b o b

This is the only King crimson album that I've never upgraded from cassette to CD. The reason for that is probably because the only song that I really like from this tape is "Sailor's Tale", and I already have it on CD in the Frame By Frame boxed set. When I think of this album, the words that usually come to mind are pastoral, orchestral, and...to be honest, kind of dull. But listening for this review I realized that only three songs really fit that description, "Formentera Lady", "Song of the Gulls" and the title track. "Sailor's Tale" is a heavy, rippin' instrumental that makes a nice transition between the early Crimson sound and the mid-70s band to come. "The Letters" sounds like it could have been on one of the early albums, but unfortunately it has some fairly cheesy lyrics about infidelity and melodramatic vocals. "Ladies of the Road" is a bluesy number, not bad musically but the groupie-abusing lyrics are so mysoginist that they make Greg Lake's "Taste of My Love" look not so terrible in comparison. Note to prog musicians: do not, under any circumstance, try to write "sex" lyrics. The one bit of this tape that makes me consider getting the album on CD is the gradual transition from "Formentera Lady" into "Sailor's Tale". That part is really well done and unfortunately not included on Frame By Frame. But overall this is probably my least favorite Crimson album. review by Bob Eichler — undated —

h e a t h e r

This is a unique King Crimson release. Islands is not the exotic-aggressive prog created by the '72 to '74 version of the band, nor is it the grandiose Mellotron driven prog of the earlier material. And Islands is about as different from 80s and 90s Crimson as it could be. Instead, most of the songs participate in a single mellow mood, with a lot of focus on the stringed instruments, sax, and rhythm. The electric guitar does not seem as prominent, except on the Fripp masterpiece "Sailor's Tale". Most of the songs have that melancholy "sailor music" feel to them. I can't explain what sailor music exactly is, you just need to hear these songs to see what I mean. The sounds conjure up images of waves and birds and gray skies. The "Sailor's Tale" is one of Crimson's classic instrumentals; listen to the atmospheric guitar fluttering and wailing, and the moody rhythms. "The Letters" is a very dark song with some emotionally subtle vocals and ominous string bass. "Formentera Lady" is also very interesting, with a bouncing repetitive beat and pretty melodies. This is very different from the standard King Crimson, but I think most prog fans will like this anyway. review by Heather Mackenzie — undated —

j o e

I had first purchased Islands as a teenager just beginning to get into King Crimson. As I listened to it coming directly on the heels of the Larks' material at the time, I remember being grossly underwhelmed (bored, if you must know the truth) by it. For as far as Crimson album goes, you will find no other as consistently restrained. Even the album's most altogether aggressive piece, the instrumental "A Sailor's Tale," has a breezy agility to it. There is also a feel of mannered detachment running throughout the album, underscored by Boz Burrell's vocals. It's almost as if this album were meant to be more a theory than a reality. I know I've ragged on Peter Sinfield's lyrics enough in my other reviews, but c'mon... "Your husband's seed has fed my flesh"? "Like marron-glaced fishbones/Oh lady hit the road!"? Pete, put the pen down and back slowly, slowly away. Still, overall Islands is an album with many great touches: the bursting growl of Mel Collins' sax in the middle of "The Letters," the John Lennon chorus of "Ladies of the Road," and the cadenza dialogue of bass, piano, and flute that haunt the opening of "Formentera Lady." Though I'm not surprised I shunned it as a teenager driven towards higher-octane models like "Fracture" and "Red," I am glad that I eventually came around to Islands' virtues. review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —