b o b

If you buy this CD expecting a precursor to King Crimson, you'll probably end up fairly disappointed. For the most part, the music isn't even remotely proggy; most of it couldn't even qualify as psychedelic. It's just plain old goofy, late 60s pop. If I had to compare it to other well known bands, I'd say the early Moody Blues, later Beatles, or maybe Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd — although those last two are really stretching it, and GG&F doesn't approach them in quality. The songs on the original side one are pretty much entirely forgettable. In fact, the story told between the songs is more entertaining than the music. The story tells the tale of Rodney Toady, a poor ugly kid who all the other kids pick on; even his parents tell him to settle for a fat, ugly wife because that's all he'll ever be able to get. Side two is a little better musically, and much worse filler-wise. Between the songs, band members recite the phrase "I know a man and his name is George", and then mix up the words into various other configurations to try to make other sentences. Clever once or twice, maybe, but it gets old fast. The two decent tracks on the album come at the end of side two. "Suite No. 1" is the only instrumental track on the disc. It starts out as a high-speed guitar picking workout over a shuffling rhythm section. Then, after a couple minutes, it abruptly shifts gears into a very mellow hymn-like section with mellotron and hummed vocals. That then gives way to a little harpsichord and guitar duet, and finally back into the shuffling guitar workout which closes the song. This is followed by "Erudite Eyes", which is also an OK song, but not memorable enough for me to think of anything else to say about it. Overall, this just isn't a very interesting album. It's hard to believe these same musicians just a couple years later would create albums like In the Court of the Crimson King and McDonald and Giles. review by Bob Eichler — 5-14-05 —

j o e

The group that evolved into King Crimson, comprised of Michael Giles (drums), brother Peter (bass), and the Fripp on guitar. Similar to the case of Genesis' debut album and Trespass, this release bears almost no relationship in either general sound or writing sophistication to what would follow a year later with In the Court of the Crimson King. Apart from a few amusing photo shots, sadly, there is nothing really of interest here. The trio was trying to launch their careers using the principle of 'throw it all against the wall and see what sticks.' Only problem was, nothing stuck. Most of the songs are cut in the innocuous mold of bright-eyed, 60s Top of the Pops music. With Michael Giles' boyish good looks and reasonably capable lead vocals, admittedly the band was not without at least some potential for getting their foothold. However, the writing has to be there as well, and as typified by the band's first choice of single, the tepid "One in a Million," most of the songs here are instantly forgettable. Interspersed between the songs are two spoken vignettes. The misanthropic "The Saga of Rodney Toady" is mildly amusing, getting its charm mostly from being recounted by Fripp, who even back then had comic gifts. The second, "Just George," is annoying and pointless. Of the non-pop ditty tracks, aimless curiosities such as "The Crukster" are mixed with the irritating "Elephant Song." Of the latter, not in a while have I heard such a song aiming so hard at being funny (even winding up each verse with a 'pause-then-punchline' device) and failing so badly. The only two songs I liked on this entire album were "Digging My Lawn," a short but sweet bit written by Peter Giles where some wit actually comes through, and "Thursday Morning," a bittersweet also-ran single in the Moody Blues vein. Of note is the occasional presence of mellotron and Fripp's baroque exercise "Suite No. 1," the only track that hints at what was to follow. However, by the point I arrived at "Suite No. 1," I had already stopped caring. After this failed attempt, Michael Giles sported a bushy moustache and stuck to drums, brother Peter departed (though would return very briefly to provide some bass work on King Crimson's In the Wake of Poseidon), and Fripp let his curls grow back out. Together, Fripp and Michael Giles pushed forward, recruiting Ian MacDonald and new bassist/frontman Greg Lake. And the rest, as we all know, is history. review by Joe McGlinchey — 6-9-04 —