Trollheart

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (1973)

This is, then, where, if I don’t get it over these three albums, chances are I never will. The trio of albums released between 1973 and 1974, and preceding a seven-year hiatus, are universally acknowledged, apparently, as being their best work. So I guess this is the equivalent of Foxtrot, Nursery Cryme and Selling England by the Pound; I should love these albums, and if I don’t, well, maybe it’s a Close to the Edge deal for me, and I never will.

I have to admit, reading quickly through about it, it doesn’t look like it’s going to move me on my sort of meh reaction to this band, their debut album excepted. It’s good to see this is where John Wetton and Bill Bruford joined up, but the old “e” word is there, as if the “jf” word, and while these albums may stand as the pinnacle of the band’s career (perhaps it might be more accurate to say, Fripp’s career) they may have to work to impress me. Let’s see what’s on the menu then.

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One: Nice slow fade-in mostly on strummed acoustic guitar, very relaxed, very low-key. Kicks up then on Fripp’s angry guitar with some very frenetic arpeggios from, um, whoever’s on the keys. Let’s see… right. Either David Cross or Fripp himself. Not sure why KC seem to need two drummers here, but given there’s a track called “The Talking Drum”, maybe I’ll see it. Overall good so far, though it hasn’t yet changed my mind about margarine (old Irish joke, shut up). Nice midsection with, is that cello or viola or violin or something? Certainly changes the composition. Seems to go completely silent in the tenth minute for several long seconds, then it comes back with the violin or whatever. Definitely have the impression of guys just ****ing around here. Experimental and sort of impressionist I guess. Not bad, but not really for me.

2. Book of Saturday: Nice little guitar theme on this, is that flute? Pleasant, nice little sort of ballad, but nothing more really. Doesn’t really register with me. Not much to it.

3. Exiles: A kind of drone opening, weird little sounds (“Frippertronics”?) and it all sounds very spacey and experimental, then it settles down into a nice little melody with some haunting violin. I would have to say Wetton’s vocals either seem very far down in the mix or are weak - and I know he’s not a weak singer - but either way they don’t add much here. Sound very hollow and far away; perhaps they’re meant to, I don’t know. Nevertheless, this is probably the best of the tracks so far.

4. Easy Money: A bit more energy in this, though it tails back then on sort of single guitar chords against Wetton’s vocal, which just sounds, I don’t know, hoarse to me? Bruford does come through well here (or is it Jamie Muir? Problem with having two drummers) and the percussion certainly drives the song. Good work from Fripp on the frets, but then, you’d expect that. At least Wetton’s vocal gets more powerful and audible near the end. The laugh at the end is very annoying though.

5. The Talking Drum: Sounds like traffic noises to me, or insects flying. I have no doubt whatsoever, with a title like that, and with both Bruford and Muir involved in the writing, that this will be basically a drum solo by any other name. Mind you, there’s a pulsing bass line coming up now from Wetton, quite funky in its own way and this is joined by Viola from Cross, so no, I guess I’m wrong. Guitar too of course, and this could in fact end up being the best instrumental on the album (of three), possibly edging close to the best track overall. Like this a lot. Could do without the screech at the end, otherwise very very good.

6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two: The final instrumental, the closer and the track that bookends the album with the opening part one, this is very almost psychedelic and pretty aggressive when it begins, but then slows down on violin and softer percussion into almost a precursor to Genesis’s Duke mixed with the best of the Alan Parsons Project. Paradoxically, given the supposed experimental/jazz nature of this album, most of which I agree with, this at least shows King Crimson coming closest to what I would term proper seventies prog rock.

Result: While I would not say this album has changed my mind about the band, the second half of the album, if you will - the last four tracks - show where they really come into their own and begin to impress me. I wouldn’t call this a seachange album, and for much of its run the addition of John Wetton has little if any impact, but the compositions on the second side are far superior, in my view, to those on the first, and in that way it’s a definite stride forward. Not quite the revelation I had expected or hoped for, but a step in the right direction certainly.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtxF...M2JpsHofCulKv9

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