Search - King Crimson :: Lizard: 30th Anniversary Edition

The Lizard King Crimson

Russell | Ballwin, MO USA | 12/19/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Lizard was an album that I purchased in LP form from the used bin at a Lincoln, NE record store for $1.99. I had gone through my early KC indoctrination (ITCOTCK, , ITWOP, LTIA, Red, and Discipline) and was beginning to branch out. When I first listened, I regarded it as a pale retread of the first two albums, with Fripp and Sinfield running out of ideas as they drove into a cul-de-sac. Over the years, I found myself returning to it and listening more carefully. It is definitely a piece that rewards repeat listenings, especially in the sounds that Fripp was able to coax out of the Mellotron at this point. In my opinion, this KC album has the most interesting Mellotron sounds of any KC recording, notably so in the Battle of Glass Tears segment of the Lizard suite. The Mellotron surges through the speakers in a sound that I can only describe as a wavy wash, almost like being buffeted by a storm on the high seas - which is altogether appropriate, since the heat of a battle is being musically depicted. My only complaint about the CD mix of this album (and hence three stars instead of four) is that Fripp has mixed the vocals down so low in the quiet sections (the beginnings of Cirkus, Prince Rupert Awakes, and Dawn Song) that they are nearly impossible to hear. This is then followed by the weight of the song kicking in and nearly deafening me, forcing me to turn the volume down - i.e., this mix cannot be listened to comfortably at a consistent volume. I went back to my old vinyl copy and found that this was not the case for it. The mix of the different sections is much more fluid and not jarring at all."