1974 King Crimson Album, Featuring ‘the Greatest Rock Song of the ’70s,’ Remains an Underrated Gem

Though their name may not be as instantly recognizable to the rock world as much as a band like Yes or Genesis, there is no doubt that King Crimson remains as one of the most important prog rock bands of all time. Preceding the ’70s boom of prog with their landmark 1969 debut “In the Court of the Crimson King,” the English rock group positioned themselves as one of the foremost prog bands of the era. As the ’70s went on, the band went through lineup change after lineup change, all hurtling them toward an eventual collapse. Before the band would temporarily disband, they managed to create one more album, and that was 1974’s “Red.”

“Red” gets its name from the VU meters in the studio constantly being in the red during the recording of the album, which is a perfect way to introduce the sound of this record. King Crimson had gotten heavy on previous projects, but this album was a whole new sound entirely. It’s dark, angry, and massive sounding. All of this is encapsulated by the standout closing track “Starless,” which Collider ranked as the best classic rock song of the ’70s.

Overall, I really don’t hear many people talk about “Red” as much as they do with other King Crimson projects, but I do hear plenty of discussion around this song. It’s a twelve and a half minute epic that transitions from a ballad, to an experimental rock piece, to a jazz fusion metal song, and back to a ballad. It’s a bit difficult to describe the masterpiece that is this song without just having you listen to it. It’s a musical journey that every rock fan has to embark on. The band is at a level creatively here that is near unparalleled.

My one issue is that the rest of the album is just as remarkable as this song, and yet this song gets all of the attention. “Red” has always been my favorite King Crimson album because of how massive the whole thing sounds. The opening title track is another example of this. The album opens up in a similar way to a SWAT team blowing a door down. The instrumentation just beats you right over the head with its volume and width. The bass has a massive, hulking tonality the rumbles beneath the shrieking guitars like an earthquake, and the drums cascade all over the song creating a musical maelstrom that instantly draws you into the record.

“Red” is a rock masterpiece. If the little snapshot I’ve given into the record is any motivator at all, please go check it out. It’s one of the band’s best, and one of the greatest rock records ever made. There’s not much that sounds like it that you’ll find anywhere else.

Related: 1969 ‘Awful Sounding’ Rock Album, a Favorite of Tom Waits, is Preserved in the Library of Congress

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