After the slow fadeout of the first-era King Crimson, Robert Fripp incredibly tapped a second vein of creativity just as bountiful as the one that produced 'In the Court of the Crimson King'. Recruiting the daddy of virtuoso rock drummers, Yes's Bill Bruford, the singularly prodigious bass talent of John Wetton for the frontman role, the excellent violinist David Cross, and wild-eyed alternative percussionist Jamie Muir, Fripp set about redefining music yet again.

The three albums produced in this era of the band are the heaviest, most avant-garde, most relevant to metal, and arguably best in the storied KC history. This album's opener, "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One", immediately severs ties with the cosmic jazz fusion and overt classical aesthetics of earlier albums, instead moving fully and confidently in the direction of a new music. Faint, tinkling percussion noises and gradually swelling cymbals build tension alongside a panicky violin reminiscent of the 'Psycho' music. This all sets up a crushing Fripp guitar riff. The song proceeds through a galaxy of musical ideas in just thirteen minutes: soothing violin playing, intense riffing, impossibly dexterous drumming from Bruford, aided by crazed clanking and clattering on various metal objects by Muir, all the while Wetton's tremendous bass guitar threatening to wipe everyone else out. The climax of this song, with that bass line that practically sings, is about the most powerful moment I've heard in music. Just flattening.

Mercifully, a reprieve is granted with "Book of Saturday", a brief tune that's catchy in the good, honest way as opposed to the insipid. Wetton sings for the first time on the album here. His voice is not particularly technically sound, being rather limited to a workmanlike mid-range. It fits the music, though, when a voice is needed. Richard Palmer-James is the new dedicated lyricist. His texts aren't quite as "arty" as Peter Sinfield's, but equally deft and thought provoking.

"Exiles" uses the combined melodic potential of guitar, violin, bass, and Mellotron to its fullest. This is one of the more beautiful songs in KC's history. It's peppered with sections of strange, ambient noises, and topped with a Fripp solo that really shows him taking off and finding the immediately recognizable style he has to this day.

"Easy Money" is a strange beast, somewhat hard to grasp. Slow-paced, with strange instrumental commentary and interplay by all members. The lyrics are quite quirky and the laughter effect at the end enhances the diabolical impression of the song.

"The Talking Drum" is another slowly building but ultimately rewarding instrumental. Bruford's control and touch are critical to this one. Wetton's bass sets a hypnotic groove as the band very gradually builds intensity. This song can have a powerful subconscious effect.

Now, the album concludes with the masterpiece "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two". The one word to describe this is RIFFS. Monstrous ones. Riffs unleashed in perfect, unrelenting waves. This song foreshadows the style of 'Red' two albums hence. Bruford's drumming is just boggling, and joins the riffing in a tug-of-war against Muir's scattershot percussion. Cross adds a wild violin solo as the song progresses. I can't imagine Gorguts, among many others, doing what they do without this song.

Further superlatives for this album would be insufficient.

© 2001 j.s.