The other, weirder favourite of my stereotypical student prog phase, trips with Robert Fripp & Friends were more turbulent than Pink Floyd's, but with such a diverse discography, there was usually something I was in the mood for.
That said, I haven't really listened to them for a while, and never really listened past the '70s anyway. Here Are My The Top 13 King Crimson Albums. Someone else can sort out the live saga and box sets.
No convenient colour-coding this time, this isn't my mess to sort out.
13. Beat (1982)
After the artistic anomaly of Discipline, this is the pointless '80s post-prog we deep discography divers know too well. Clean production highlights not much of anything. The cover looks like a generic album-art-not-found placeholder.
Fave: Requiem
12. THRAK (1995)
Absorbing '90s alternative/industrial flavour, excessive musicians play unmemorable themes to tedious CD length. I'm glad I didn't bother including the EPs now.
Fave: THRAK
11. Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)
The one that briefly blows your mind with its vintage heaviness before chilling out with matching extremity and sending you to sleep (in fairness, I have a toddler). Confrontationally abrasive and boring to keep away the casuals, it's too hardcore for this wuss.
Fave: Exiles
10. Discipline (1981)
One of the more confident prog reinventions of the new decade, but not a direction I was ever into. I'd hoped I might finally get it, but while Fripp may be at his peak, the Talking Heads influence makes it feel more bandwagon-jumping than innovative and the spoken word has limited amusement.
Fave: Discipline
9. Three of a Perfect Pair (1984)
The weirdness and some of the old sound creeps back to make a somewhat satisfying finale to the trilogy, this time seemingly going for a discordant take on Bowie's Low. I'd never made it this far before. I doubt I'll bother again, but it was fine.
Fave: Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)
8. The Power to Believe (2003)
History consciously repeats as more structure is imposed on the millennial noodling, resulting in something approaching a latter-day Red, albeit instantly forgettable.
Fave: The Power to Believe II
7. The construKction of Light (2000)
More substantial disconcertos than THRAK. It's music for crazy people, but I kind of liked it. My cat was less fond.
Fave: Heaven And Earth (ProjeKct X)
A case study in an uninspired sequel, I usually skipped this one, considering it a shameful remake rather than a step forwards. Some of them are of comparable quality to their debut equivalents, spoiled by Greg Lake's more annoying singing, but I doubt this would've enchanted me in the same way if I'd come across it first.
Fave: Cadence and Cascade
5. Starless and Bible Black (1974)
In a break from tradition, the middling filler comes first and generally puts me off venturing further so I forget about all the improv instrumental goodness. Which is probably for the best, since listening to it too often and committing the creativity to memory wouldn't really be in the spirit. It all feels like a warm-up to Red though.
Fave: The Night Watch
The worthier follow-up to the debut and the first new iteration, this time playing with chaotic medieval jazz. More freeform experimentation leads to an inevitable side-long suite that isn't exactly epic, but is nice for infrequent visits. If Jon Anderson had sung all the way through, it could have been a classic.
Fave: Lizard
3. Red (1974)
Traditionally the other great King Crimson album, it's the strongest assortment of structured songs and atmospheric jams since the debut. I just got bored of it at some point.
Fave: Starless
King Crimson listen to their mums and make some nice music for a change. The only album that can really be enjoyed as background music, that might mean it's less interesting than some of the others, but it's easily my most listened to as a result. It doesn't all have to be clever.
Fave: Islands
1. In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
A case study in a diverse album (provided you like mellotron), it's also perfectly arranged, as you discover when a playlist has Schizoid Man in the wrong place and it scares the shit out of you. All the time I spent trying to get into jazz fusion, folk and occult rock generally, they were never as good as here.
Fave: The Court of the Crimson King
