Islands

If you'd never heard KC, you'd call this a classic but I think it gets passed over as it's not very "Prog". I'd recommend this album to anyone and the pressing - vinyl - is sublime.

I last heard this album when I had it on vinyl and long since sold. I recently bought it on CD and wallowed in nostalgia. I rate this second only to 'In The Court of the Crimson King' but it is a totally different album and so is difficult to compare. It is more jazz-influenced with weird time signatures but great lyrics and great songs from the gorgeous 'Islands' to the down and dirty 'Ladies of the Road'. Just great, just buy it!

Islands isn't exactly the people's favorite King Crimson album, with so many brilliant releases, it's inevitable that some get left behind. Another thing is that, after you've bought this you probably wont listen to this record too often. However, when you are in the mood, this is a brilliant album, very spacey and slow paced with great flute and sax that really floats along beautifully. On the heavier tracks, like 'Ladies of the Road,' there is a touch of the Schizoid Man/Pictures of a City style crimson fans have come to expect, however this album is mostly a kind of sprawling open minded cosmic jam. The difference between the loose sprawling nature of Islands and the loose sprawling jams they play at other times, is that on Islands, they are great and beautiful, not just a mess of noise. The two best racks are, in my opinion 'Sailors Tale,' (a brilliant building instrumental with a jazzy kick to it) and the title track 'Islands,' which is just plain wonderful. Islands is a great record, that you deffinatly should buy, even if you don't listen to it every day.

What else can be said about this classic? Only that in the King Crimson's early work it's too often underrated. To me the beauty and calmness, mysticism of Formentera Lady, Islands, etc., it's Robert Fripp's guitar crafts in the late 60s early 70s vocals and fusion lines are truly remarkable. If you are looking to discover KC at their very best, this album is as good as In The Court... In my opinion superior to the others like in the wake...and Lizards...but they are all masterpieces. Then in the early 80s Fripp and co. made a trilogy that up to today still is, not only up to date.; Discipline being the pinnacle with Adrian Belew's mad guitar riffs ...avantgarde....50 ish years later! Classic King Crimson that have spawned and influenced bands and artists seen today as almost gods; Pink Floyd's mid 70s just to mention one

This is another album I orginally had in vinyl back in the day and I remember being one of the few of my crowd who actually liked it. It bears a few listens to hear the changes from the tone and mood of the previous albums into what I call their "thrashy" period, and will also slowly unfold as you listen to it more and more. I was a bit apprehensive re-buying it on CD after not having access to the vinyl for a few years, but I haven't been disappointed, and even feel the power of Sailor's Tale and Formentera Lady are still there as I remember. It's just great when old memories actually live up to the expectation.

Perhaps my own favourite of the early King Crimson albums, it has a different feel to its predecessors and is not much like what was to follow. But that for my is (was) the great thing about King Crimson they did not keep ploughing a familiar furrow. Perhaps the rotating door of personnel had something to do with that? I recommend King Crimson to everyone, it might not be to everyone's taste but it is not dull and have found it rewarding over 40 years.

pity it is not available as a digital download - I would buy more more King Crimson if so - just a pain to rip to memory - if they KC have issues with digital content why don't they provide lossless media - and charge appropriately ? Actually to answer that myself - it is (probably? how paranoid is Robert Fripp??) available via TIDAL - but depending on price I would still prefer to possess it. R2

Another classic album from King Crimson. Needs a few listens to really appreciate.

Awesome!

Ich habe es meinem besten Freund zu Weihnachten geschenkt und er ist begeistert :))

Obra esencial de uno de los grupos clave del rock progresivo. Música compleja para oídos educados y en búsqueda de complejidades sonoras. Habitación cerrada, sillón cómodo, concentración y cero prisas.

Certainement l'album le plus étonnant du groupe, qui conclu la première période, avec charme et poésie galactique. L'un de mes préférés.

洋楽は英語の勉強になるのでたまに買います。