Composer Reacts to King Crimson - Lizard (Full Suite) (REACTION & ANALYSIS)

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  • čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
  • Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on Lizard (Prince Rupert Awakes/Bolero/The Battle of Glass Tears/Big Top)
    ORIGINAL VIDEO // • Lizard (Prince Rupert ...
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    Contains links for Special Selection submissions, the CR Patreon, access to the CR Discord Server, the CR Twitter profile, and more.
    0:00 Intro
    0:49 Reaction
    24:24 Analysis - Initial Thoughts
    27:33 Analysis - Prince Rupert and Dynamics
    37:21 Analysis - Bolero and Jazzy Conflict
    46:39 Analysis - The Battle and Sound Painting
    56:09 Analysis - Confusion of the Big Top
    59:12 Analysis - Lyrical Dive
    1:07:35 Outro
    #progrock #kingcrimson #reaction

Komentáře • 143

  • @cbn6635
    @cbn6635 Před rokem +31

    Robert Fripp should forever be included in the pantheon of the greatest guitarists of all time, but I actually think his abilities as a composer is even more impressive and laudable...

    • @marthaworc7873
      @marthaworc7873 Před 10 měsíci

      Really? What did he compose, other than his solos? How many demos did he bring in?

    • @ikobashi
      @ikobashi Před 17 dny

      @@marthaworc7873 Welp he also plays the mellotron a few times in different songs. Idk if he did on this one

  • @wayne7048
    @wayne7048 Před rokem +19

    My favourite KC album.I bought it aged 19 and I still have it aged 72.

  • @justindevoe9556
    @justindevoe9556 Před rokem +32

    This is my favorite King Crimson song, and is in my top 10 prog songs of all time. Bolero is a term for a Spanish marching snare pattern, which is why the drums hold that one snare pattern the whole section

  • @yes_head
    @yes_head Před rokem +43

    Lizard was and is a "difficult" King Crimson album. It's their least accessible and most abstract effort in many ways. The principle singer and bassist, Gordon Haskell (a childhood friend of Fripp's), has famously disowned his participation, and was even a semi-unwilling participant during the sessions which is why Jon Anderson of Yes is heard on "Prince Rupert Awakes". Much of the jazziness and the brass arrangement are courtesy of pianist Kieth Tippett, a key figure of the British jazz avant-garde at the time. Drummer Andy McCulloch (yet another Bournemouth native) worked with a large range of British acts during the 70's, although I'm sure the brief here was to honor the style of original drummer Michael Giles. The ending "Big Top" is sort of a nod to the opening track "Cirkus".

    • @TheVanillaQueen
      @TheVanillaQueen Před rokem +6

      Haskell famously called King Crimson "an experiment in musical fascism."

    • @ppdamski
      @ppdamski Před rokem +4

      This is my favourite KC album. So much is happening here. For me the least intriguing is Ilands, Beat I can at least hate. 😂

    • @mrnmo6781
      @mrnmo6781 Před rokem +3

      Jon Anderson was asked to do Prince Rupert awakes, because Fripp had no confidence of Haskell's competence and vocal ability to hit the notes required, especially after Gordon's conduct during the recording process.
      I thought you were a lot more cyanical rather than critical on this, maybe because it was you're first listen. IDK, but the snare is beautiful and appropriate to me, thought you were far too harsh. I think this

    • @groovinhooves
      @groovinhooves Před rokem +1

      I believer it is Peter Sinfield somewhere on his own webpage (which may or may no longer exist in its antique by internet standards form dating from the mid-90s) states that "Big Top" is indeed **not** part of the "Prince Rupert" suite, but serves with "Cirkus" however tangentially to bookend the album. A minor error in the setup for printing the jacket. Personally, I always heard it as such.

    • @marthaworc7873
      @marthaworc7873 Před 10 měsíci +1

      It may have been difficult, but I enjoyed it.

  • @jonathanhenderson9422
    @jonathanhenderson9422 Před rokem +18

    This (and their next album, Islands) were the two "black sheep" albums that separated the massive In the Court of the Crimson King (and its similar follow-up, In the Wake of Poseidon) of the late-60s, from the more hard rock-influenced albums that came with their mid-70s period. Supposedly, Fripp was never happy with the album, perhaps more due to the recording/mixing than the album itself. I think he said that after Wilson's surround mix he was inspired to reconsider its quality and the place in their discography. I've always thought both of these albums were fascinating, with Lizard especially being being their richest and most complex that really leaned into the classical and jazz influences. As famously "difficult" as the album is I always thought it (and this song especially) had some KC's most beautiful moments. Some of the melodies are just meltingly beautiful. FWIW, the Bolero is a nod to Ravel's famous composition.

    • @mooninites3
      @mooninites3 Před rokem

      I get Fripp's disappointment. It felt like two albums that were separately equalized and then played over each other. Especially the drums and horn section... Like they were recorded in a tiny closet and the mic was on the other side of the door.

  • @maciejkrasuski
    @maciejkrasuski Před 8 měsíci +5

    This Band has the music in their genes... In every single gene. Masterpiece.

  • @Jack-D-Ripper
    @Jack-D-Ripper Před 2 měsíci +1

    Back again with more ramblings. This is one of my favourite King Crimson albums, I especially love this track "Lizard", with Jon Anderson's vocals (and Gordon Haskell's moving vocals, of course). I first to into this a few years after Bill Bruford joined them After Lark's Tongues in Aspic, I bought this and loved it. I must have been 19 when I first heard this.
    Peter SInfield's lyrics are stunning on all the early KC albums (and ELP albums).
    I love Robert Fripp's "backward" guitaring; stunning craftsmanship throughout the track, especially the "Bagpipe"-like dirge on the Lament,
    And the way that Bolero transitions from classical beauty into Jazz with Keith Tippett's stunning jazz piano playing, Mel Collins' Saxophone, Robin Miller's Oboe brings tears to your eyes with his emotionally beautiful playing, is phenomenal. How can you have a Bolero without a snare though?
    This is an absolute classic; one of their best tracks (and I'm a Red/Starless and Bible Black/Lark's Tongues in Aspic fan).
    This track, Lizard, was the last track on the album and "Big Top" is a reprise of the first track "Circus".

  • @Chicago_Podcast_Authority
    @Chicago_Podcast_Authority Před 21 dnem +2

    My favorite prog rock epic. The pinnacle of jazz rock and classical melding ❤

  • @herb6677
    @herb6677 Před 9 měsíci +4

    When Mel Colling did those parts from the album in recent concerts I was more than overwhelmed.

  • @avantprog6902
    @avantprog6902 Před rokem +10

    Yep, that was backwards attack on guitar. There's elements of this era of King Crimson that reminds me of Moody Blues, yet far more avant-guarde. That was Jon Anderson on vocals.

  • @cbr9914
    @cbr9914 Před 8 měsíci +2

    these long english prog rock songs were broken up into "movements" on the credits for publishing purposes. they got paid more that way. that's why bands like yes, kc, elp, etc had all those subtitles on the longer tunes. the drummer and bass player were under strict instructions to keep it off kilter and abstract-they weren't allowed to actually settle into a groove at any point to keep it surreal. that's why just when it seems like a groove is gonna start, it falls apart.

  • @cheekycupcake5616
    @cheekycupcake5616 Před rokem +15

    Epic! Perfection. Totally expanded me brain and am grateful for the experience. Ya gotta look up Ravels Bolero(bet you’ll recognize it)and may make the drums make more sense as well. Luved when ya said wonder where the horns come in…cue horns, hahaa. The left/right/volume mixing is sooo damn good! Even liked the Big Top ending, they are so deft at changing directions in dynamics and phrasings, and even spanning centuries of diff styles, this seemed like such an ultimate odd turn that kinda seemed comically perfect. Such an awesome react, luved it🌿🌿🌿

  • @MisterWondrous
    @MisterWondrous Před rokem +18

    You add so much value to this song, they should not only leave it up, but cut you a check. I've always loved this song, but had no clue about the double-tongued sax, and several other details you mentioned. In conclusion, you did not need to have a conclusion, as you intuited, because you covered it so well, and on the first hearing. Remarkable.

  • @cbn6635
    @cbn6635 Před rokem +11

    The marvel that is Jon Anderson... what a voice... often emulated, never bettered... the quintessential prog rock voice? 👌

    • @MisterLumpkin
      @MisterLumpkin Před rokem +1

      Anderson said that he went in to the studio and sang the track. Then Fripp asked him if he could sing it "straighter".

    • @user-br2gi8kh5s
      @user-br2gi8kh5s Před 12 dny

      @@MisterLumpkin LMAO 😂

  • @EdwardBast
    @EdwardBast Před rokem +4

    I think you're right that "Big Top" doesn't integrate into the Lizard Suite. For me the suite ends with "Prince Rupert's Lament." "Big Top" calls back to "Cirkus," the opening tune on Side 1, Critically speaking, I hear it as a misguided rounding gesture … But then without it the album ends in horrific desolation. The suite as a whole is an allegory of transgression (the Bolero) and retribution, (Battle and Lament). The Bolero is defined by the snare pattern, as in Ravel's eponymous piece. It's traditional. In case you didn't notice, the jazz section of the Bolero is based on the melody and progression of "Prince Rupert Awakes," and. the theme of the Battle, starting with the English Horn solo, loosely inverts motives from the same vocal melody.
    If you like wide dynamic range, the range on the album Larks' Tongues in Aspic is considerably wider than this, from deafening to a whisper.

  • @glarthir2213
    @glarthir2213 Před rokem +9

    Personally this is one of my favourite songs. I agree with your confusion about big top, I think it's really there as an end to the album as a whole rather than being a part of this song in particular. I can't relate to your issue with the snare, I've only recently learned a bit more about swing Vs straight drumming style and while I can tell the difference, it still doesn't sound bad to me. I actually think the chorus is the easiest to interpret part: "wake your reasons hollow vote" sounds to me like "listen to reason, even though you often ignore it", "wear your blizzard season coat" means preparing for hard times, and "burn a bridge and burn a boat" seems like a nice turn of phrase to go beyond just severing a relationship with someone. I'm less sure of what the lizard is supposed to represent though.

    • @CriticalReactions
      @CriticalReactions  Před rokem +5

      I don't think I knew this was the album closer. That certain sheds a little bit of light on Big Top.

    • @ianmc8671
      @ianmc8671 Před rokem +3

      Lizard was mixed for listening to through speakers, not headphones. Through speakers the snare is less less separated and stands out less. Sounds pretty good to me.

    • @stevegauthier9838
      @stevegauthier9838 Před rokem +1

      @@CriticalReactions I would note the opening cut of the album is called "Cirkus" and I feel the close ties back to that reference. But if you have not heard side one of the album it seems particularly out of place.

  • @ganazby
    @ganazby Před rokem +8

    The jazzy section always puts me in mind of Charles Mingus’s ‘Tijuana Moods’, which also (in certain parts) melds bolero rhythms with a swing arrangement. ‘Lizard’ is a brilliant and under-appreciated KC album. Great analysis, as always. Cheers.

    • @mrtyreus0
      @mrtyreus0 Před rokem +3

      Seeing the Charles Mingus big band live is how I first was able to understand this album. Luckily both happened mostly simultaneously.

    • @cogs2937
      @cogs2937 Před 5 měsíci

      Good call. Will have to re listen to the Mingus.

  • @DimaBulwinklBochk0
    @DimaBulwinklBochk0 Před rokem +5

    The coda is the way it is because exists in the context of the whole album, not just this track. It rhymes with the first track.

  • @salsalzman2325
    @salsalzman2325 Před rokem +4

    This is the final track of an album that opened with what I consider to be, the most "King Crimson" King Crimson song, "Cirkus". This ties in the entire album, not just a song coda, it's importance is to continue the "life is a circus" theme.

  • @Z_E_B_O
    @Z_E_B_O Před 6 měsíci +2

    Glad that you decided to react to the original version and not the remaster, cause the remaster gets rid of alot of elements, like the disonant chords at the beginning.
    I love this album, and it's quite a shame that Robert really doesn't think it's that good. Or maybe it was that becase the recording of it was just so rough Robert just doesn't have many good memories with it.
    At that point the bands only member from the original line-up was Robert Fripp after all and having to form a new band and basically writing most of the material was quite a feat.
    They brought in Gordon Haskell to do the vocals on the album here, who recently did vocals on their album before "in the wake of poseidon". But he really didn't like the lyrics and the vibe the band gave off to him made him think they were trying to write something diabolic.
    Also their new drummer Andy McCulloch was basically forced to play like Michael Giles, who was ambidextrous on both arms and feet, so it was an impossible feat. Robert and McCulloch even got into such a dissonance with Robert demanding so much of him that he quit the band right after the album was finished. Therefore there also was never a tour where they played the songs from this album, only with the next line-up including Boz Burell they played a few tracks of it.
    Funfact, when they started playing old songs live at around 2017, they also started playing parts of the lizard suite, which was very nice.
    Also the sweet piano playing you hear is Keith Tippett, who was "just" a session player for King Crimson, but added so much on songs like Cat food and most tracks here.
    I also want to point out how cool the album art is. Yes it's just the letters King Crimson, but the detail of what is in between the letters is just so fun to look at and makes you want to buy the vinyl just to do so.
    For example, there's the beatles in one image, in reference to the song Happy family, a circus performance in reference to cirkus obviously. Jimi Hendrix is on there as well afaik.
    and on the other side there is the whole story of the lizard suite painted in between the letters. Just a beautiful album art that in my opinion just adds to the album cause it makes me visualize it in a much more medieval time frame than if it was something else.
    Also i think the part starting at 19:20 is my favourite, where it just goes bonkers after that quiet section.
    In general my favourite part of the whole album is the bassline of Cirkus. It should also be mentioned that Haskell was both doing the vocals and the bass, but we could never really hear how that sounded live, since they never played live with that particular line-up, which is a shame.
    well that ended up longer than I thought. I just love the album and especially the suite. I always envisioned it as a medieval band playing for common folk that is being tasked to write an epic suite for the king, which they then play masterfully at the end. but that's just me ,lol.
    25:10 and to be fair, the first track of the album is called cirkus and is about life being as weird as a cirkus, just traveling along, being absurd. so in a sense it just went back to the albums beginning.
    Also, a fun thing with the names of the tracks. Prince Rupert - a Rupert's drop is a glass shape that can only be shattered when hitting a specific part of the shape. And The battle of glass tears also is in reference to this, cause the Rupert's drop does look like a tear. Also Bolero is just a song made to dance, or waltz to I guess.

  • @cbn6635
    @cbn6635 Před rokem +2

    The initial smoldering snare drum/trumpet section at the start had med thinking of certain segments of the album 'Sketches of Spain' by Miles Davis; my favorite jazz album of all time...

  • @cartelguitar
    @cartelguitar Před rokem +2

    Although one of my favorite bands, Lizard, is my favorite album.One main reason is the unique participation of Andrew Mcculloch with King Crimson who has my humble opinion is to this day the most inovative and exciting drummer. Unfortunately for us but excellent for him, McCulloch chose to pursue his other passion, sailing..

  • @lesimprosdulezardvert1342
    @lesimprosdulezardvert1342 Před 11 měsíci +1

    The voice of Yes, the music by King Crimson

  • @desert.mantis
    @desert.mantis Před rokem +1

    I enjoyed hearing your commentary on Lizard. I think it is a wonderful elpee. My favorite song is the opening track, Circus. King Crimson was my favorite band from the late 60s/early 70s. I was blessed to see them in concert four times. Though not the Lizard configuration, my favorite ensemble was the Lark's Tongue in Aspic troupe.Thanks for taking me on your listening journey.

  • @TheVanillaQueen
    @TheVanillaQueen Před rokem +4

    It's a miracle this is still up

  • @mcasualjacques
    @mcasualjacques Před 9 měsíci

    the advantage of setting songs as theatrical musical operas is your acting-singers can go extreme in emotions, as opposed to love songs that have simple stories like "i'll never leave you", "Forgive me don't leave me", "why didya leave me" and "i can't live without you now that you left". Theatrical or fantasy settings also help for staging

  • @biraoliverio
    @biraoliverio Před rokem +5

    Search for Prince Rupert's Drop and you understand the context of the song.

    • @spongo
      @spongo Před rokem

      Fascinating. Thanks for the clue.

  • @KM769
    @KM769 Před rokem +2

    Best KC song/piece. Other songs with massive horns: Pink Floyd - Atom heart mother (1970, the same year as KC), Frank Zappa - Peaches en regalia (1969), The grand wazoo (1972), Waka Jawaka (1972). Beatles - A day in a life(1967).

  • @JimboKM
    @JimboKM Před rokem +4

    Thanks for helping me accomplish something I haven't been able to do in 45 years, listen to this straight through. I bought this album because I love both Yes and King Crimson. I listened to the first part with Jon Anderson and then kept picking up the needle and moving forward through the album. I like some soft music and instruments that aren't traditional to "Rock". Also other chaotic and polyrhythmic music from Crimson but this one is totally lost on me. Any other King Crimson album is something I'd return to in much less than 45 years.

  • @jameshotchkin8438
    @jameshotchkin8438 Před rokem +1

    Awesome to see you react to King Crimson thank you. 🙌

  • @InsaneCarville
    @InsaneCarville Před rokem +1

    I was very intrigued by this post. I am a big KC fan, but I really don't care for this album despite trying so many times. I gave the Steven Wilson remix a go and felt I understood the music better but no matter how I slice it, it just doesn't offer anything that pulls me into music in general. Thus, I am always curious what the fans of this album make of it. Being that this is your first time hearing this piece and you seemed to have enjoyed it, I like to see other's appreciate things that I can't get into. Always love watching your breakdowns of music. Take care man!

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem +1

    Actually, Yesshead may be right in that Big Top may be a reference to the opening track on side one, Cirkus.

  • @HerbalistGuybrush
    @HerbalistGuybrush Před rokem

    Thank you so much for the reaction Bryan! I listened to this piece 100 of times, and its one of my favorites, so i appreciate it very much to experience it anew through your eyes and your analysis.

  • @janeg6759
    @janeg6759 Před rokem +2

    I've only heard of King Crimson. I really enjoyed this.

    • @progperljungman8218
      @progperljungman8218 Před rokem +2

      You should check out his other KC reactions (one or two blocked featured on Vimeo as well)

    • @janeg6759
      @janeg6759 Před rokem +1

      @@progperljungman8218 will do

    • @progperljungman8218
      @progperljungman8218 Před rokem +1

      @@janeg6759 And do go check out their later studio albums as well since I know you as a fan of technical prog (metal). They've been a huge influence to many more technical prog metal bands!

  • @IshwaraYogaNET
    @IshwaraYogaNET Před 10 měsíci +1

    I havent heard this since the 70's. Very nice to hear Miles Davis 'sketches of Spain' in there, if you haven't heard it, that is a masterpiece .... KC opened me up to so many genres

  • @ryanschindler923
    @ryanschindler923 Před rokem +6

    Wow what a great song, i could imagine people back then getting high as shit and listening to this lol. This is def one of the better tracks I've heard from KC. Very cool stuff.

    • @marthaworc7873
      @marthaworc7873 Před 10 měsíci

      I was one of those people getting high, a long time ago.

  • @1234tori
    @1234tori Před 8 měsíci +2

    brilliant reaction

  • @doyasteve
    @doyasteve Před 19 dny +1

    You have to understand that albums were of a piece. "Big Top", as someone else mentioned, is a reprise of the first track on the record, "Cirkus" and acts as a coda.

  • @CaryOn11
    @CaryOn11 Před 4 měsíci

    Thanks for your reaction. Good job on it. You mentioned violins a few times. No one is credited for violin in the credits. Could it be mellotron you are referring to?

  • @progperljungman8218
    @progperljungman8218 Před rokem

    Bryan, You're a phenomenon!!!❤

  • @pazeinat
    @pazeinat Před 7 měsíci +1

    The snare is Bolero, that's the idea, and it works beautifully!!

  • @rdrummer322
    @rdrummer322 Před rokem +1

    My favorite album from 1970, 53 years ago. No autotune, no digital processing, just pure creativity. Look at the other groups of the time. Zep was out, but doing nothing like this, Beatles are done, This was done on a 16 track, state of the art at the time.

  • @axolotl8694
    @axolotl8694 Před 2 měsíci

    my ATF guitar solo. literally the first thing I learned when I picked up the extremely electric guitar at a relatively late age. :-)

  • @christophermoebs5514
    @christophermoebs5514 Před 5 měsíci +1

    I got this record for Christmas when it was released listened to the whole thing and thought Hmm not what I expected. Then I played it a thousand times. The vocalist thought the lyrics were so weird he didn't want to sing them he breaks out laughing at one point. The annoying snare is the Bolero. It is the rhythm you never heard of Ravel?

  • @jupiterlegrand4817
    @jupiterlegrand4817 Před 3 měsíci

    Hearing Jon Anderson with King Crimson makes "Prince Rupert" one of the greatest tracks they ever did. His voice IS prog rock. Lizard is one of their best, densest and most difficult albums. Worth the effort.

  • @williamburchell7906
    @williamburchell7906 Před 3 měsíci +1

    My favorite King Crimson album. Side one is even better. Give it a listen. You should also listen to it 2 more times, then give another review after you've become accustomed to the piece. It's amazing! Oh, BTW, I don't think Big Top is part of the Lizard suite. It's just an extra thing added to the album. On the record, it's a separate track.

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem

    Also, Keith Tippett was definitely the huge reason this went the way it did on this track. Fripp was heavily into him at the time, he featured on their single, taken from the second album, Catfood.

  • @dampersand
    @dampersand Před rokem +4

    I'm surprised that you're unfamiliar with Ravel's Bolero. That would give you a lot of context for the the corresponding movement here.

  • @ikobashi
    @ikobashi Před 17 dny +2

    btw crazy is been a year and this is not block lol. I don't really know why I'm so hook to this song

  • @gilsaraiva5815
    @gilsaraiva5815 Před rokem

    King Crimson is just...Unique. I wonder if you did Larks Tongues in Aspic (all parts), Starless and some of their recent work. Yep, the band still produces. KG is like the world team of musicians.

  • @andrewwalker9502
    @andrewwalker9502 Před rokem

    Great comments on the instrumental clash before the Battle of Glass Tears and the rain like playing of the piano by Keith Tippett. Never thought of it that way and it certainly hits home. Just a couple of comments. The wail guitar at the conclusion of the battle is one of the most expressive solos by guitar that I've heard and is the sound I associate with the early 70s King Crimson. And Big Top. By itself it is out of place. As a conclusion to an album - given that an album is a collection of related songs - it's fitting. The lyrics and music in the first song of the album are nightmarish and congers up imagery that I would expect from a David Lynch series. Clowns have always been creepy to me, as is the circus or carnival show they are frequently linked to. Cirkus brings forth that imagery and sets the stage for the remaining tracks played in different rings of the Cirkus.

  • @tomekjedynak2971
    @tomekjedynak2971 Před rokem

    great! thank you so much. maybe do "Thrak" by King Crimson? completely different, you'll be surprised: KC drifting in kind of metal territory

  • @renepeterse1884
    @renepeterse1884 Před 5 měsíci

    One of my al time favorites. The hobo (or cor anglais in English I believe) at the end of the Bolero, going into the battle is holds an unbearable tension

  • @progrockplaylists
    @progrockplaylists Před rokem +3

    5:20 no way

  • @Jack-D-Ripper
    @Jack-D-Ripper Před rokem +1

    I absolutely love the album Lizard. Side one is really very good, especially Cirkus, Indoor Games and Happy Family.
    I got into this because Jon Anderson sang on this track. But I love the music, especially "Bolero - The Peacock's Tale" and the jazzy section, where Mel Collins (Saxophone) and Robin Miller (Oboe) are amazing. Keith tippet's piano playing is wonderful.
    "The Battle of Glass Tears": I "Dawn Song" (just beautiful - Peter Sinfield's lyrics are so good. "Night unfolds her cloak of holes"), II "Last Skirmish" is brilliant in its portrayal of battle, III "Prince Rupert's Lament" are excellent too.
    "Big Top" belongs elsewhere, but is relevant for the Clown World in which we now live.
    What an amazing album, I'm glad that I bought it back in 1973.

  • @souldreamer9056
    @souldreamer9056 Před 8 měsíci

    I love the lizard suite. And what perplexes me is that I’ve heard the band and the drummer himself criticize the drumming, especially the straight marching snare behind the swinging 3-way solo, but…. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT. For the drummer to keep that relentlessly robotic snare going for minutes, and not give in to the temptation to start swinging, is to my ears a thrilling juxtaposition.
    I agree that the circus ending was not a great choice. I suspect it was done for the same reason as the 20 seconds of gibberish at the end of Sgt Pepper - to wake up any listeners who dozed off.

  • @ricklombardi631
    @ricklombardi631 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I've always Jon Anderson of Yes in this piece.

  • @ynotbmale5218
    @ynotbmale5218 Před 11 měsíci

    I have never heard the fear and horror of war better represented than ‘The Battle Of Glass Tears’. ‘Prince Rupert’s Lament’ captures the desolation and grief amazingly well.

  • @william7108
    @william7108 Před 4 měsíci

    Let's Roll

  • @marktaylor2502
    @marktaylor2502 Před 9 měsíci

    Ref: “I don’t like what snare is doing”. Dude, it’s a bolero, check the credits 🎺🎷🥁🎸😀

  • @ericarmstrong6540
    @ericarmstrong6540 Před rokem +2

    "Big Top" is not a part of the Lizard Suite. It's a separate track. This probably explains your difficulty with reconciling it with the suite that comes before it.

    • @octo2539
      @octo2539 Před rokem

      but then why is it in the suite?

    • @ericarmstrong6540
      @ericarmstrong6540 Před rokem +1

      @@octo2539 It's not in the suite.

    • @octo2539
      @octo2539 Před rokem

      @@ericarmstrong6540 i mean,why is it in the yt video of the lizard suite?

    • @ericarmstrong6540
      @ericarmstrong6540 Před rokem +1

      @@octo2539 Don't know. It's a separate track on the album, apart from the suite.

    • @ironrose2672
      @ironrose2672 Před rokem +1

      @@octo2539 My guess is because 1) it's so short, and 2) when listening to the album on vinyl, as released, it just sort of finished out side two (and the album), the most of which was Lizard. I bet Fripp decided to include it, rather than separate it out because that was easier.

  • @uzunihsan9107
    @uzunihsan9107 Před rokem +4

    Tarkus reaction please

  • @vespid8960
    @vespid8960 Před rokem

    A month late but since the whole story is based around an adventure and a battle, my perception is supposed to be the aftermath of the battle, I pictured soldiers going crazy and almost like a circus trying to cover that, ecpecially how in big top the beginning of it sounds more happy until the second time we hear the progression it sounds like the truth is leaking out.

  • @nakim55
    @nakim55 Před 3 měsíci

    King Crimson is beyond heavy metal.

  • @YuriRadavchuk
    @YuriRadavchuk Před rokem

    Please check their later stuff namely Construkctuon of Light pt 1&2

  • @07LUTE70
    @07LUTE70 Před rokem

    KING CRIMSON are jazz geniuses. All of them are excellent musicians. Robert Fripp is a guitar genius. They hold your attention hey? That's why they're king.

  • @reghunt2487
    @reghunt2487 Před 11 měsíci

    30:28 King Crimson's early albums up thru Red feature quite wide dynamic ranges. But again, what kind of composing is this guy doing that this kind of dynamic range surprises him?

    • @cogs2937
      @cogs2937 Před 5 měsíci +1

      I think he's comparing it to rock, which it ain't and, especially to modern era recording which seems to have forgotten dynamic range.

  • @Vader1138
    @Vader1138 Před rokem +1

    Robert Fripp's two least favorite albums I find to be pure genius and my favorite. Very experimental and pure prog. Lizard is midevil inspired jazz fusion and other dissonant oddities with Gordon Haskell on vocals (except Jon at the beginning of the track). While the follow up Islands with Boz Burrell on vocals has a Victorian poetry chamber music influenced jazz rock fusion. Islands is plagued by some recording/mixing volume issues but still so good. You should check it out.
    The Bolero rhythm is emphasizing the armies marching to the battlefield with all of their colors on full display. (The Peacocks Tale) The opposing leaders imposing their glory on each other. Then the Battle of Glass Tears (see Prince Ruperts drop definition not here) Ending it all with the dirge Prince Ruperts Lament where the death of battles aftermath is apparent. As noted by others Big Top is a coda to the first song of the album and not connected this specifically.

  • @mandra6817
    @mandra6817 Před rokem

    try listen to the drums and bass isolated tracks, there wasn't just snare drums on the bolero part

  • @johnmorris8799
    @johnmorris8799 Před 6 měsíci

    This is the end of the album .. the album opens with a track called Cirkus, hence the postlude. This is the problem reviewing one song from an album 😊

  • @unicyclepeon
    @unicyclepeon Před rokem +3

    This was my least favorite album of theirs when I was young but now that I'm older and have heard more music, I like it a lot more. Thanks for the analysis.

  • @teawhydee
    @teawhydee Před rokem

    I think Bolero is beautiful. I get it but I don't exactly have the "green screen" feeling but the drums do take my attention away, I love the concept

  • @william7108
    @william7108 Před 4 měsíci

    How critical is the critical of the criticization let's see the development of the deployment of this cruciality

  • @internetenjoyer1044
    @internetenjoyer1044 Před rokem

    this was an interesting starting point for king crimson. it's an interesting album but King Crimson seemed to be trying to force the medieval aesthetic of early prog when i think mentally they'd moved away from it at that point. they needed to reset, and they made their best 70s work in their next three albums. i dont like how the snare pattern is so fixed, which they do i guess for thematic reasons, but the staticness of the rythm constrains the sense of movement in the jazz break down imo. i still like the piece a lot, especially the heavy breakdown where the horns are allowed to breath much more and the rockiness of the bass, drums and guitars are realised from the idea that this has to be story told in a specific antiquated style

  • @jazzyjay698
    @jazzyjay698 Před rokem

    Thank you for covering this, Crimson have a great catalogue for exploration.......

  • @pazeinat
    @pazeinat Před 7 měsíci

    Bolero - Revel - that one

  • @hughjohnson2674
    @hughjohnson2674 Před 10 měsíci

    The snare is totally in context with the historical period you got it in the end. The snare is the reality of the Asian wars. You got it right in the end. Fripp who really composed this piece is a very deep thinker as was Sinfield the lyricist. You’ve hit the meaning on the head. Fripp will always find places for dissonance of both aural and moral themes in his music.

  • @mrnobody3161
    @mrnobody3161 Před rokem

    If Jon Anderson wrote the lyrics, he has said he often uses words that sound good together, not necessarily making any cognitive sense together. FYI, I listened to the END.

  • @TheReaperMan275
    @TheReaperMan275 Před rokem

    First of all, there are no violins on the album. What you're hearing is a Mellotron; an analogue keyboard with pre-recorded tape loops under the keys of real strings, choirs, brass, etc. But King Crimson are using the string section part of the instrument's sound package. Also, the lyrics don't end with "Prince Rupert Awakes." "The Battle Of Glass Tears" contain two verses before the cacophony. "Bolero: The Peacock's Tale" has the repeating military snare because that's what a bolero does. Listen to Ravel's Bolero. One of the other instruments used in "Bolero" is the oboe, at the beginning and end of that section. Jon Anderson of Yes sings "Prince Rupert" and Gordon Haskell, the normal vocalist for the album sings the two verses in "The Battle Of Glass Tears". "Big Top" has a typical calliope sound because on Side 1, the opening track "Cirkus" has a loose connection. If you look at the album artwork, it also includes a lot of circus imagery.

    • @edwardthorne9875
      @edwardthorne9875 Před 11 měsíci

      The album artwork for Lizard also includes the Beatles as a 'Happy Family'. Took years before someone told me about it. My favorite King Crimson.
      Lyrics by Pete Sinfield, who was not really that obscure, just very poetic.

  • @reneelyons6836
    @reneelyons6836 Před rokem

    nice

  • @doyasteve
    @doyasteve Před 8 měsíci

    "Cirkus" is the first song, so "Big Top" the coda.

  • @Kitaez77476
    @Kitaez77476 Před 8 měsíci

    07^00 and around that, I didi not clearly got what you meant by melodic but not volumizing accent, was there anuthing deeper? Just not sure, I`m a lover, not profy. Though do play and listen. this was remeniscence to Raviele` Bolero with somethng elase, I know that, in the melody.

  • @Arrow2theACL
    @Arrow2theACL Před rokem +6

    Woah. This didn’t get blocked? What deal did you make with the Devil, Bryan?

    • @CriticalReactions
      @CriticalReactions  Před rokem +1

      This didn't get blocked but an old Katatonia video randomly did. I don't even pretend to understand the system anymore 😄

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem +1

    You may not have realised it, but the vocals for the opening section were by Jon Anderson of Yes.
    I've member really understood why Fripp was dissatisfied with this one. I felt, at the time, that it was a fine album and a great progression from the first two albums. The following one, Islands, was definitely the runt of the Crim litter.

    • @Mikino1976
      @Mikino1976 Před 9 měsíci

      Agreed. This is great. Islands, not so much.

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem

    Sorry to go on, but I feel the whole thing you drew out of individual players heading their own way, independently, but concluding with a single resolution was very much in the frame of what the Beatles did with the orchestra on A Day In The Life. Chaos resolved in a final unison chord.

  • @misterguy9051
    @misterguy9051 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Most of those "reactions videos" are often so unpleasant to listen to. IMHO. But here, it is clear you listen and feel before you think/analyse. Then you think before you talk. Then you talk sense.. Cheers.

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem

    So far as I'm aware, Jon Anderson didn't write lyrics, but I could be wrong. If he did, he's utterly renowned, even among his bandmates in Yes, for writing obscure lyrics.

  • @ynotbmale5218
    @ynotbmale5218 Před 11 měsíci

    Oh, ‘Big Top’ is the antithesis of ‘Prince Rupert’s Lament.’ I see people laughing and kids with big eyes away from the battle, unaware.

  • @kevinogracia1615
    @kevinogracia1615 Před rokem

    It sounds a tad slowed down.
    Great record.

  • @reghunt2487
    @reghunt2487 Před 11 měsíci

    28:25 A composer doesn't understand "Bolero"? While he was listening I had a feeling he didn't get what was going on but a "composer" not knowing Bolero? How is he a composer? Basically Fripp had Dixieland style jazz parts playing over a bolero. Clearly King Crimson is over this guy's head.
    Here you go:
    "Maurice Ravel - Bolero" czcams.com/video/cmNEvSFWftc/video.html

  • @kathyratino962
    @kathyratino962 Před rokem +1

    Wrong lineup on the thumbnail. That's lineup #1. Don't feel bad. The lineup changed constantly. You need a program to keep up.

    • @kathyratino962
      @kathyratino962 Před rokem +1

      Here's the correct lineup: i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/a3/5b/1ca35be13a1bbb2c8641254ee4755ee0.jpg

  • @vorhangauf...
    @vorhangauf... Před 3 měsíci

    For me Lizard is like a dream. You immersed in a crazy, strange world with fantastic adventures. In the end, you wake up with a smile and a blank stare. I hope you understand me.😏😳🤡

  • @Kitaez77476
    @Kitaez77476 Před 8 měsíci

    Ans I didn`t pay any attention to the base, until I started to look for reactions. Weird. Why.

  • @hopeful-eu1is
    @hopeful-eu1is Před rokem

    TRY RETURN TO FOREVER ALDIMEOLA ROMANTIC WARRIOR

  • @roypemberton1983
    @roypemberton1983 Před rokem

    Incidentally, Lizard is about the British civil war. Prince Rupert was a real Prince who led the battle.
    I can't say with certainty, but I've always thought that Big Top was meant to be a reference to the ludicrous, chaotic effect of the Civil war. It's a repetitive trend with Crim, in that they frequently highlight how ludicrous, even in the midst of tragedy, human behaviour manifests itself.

    • @mikedonoghues4018
      @mikedonoghues4018 Před rokem

      It’s not referring to the English Civil War, Roy (although there was a Prince Rupert - Charles I’s nephew who led the king’s forces at Bristol and elsewhere. This Prince Rupert (according to Sinfield) is a thirteenth century leader from an Eastern European conflict.

  • @progrockplaylists
    @progrockplaylists Před rokem

    i hate the new youtube update

    • @CriticalReactions
      @CriticalReactions  Před rokem

      Yuuuup. I'd wager I'll get used to it eventually but it seems needlessly complicated now. The only benefit I see is that the description box is actually separated a bit from everything else though a nice, subtle color shift -- at least in dark mode. It's a lighter grey against the darker grey background that fills the rest of the screen. Otherwise it somehow looks simultaneously too compact and takes up too much space. It's kinda impressive how they achieved both opposing aspects of poor design at the same time. :)

  • @william7108
    @william7108 Před 4 měsíci

    I hope you aren't one of those people that talk to every sentence of the vocals and every melodic change every 10 seconds so you can't develop the sense of the song without you dissecting it

  • @dominicschaeffer909
    @dominicschaeffer909 Před rokem +1

    a composer who doesnt know what “bolero” means… wow.

    • @CriticalReactions
      @CriticalReactions  Před rokem +7

      That's not unusual. Much like any area of knowledge there will be areas of expertise that one can be more knowledgeable about. In this case I have very little exposure to Cuban composition styles so it was neat to learn about them given the context here. Everything is a learning experience. Like this instance here where you could learn to be more positive about someone else's knowledge gap in the future.

  • @bobsbigboy_
    @bobsbigboy_ Před 7 měsíci +1

    Lizard is such an underrated album

  • @jazzyjay698
    @jazzyjay698 Před rokem

    Thanks