Larks' Tongues in Aspic

by King Crimson

Larks' Tongues in Aspic cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 23 March 1973
  • Label: Island, Atlantic
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 1:07:48
  • Community rating: 4.38/5 from 28 ratings

Artists on this release: David Cross, John Wetton, Jamie Muir, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Larks' Tongues in Aspic' debuted a new King Crimson incarnation that pivoted toward stark compositions influenced by European free improvisation and 20th-century classical music. The band's sound was radically redefined by the replacement of woodwinds with David Cross's violin and the addition of Jamie Muir's unconventional percussion, creating a dynamic study in extreme contrasts. This new instrumentation drove everything from the aggressive, near-metal instrumental title tracks to the melodic, structured songwriting of pieces like "Exiles" and "Easy Money," establishing a new and influential vocabulary for progressive rock.

Genres

Descriptors: progressive, improvisational, percussive, complex, strings

Tracklist

  1. Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part I) (13:35)
  2. Book Of Saturday (02:55)
  3. Exiles (07:41)
  4. Easy Money (07:54)
  5. The Talking Drum (07:24)
  6. Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part II) (07:19)
  7. Recording Session Extract (Part 1) [Bonus Track] (10:35)
  8. Recording Session Extract (Part 2) [Bonus Track] (10:25)

Credits

  • David Cross - violin, viola, mellotron, hohner pianet, flute, production
  • Robert Fripp - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mellotron, hohner pianet, devices, production
  • John Wetton - bass guitar, vocals, piano, production
  • Bill Bruford - drums, production
  • Jamie Muir - percussion, drums, "allsorts" (assorted found items and sundry instruments), autoharp, production
  • Richard Palmer-James - lyrics
  • Nick Ryan - recording engineer
  • Tantra Designs - cover design
  • Kettle, Simmons & Walmsley - equipment

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