King Crimson - 1971 [2010] "Islands" (40th Anniversary Series)

Islands is the fourth studio album by King Crimson, released December 1971. Islands would be the last King Crimson studio album before the group's trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red. It's also the last to feature the lyrics of Peter Sinfield.

The harmonic basis for the tune "The Letters" is derived from the Giles, Giles and Fripp song "Why Don't You Just Drop In," available on The Brondesbury Tapes compilation. The bridge section is also taken from the King Crimson version of the song, performed by the original line-up, titled simply "Drop In" and later released on the live-album Epitaph. The original basis for the song "Prelude: Song of the Gulls" is derived from the Giles, Giles and Fripp song "Suite No. 1". The first vinyl release of the album features a hidden track. At the end of side two there is a recording of studio chatter followed by Fripp saying, among other things, "...What we're going to do, umm... do it twice more, once with the oboe, once without it, and then... we finish." This was included on the initial CD release but was accidentally left off the first pressings of the 1989 Definitive Edition CD remaster. It was restored on all subsequent reissues.

The original United Kingdom and European cover depicts the Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius and displays neither the name of the band nor the title. The original United States and Canadian album cover (as released by Atlantic Records) was a Peter Sinfield painting of off-white with coloured "islands". This was used as an internal gatefold sleeve in the UK. When the King Crimson catalogue was re-issued by EG, they standardised on the "Trifid Nebula" cover world-wide.

Recorded between the band’s numerous live dates, Islands continues King Crimson’s penchant for mixing contrasting styles and dynamics; from the gothic melodrama of The Letters, the warm laid-back musings of Formentera Lady, the stately chamber orchestra setting of Song Of The Gulls, through to the raucously skewed blues of Ladies Of The Road and the yearning, poignant title track. The stand-out however, is Sailor’s Tale which breaks with the symphonic and jazz-inspired leanings of their previous albums. Propelled by Ian Wallace’s insistent cymbal and Mel Collins’ acerbic sax break, it also introduces a spikier, fractious metal-edged guitar sound that ultimately points the way towards Larks’ Tongues In Aspic. Originally released at the end of 1971, Islands also marks the end of lyricist Peter Sinfield’s tenure in the group.

This 40th Anniversary edition on CD/DVD-A features new stereo & 5.1 mixes by Robert Fripp and Steven Wilson plus high resolution stereo mixes of the original, extensive additional audio material.

Track listing:

01        Formentera Lady    10:17
02        Sailor's Tale    7:35
03        The Letters    4:29
04        Ladies Of The Road    5:34
05        Prelude: Song Of The Gulls    4:17
06        Islands    12:02
Bonus Tracks:    
07        Islands (Studio Run Through With Oboe Prominent)    2:02
08        Formentera Lady (Take 2)    2:23
09        Sailor's Tale (Alternate Mix/Edit)    3:37
10        A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls (Previously Unreleased)    3:55
11        The Letters (Rehearsal/Outtake)    2:43
12        Ladies Of The Road (Robert Fripp & David Singleton Remix)    5:43

Personnel:

    Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mellotron, Peter's Pedal, Harmonium and Sundry Implements
    Mel Collins - Flute, Bass Flute, Saxes and Vocals
    Boz Burrell - Bass, Vocals
    Ian Wallace - Drums, Percussion and Vocals
    Peter Sinfield - Words, Sounds and Vision