Review by Gatot (Gatot Widayanto)
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator
Great compilation after Fripp put the band on hiatus in 1974
Talking about prog music compilation, any prog band must learn from King Crimson “The Young Persons Guide to King Crimson” because it describes the band’s varied music styles from its debut “In The Court of 
The Crimson King” (1969) until “Red” (1974). With seven studio albums that had been released, it was the right time to release a compilation. The title was inspired by the famous orchestral work “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” from composer Benjamin Britten or the 1960s television series Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, created by conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein.
My friend had this compilation in double LP format which we used it for radio station broadcasting program in Bonkenk, Bandung. I remember vividly we played “Cat Food” and “The Night Watch” on the air. I really love this compilation. My version is still in cassette format and I still cannot find this compilation in CD format. But it’s OK as I have owned all individual seven albums. The only think I miss is the different version of “I Talk To The Wind” with female vocal here. That’s why I still keep my cassette, because it’s so memorable having this version.
The set starts beautifully with dark melodic “Epitaph (8:52) including March for No Reason and Tomorrow and Tomorrow from the debut album “In the Court of the Crimson King” (1969). This song has always been very special to me when I am visioning life (after death) because the lyrics that Pete Sinfield wrote reminds all of us that at the end off the day we will all be gone from this world and we will live to another world. The challenge is truly how we get prepared ourselves during our lives in this world for a much better life after death. It’s a very compelling lyrics “…but I fear tomorrow I’ll be crying …” supported by great music composition with mellotron-drenched sounds. The journey continues to another mellow and dark Cadence and Cascade (3:36) from “In the Wake of Poseidon” (1970).
Another great characteristic of King Crimson music combining mellow and heavy drive style is indicated by the next track “Ladies of the Road (5:27) from “Islands” (1971). Even though from “Islands” I like “Formentera Lady” but I am OK with this selection. The band brings us back to the debut album I Talk to the Wind but this time is different than the studio album “In The Court of The Crimson King” especially on the vocal department: sung by Judy Dyble (Fairport Convention) instead of Greg Lake. This was recorded at 93A Brondesbury Road, London, UK, July 1968, available on The Brondesbury Tapes (1968) under the name of Giles Giles & Fripp. The compilation also features two tracks from their latest album at that time, “Red” (1974), i.e Red (6:18) and Starless (12:17).
On LP2, it starts wonderfully with “The Night Watch (4:38) from the album “Starless and Bible Black” (1974) which delivers different music style. “Book of Saturday (2:52) from the album “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” (1973) has been my all-time favorite. It’s a mellow track with great vocal line and stunning electric guitar played in unplugged style. I really love this track and I used to replay this song when I spin the album. “Cat Food from the single Cat Food/Groon (1970) is also another all-time favorite of mine. It’s better played seamlessly with Groon (3:30). An abridged version of “Moonchild” from the debut album is also a great song. The compilation concludes with the title track of debut album The Court of the Crimson King (9:21).
Overall, this is a masterpiece boxset collection that any prog lover must have it. You might find this compilation is hard to find because it’s OOP already. Keep on proggin’ ..!
Peace on earth and mercy mild – GW (i-Rock! Music Community)
Report this review (#184925) | Posted Tuesday, October 07, 2008, 03:09 EST
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October 7, 2008 at 8:31 pm |
King Crimson ?
Wah…cuma 2 lagu yg akrab dg kuping saya yaitu “I talk…” & “Epitaph”. Lagu tsb pernah dibawakan Alm. Chrisye saat masih belum terkenal bersama Gipsy bila manggung dan rasanya lagu tsb termasuk ‘melawan arus utama’ selera remadja kala itu. ‘Arus utama ‘ ….kira2 ya…semacam ‘Come away Melinda’ atau ‘think about the time’ (TYA). Radio pemancar yg sering nyetel lagu2 ‘melawan arus’ di Jkt adalah Prambors. Pemancar inilah sumber dari segala sumber musik2 keren atau ‘non standar’ pada djamannya.
Masih segar memori saya tentang Prambors ini, tiap rabu malam khusus nyetel lagu2 blues. Jadi via Prmbrs inilah saya mengenal John Mayall, The Cream, Blues Image, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Winter, etc.
Mas GW, bgm dg Madiun saat itu ?
October 7, 2008 at 8:43 pm |
Wah … wis wengi kok yo jik online yo mas Indra iki??
Sama mas …di Madiun saya kenal KC ya dari dua lagu tersebut. Epitaph dikenal dari kaset DREAM EXPRESS, sedangkan I Talk To The Wind dari kaset kompilasi Prambors. Semuanya ada di Madiun mas .. meski kuta cilik tapi jan mboys tenan Mediun mas… ha ha ha
Tapi pas aku berlibur ke jakarta, kangmasku, mas Jokky memperkenalkan album IN THE COURT OF CRIMSON KING dari kaset rekaman Scorpio dan album ISLANDS rekaman Aquarius hitam putih. Setelah itu aku tahu ya dari Yess. Karena Yess gak mengeluarkan semua album King Crimson, maka aku direkamin secara khusus dari plat koleksinya Yess. Jadi jangan kaget kalo aku adalah satu2nya yang punya King Crimson “Lark’s Tongue in Aspic” rekaman Yess. Atau “Red” atau “Lizard” …he he he…..
Dulu di radio Prambors ada acara namanya SEPULUH LANGKAH mebahas band2 rock. Kalo di madiun adanya pemancar gelap DJI SAM SOE yang lagunya keren2 juga … Yang siaran namanya ITOK dan MAS PRI … hebat kabeh wong kuwi …
Salam,
G
November 23, 2008 at 12:23 am |
kalau dulu acuannya ya itu majalah aktuil plus gambar tempel setrikanya…….kalau bisa mendapatkan majalah itu sampai daerah kabupaten ya berarti para remajanya nggak mau ketinggalan untuk mempunyai pemancar radio yang menyiarkan lagu2 tsb, juga kaset2 yess yang sampean pajang itu emang masterpiece…
Tahu nggak temen2 saya non indonesia di middle east sampai tahu2 lagu2 ts dari rekaman2 indonesia dan buku2 cetakan dream express plus chord guitarnya (mereka mengkoleksi kaset rekaman team, atlantic record, dll)
November 23, 2008 at 10:28 am |
Bro Joe, …Benar sekali, majalah Aktuil sangat besar jasanya dalam mengentaskan ketidakmelekan kita terhadap musik rock, mengingat internet belum lahir saat itu ….
Wah hebat .. orang Middle East malah tahu Team records, Atlantic segala …hmmmm …semakin bangga menjadi bagian jadul nih .. he he he …
Salam,
G
Sambil menikmati IQ “Subterannea” pagi ini …
November 9, 2011 at 10:00 pm |
free spotify premium code…
[...]The Young Persons Guide to King Crimson « Music for Life[...]…
November 9, 2011 at 11:10 pm |
Aku nduwe mas kaset iki …. mBoys puoolll ….