Islands

Artist: King Crimson
Album: Islands
Release Year: 1971
Genres: progressive rock, symphonic rock, jazz fusion

1) Formentera Lady; 2) A Sailor's Tale; 3) The Letters; 4) Ladies of the Road; 5) Prelude: Song of the Gulls; 6) Islands.

Best Song: Islands

King Crimson is such a hard band to describe, partially because they more or less invented what we now call progressive rock, and partly because their music has always been so detached from the individual musician. Lead guitarist and founder Robert Fripp refers to an abstract entity when mentioning King Crimson, calling it "a way of doing things." That's more than a little pretentious, but: 1) Robert Fripp has always had quite the arrogant streak, and 2) the music is so friggin' brilliant that I don't care one bit. The songs are epic in proportion, the musicians are mind-blowingly talented, and they fuse so many genres in such a unique and theatrical way that one can't help but be blown away.

Islands,unfortunately, is not one of those albums. It's still very clever, of course, but "clever" and "exciting" don't always shake hands. The whole thing feels like the musicians were about to doze off during the sessions, even through the rollicking segments of "Ladies of the Road." It's all gray and matte, as if there were a sonic fog covering the band as they wrote and played. Sure, that helps keep it subtle, like in the pretty but overlong "Formentera Lady," but it has an equal chance of putting you to sleep.

The disappointment here stems from the contradiction of styles, I think. This is easily the most classical-influenced album in the band's history. You'll hear woodwinds and classical piano all over the place. With classical, you expect it to be moving and uplifting, but much of the album is bleak and almost lifeless. The whole thing speaks to you as if from a dark void, cold and lonely. The one time this approach proves rewarding is the title track (and possibly its prelude), which paints such a haunting potrait of isolation that I am almost willing to forgive the lackluster songs before it. We start on the island, but the music lifts us up and up, into the cosmos. Let's see Uriah Heep take a whack at that. Wait...let's not.

Other songs have their moments, but I wouldn't put them anywhere near a "Best Of" list for the band. "The Letters" is lopsided and would work better as poetry. "A Sailor's Tale" is alright, but it just meanders on without really getting anywhere. Yes,I know the album was made at a time when the band was on the verge of breaking up. But when has King Crimson ever not been on the verge of breaking up? Look at all the lineup changes! I guess the mighty Crim is too much for mortal men after all.

Rating: 6