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Larks' Tongues in Aspic (King Crimson) | Extended Play Lounge - Ep. 39 (Patreon)

Published:
2023-03-04 18:45:33
Edited:
2024-06-04 21:47:31
Imported:
2026-06
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In this edition of the Extended Play Lounge, I'm returning to King Crimson with their 1973 album Larks' Tongues in Aspic. This album won our poll by a large margin, and after listening to it, I think I understand why. The album was immediately approachable and fascinating to me...and I think it's my favorite (so far) of their albums that I have heard. I'm pleased to share my reaction with you all! Enjoy! 

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Larks' Tongues in Aspic (King Crimson) | Extended Play Lounge - Ep. 39

Comments

Macon Patton

Looking forward to seeing the podcast!

Christopher Arters (relative timeworx - Mr.A)

The title track part II is one of the signature pieces of this era of KC and certainly the primary attraction of this album by quite a bit. This and Red stand out as hugely popular prog instrumentals which inspired many artists to follow, not the least of which includes Rush and as you mentioned DT.

Nickie Kelly

Probably my favourite KC album, but I love them all.

Frits van Voorst

Wow, a great reaction to a masterpiece. If you listen again, you’ll notice similarities between part one and two. I always considered the shrieking noise between The talking drum and part two a sound of larks in anger. Btw, when you were clapping the rhythm at part two, you missed some birdlike sounds by the violin. Larks’ tongues in aspic: a strange delicacy..

Einaras Sipavičius

Larks' Tongues In Aspic is really a special album. And I'm really happy you called it your favorite. It has been a favorite of mine for some time, but I fell in love with Red even more, so LTIA is currently in number two position. And agree, side two is enormously good. The Talking Drum is one of most underrated instrumentals. Also, it's funny you called LTIA Part II progressive proto-metal and mentioned Dream Theater, as DT have covered this instrumental and released it in bonus disc of Black Clouds & Silver Linings album. Clearly members of DT thought the same and it is a very influential track for prog metal. I always said that prog metal was started either by King Crimson or Black Sabbath. Sabbath's Megalomania from Sabotage is pure multi-part prog metal suite for me, and it's 1975. My favourite King Crimson album you haven't reacted yet is Beat. But at this point I would advocate for Starless And Bible Black – the middle album between LTIA and Red, which is also excellent and has the most mindblowing KC tune Fracture (Fripp himself stated it's the most challenging one to play for him). Also an inclusion of 90s and 2000s King Crimson would be appropriate. The Power To Believe (their last album) is my favorite from later era.

Macon Patton

From the Entry to the Exit of the Krims….Thanks for taking me back to high school - college - marriage - kids and now (almost) retirement! This album has been a go to for me for all those years. I mentioned in another comment above its time for some Thrak &/or Thrak Attack and some Vroom Vroom for me! Awesome and I am glad you enjoyed this one.

Randy Hammill

As far back as Giles, Giles, and Fripp the building blocks of future KC music are evident, but few look as large over future KC pieces than this album, particularly Larks’ I and II. They share a vocabulary (listen closely to the fast guitar lines in I and the slower parts of II). Talking Drum is another common Crim approach. It started with their version of Mars on the first tour, which evolved into Devil’s Triangle, followed by Bolero, and others.

Randy Hammill

Many of the sounds were “found” instruments. The screeching at the end of stalking drum were bicycle horn reeds that they blew threw. The “drunken bees” sound was a trumpet mouthpiece attached to surgical tubing that was then attached to the trumpet bell so you would swing the bell around while blowing into it. The quiet section of Larks’ I behind the violin was Jamie playing an autoharp with drum sticks, etc.

Randy Hammill

The music was conceived as a way to blur the line between composed and improvised music. They toured for several months (and appeared on TV) before entering the studio. As different as this album would sound, imagine the first concert: Larks I, Book of Saturday, 22 minute collective improv, 45 minute improv, Easy Money, 4 minute improv, 5 minute improv, Exiles, Talking Drum, Larks’ II. Not a single piece heard before, with more than half the show improv. They may have done Schizoid Man as an encore (it was added for later dates). The TV performance was a 30 minute improv (ending with Jamie dumping a bag of leaves on the ground), Exiles, and Larks’ I. Reviews called the performances “white magic” and it didn’t sound like anything else.

Randy Hammill

As you are learning, I’ve always explained KC as the most influential band you haven’t heard. So much of what they have done has influenced so many others. Of course, more people are hearing them now (and more have been getting through on You Tube too).

Macon Patton

I love the live album USA that was released soon after. I have the original lp, cd and remastered cd/lp of some live KC.

Martin Broten

Really nice.  You're right...a remarkable album.  I can't think of another album with such dynamics.  Listening to this again I'm surprised how quickly I embraced this album as a 14 year old.  There was really nothing like it when it came out.  Bruford left Yes after CTTE because he saw them as "sunny vocal entertainment" and he wanted to play something darker (with "wrong notes" allowed/encouraged).  BTW, the opening of LTIA part 1 was a thumb piano being played by Jaime Muir.  In fact, pretty much any unidentifiable sound on the album is probably something being plucked, stroked, beaten or thrown across the room by mad genius Muir.  You hit the nail on the head with the reference to prog metal.  KC basically were at the birth of Progressive Rock (on ITCOTCK), Prog Metal (on this album and Red) and Math Rock (on Discipline).  Not a bad resume.

Erik Martinez

Thank you for bringing the Crimson. I look forward to the next!

BrianTheJeepGuy

A timeless masterpiece! This is one of those recordings that needs to be played through speakers Very LOUD!

FinBox

Brilliant! This is the weirdest (IMO) but the most rewarding incarnation of King Crimson. I love the three 'middle era' albums.

Jean-Michel LaFontaine

I have no problem with having other EPL with KC. Of all these 70's prog bands, them and Gentle Giant are the ones I still go to very often.

ax o'lotl

Starless and Bible Black is worth an EPL. my personal fave. :-)

ax o'lotl

actually I'd be curious to see what you'd make of some of their later stuff. I think The Construkction of Light is pretty great, and The Power To Believe is up there too.

ax o'lotl

...and, I don't know if you'd go for this, but maybe my favorite all-time "rock" album is Fripp's '89 solo effort "exposure". so many cool bits and maybe my #1 track all time "breathless".

Frits van Voorst

Many consider the 72-74 incarnation of KC their best. Doug, you’ve heard the first and last album of that period. Still two to go: Starless And Bible Black and the live album USA. SABB has some songs that were live recordings too but the audience sounds were edited out so they sound as studio recordings. Both albums are highly recommended. My personal favorite pieces are Trio (SABB) and Asbury Park (USA). Both improvisations ‘on the spot’ but musically completely different. Bill was credited on Trio for ‘restraint’: it was developing beautifully and he saw no need to play himself on this occasion.

Jojojojo

Larks' has got something that all the other Crimson albums don't. Chalk it up to some kind of X factor that Jamie Muir provides, but it's a really special album. Personally, I still rank it 3rd behind In the Court and Red, but it's almost a 3 way tie they're all so good.

Patrick Noakes

Thanks Doug for this EPL reaction. It was a pleasure watching you get so much from an album that I have loved for so long. For me, this is the pinnacle of the 70’s albums. In the many live recordings from this era you can hear how they used the song structure, for instance with Easy Money, to bookend an improvised instrumental section/solo between the formal verses, creating a fresh take on the track each time. Also if you get chance the recent documentary by Tobe Amies gives a fascinating insight into the character of Fripp, his motivations and the challenges of working with him.

Dave Brockis

That was my first listen also. King Crimson are not my favourite band, but they are growing on me. That was definitely interesting.

Hetfield Ninno Davide

King Crimson's music sounds complex yet visceral and totally sincere , that's the best quality about it for me. It's like alchemy in musical form (also suggested by the album cover which has some of that esoterical meaning as well , the sun and the moon symbolize birth as I recall). Everything is about the music and not the musician , Fripp himself often speaks of music as its driving him from (and onto) somewhere and not the contrary , totally devoted to the creative process , their career is very prolific and consistent for this reason (and I wish more people had his mentality in regards of what it means to be a musician) but anyway... I really enjoyed this review Doug , very happy you loved it because its definitely a masterpiece of an album.

Steven Charlton

I've never heard this album from start to finish before, with a few bit I've not heard before. So this was a first for me too. Really enjoyed it too. When you said "It sounds like Progressive Proto Metal", the first thing that came to my mind was it sounds a bit like VOIVOD, but then King Crimson are one of VOIVOD's main influences...

Jeff Norman

Yeah, it's mostly in 5/4 (actually, the 3+3+2+2 thing is what unifies all the "LTIA" pieces...). But...one thing everyone always gets wrong is this: when that main, quieter theme enters, EACH TIME the first bar is 11/8 (3+3+3+2)...but only the first bar. Oh—and the "prog metal" bit in the middle is insane: it's like 9+6+1 (which is just 16)...and then the 5/4 theme fades up in the background... (My other favorite moment: Robert's playing his 5/4 riff...and Wetton and Bruford play 20 sixteenth notes over the top in 4 groups of 5.)

Bill Brinkmoeller

This album changed my life musically. I'd been a fan through the first four albums, so when I heard that Robert Fripp had re-formed the band, and that Bill Bruford was going to be in it, I was really excited. I wasn't prepared for what I was about to hear, though, that first time I put the stylus down on Side 1. But, just like you, I was drawn in. In the midst of the cacophony and dissonance that's been part of Crim's trademark since the first notes of "21st Century Schizoid Man" came crashing into everyone's ears, but the have some beautiful melodies, too. By the end of Side 1 I was curious as to where else they would take me. Holy shit. It's a shame that you didn't listen to Side 2 uninterrupted, because that's how it's meant to be heard. On my first listen, by the time the final note of LTIA 2 died out and I heard Robert Fripp say "Could I do one more immediately?" I was completely wrung out. (Don't worry, Robert. That take was just fine.) Thanks for doing this, Doug. You need to hear "Fracture" from the "Starless and Bible Black" album. And when you listen to it, keep in mind that it is a live performance. Just imagine being in the audience for that.

Arrow2theACL

Doug is turning into a Prog Metal Head before our eyes. ;)

David Granger

The official boots of this era are fantastic.

George Davis-Stewart

The album's title was contrived by Jamie Muir in the course of an interview at the time. You can find much more information in the interviews assembled in an article in the current issue of Prog magazine, March 2023. The variety of tuned and found percussion played by Jamie Muir seems endless. There are also accounts of the verbal elements in the LTinA and of the lyrics in Book Of Saturday and Exiles, by Richard Palmer-James. Enormous dynamic range, and beautiful musical textures. This was the first KC that I came to, aside from 21st Century SM; it was in concert in Glasgow in 1973, with pre-show music from Fripp and Eno's concurrent recording, The Heavenly Music Corporation. Hooked on both ever since.

John Sawyer

Larks Tongues in Aspic is one of those ridiculous Roman Banqueting dishes that is in Apicius (an Ancient Roman cook book) and it is the sort of dish beloved by Roman Emperors who wanted to show off their wealth. I am guessing the title is a commentary on 70s extravagant flaunting of wealth etc.

Daniel Miller

Please listen to the starless and bible black album. Just as good as ltia.

Potted Rodent

Bartók's string quartet no. 4 movement 5 is said to be a possible influence on Lark's. The similarities are definitely there.

A.R.

Have a look at the "King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic" (25.11.1972) live performance on Beat-Club Bremen and get an impression where all these 'strange' sounds on that LP come from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhudDa3JAyc