King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King: 40th Anniversary 2 x CDs (expanded / remixed / remastered)
SKU
23-DGM 5009
This is the new-new version of ITCOTCK, newly remixed by Steven Wilson with lots and lots of new things. The 1st CD has a new stereo mix made from the original multi-track tapes as well as five previously unreleased bonus tracks from the same sessions or basic time period. The second CD has the 2004 original master edition version of the album plus 5 more bonus tracks.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating
This is a two CD reissue which includes two complete versions of the original album. One is the brand new Fripp/Wilson remix, the other is the 2004 version. You'll hear things you never heard before on the former, and probably the best sounding version of the mix you're already familiar with on the latter. The bonus material ranges from interesting to incredible. My favorites are a duo version of Fripp and Ian playing "I Talk to the Wind", the wonderful backing track to "Epitaph", a studio instrumental "Schizoid Man" which first appeared on the Hyde Park disc, a live BBC "Schzoid Man" with pretty good sound quality, and something called "Wind Session".
"Wind Session" is not an actual song, but rather it is Ian McDonald messing around with a sort of pipe organ to get about 30 seconds of strange sounds to open the album. This is the same instrument that plays the start of the trick ending on "Court of the Crimson King." (Did KC ever do that part live)? I always thought that was a flute or recorder or toy whistle. But it was a kind of pipe organ, and I heard somewhere that Ian was opening the stops without sounding any notes to get the strange wind sounds. Thus, "Wind Session", and the famous beginning to 21st Century Schizoid Man.
Of course, the packaging and original artwork (it had to be the original artwork - how could you improve upon it) are wonderful. It comes in a gem case (I hate digipaks!)and the booklet is written by the two people that should be doing it - Robert Fripp and Sid Smith. It's taken forty years, but I've finally figured out what the amazing cover picture is supposed to represent. It's the look on your face when your brain falls out of your skull!
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