Islands

'Islands' expands on the improvisational, jazz-inflected rock of King Crimson's prior work, juxtaposing pastoral and pseudo-classical arrangements with sleazy, blues-based rock and searing instrumentals. The album's compositions feature a wide sonic palette, incorporating strings, piano, and extensive woodwind and brass textures from Mel Collins and guests alongside Robert Fripp's guitar. As the only studio album from the 1971-72 lineup and the last with lyricist Peter Sinfield, it marks a significant, if often divisive, transition in the band's history.