The Super Deluxe stakes continue to be raised with the announcement of two more mega-boxes due before 2012 is out: (greatly!) expanded editions of King Crimson’s 1973 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, and Jethro Tull’s 1972 Thick as a Brick.  Both albums were the fifth studio effort of their respective bands, both are landmarks of the progressive rock genre, and both are being revisited with new 5.1 surround mixes crafted by Steven Wilson.  The Porcupine Tree founder was also behind the recent remixes of Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s first two albums, reviewed here.

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic marked the debut of King Crimson’s third iteration, in which founder and guitarist Robert Fripp was joined by new members John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar), David Cross (violin, Mellotron), Jamie Muir (percussion), and Bill Bruford (drums), formerly of Yes.  It also proved to be the only album recorded by this quintet.  The 7,000-unit limited edition 40^th Anniversary Super Deluxe box set promises to include “every known recording by this band,” and may be the single biggest box yet dedicated to a single album.  Its contents are as follows:

• 8 CDs of live material from the German & UK Autumn 1972 tour, primarily derived from “audio-restored bootlegs”;
• 1 CD live performance in the studio;
• 4 CDs dedicated to the original album, including a new stereo album mix, alternate takes/mixes, the original 30th anniversary master and audio extras, plus an audio documentary CD drawn from the original session multi-tracks featuring the first take of every piece on the album;
• DVD-A (compatible with all DVD players & DVD Rom players) features a 5.1 DTS Mix and High Resolution Stereo mixes (24bit/48khz) with 5.1 Advanced Resolution (Lossless audio) mix on DVD-A layer.  Includes the original album mix, new album mix and an album's worth of alternate mixes by Steven Wilson in High Resolution stereo. DVD-A also features over 30 minutes of rare, previously unseen footage of the band;
• Blu-Ray with entirety of DVD-A content plus additional Hi-Res content, all in lossless 24/96 DTS-HD master sound;
• 12" box with booklet, memorabilia, album print & concert download.

For those who don’t need 15 discs of prime Crimson, the set will also be offered as a CD/DVD-A edition (similar to previous reissues from the band, with the 2012 mix and selected audio extras, plus the high-resolution content) and a 2-CD set with the original and new mixes, plus selected extras.  In any format, the high quality of the band’s past reissues makes these releases all highly-anticipated.  The new Larks’ Tongues in Aspic are due in stores on October 15.

After the jump: Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick is revisited, plus pre-order links and track listings!

Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick followed 1971’s Aqualung, and now, the new deluxe Thick follows last year’s acclaimed 40^th Anniversary deluxe Aqualung.  Thick was Tull’s experimental masterwork, with just one extended, 44-minute track over two sides of the original LP and a witty, satirical “concept album” framework.  It was famously designed like a newspaper, claiming to be an adaptation of a child’s epic poem, when in fact, the lyrics were written by frontman and flautist Ian Anderson.  Earlier this year, Anderson released Thick as a Brick 2 under his own name, making this look back at the original LP all the more timely.    The lavish (if positively no-frills compared to Larks’ Tongues in Aspic!) CD/DVD box set edition includes:

• 1 CD featuring a new mix of the album by Steven Wilson;
• 1 DVD containing 5.1 surround sound mix in DTS and Dolby Digital, 96/24 high-resolution stereo (new mix), the original 1972 stereo mix flat transferred to 96/24 PCM (directly from the Morgan Studios recording by Robin Black), plus a 1972 radio advertisement; and
• The original TAAB newspaper, an article by Classic Rock's Dom Lawson, rare photos by Didi Zill and Robert Ellis, recording/touring memorabilia and more, in a 104 page hardback book.

Thick as a Brick will also be joined with Anderson’s belated sequel in a special vinyl-only edition:

It contains:

• 2012 mix of Thick as a Brick by Steven Wilson and Thick as a Brick 2, both on 180-gram vinyl;
• The original TAAB 1 newspaper rebuilt for the 12 x 12 format on 16 pages of newspaper style paper;
• The TAAB 2 newspaper printed on glossy paper (previously available as a PDF);
• An article by Classic Rock's Dom Lawson about TAAB 1.
• An Ian Anderson interview conducted by The Reverend George Pitcher covering both albums, and the 2012 TAAB tour;
• Rare 1972/73 photos from photographers Didi Zill and Robert Ellis plus photographs of the 2012 tour;
• Photos by Martin Webb;
• Memories of the recording from engineer Robin Black;
• Recording and touring memories from Martin Barre, Ian Anderson and Jeffrey Hammond;
• A Q&A with tour manager Eric Brooks with tour memorabilia and the full 1972 itinerary; and
• Italian and German lyric translations of the original album and German, Czech, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese lyric translations for TAAB 2.

The above contents are housed in a 72-page book accompanying the two vinyl LPs.

Both editions of Thick as a Brick: 40^th Anniversary Edition are due in stores on November 5.

You can pre-order all of the varying editions of Larks’ Tongues below, with corresponding track listings!  Pre-order links are available below for Thick as a Brick!

King Crimson, Larks’ Tongues in Aspic: The Complete Recordings (DGM, 2012)

Order Links: Super Deluxe Box Set, CD/DVD Edition, 2-CD Edition

CD 1: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt (October 13, 1972)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Zoom (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
4. Improv : Zoom Zoom (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

CD 1 restored from tape bootleg, audio restored at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously available via mail order as part of King Crimson Collectors’ Club Series 20 (2002).

CD 2: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt (October 13, 1972)

1. Easy Money  (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
2. Improv : Fallen Angel (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
3. Improv : Z’Zoom (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
4. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

CD 2 from tape bootleg, audio restored at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously available via mail order as part of King Crimson Collectors’ Club Series 20 (2002).

CD 3: Live in the studio, Bremen (October 17, 1972)

1. Improv : The Rich Tapestry Of Life (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

CD 3 from mono King Crimson archive tape.  Previously available via mail order as part of King Crimson Collectors’ Club Series 3 (1999).

CD 4: Hull Technical College (November 10, 1972)

1. Walk On: No Pussyfooting  (Fripp, Eno)
2. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
3. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. RF Announcement
5. Improv: Vista Training College Under Spot Light  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)

CD 4 from cassette bootleg, audio restored at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.

CD 5: Hull Technical College (November 10, 1972)

1. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
2. Improv : Fallen Angel Hullabaloo (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
3. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
4. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)
5. 21st Century Schizoid Man (Fripp, McDonald, Lake, Giles, Sinfield)
6. John Wetton interview

CD 5 from cassette bootleg, audio restored at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously available as DGM Live download only.

CD 6: Guildford Civic Hall (November 13, 1972)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Daily Games) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. RF Announcement
4. Improv : All That Glitters Is Not Nail Polish (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
5. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
6. Improv : A Deniable Bloodline (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

CD 6 taken from a band cassette soundboard recording. Audio restored at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously available via mail order as part of KC Collectors’ Club Series 24 (2003).

CD 7: Oxford New Theatre (November 25, 1972)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. RF Announcement
3. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Improv : A Boolean Melody Medley (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
5. Exiles  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)

CD 7 taken from cassette bootleg, audio restored June 2012 at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously available as DGM Live download only.

CD 8: Glasgow Green’s Playhouse (December 1, 1972)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. RF Announcement
3. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Improv: A Vinyl Hobby Job (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
5. Exiles  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
6. Easy Money  (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
7. Improv: Behold! Blond Bedlam  (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

CD 8 taken from cassette bootleg, audio restored June 2012 at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously unreleased.

CD 9: Portsmouth Guildhall (December 15, 1972)

1. Book Of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
2. Improv: An Edible Bovine Dynamo (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. Improv: Ahoy! Modal Mania (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
7. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)
8. 21st Century Schizoid Man (Fripp, McDonald, Lake, Giles, Sinfield)

CD 9 taken from cassette bootleg, audio restored June 2012 at DGM by David Singleton and Alex R. Mundy.  Previously unreleased.

CD 10: Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Session Reels

1. “Keep That One, Nick” (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

Audio documentary placing the listener in Command Studios in early 1973 as the quintet maps out the material destined for the album. Featuring first takes of every piece recorded for the album interspersed with studio talk between band members and engineer. Edited, compiled, assembled and produced by David Singleton, assisted by Alex R. Mundy.

CD 11: Original 1973 Stereo Mix (30th Anniversary Remaster)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)
7. US Radio Ad
8. Easy Money (Edit) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
9. Exiles (Edit) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
10. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Disc 12 (DVD-A):

MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround (DVD-A players and some Blu-ray players)

DTS 5.1 Digital Surround (DVD/Blu-Ray players and DVD-ROM/Blu-ray drives)

The 2012 Surround Sound mix by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp:

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

MLP Lossless Stereo (24/96) (DVD-A players and some Blu-ray players)

PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) (DVD/Blu-Ray players and DVD-ROM/Blu-ray drives)

The 2012 stereo album mix by Robert Fripp and Steven Wilson

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)

Original 1973 Stereo Mix 30th Anniversary Remaster

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Alternate takes and mixes

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Jamie Muir solo) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Alt mix) (Fripp)
7. Easy Money (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)

Video Content (Audio - dual mono)

1. Improv: The Rich Tapestry of Life
2. Exiles
3. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)
4. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (as broadcast on Beat Club)

CD 13: Alternate takes and mixes

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Jamie Muir solo) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Alt mix) (Fripp)
7. Easy Money (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)

CD 14: 2012 Stereo Album Mix

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Mixed by Robert Fripp and Steven Wilson.

Disc 15: Blu-ray Disc

DTS-HD Master Surround 5.1

LPCM 5.1 Surround

The 2012 Surround mix by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

LPCM Stereo (24/96)

The 2012 stereo album mix by Robert Fripp and Steven Wilson

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

LPCM Stereo (24/96)

Original 1973 Stereo Mix (30th Anniversary Remaster)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Alternate takes and mixes

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Jamie Muir solo) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Alt mix) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Alt mix) (Fripp)
7. Easy Money (Alt take) (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)

The Session Reels

1. “Keep That One, Nick” (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir) - LPCM Dual Mono (24/96)

Live in the studio

1. Improv: The Rich Tapestry Of Life (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)

LPCM Stereo (24/96)

Original UK vinyl transfer (originally released as Island LP ILPS 9230, 1973)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Original US vinyl transfer (originally released as Atlantic LP SD 7263, 1973)

1. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
2. Book of Saturday (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
3. Exiles (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
4. Easy Money (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James)
5. The Talking Drum (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Muir)
6. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) (Fripp)

Video Content

Audio LPCM Dual Mono (24/96)

1. Improv: The Rich Tapestry of Life
2. Exiles
3. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)
4. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)

As broadcast on Beat Club.

Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick: 40^th Anniversary Edition (EMI, 2012) (CD/DVD Box and 2-LP Edition)

CD:

1. Thick As A Brick (Part 1) (2012 Remix)
2. Thick As A Brick (Part 2) (2012 Remix)

DVD:

1. Thick As A Brick (Part 1) (5.1 Mix DTS & Dolby Digital)
2. Thick As A Brick (Part 2) (5.1 Mix DTS & Dolby Digital)
3. Thick As A Brick (Part 1) (2012 Remix)
4. Thick As A Brick (Part 2) (2012 Remix)
5. Thick As A Brick (Part 1)
6. Thick As A Brick (Part 2)
7. Radio Ad (2012 - Remaster)

Album originally released in U.S. as Reprise MS-2072, 1972 and in U.K. as Chrysalis CHR-1003, 1972.