When, in July 1972, Melody Maker revealed that Bill Bruford & John Wetton were joining King Crimson – from Yes & Family respectively, it was front page news. Also joining were Jamie Muir – a key figure in London’s jazz scene & David Cross – from the band Waves. Fripp’s claims about the band’s ‘magic’ were to be put to the test that autumn when, following a three-night stint at the Zoom Club, Frankfurt & TV appearance on Bremen’s Beat Club, the band undertook an extensive UK tour, which ran from the end of October through to mid-December. With the exception of the encore “21st Century Schizoid Man”, the material was all new, with a heavier emphasis on improvisation than had ever been utilized by any major UK rock group on a headlining tour. The developing material for “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” was premiered to a succession of audiences who, for the most part, had bought tickets expecting to hear something else entirely (encore notwithstanding) but who responded to the challenging set with enthusiasm.
Recorded from mid-January to the beginning of February & released in late March of 1973, “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” became one of the most acclaimed of King Crimson’s albums as well as establishing its reputation as a key album from one of rock music’s most significant years. After a handful of further UK concerts, Jamie Muir left the band with the remaining quartet working with ever greater success until Summer 1974 when Fripp placed the band on indefinite hiatus.
Almost half a century after its release, Steven Wilson undertook the job of mixing the album for Dolby Atmos and, in the process, prepared new stereo & 5.1 mixes. The new stereo & 5.1 mixes – no doubt informed by the more adventurous mix techniques allowed by the Atmos process – are quite different in approach, more expansive than the earlier mixes as released in 2012, while still retaining and enhancing the core power of the original material.
The Atmos mixes allow a fresh glimpse of the vast scope of the individual material & performances as recorded for the album. The key to understanding this album, which Atmos illustrates most obviously, but is also present in all of Steven’s new mixes, David’s Elemental mixes & Alex & David’s mixes of the sessions material, is that this music was always this big, complex, interwoven series of soundscapes & while it was, in 1973, released in stereo on vinyl, CD & 8 Track cartridge, it’s only in recent years with, first the 2012 stereo & Surround mixes & now the Atmos/Elemental/Complete Sessions mixes that the available mix options & domestic consumption audio options have grown sufficiently to both contain & present the material to its fullest possible extent.
While Steven was working on this aspect of the material Alex R. Mundy and David Singleton at DGM were mixing every single take of the original studio sessions. These unreleased early takes are presented not as traditionally blended pieces, but with maximum separation, mimicking the experience of sitting in the studio with the individual elements being performed around you. The “Elemental mixes” apply this same approach to the main album takes. An excitingly fresh view on the familiar, with the focus often falling in unusual places, some originally hidden, some unused. Four of the album’s core tracks feature: extended mixes of “Larks’ 1” and “Talking Drum” along with “Easy Money” & “Larks’ 2”.
This material is all presented on Blu-Ray I of the set. Blu-Ray II presents every single session recording from the original studio dates, all newly mixed from the
multitrack tapes and presented in date of recording order, in Hi-Res 24/96 stereo – a vast collection of previously unheard studio material from the seminal recording.
Also included on this disc are the original album mix (30th anniversary master) & the audio documentary “Keep that one, Nick” – as compiled by David Singleton for the 2012 boxed set. These two inclusions are the only previously released titles on this set.
It’s no coincidence that many of the pieces from the album became staples of performance for the most recent King Crimson line-ups (2014 – 2021). The material first performed to unsuspecting concert attendees in 1972, first recorded & released in 1973 & beloved of King Crimson fans ever since, has aged remarkably well. That material is now presented in its most complete edition to date, with all of the material on the CDs & almost all of the material on the Blu-Rays (see track-listing below), previously unreleased. In 2023, it still has the capacity to astound the ears.
Track List:
Blu-ray I - NTSC, All Zones (ABC), playable on all BD players & drives Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 5.1 & LPCM Stereo 24/96, all previously unreleased:
Larks’ Tongues in Aspic - 2023 mixes. Dolby Atmos, DTS HD-MA 5.1 Surround, LPCM 24.96 Stereo
1. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One
2. Book of Saturday
3. Exiles
4. Easy Money
5. The Talking Drum
6. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
Elemental Mixes (24/96 Stereo)
1. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One
2. Easy Money
3. The Talking Drum
4. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
Instrumental Mixes (24/96 Stereo)
1. Book of Saturday
2. Exiles
3. Easy Money
Blu-ray II - NTSC, All Zones (ABC), playable on all BD players & drives Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 5.1 & LPCM Stereo 24/96, all previously unreleased except*
Original Masters (24/96 Stereo) *
30th Anniversary Master
1. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One
2. Book of Saturday
3. Exiles
4. Easy Money
5. The Talking Drum
6. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
The Session Reels
1. “Keep That One, Nick” *
Complete Recording Sessions (24/96 Stereo)
January 16th, 1973
Larks’ I - Takes 1 to 10
Larks’ I - Takes 12 to 18 & 20 to 22
Larks’ II - Take 1
Book Of Saturday - Take 1
Book Of Saturday - Take 1 Overdubs & 2nd Main Vocal Take
January 17th, 1973
Larks’ I - Edit 2 Takes 1 to 11
Larks’ I - Edit 2 Take 12 & Overdubs
Larks’ I - 4/4 Section Remake Takes 1 to 4
Larks’ I - 4/4 Section Remake Takes 5 to 9 & 11 to 17
Larks’ I - 2nd Edit Takes 1 to 6
Larks’ I - 2nd Edit Take 1 with Overdubs
January 18th, 1973
Larks’ I - Bill Drum Check
Larks’ I - Jamie Drum Check
Larks’ II - Takes 1 & 2
January 19th, 1973
Larks’ I - 7/8 Section Remake Takes 1 to 5
Larks’ I - 4/4 Section Remake Takes 1 to 9
January 20th, 1973
Larks’ I - 4/4 Section 2nd Remake Takes 10 to 20
January 21st, 1973
Larks’ I - 4/4 Section 2nd Remake Takes 21 to 26
January 23rd, 1973
Easy Money - Takes 1 to 9
Easy Money - Takes 10 & 11
Jamie Various Atmosphere Takes
Jamie More Atmosphere Takes
January 24th, 1973
Easy Money - Remake Takes 1 to 6
Easy Money - Remake Takes 7 to 9
Intermezzo Takes 1 to 6
Intermezzo Takes 7 to 16
Intermezzo Takes 19 to 25
January 25th, 1973
The Talking Drum - Takes 1 to 3
The Talking Drum - Take 3 (Complete)
Larks’ I - 2nd Edit Takes 1 to 5
Larks’ I - Final Edit Remake Non Takes
January 26th, 1973
Exiles - Takes 1 to 3
Exiles - Takes 5 & 6
Exiles - Master Reel Take 4 Backing
Exiles - Master Reel Take 4 Overdubs 1
Exiles - Master Reel Take 4 Overdubs 2
Exiles - Master Reel Take 4 Vocal Overdubs
January 30th, 1973
The Talking Drum - Remake Takes 1 to 6
Larks’ I - Master Bass Drums Percussion 4/4 section
Larks’ I - Master Bass Drums Percussion 7/8 section
Larks’ I - Master Guitar 4/4 Section Pass 1
Larks’ I - Master Guitar 4/4 Section Pass 2
Larks’ I - Master Guitar 4/4 Section Pass 3
Larks’ I - Master Guitar and Violin 7/8 Section
Larks’ I - Master Intermezzo Part 1
Larks’ I - Master Intermezzo Part 1 Overdubs
Larks’ I - Master Intermezzo Part 2
Larks’ I - Master Introduction David & Jamie
Larks’ I - Master Introduction Overdubs
Larks’ I - Master Last Section Newspaper Readings
Larks’ I - Master Lead Guitar Overdubs
Larks’ I - Master Opening Bass, Drums, Guitar, Percussion
Larks’ I - Master Opening Violin and Guitar
Larks’ I - Master Last Section Violin And Guitar
January 31st, 1973
Easy Money - Master Ambient Overdubs to the End
Easy Money - Master Backing Track to the End
Easy Money - Master Intro Backing Track
Easy Money - Master Intro Jamie Overdubs
Easy Money - Master Intro Vocal Overdubs
Easy Money - Master Vocal Overdubs to the End
The Talking Drum - Master Reel Backing Track
The Talking Drum - Master Reel Overdubs
Larks’ II - Master Reel Backing Track
Larks’ II - Master Reel Overdubs
Larks’ II - Master Reel Violin Solos
February 1st, 1973
Book Of Saturday - Takes 1 to 3 & 5 to 10
Book Of Saturday - Master Reel Bass Pass 1, Guitar, Violin
Book Of Saturday - Master Reel Guide Vocals, Guitar, Violin Overdubs
Book Of Saturday - Master Reel Bass Pass 2, Vocals with Vocal Overdubs
CDs: All material newly mixed/released
CD 1 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (2023 Mix and Instrumentals)
1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One
2. Book of Saturday
3. Exiles
4. Easy Money
5. The Talking Drum
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
7. Book of Saturday
8. Exiles
9. Easy Money
CD 2 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Elemental Mixes and Selected Master Reels)
1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One
2. Easy Money
3. The Talking Drum
4. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two
5. Exiles - Master Reel Take 4 Backing
6. Book Of Saturday - Master Reel Guide Vocals, Guitar, Violin Overdubs
7. Book Of Saturday - Master Reel Bass Pass 2, Vocals with Vocal Overdubs
To purchase:
Blu-ray/2CD: https://burningshed.com/king-crimson_larks-tongues-in-aspic_2cd_2blu-ray
DBL Vinyl: https://burningshed.com/king-crimson_larks-tongues-in-aspic_double-vinyl
