Product Description

LIZARD can be seen as the third album in the trilogy that makes up Crimson's first phase, which began with IN THE COURTOF THE CRIMSON KING. The musical and lyrical concepts are more complex than on the first two albums, the arrangements more elaborate. Pete Sinfield's lyrics, already full of surreal mystical imagery, changed by turns more inaccessible and slightly psychedelic. Horns play a much larger role on LIZARD, the horn section injecting some punch into the production, and Mel Collins' flute and sax emerging as an important solo voice.
Things turn slightly harsher on tracks like "Indoor Games", a catalogue of people's private indiscretions, and "Happy Family" an allegory obviously about the then-current breakup of the Beatles. As always, there's a beautiful ballad ("Lady of the Dancing Water", singer Gordon Haskell's finest moment) included amidst all the uproar. Crimson's peers Yes are even represented, as Jon Anderson makes a guest vocal appearance on the title cut, a throwback to the semi-mythical lyric approach of KC's debut.

Track Listing

1. Cirkus
2. Indoor Games
3. Happy Family
4. Lady Of The Dancing Water
5. Lizard

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6984 in Music
• Released on: 2004-12-13
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Better than i remember
When this came out i remember being really dissappointed. After all, there was no Greg Lake vocal, no Ian McDonald flute/keyboards and most importantly songwriting skills and also none of the brilliant drumming of Michael Giles which so characterised In The Court of The Crimson King.
So revisiting the re-mastered 30th Anniversary cd today , i am pleasantly surprised to note that the third album is actually quite good and certainly has some good moments. Cirkus and Lady of the Dancing Water stand out as being the most accessible tracks. Mel Collins flute playing is sublime throughtout - as is Fripp's guitar work.
This is still predominantly a songs album - the free-form jazz was to come later. Whilst not as strong as In The court of the Crimson King - its not a bad album and I am glad i bought it (at last)
Having said that - if anyone has'nt heard it, the brilliant McDonald and Giles album tantalisingly points to the direction Crimson might have gone in, if Ian McDonald and Michael Giles remained in the band

Beguiling masterpiece
Gordon Haskells vocals on Cirkus is one of the many high points to this brilliant album. also the brass instruments that gives cirkus an almost sinister feel, but mainly down the lines of bizarre, remarkable, intriguing, peculiar, odd, strange, and unusual. Would you go to this Circus?

This album does have a jazz feel, but at times a northern brass band feel. So it doesn't disappear too far into that annoying free form stuff. The ending of Indoor Games is quiet disturbing and it might be the first time He-Hoy has been heard on record. Years ahead of it's time.

Then you have the brilliant Jon Anderson singing away with the baleful and ominous King Crimson supplying the darkest mood. Never knew that drums could sound so threatening and intimidating, and the haunting trumpet.

I think this album might be the poorer relation to the In The Court Of The Crimson King, but in many ways has so much more to offer. Granted it is not as easy accessible as the ITCOTCK, so it might need the odd play. But the song Lady Of The Dancing Water is so moving and enchanting. The flute playing is so good that it could put James Galway to shame. The voice is great, the whole package is Arthurian in nature.

Just buy it, close the curtains and open your mind and find out what you have been missing all these years. Be afraid, be very afraid at times.........

Crimson at their Best???
I think not. This does not match "Court" or "Posiedon" for either lyric or musical composition. I was truly disappointed when I bought and listened to this. The best thing about it is the cover!