Larks' Tongues in Aspic

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2009-02-06 rating:
A fairly mediocre prog album - don't believe the fan hype.
How can I best describe "Larks' tongues in aspic"? It's basically Prog Rock with all the life sucked out of it. The colour, charisma and creative swagger that you would normally associate with the progressive rock genre is almost completely absent from this album. You realise just how accomplished Yes, Genesis and Jethro Tull were at infusing their music with energy, warmth, soul and wit when you listen to it. br / br /Most of the songs commence with long, ponderous, dirge-like introductions; some ('Talking drum' plus the title track) never actually develop beyond this stage, and disappear up their own fundament after what seems like an eternity. Occasionally, amidst all the introverted noodlings, the band burst into a sudden surge of frenetic activity and it's possible at this point to discern Bill Bruford's excellent jazz-infused drumming and Fripp's freewheeling, schitzoid guitar -- but there's so little holding it all together and so much dead space in every track that the whole thing really fails to satisfy. br / br /The only song that raises it's head from the mire of pretentious twiddling is 'Easy Money'. However, even this track is hampered by Wetton's mediocre vocals. br / br /If you want to sample a really good prog album, with jazz leanings, then 'Rotter's Club' by Hatfield and the North is infinitely better than this - more melodic, better assembled and conceived. Other than that, invest your money wisely in Yes and Genesis albums from the golden 1971-74 period. br / br /Beware the five star reviews from besotted fans. This album was best enjoyed by someone living in 1973, listening studiously on headphones, under the influence of herbal tea. It's a bleak, austere album that suffers from most of the worst excesses of prog rock, but with none of its concomitant benefits.

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review by: jnbp date: 2007-11-15 rating:
Something... crazy
What an album, possibly one of the craziest things ever released that isn't just weird rubbish. This is the farthest anyone has ever pushed the boat out and still got good results. To top it all of its got some great rockin' moments as well! br /'Lark Tongues in Aspic Part 2,' is a prog masterpiece, as powerful as it is baffling. 'Exiles,' is as chilling as it is rocking; and 'Easy Money,' ? how cool can you get? br /John Wetton's voice is better here than with any of his other bands, Rob Fripp is at the top of his game and Bruford (fresh from Yes) nails it. Often underrated however, Dave Cross is a very integral part of this album, and should be more widely recognized. br /A great album for anyone who likes progressive music! br /

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review by: Ken Grew date: 2007-10-01 rating:
Sonic shock
This album was my first intro to prog rock in the 70's. It was weird but exhilarating. There is a classical music style to the compositions, quiet moments with the percussion, beautifully played ballads and sonic blastings from great musicians who played with' and against each other. Astonishing. To me this became the best album of the 70's and the biggest influence on my musical tastes. br /The band's live versions from this lineup of the group are even better. If you simply want to start with the power of the live band, I would recommend USA (recently repackaged as live at Asbury Park)

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review by: carole_bristol date: 2006-08-31 rating:
Unique
This album sounded so weird to me when it came out and I hated it. I grew up with the "Court of the crimson king" and "In the wake of Poseidon" and at the time of it's release LTIA just didn't do it for me. br / br /However ................. nowadays I think this is simply the greatest KC album ever, only matched at all by "Red" and "Starless and bible black", possibly with the live "USA" included somewhere in there. br / br /LTIA grows on you. The music can be fiendishly difficult but it is also majestic, breathtaking and in some places, totally beautiful. "Exiles" is a fabulous ballad and is probably the closest to the earlier incarnations of the band but the rest of the album just takes you to a different place. br / br /It took me far too long to start liking this album but it was worth it. Peerless.


review by: ahttt date: 2006-03-19 rating:
Delving the art envelope fantastic yeah
It's difficult to tell how much of this is carefully composed and how much is tightly improvised. Well, the songs have structure, but these structures are ridiculously complex. It's like listening to a blueprint of a geometric dungeon space farm designed using mathematical theorem so advanced that the human brain could not possibly understand the schematics, let alone replicate them.brGuess it helps with such a wondrous line up. Quite possibly the best of the many King Crimson incarnations. Bill Bruford proving himself as one of the most underrated drummers (too rock for jazz, too jazz for rock?) Jamie Muir playing all manner of devices (pots, pans, chains etc.) David Cross displaying almost telepathic violin skills, and of course, the glue that holds it all together, Robert Fripp with his truly unique style. He's tone death, left handed (but playing right handed), one of the godfathers of art rock, and here's why.brIt's a match made in heaven. King Crimson cook up a sonic storm, a volatile brew that demands you study it, not just listen to it. Even The Book Of Saturday, easily the most accessible of all songs on offer, has truly alien background sounds going on complete with a guitar line that mixes Baroque, Jazz and Blues stylings in a single bar. Rarely do these movements sound like the same song you started listening to when they reach their climax. They are like little stories, oddysseys, Zappa style "movies for the ears" with clearly defined beginnings, middles and ends, overall enthralling, thrilling, satisfying and nourishing.brI could spout a load of "why are you still reading this" and such now, but I won't. Make the leap yourself, you'll enjoy it.

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