King Crimson - Red

King Crimson
Red

EG 1974

Robert Fripp - guitars, Frippertronics, Mellotron
John Wetton - bass guitar, vocals
Bill Bruford - drums, percussion
-featuring-
David Cross - violin
Mel Collins - soprano saxophone
Ian McDonald - alto saxophone
Robin Miller - oboe
Marc Charig - cornet

1. Red
2. Fallen Angel
3. One More Red Nightmare
4. Providence
5. Starless

King Crimson is an amazing and vary influential band. This album comes from one of my favorite era of King Crimson, and is actually my favorite of that era.

Red is one of two instrumental tracks on this album, and Robert Fripp makes his presence known right out of the gate with this one. Ominous riffs backed by a fierce rhythm section that combines Wetton's aggression and Bruford's precision perfectly. Fallen Angel is almost a straightforward rock ballad, until the Mellotron flares up and the various horn-playing guests launch into blistering solos. One More Red Nightmare is another straightforward piece, with a powerful bassline and John Wetton letting out his amazing trademark vocals. Providence is a four-piece improv, the only song on the album to feature former KC member David Cross. This was probably recorded during the Starless and Bible Black era and they just waited until this album to release it. It's less aggressive than the rest of the album, having a creepy atmosphere in places. This is probably the weakest track on the album, but it's certainly not terrible. The best song is the next and last song, Starless. It was a staple for their live performances at the time. It starts off with a moody slow section with dark, introspective lyrics, and a tension building instrumental section before the band lets it rip full blast. The song reprises its intro, but in a more powerful form to give the song a dramatic close.

This is probably my favorite King Crimson album, and it comes with a hearty recommendation from yours truly. For those looking to get into 70s-era King Crimson, this is probably a good place to start.