Islands is regrettably considered by many critics to be King Crimson's worst album from the first era. I, for the life of me, can't figure out how anyone can appreciate King Crimson, yet consider an album with "Formentera Lady", "Islands," and especially "Sailor's Tale" to be subpar.
This album is definitely different. It has more flute, saxophone, and mellotron than electric guitar. It has many delicate passages, and if you're listening to it while driving, you're going to miss half the music.
Islands also features Boz Burrell on vocals, one of my favorite King Crimson singers. Burrell brought a dynamic to the band that fits this album like a glove; it's hard to imagine anybody else taking his place.
It really doesn't bother me that Islands is not very popular. I myself didn't fully appreciate it until I heard it in surround sound. This album is 40 years old, and nobody has dared make anything else like this. Not even King Crimson.
Standout tracks:
- Ladies of the Road
- Sailor's Tale
- Islands
No comments:
Post a Comment