IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

The album that brought it all to a synthesized head: all before was but labor pains; all to follow but variations on a theme? Not quite, but, after Sgt. Pepper's Hearts Club Band, ITCotCK is the album that most affected musicians, listeners, and even the direction a whole host of musicians would take for the next five or six years. Still, this is by no means a perfect album; many do not like the "waste of time and vinyl" that is a big chunk of "Moonchild;" some find the music of "21st Century Schizoid Man" too abrasive, too discordant, too distorted; some find many of the slower-paced songs too syrupy--especially the lyrics and their presentation; I find the drumming of Michael Giles to be tedious, uninspired, and rather rote (and am always painfully aware when any other artist tries to emulate it). Flutes, Mellotron, moods conveyed, structure and innovation are what make this album so unique and groundbreaking to my mind. For 40 years now I've found myself singing "Epitaph" to myself almost daily, "I Talk to the Wind" whenever I go outside, and "The Court of the Crimson Ki-i-i-i-i, i-i-i-i--i-i-i-ing" many time a week. The album definitely makes a permanent imprint, affects neural development, and opens up one's mind to start asking bigger questions. For these reasons, and many more that I'll think of later, I can only grant this album masterpiece status. Any true prog lover should not, cannot call themselves a prog lover without owning this music.