KING CRIMSON — In The Wake Of Poseidon (review)

KING CRIMSON — In The Wake Of Poseidon album cover Album · 1970 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Sean Trane
In The Wake Of The Crimson King? One of the bigger debates among Crimson fan is how much a carbon copy Poseidon was to Court. Given the strong pressure to release another album by their label, and the fact that members were leaving left, right & centre, that there was no real group around the time of recording Poseidon, it was probably tempting to reproduce the same kind of songs that made the debut such as success.

So yes, Pictures Of A City is based upon Schizoid Man, yes, Cadence is a rehashing of Talk To The Wind, and this album's title track is definitely inspired on the title track of the previous album. So all these three "derivative" tracks are grouped on the first side of the album and bookended by two of the three Peace pieces, which are completely original and pleasant, even if a bit needless. And furthermore, the three "guilty" tracks are debatably superior technically to their inspirational muse.

Onto the flipside, Cat Food is an amazing track where young "jazz" pianist sensation of the time Keith Tippett gives an incredible performance, a highly original track, which came in an edited version as a single. The rest of the album is made from another completely original piece, The Devil's Triangle, based on a Gustav Holtz piece, but the three part epic sounds like nothing that'd been, done before, even by a certain King Crimson. Excellent eerie stuff that sees a small prolongation in the last part of the Peace theme that closes the album.

PS: rare enough to mention on Crimson albums, Poseidon might just be the only studio album ever to come with bonus tracks in the future, as both sides of the Cat Food/Groon single have been added, but not on every issue. In either case, Poseidon seems to be marked forever and a bit unjustly with the "carbon copy" sticker, but even if partially true, it remains a must for every Crimson fan.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
MoogHead wrote:
more than 2 years ago
If you are in love with Crimson, you'll end liking it
Nick1986 wrote:
more than 2 years ago
And what about prog and jazz fans in general ?
Is it for them too ?

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Dave’s Picks Volume 50 : The Palladium, New York, NY, 5/3/77 Jazz Related Rock
GRATEFUL DEAD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tough Stuff Post-Fusion Contemporary
IIRO RANTALA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra : This Rock We're On - Imaginary Letters Third Stream
MIKE HOLOBER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Simon Nabatov Quartet feat. Ralph Alessi : Lovely Music Avant-Garde Jazz
SIMON NABATOV
Buy this album from MMA partners
Closer Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
MARIA CHIARA ARGIRÒ
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 2 days ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 2 days ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 3 days ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 3 days ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed