In The Wake Of Poseidon - 1970
Personnel:
Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mellotron.
Greg Lake - Lead Vocals.
Michael Giles - Drums.
Peter Giles - Bass.
Keith Tippett - Piano.
Mel Collins - Saxophones, Flute.
Peter Sinfield - Lyrics.
Gordon Haskell - Additional Vocals On Track #3.
After the surprising success of their first single (Schizoid Man) KC were quick to work on a follow up, however, McDonald quickly left the group, he was replaced by Mel Collins and to furthur expand the bands evolving sound jazz pianist/composer Keith Tippet joined as well, Lakes involvement with the band was miminalized when Peter Giles of Giles, Giles & Fripp decided to join up with his former bandmates to play bass on the 2nd Crimson album, Lake however still provides the vocals... ITWOP isn't exactly a real change of direction from Crimsons first album, in many ways, its more of the same... But the quality of the record is strong, it holds out well on its own but it makes a great companion piece with ITCOTCK... And like the colorful album cover suggests, it offers some very drastic changes in tone and mood... An album of epic proportions.
1. Peace - A Beginning: Weird way to open the album, a brief vocal passage with Lakes breathy vocals distorted through reverb.. A simple theme about peace (duh) thats revisited several times on this album.
2. Pictures Of A City: A return to 21st Century Schizoid Man territory... Jazzy song with a lot of distorted guitar... Very similar in formula to Schizoid man, a great brass-dominated riff, passive-agressive lyrics and explosive instrumentals... One could call it 21st Century Schizoid Man Part 2, but a great song in it's own right... Earlier versions of this song have been performed on Crimsons first big tour following the release of ITCOTCK.
3. Cadence And Cascade: In tradition with the first album, another folk ballad with a very medieval feel, though compared to Moonchild the outcome here is much more successful, no 10 minute long quiet jams here... Fripp provides some tasteful accoustic work, with some nice piano work from Tippet and some great flute soloing from Collins, some of Lakes best vocal work too.
4. In The Wake Of Poseidon: Fripp whips out the ol' mellotron for this one, offering another bittersweet symphony of strings and horns to complement the anguished keen of Lakes vocals... Sinfields lyrics provide this song with a lot of imagry remiscent of ITCOTCK (the song), taking you back to a certain place and time... Fripps multi-instrumental talents shine here, with some great neo-classical style accoustic guitar backed by harmonies of strings and horns, all done on that little box called mellotron... One of the albums most defining moments.
5. Peace - A Theme: Wonderful little accoustic guitar solo from Fripp.
6. Cat Food: One of the weirdest songs on this album... Tippet puts his excellent jazz to work here with great, mostly improvised piano work, with Giles providing a great-hi hat drum beat and Fripp churning out strange guitar effects all over.... Though the most defining thing about this song are Sinfields ridiuclously silly, satrical lyrics about consumerism and commercialism with a lot of absurdist humor thrown in, evidenced in lyrics like "Never need to worry with a tin of hurri curri, Poisoned especially for you!" and "Goodies for the table with a fable on the label Drowning in miracle sauce, Dont think I am that rude if I tell you that its cat food, Not even fit for a horse!"... A goofy but likable song.
7. The Devils Triangle: The most inaccessible piece on the album, it is an adapation of Gustav Holst's
Mars: The Bringer Of War from his suite
The Planets... Its a very faithful rendition of Holsts original composition (which i have, for anyone who wants it) only the strings and horns are all done on mellotron... The mood is dark, purely choatic.... It depicts a war in progress, starting slowly before building up into a total nightmare... Great stuff, though it may be a uncormfortable listen for some... Keep your ears open for the short sample of In The Court Of The Crimson King... It has been a Crimson stage staple before finding its way on this album, it was originally called Mars.
8. Peace - An End: The conclusion to it all, stripped down to just Lake and Fripps guitar... A nice little hymm.
Some versions feature a bonus track, a single instrumental edit of Cat Food, a weird Captain Beefheart-ish jam.
Again, nothing radically different from ITCOTCK, as Lakes vocals and Sinfields lyrics (which can range from serene to satrical) revisit familiar territory... But the music is just as beautiful and haunting as it ever was... However, this is the last album to feature Lake, as time progressed, so did King Crimson, their music would become increasingly original and avant-garde... This album draws the last breath of Crimsons original carnation... After it was released, Lake left to form his own band with Emerson, Lake And Palmer and yet again Peter Giles went his seperate ways with Fripp and co.... Nonetheless, King Crimson moved on... It certainly wouldn't be the last time.