Condition: Used
King Crimson - Lizard
Label: Atlantic
Catalog#: SD 8278
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Record: VG+ ( light marks listen to our copy)
Cover: VG+ Mar 9 1971 stamp, DJ Promo sticker bottom right , 2 x 4" black Atlantic sticker with tracklisting
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
Tracklist
A1 Cirkus (Including: Entry Of The Chameleons) 6:28
A2 Indoor Games 5:38
A3 Happy Family 4:15
A4 Lady Of The Dancing Water 2:43
Lizard (22:24)
B1a Prince Rupert Awakes
B1b Bolero - The Peacocks Tale
B1c The Battle Of Glass Tears Including:
B1c1 Dawn Song
B1c2 Last Skirmish
B1c3 Prince Rupert's Lament
B1d Big Top
Credits
Bass, Vocals - Gordon Haskell
Cornet - Marc Charig
Drums - Andy McCulloch
Flute, Saxophone - Mel Collins
Guitar, Mellotron, Keyboards [Electric], Other [Devices] - Robert Fripp
Oboe, Cor Anglais - Robin Miller
Piano - Keith Tippett
Producer - Peter Sinfield , Robert Fripp
Trombone - Nick Evans
Vocals - Jon Anderson (tracks: B1a)
Written-By - Peter Sinfield , Robert Fripp
Notes
All songs published by E.G. Music Ltd. © 1970.
Lizard, King Crimson's third studio album, is probably the most strange, surreal (musically and lyrically) and jazziest out of Crimson's 1970's period. It's also very fantasy-laden, ephemeral (in a good way), manic, quirky and idiosyncratic. The biggest contributing factor to this (beside the trippy and surreal jazz-rock), is the underrated and understated contributions of Gordon Haskell (vocals, bass). His dark, brooding and raspy vocals fit perfectly with the dark and regal music found on here. His glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) pipes tend to produce a voice that's unique, idiosyncratic, magnanimous, chivalrous, kingly, regal and moving--almost a deeper-voiced, early incarnation of Peter Gabriel (whom may have been influenced by this album).
"Cirkus" starts off magically, then explodes into a forbidding nightmare of ominously gallant synthesizers and backdrops. The jazzy drumming of Andy McCulloch (or McCullogh, I've seen two different names, so I'm not sure which one is accurate), is also something to behold throughout the album. "Indoor Games" features tasteful r&b-esque guitar playing from Robert Fripp. Very idiosyncratic, ambiguous and almost indescribable jazz-rock tune. "Happy Family" is a "pandemonium" of dissonant unity amongst all the players: synths, flutes, guitars--and more. A real messy track (I mean that in the most flattering way). "Lady Of The Dancing Water" is a short, ethereal and mellow flute-laden track which brings reminiscence to Cadence And Cascade (from _In The Wake Of Poseidon_). Ironically, "Cadence" is the track Gordon Haskell sang vocals for. That raspy voice heard here sounds nothing like the mellow voice heard on that ditty found on the previous album. Arguably, this track also gives an utter hint of things to come on the follow-up album, _Islands_. "Lizard", the title track, is a 23-minute dark, jazzy/symphonic epic, featuring Jon Anderson (Yes) singing lead vocals for the first movement. Personally, I was saddened to know that Gordon Haskell didn't complete all the vocal duties. Jon Anderson does an excellent job on his vocals. I believe Gordon Haskell's vocals reappear somewhere near the end of the track. Other than that, a large percentage of this track is instrumental, moody and given to atmospherical spatiality.
The haunting voice of Jon Anderson (Yes) mystifies us in the opening section of the title cut. Keith Tippet blows us away with his brilliant countermelodies. When "Bolero--The Peacock's Tale" begins, mellotron enters and we are given a grand, wordless treatment of the verse theme--absolutely breathtaking in its beauty! Toward the end of the oboe solo, Tippet's piano hints of the bluesy improvisation to come. The horns then create the most spellbinding and meaningful improvisation on a theme I've ever heard on a rock album--enthralling in its detail, brilliant in its invention. The music resolves, the ad-libbing goes away and the oboe returns to the gorgeous theme from before. The Bolero section ends, and we get quite a foreboding atmosphere as we enter "Battle Of The Glass Tears." The battle begins--the drums wickedly bizarre, a menacing sax riff enters and the band eventually improvises around this eeriness. After this fit of group interplay comes "Prince Rupert's Lament," a gut-wrenching guitar solo by Fripp that cries in anguish. And finally, the playful absurdity of "Big Top" (remember "Cirkus"?) eases the anguish from that pain-filled guitar solo.
Lizard_ is definitely not an album to skip in the King Crimson catalog (are any of them?). If quirky, theatrical, bizarre, manic, complex jazz-rock with symphonic touches appeals to you, pick this up. Also, pick this up if you like the bizarre antics of the Gabriel-era Genesis. The bizarre and theatrical elements of this record may have influenced Peter Gabriel and his contributions to Genesis.
King Crimson Lizard - Prince Rupert Awakes
|
Shopping Cart
