KING CRIMSON - ISLANDS 1st UK Press ISLAND A-1U/B-1U 1971
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Description
KING CRIMSON -
"ISLANDS"
ILPS 9175
UK 1971 1st UK Press
Machined matrices A-1U and B-1U
Original UK First Day issue.
Islands is the fourth studio album by King Crimson. The album was released in 1971.
The last King Crimson studio album before the group's trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red, it is also the last to feature the lyrics of Peter Sinfield and the last to feature the band's 'traditional' progressive and symphonic sound.
The album received mixed reviews. A number of guest players like Keith Tippett on piano were featured. There are four tracks with lyrics on this album, and three of them concern women. One of them, "Ladies of the Road", has been criticised for perceived misogyny.
The original United Kingdom and European cover depicts the Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius and displays neither the name of the band nor the title. The original United States and Canadian album cover (as released by Atlantic Records) was a Peter Sinfield painting of off-white with coloured "islands". This was used as an internal gatefold sleeve in the UK. When the King Crimson catalogue was re-issued by EG, they standardised on the "Trifid Nebula" cover world-wide.
This is a unique King Crimson release. Islands is not the exotic-aggressive prog created by the '72 to '74 version of the band, nor is it the grandiose Mellotron driven prog of the earlier material. And Islands is about as different from 80s and 90s Crimson as it could be. Instead, most of the songs participate in a single mellow mood, with a lot of focus on the stringed instruments, sax, and rhythm. The electric guitar does not seem as prominent, except on the Fripp masterpiece "Sailor's Tale".
Most of the songs have that melancholy "sailor music" feel to them. I can't explain what sailor music exactly is, you just need to hear these songs to see what I mean. The sounds conjure up images of waves and birds and gray skies. The "Sailor's Tale" is one of Crimson's classic instrumentals; listen to the atmospheric guitar fluttering and wailing, and the moody rhythms. "The Letters" is a very dark song with some emotionally subtle vocals and ominous string bass. "Formentera Lady" is also very interesting, with a bouncing repetitive beat and pretty melodies.
This is very different from the standard King Crimson, but I think most prog fans will like this anyway.
The absolute rarity of this limited album is not to be underestimated. It hardly ever surfaces nowadays. This is an absolutely heavy gorgeous slab of early quality ISLAND vinyl It has a deep glossy sheen!! Hauntingly beautiful songcraft!!! Incredibly hard to find as a first press.
Gatefold Sleeve: VG+. Single sleeve with flipbacks has two marks to the front and a small bottom seamsplit. NO writing and otherwise a nice sleeve.
Vinyl: EX. Two light hairlines on each side. The audio is just fantastic without any ticks or clicks, very dynamic and a shame that the sleeve does not fully match this or it would be a top collector's item being a rare First Press!!
Inner Lyric sleeve: VG+. In two parts originally attached but you hardly ever find these still in one piece as it was so vulnerable. Most copies just have a plain inner sleeve so this item is complete as it should be.
LABELS: EX+. No spindle marks. This vinyl has been looked after carefully.
***This is a unique prime investment opportunity!!! Finding this album in any condition at all is nearly impossible!!! This is a great and seriously collectable super album!! You will buy into a piece of prog history.***
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