Ever buy records because you're supposed to? I mean, everyone says that this record is a game changer, a life changer, the pinnacle of the genre. Ever buy one of those? Well, I've done it, and I continue to do it today. I'm not sure if it's because I never learn my lesson or if it's because sometimes I agree and think I hit the Mother Lode.
Then I hear some stupid flute. Just merrily fluting away? No. This stupid flute is just kind of aimlessly honking. And what's so special about this flute? It keeps coming back! That's right, all the music comes to a stop so we can all hear Mr. Flute fuck around yet again.
And this record starts off so promising. 21st Century Schizoid Man is totally cool. I'm positive this is the song that got me on board with King Crimson, but somewhere along the line someone had to have heard I really liked Yes, and since that instantly made me a Prog Rocker, then this was about to blow my mind. I knew I had hit the Mother Lode! 21st Century Schizoid Man has abrasive guitars, loud drums and weird, other worldly vocals. I love it! It's the kind of thing that while I understand other people not liking it, I kind of can't understand it, ya know?
The thing is, then every other song has titles like The Court of the Crimson King including The Return of the Fire Witch and The Dance of the Puppets. It should say, The Court of the Crimson King including Some Stupid Flute Shit, then Going Back to the Song, and More Stupid Flute. Every time it seems like something good is gonna happen they wreck it with some boring shit. I know this is supposed to be a classic record by a classic group of musicians with few peers, at the peak of their game...
But outside of the opening song, I think it kinda sucks.
Mine is really nice. Probably because I've hardly ever played it. I think it may be one of the half speed mastered versions from the 80's, so I'm probably not hearing it right, and if I had another pressing or super high definition digital file I'd understand it more. The cover is cool as hell. The record is nice and flat and pretty quiet. It's the songs that I have issues with.
