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"In The Wake Of Poseidon" is the second official album by King Crimson, which is essentially the band-name for Robert Fripp, a guitarist and atypical musician of the late '60s English Progressive Rock scene. Their first album "In The Court Of The Crimson King" has been defined, for better or worse, the manifesto of progressive rock, and for their second work, critics have hastily given an unflattering judgment, calling it a clone of the first. Probably the structure and tracklist of the songs are indeed very similar to the first, but upon careful (and passionate...) listening, the listener realizes they are facing the true "concept-album" of K.C.
One only needs to mention track 7, "The Devil's Triangle", a true instrumental suite divided into three parts. Try closing your eyes for a moment, and enjoy the crescendo of this suite that thrusts you into the stormy waves of the ocean. The whole album obviously evokes the sea (you know who Poseidon was, right?), and it does so in an almost onomatopoeic way; the third track "Cadence And Cascade" features guitar arpeggios and piano parts that, gently accompanying Greg Lake's voice, represent one of the most relaxing moments of the album.
The agony of track number 4 "In The Wake Of Poseidon" represents, with all possible agony, the crimson romanticism already expressed in "Moonchild" in their first album. "Pictures Of A City" seems to closely recall the granitic "21st Century Schizoid Man", but listening to it to the end, it's clear that, perhaps, these tracks have much more in common than those of the first album; at least the "sea canon" is broadly evoked by the melodic choices, and for example, the guitar ostinato in this track seems to open the dance for the storm of "The Devil's Triangle". The sweet repetitions of the "Peace - A Beginning", "Peace A Theme" or "Peace an End" themes show that if the Kings can rely on the honeyed ensemble of winds, mellotron, and R. Fripp's guitar (strictly Les Paul), they manage to express themselves well with the skeletal simplicity of an arpeggiated guitar. The only "jarring" note of the album is represented by the lennonesque "Cat Food", which at times resembles both "Come Together" and "I Am The Walrus"; in some parts of the album, I can even hear echoes of the "Red" album, which surely drew much from the initial (unfortunately) romanticism of King Crimson. Finally, I can affirm that this album manages to shine in its own light (a slightly marine blue light!).
Great the early King Crimson!! I suggest to Mr. Adrian Belew and our Robert Fripp to listen to this album again!!!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
03 Cadence and Cascade (04:38)
Cadence and Cascade
Kept a man named Jade;
Cool in the shade
While his audience played.
Purred, whispered, "Spend us too:
We only serve for you".
Sliding mystified
On the wine of the tide
Stared pale-eyed
As his veil fell aside.
Sad paper courtesan
They found him just a man.
Caravan hotel
Where the sequin spell fell
Custom of the game.
Cadence oiled in love
Licked his velvet gloved hand
Cascade kissed his name.
Sad paper courtesan
They knew him just a man.
06 Cat Food (04:52)
Lady Supermarket with an apple in her basket
Knocks in the manager's door;
Grooning to the muzak from a speaker in shoe rack
Lays out her goods on the floor;
Everything she's chosen is conveniently frozen.
"Eat it and come back for more!"
Lady Window Shopper with a new one in the hopper
Whips up a chemical brew;
Croaking to a neighbour while she polishes a sabre
Knows how to flavour a stew.
Never need to worry with a tin of 'Hurri Curri':
"Poisoned especially for you!"
No use to complain
If you're caught out in the rain;
Your mother's quite insane.
Cat food cat food cat food again.
Lady Yellow Stamper with a fillet in a hamper
Dying to finish the course;
Goodies for the table with a fable on the label
Drowning in miracle sauce.
Don't think I am that rude if I tell you that it's cat food,
"Not even fit for a horse!"
07 The Devil's Triangle (including Merday Morn / Hand of Sceiron / Garden of Worm) (11:38)
Instrumental
08 Peace: An End (01:53)
Peace is a word
Of the sea and the wind.
Peace is a bird who sings
As you smile.
Peace is the love
Of a foe as a friend;
Peace is the love you bring
To a child
Searching for me
You look everywhere,
Except beside you.
Searching for you
You look everywhere,
But not inside you.
Peace is a stream
From the heart of a man;
Peace is a man, whose breadth
Is the dawn.
Peace is a dawn
On a day without end;
Peace is the end, like death
Of the war.
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Other reviews
By Dario Pierini
Peace, one of the many forgotten treasures of the Crimson King, the most poetic, simple, incisive, poignant thing KC has ever offered.
King Crimson knows how to make music with a 360-degree approach, never bound to genres but always in search of new solutions.
By enbar77
The impression it gives me is of 'the second part of In the Court of the Crimson King,' and I say that without any a poorly concealed desire for controversy.
King Crimson is part of the second fringe, of that electric field rich in magnetic shocks and organ drones, of delirious screams and Paleolithic sorties.
