautiful, but fails miserably. It is the same thing for ten minutes.

Sailor's Tale is better, including excellent drumming from the new guy. An excellent polyrythymic structure. But ends badly.

The Letters starts very softly, but in the middle of the song, is cacophonic, and in the end has the same chord progression than in the beginning. Progressive.

Ladies of The Road is as bad as the first song. It is KC's attempt at being popular that dosen't work. So, King Crimson isn't a pop band.

Prelude: Song of the Gulls is beautiful. Finally a track on this album that is great and not cacophonic. Excellent melody, excellent background. Perfect.

Islands is very beautiful. It is unlike anything in the King Crimson discography. Excellent new age music.

After this album, not only the rythym section is gone, but Mel Collins and Peter Sinefield are also gone so Robert Fripp has to answer this difficult question: Is King Crimson dead ? **To Be Continued** My Grade: B-

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