I've been scrolling through the archives just a while ago and I came upon the King Crimson page. To my surprise, Lizard had made its way to "suggestion" status. I first thought that this must be some kind of mistake, how could Lizard make it to suggestion status before Larks Tongue, Starless, Discipline, Thrak, or even Islands. While sure, Lizard has its moments, is it really worthy to be a guide for Crimson newcomers while much (much) better Crimson pieces are out there?

To my ears, there are five degrees of listening to music. There is the "wow this is amazing," then there is the "this is pretty good," then there is the "this is alright," then there is the "this is alright, when is this over," and then there is "this is terrible, turn it off!." Most of the time Lizard is alright, but when is it over. However, on the atrocious Happy Family, which may have been the worst song Fripp had ever penned for the Crimson King, my ears could not stomach to listen to the whole duration of the to some extent song.

Cirkus is easily the most accessible song on the album, but unfortunately it is alright at best, periodically straddling into the "this is alright, when is this over" categorization. About three and a half minutes through, Cirkus begins to lose me. Indoor Games is much more mediocre, sounding like an excessively noisier offspring of the already somewhat unspired Cat Food. The title track starts off nice with the organs and a welcome appearance by Jon Anderson, but like the rest of the album, explores into a long and winding road of what sounds like improvisation.

Lizard seems to me like Fripp had taken what was left over of In The Court Of The Crimson King inspiration and replaced the drenching mellotrons with noise. Mel Collin's saxophone seems uncharacteristically out of place and Gordon Haskells voice failed to reach my anticipations after hearing the utterly beautiful Cadence and Cascade. Is Lizard's suggestion status a big mistake or am I missing some really big picture?

Since ITCOTCK was my first prog album and i really loved it, i bought the next two following albums expecting to have something similar. But KC changed their music during the first and second album, only the song "wake of poseidon" (probably because it sounds like the song itcotck) reaches this unbelievably high level. When I realized that, I was very disappointed and stopped listening to it. But i later gave it a second chance and have to say that it is not bad at all, you just shouldn't expect something as good as their debut. Regarding your categories I agree that both happy family and indoor games aren't bad songs, but i don't really like to listen to them. But Cirkus is a pretty good song and Lizard itself is a great song, it has a very nice beginning with anderson's voice and then goes on with a very fluent instrumental part which sounds like jazz to me. I think that Haskells voice fits to this track, regarding his vocals in the last part of the song.

Summing that up I'd say 4/5 stars would be a fair rating, since it IS an excellent addition to any prog-rock collection, but only the titletrack reaches the level of a masterpiece. 

I also think that KC-fans are splitted up in (at least) 2 groups, the ones that love their first 4 albums, the ones that love the later stuff and the ones that love both. I used to be in the first group and at that time I would've preferred Lizard to any of their later stuff (even Red, lark's ...). It took me quite a while to get into those albums as well ......

PS: How does an album reach the suggestion-status? Who decides to do that? or is it based on the amount and qualitiy of the ratings?

I just noticed that Mirage and Snow Goose by Camel finally reached that status too. They are way better than "Harbour of Tears" in my opinion...

Hi Guys,

SUGGESTED ALBUMS are selected by:

1. Others references
2. Historical importance of an album
3. Our knowledges and experiences
4. Our reviewers / collaborators ratings

Your suggestions about the SUGGESTION LIST are welcome ...

Lizard is from a difficult period in Crimson's career. With the exit of the majority of the ITCOTKC line up, poor old Mr Fripp and Sinfield were left holding the baby so to speak. The albums that followed the debut were always going to be hard work but I do believe to a greater or lesser extend they were a valid and successful artistic endeavour. Lizard, although flawed, can hold its head high.

That said, this was a transitional period for the band (between the initial mellotron heavy beginnings and the tri-toned, aggression of the Fripp/Bruford/Wetton/Cross (& Muir) albums. It was the sound of a band looking for direction.

Lizard is a fantastic document that shows the tenacity and ingenuity of a group with limited artistic and technical resources at its disposal. I believe most bands would have folded under such circumstances.

Actually I think that I wrote in another thread here (the Wetton thread) about the fact that I've been listening to Lizard a lot more lately.  Like Bebe I didn't much care for it the first time I heard it.  Or that second time, for that matter... but many years later.. and I'm quite liking it.  It still has the imagery of Sinfield's lyrics, a little help from Jon Anderson on Prince Rupert in Lizard, but overall I think Gordon Haskell does a fine job and I'm enjoying listening to it now. I like Cirkus and even Lady of the Dancing Water... I guess you can say, its finally grown on me.

It just goes to prove our mindset has a lot to do with how we hear things....

chorus of one wrote: Joren wrote: Larks' Tongues should be marked as a suggestion! You're in luck, I believe it just was!

KING CRIMSON
Larks' Tongues in Aspic
1973
Suggestion