KING CRIMSON - LP LIZARD - MINT

$

27

KING CRIMSON - LIZARD - ATLANTIC - SD - 8278 - GATEFOLD LP - COVER - MINT / VINYL - MINT / PLAYS MINT.

TRACKS ARE - CIRKUS - ENTRY OF THE CHAMELEONS / INDOOR GAMES / HAPPY FAMILY / LADY OF THE DANCING WATER / LIZARD - 1. PRINCE RUPERT AWAKES  - 2. BOLERO - THE PEACOCK'S TALE - 3. THE BATTLE OF GLASS TEARS - DAWN SONG - LAST SKIRMISH - PRINCE RUPERT'S LAMENT / BIG TOP. 

CHECK OUT MY OTHER MINT SEALED LPS AND NEAR MINT LPS  AUCTIONS AND SAVE ON SHIPPING.

Lizard is arguably King Crimson's most jazz-inflected album, developing further in the direction suggested by the track "Cat Food" on In the Wake of Poseidon (also released as a single). The powerful opening track, "Cirkus", is perhaps the best-known track on the album, and begins with a hushed verse from Haskell before launching into a menacing theme played by Fripp on the mellotron. The song's verses then alternate with this signature theme, and the track boasts some of Fripp's most dextrous acoustic guitar playing alongside a soaring saxophone solo by Collins. With a lyric by Sinfield rich in circus imagery, the track builds up into a cacophonous climax.

The next two tracks, "Indoor Games" and "Happy Family", are offbeat and full of mischievous humour - the former with lyrics evoking various forms of hedonism and borrowing heavily from the guitar breakdown of Led Zeppelin's Dazed And Confused, and the latter with lyrics about the dissolution of the Beatles. The Beatles are represented in "Happy Family"'s lyrics as 'Judas' (Paul McCartney), 'Rufus' (Ringo Starr), 'Silas' (George Harrison), and 'Jonah' (John Lennon). Haskell's vocals are distorted on both "Indoor Games" and "Happy Family", and the two tracks are separated by the sound of Haskell laughing uncontrollably, as he tries unsuccessfully to sing the words 'hey ho'. His laughter, he later explained, was provoked by the fact that he thought these words ridiculous - which seems to be representative of his attitude towards Sinfield's lyrics in general.

"Lady of the Dancing Water" is a more tranquil piece, whose lyrics and instrumentation have a medieval feel, in the tradition of "Moonchild" on In the Court of the Crimson King and "Cadence and Cascade" on In the Wake of Poseidon. The track is most notable for Mel Collins' beautiful flute playing.

The album concludes with the bombastic title track, "Lizard", the longest composed (as distinct from improvised) piece ever recorded by King Crimson. This piece is divided into several sections and even subsections, with a narrative running through its entirety, about a prince who takes part in an epic battle.

Lizard's opening section, "Prince Rupert Awakes", features Jon Anderson in his only ever contribution to a King Crimson recording. This section of the track alternates between sincere and ethereal verses, and a folksy chorus accompanied by handclaps. The two styles are then combined in a rousing, worldless chorale, that segues into the track's next section, "Bolero".

"Bolero" provides a showcase for the talents of supporting musicians Tippett, Miller, Charig, and Evans. Playing over McCulloch's bolero-like drum part, they are given the space to develop progressively more jazzy solos around a central theme. When this section of "Lizard" was excerpted from the whole, for inclusion on the compilation Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson, Gordon Haskell's bass guitar was replaced with a part recorded by subsequent King Crimson bassist Tony Levin.

As "Bolero" comes to a halt, it is followed by "Dawn Song," the first of three subsections that comprise "The Battle of Glass Tears". "Dawn Song" opens with an ominous theme led by Robin Miller on cor anglais, which is then joined by a subdued vocal sung by Haskell. "Last Skirmish" is a lengthy section intended to simulate an epic and increasingly fraught battle; it culminates in ever more forceful repetitions of an ominous theme similar to the main theme of "Cirkus." "Prince Rupert's Lament" evokes the bloody aftermath of the battle, a funeral rhythm section providing the backdrop to Fripp's plaintive guitar part.

"Big Top" then concludes both the "Lizard" suite and the Lizard album as a whole. This section consists of distorted fairground music, echoing the album's carnivalesque opening track "Cirk

Lizard is arguably King Crimson's most jazz-inflected album, developing further in the direction suggested by the track "Cat Food" on In the Wake of Poseidon (also released as a single). The powerful opening track, "Cirkus", is perhaps the best-known track on the album, and begins with a hushed verse from Haskell before launching into a menacing theme played by Fripp on the mellotron. The song's verses then alternate with this signature theme, and the track boasts some of Fripp's most dextrous acoustic guitar playing alongside a soaring saxophone solo by Collins. With a lyric by Sinfield rich in circus imagery, the track builds up into a cacophonous climax.

The next two tracks, "Indoor Games" and "Happy Family", are offbeat and full of mischievous humour - the former with lyrics evoking various forms of hedonism and borrowing heavily from the guitar breakdown of Led Zeppelin's Dazed And Confused, and the latter with lyrics about the dissolution of the Beatles. The Beatles are represented in "Happy Family"'s lyrics as 'Judas' (Paul McCartney), 'Rufus' (Ringo Starr), 'Silas' (George Harrison), and 'Jonah' (John Lennon). Haskell's vocals are distorted on both "Indoor Games" and "Happy Family", and the two tracks are separated by the sound of Haskell laughing uncontrollably, as he tries unsuccessfully to sing the words 'hey ho'. His laughter, he later explained, was provoked by the fact that he thought these words ridiculous - which seems to be representative of his attitude towards Sinfield's lyrics in general.

"Lady of the Dancing Water" is a more tranquil piece, whose lyrics and instrumentation have a medieval feel, in the tradition of "Moonchild" on In the Court of the Crimson King and "Cadence and Cascade" on In the Wake of Poseidon. The track is most notable for Mel Collins' beautiful flute playing.

The album concludes with the bombastic title track, "Lizard", the longest composed (as distinct from improvised) piece ever recorded by King Crimson. This piece is divided into several sections and even subsections, with a narrative running through its entirety, about a prince who takes part in an epic battle.

Lizard's opening section, "Prince Rupert Awakes", features Jon Anderson in his only ever contribution to a King Crimson recording. This section of the track alternates between sincere and ethereal verses, and a folksy chorus accompanied by handclaps. The two styles are then combined in a rousing, worldless chorale, that segues into the track's next section, "Bolero".

"Bolero" provides a showcase for the talents of supporting musicians Tippett, Miller, Charig, and Evans. Playing over McCulloch's bolero-like drum part, they are given the space to develop progressively more jazzy solos around a central theme. When this section of "Lizard" was excerpted from the whole, for inclusion on the compilation Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson, Gordon Haskell's bass guitar was replaced with a part recorded by subsequent King Crimson bassist Tony Levin.

As "Bolero" comes to a halt, it is followed by "Dawn Song," the first of three subsections that comprise "The Battle of Glass Tears". "Dawn Song" opens with an ominous theme led by Robin Miller on cor anglais, which is then joined by a subdued vocal sung by Haskell. "Last Skirmish" is a lengthy section intended to simulate an epic and increasingly fraught battle; it culminates in ever more forceful repetitions of an ominous theme similar to the main theme of "Cirkus." "Prince Rupert's Lament" evokes the bloody aftermath of the battle, a funeral rhythm section providing the backdrop to Fripp's plaintive guitar part.

"Big Top" then concludes both the "Lizard" suite and the Lizard album as a whole. This section consists of distorted fairground music, echoing the album's carnivalesque opening track "Cirkus", faded in and out while it is simultaneously sped up.

us", faded in and out while it is simultaneously sped up.