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This is the first album recorded by the incarnation of King Crimson involving Fripp, Bruford, Wetton and Cross. Legendary percussionist Jamie Muir also lends a hand on this album.
Larks' Tongues in Aspic is one of the staple progressive rock recordings. I would imagine three quarters of the people reading this review have already heard the album. Nevertheless I'll attempt to give some thoughts on it.
The album opens with some atmospheric, meandering percussion which gradually builds into the first number, "Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part 1", which alternates between softer passages controlled by violin and the harsh guitar riffs of Robert Fripp. As this manic-depressive slugfest drifts away, the listener is led through the wistful balladry of "Book of Saturday" and "Exiles" and the rockier "Easy Money". The minimalist and hypnotic "Talking Drum" leads into the harsh guitar epithets of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two".
This is probably the least heavy of the mid-period Crimson albums, but offers a mix of styles, in all of which the band is greatly proficient. In terms of accessibility, this is easier to get into than Starless and Bible Black and harder than Red. It's really difficult to pick a winner between the three, as all are classic fare that belong in your collection. Recommended.
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