Islands is the fourth album by the British band King Crimson

King Crimson

King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

, released in 1971.

The last King Crimson studio album before the group's trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic

Larks' Tongues in Aspic

Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, originally released in 1973. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation - arguably their most forward-thinking thinking version yet, featuring original member and guitarist Robert...

, Starless and Bible Black

Starless and Bible Black

Starless and Bible Black is an album released by the British progressive rock band King Crimson in 1974. Most of the vocal pieces on the album are satires and commentaries on the sleaziness and materialism of society...

and Red

Red (King Crimson album)

Red is a 1974 album by progressive rock group King Crimson.It was their last studio recording of the 1970s and the last before the lead member Robert Fripp temporarily disbanded the group....

, it is also the last to feature the lyrics of Peter Sinfield

Peter Sinfield

Peter John Sinfield is an English poet, lyricist and artist, most famously known as the lyricist and co-founding member of early incarnations of King Crimson, whose debut album In the Court of the Crimson King has been regarded as one of the most influential progressive rock albums ever...

 and the last to feature the band's 'traditional' progressive sound.

The album received mixed reviews. There are four tracks with lyrics on this album, and three of them concern women. One of them, "Ladies of the Road", has been criticised for perceived misogyny

Misogyny

Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...

.

Album cover

The original United Kingdom and European cover depicts the Trifid Nebula

Trifid Nebula

The Trifid Nebula is an H II region located in Sagittarius. Its name means 'divided into three lobes'...

 in Sagittarius

Sagittarius (constellation)

Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, the one containing the galactic center. Its name is Latin for the archer, and its symbol is , a stylized arrow. Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur drawing a bow...

 and displays neither the name of the band nor the title. The original United States and Canadian album cover (as released by Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

) was a Peter Sinfield painting of off-white with coloured "islands". This was used as an internal gatefold sleeve in the UK. When the King Crimson catalogue was re-issued by EG, they standardised on the "Trifid Nebula" cover world-wide.

40th Anniversary Edition

The fifth release in King Crimson's 40th Anniversary series featuring new stereo and 5.1 surround mixes (by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp), Sid Smith sleeve notes and copious extra tracks and alternate versions. The CD presents a complete stereo remix by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp alongside a group of additional tracks representing a near complete alternate album of studio takes, run-throughs and mixes. The DVD-A presents a complete 5.1 surround sound mix by Steven Wilson, a hi-res stereo version of the 2010 mix, a hi-res stereo version of the original album mix taken from the 30th anniversary master source and almost 90 minutes of additional material, the vast majority of it previously unreleased, including many studio takes mixed from the original recording sessions specifically for this release. The material covers everything from early rehearsals of Pictures of a City (one of the final new songs performed by the 1969 lineup) to the previously unheard A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls (showcasing early ideas & elements that would appear in fully realised form on later KC albums), a fragment of Fripp playing the tune of Islands on a mellotron, a blistering live Sailor's Tale from the Zoom Club & much more.

Side one

1. "Formentera Lady" (Robert Fripp
   Robert Fripp
   Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
   
   , Peter Sinfield
   Peter Sinfield
   Peter John Sinfield is an English poet, lyricist and artist, most famously known as the lyricist and co-founding member of early incarnations of King Crimson, whose debut album In the Court of the Crimson King has been regarded as one of the most influential progressive rock albums ever...
   
   ) – 10:14
2. "Sailor's Tale" (Fripp) – 7:21
3. "The Letters" (Fripp, Sinfield) – 4:26

Side two

4. "Ladies of the Road" (Fripp, Sinfield) – 5:28
5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls" (Fripp) – 4:14
6. "Islands" (Fripp, Sinfield) – 11:51

CD (Original Album 2010 Mix)

1. "Formentera Lady"
2. "Sailor's Tale"
3. "The Letters"
4. "Ladies of the Road"
5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls"
6. "Islands"

Bonus tracks

7. "Islands" (studio run through with oboe prominent)
8. "Formentera Lady" (original recording sessions - take 2)
9. "Sailor's Tale" (original recording sessions - alternate mix/edit)
10. "A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls" (previously unreleased)
11. "The Letters" (rehearsal/outtake)
12. "Ladies of the Road" (Robert Fripp & David Singleton remix)
    • Bonus Tracks 8 - 11 mixed by Steven Wilson from the original session reels

DVD-A

MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround / DTS 5.1 Digital Surround:

1. "Formentera Lady"
2. "Sailor's Tale"
3. "The Letters"
4. "Ladies of the Road"
5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls"
6. "Islands"
   • Mixed & produced from the original multi track tapes by Steven Wilson. Executive producer Robert Fripp.

MLP stereo / LPCM stereo - Original album 2010 stereo mix:

1. "Formentera Lady"
2. "Sailor's Tale"
3. "The Letters"
4. "Ladies of the Road"
5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls"
6. "Islands"

Original album 1971 mix, 30th anniversary remaster:

1. "Formentera Lady"
2. "Sailor's Tale"
3. "The Letters"
4. "Ladies of the Road"
5. "Prelude: Song of the Gulls"
6. "Islands"

Islands: Alternative album:

1. "Formentera Lady" - Original recording sessions - take 2
2. "Sailor's Tale" - Original recording sessions - alternate mix/edit
3. "The Letters" - Rehearsal/outtake
4. "Ladies of the Road" - Rough mix
5. "A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls" - Previously unreleased
6. "Islands" - Studio run through with oboe prominent
   • 1-3 & 5 mxed by Steven Wilson from the original session reels.

Routes to Islands:

1. "Pictures of a City" - Early rehearsal by Islands lineup
2. "Sailor's Tale" - Early rehearsal by Islands lineup
3. "Islands (fragment)" - Robert Fripp reference cassette - mellotron on vibes setting
4. "Formentera Lady" - Rough mix from album recording sessions
5. "Sailor's Tale" - Rough mix from album recording sessions
6. "Drop In" - Early rehearsal by Islands lineup
7. "The Letters" - Live at Plymouth, mastered by David Singleton
8. "Sailor's Tale" - Live at the Zoom Club, mastered by David Singleton

Islands: Additional tracks: Assorted Ladies:

1. "Ladies of the Road" - Robert Fripp & David Singleton remix
2. "Ladies of the Road" - Original recording sessions - take 5
3. "Formentera Lady" - Original recording sessions - take 1
4. "Formentera Lady" - Original recording sessions - take 3
5. "Formentera Lady" - Original recording sessions - take 4
   • 2 - 5 mixed by Steven Wilson from the original session reels.

King Crimson

• Robert Fripp
  Robert Fripp
  Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
  
   – guitar, mellotron, Peter's pedal harmonium, sundry implements
• Peter Sinfield
  Peter Sinfield
  Peter John Sinfield is an English poet, lyricist and artist, most famously known as the lyricist and co-founding member of early incarnations of King Crimson, whose debut album In the Court of the Crimson King has been regarded as one of the most influential progressive rock albums ever...
  
   - words, sounds and visions
• Boz Burrell
  Boz Burrell
  Raymond "Boz" Burrell was an English musician. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass playing and work with the rock bands King Crimson and Bad Company.-Career:...
  
   – bass, lead vocals, choreography
• Mel Collins
  Mel Collins
  Mel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...
  
   – saxophones, flutes, mellotron
• Ian Wallace – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

• Paulina Lucas – soprano (vocals)
• Keith Tippett
  Keith Tippett
  Keith Tippett is a British jazz pianist and composer.Tippett, the son of a local police officer, went to Greenway Boys Secondary Modern school in Southmead, Bristol. He formed his first jazz band called The KT7 whilst still at school and they performed numbers popular at the time by The Temperance...
  
   – piano
• Robin Miller
  Robin Miller
  Robin Miller may refer to:* Robin Miller , also known as the "Sugarbird Lady", female Australian aviator and nurse* Robin Miller , American motorsports journalist* Robin Miller , British businessman and honorary knight...
  
   – oboe
• Mark Charig – cornet
• Harry Miller
  Harry Miller (jazz bassist)
  Harold Simon 'Harry' Miller was a South African jazz bass player.Miller began his career as a bassist with Manfred Mann, and came to settle in London...
  
   – double bass

Production

• Arranged By King Crimson
• Produced By Robert Fripp & Peter Sinfield
• Recorded & Engineered By Andy Hendrikson
• Mastered By Tony Arnold

40th Anniversary Edition Credits

• Stereo files prepared at Super Audio Mastering, Devon by Simon Heyworth
• 5.1 mastered by Simon Heyworth at Super Audio Mastering, Devon
• DVD Design & Layout by Claire Bidwell at Opus Productions Ltd
• DVD Authoring & Assembly by Neil Wilkes at Opus Productions Ltd
• Tape transfers by Kevin Vanbergen at FX
• DGM tape Archive: Alex Mundy
• Package Art & Design by Hugh O'Donnell
• Compiled & Coordinated by Declan Colgan for DGM, with input & suggestions from Steven Wilson & Sid Smith
• Published by UMG Music Ltd.

Trivia

• Robert Fripp taught Boz Burrell how to play bass so that he could perform the instrument as well as sing on the album. Burrell later became the bassist for the band Bad Company
  Bad Company
  Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
  
  . Although Boz had not played bass before, he had played enough occasional rhythm guitar to make learning the instrument easier.
• "Islands" was covered by Japanese artist Ai Aso on the She's So Heavy
  She's So Heavy
  She's So Heavy is a split EP by Japanese artists Wata and Ai Aso. It was released in 2007 by Diwphalanx Records on 7" and limited to 1500 copies. The 7" comes with a 60 page full color photo book. Ai Aso's song is a King Crimson cover from the album Islands...
  
  split 7". The song was also covered on Alice's Viaggio in Italia.
• The harmonic basis for the tune "The Letters" is derived from the Giles, Giles and Fripp
  Giles, Giles and Fripp
  Giles, Giles and Fripp were an English late 1960s band, featuring brothers Michael Giles on drums and vocals, Peter Giles on bass guitar and vocals, and Robert Fripp on guitar.-Career:...
  
   song "Why Don't You Just Drop In," available on The Brondesbury Tapes compilation. In the lyrics of "The Letters" the song is narrated by a mean-spirited woman who reveals to a man's wife that she is his lover.
• The original vinyl release of the album features a hidden track
  Hidden track
  In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
  
  . At the end of side two there is a recording of studio chatter followed by a voice, possibly Fripp's, saying, among other things, "...What we're going to do; umm, do it twice more, once with the oboe, once without it...". This was included on the initial CD release but was accidentally left off the first pressings of the 1989 Definitive Edition CD remaster. It was restored on all subsequent reissues.
• The instrumental "Prelude of the Gulls" is a classical piece for strings and winds, written by Robert Fripp, and unique for inclusion on a rock album.