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Posts tagged David Cross
King Crimson – KCCC41 Live in Zurich (1973) (@256)
23 May 2011
(Info from projekction.net)
For the 1972-1974 version of King Crimson, developing and writing new material was, as Bill Bruford memorably noted in his autobiography, excruciating, teeth-pullingly difficult music-making.
When “The Mincer” appeared on “Starless & Bible Black”, it represented a new way of approaching the process for Crimson; taking live improvisations and then editing and over-dubbing new parts to create an interesting hybrid.
Although parts of this show recorded at Zurich’s Volkhaus on the 15th November 1973 have been previously released on disc 4 of the Great Deceiver box set, this is the first time the entire performance that night has seen the light of day.
This is an evening of music which underscores Crimson’s reputation as one of the classic must-see live acts of the 70s.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin, mellotron, electric piano
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron, electric piano
- John Wetton / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
Track List:
CD1
01. Walk On No Pussyfooting – 0:57
02. Improv Some Pussyfooting – 2:22
03. Larks Tongues In Aspic Pt I – 8:13
04. RF Announcement – 2:35
05. Lament – 4:10
06. Peace A Theme – 0:51
07. Cat Food – 4:15
08. The Night Watch – 5:59
09. Fracture – 11:27
CD2
01. Improv The Law Of Maximum Distress Pt I – 6:41
02. The Mincer – 4:21
03. Improv The Law Of Maximum Distress Pt II – 2:33
04. Easy Money – 7:49
05. Exiles – 6:44
06. Improv Some More Pussyfooting – 5:54
07. The Talking Drum – 5:58
08. Larks Tongues In Aspic Pt II – 10:06
09. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 8:50
Link in comments.
David Cross – Alive in the Underworld (Live 2006) (@256)
24 Dec 2009
(Review from Sid Smith)
Often underrated by fans and even some of his fellow band members during his tenure in Crimson, Cross has since carved himself a rewarding niche in both improvised and rock music that is both powerful and distinctive.
Documenting a series live dates in the UK during 2006, this release finds his band in fine fiery form here, storming their way through his back catalogue of solo releases and arrangements of popular King Crimson toe-tappers such as “Exiles”, “21st Century Schizoid Man” and “Starless”.
The obvious abilities of the various musicians are well showcased in tracks such as “Nurse Insane” and “Learning Curve” going through some sophisticated Mahavishnu-like machinations with racy outbursts and a decisive metallic edge from guitarist Paul Clark.
Strong and smart in equal measure, the live dimension of the band is complimented by a studio track “Floodlights”, adapted an improvisation and fashioned into song format just as Cross did with his old band mates circa 1972-74, and combining the best of both worlds in the process. If you thought the electric violin wasn’t up to the job of keeping pace with the blood and thunder of the rock backline then even a cursory listen to Cross and his full-blooded playing on “Tonk” and “I Buy Silence” should quickly put you right on that score.
Line-up:
- David Cross / Violin
- Arch Stanton / Vocals
- Joe Crabtree / Drums
- Alex Hall / Keyboards
- Paul Clark / Guitar
Track List:
01. Out of the Darkness – 2:12
02. Nurse Insane – 5:43
03. Learning Curve – 6:36
04. Are We One? – 5:56
05. Exiles – 10:07
06. Tonk – 4:42
07. I Buy Silence – 5:48
08. Starless – 12:29
09. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 8:59
10. Floodlights – 5:17
Link in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC36 Live in Kassel (1974) (@256)
20 Dec 2009
(Review from planetmellotron.com)
Live in Kassel, April 1, 1974 is anything but an April Fool; a slightly unusual set for the time, featuring four “Starless & Bible Black” pieces, and another “Dr Diamond” (so why didn’t they record this for Red, anyway?), with only two from “Larks’ Tongues”, although it’s truncated a few minutes into “Fracture”, probably missing a closing “Larks’ Tongues II”.
Previous KCCC releases have diligently given retrospective titles to thirty year-old jams, but all we’re given here is Improv I/II/III. I is essentially an extended intro to Dr Diamond and II performs the same function for Exiles, only more extended, leaving the brief guitar/violin duet III as the only one of the three worthy of particular mention.
There is a reasonable helping of mellotron, with the customarily short flute part on opener “Great Deceiver” and the standard segments on “Exiles”, “Night Watch”, “Lament” and “Starless”.
Line-up:
- David Cross / Violin, Mellotron, Electric Piano
- Robert Fripp / Guitar, Mellotron, Electric Piano
- John Wetton / Bass Guitar, Vocals
- Bill Bruford / Drums, Percussion
Track List:
01. The Great Deceiver – 3:55
02. Improv. I – 2:11
03. Doctor Diamond – 5:00
04. Improv. II – 6:08
05. Exiles – 6:00
06. The Night Watch – 4:53
07. Lament – 4:16
08. Starless – 12:13
09. Improv. III – 2:04
10. Easy Money – 7:01
11. Fracture – 4:00
Link in comments.
David Cross & Naomi Maki – Unbounded (2006) (@320)
31 Oct 2008
(Review from Sid Smith)
Best known for his work in King Crimson, David Cross has been enjoying a particularly fertile period of late with his rock band (his album Closer Than Skin earned deserved praise from fans and critics alike), and now with Japanese pianist and singer, Naomi Maki in a venture which he describes as “electric chamber music.”
A conservatoire graduate in Japan, Naomi Maki has studied both western classical music and traditional Japanese forms which adds much to this album of accessible, expressive and often romantic music.
She adorns the mournful elegy from Cross which opens the evocative “A Letter From The Front” with limpid drops of bittersweet piano. This Pärt-like sparsity,. with its air of regretful contemplation is intensely emotional. The descending coda is beautifully carried by Maki’s rich soprano vocal.
At just over 15 minutes, American Walkway is typical of the album’s MO as a whole; a series of discretely connected episodes and interludes in which they give themselves permission to see where the playing might lead. Moods are established, gently explored and concluded, often to moving effect.
Maki makes great use of dramatic sweeps and Debussy-esque flourishes often providing Cross with a backdrop that is sensitive to the slightest movement of pace, tone and intention of her companion. Importantly, in the flow of improvisation, neither is afraid to do that thing which many musicians find almost impossible – to stop playing and to simply listen.
Using electric violin throughout the album, Cross deploys loops and distortion effects sparingly and wisely, giving the stately largo of Sassy a glacial texture; bringing something of the rock guitar to “American Walkway” or the wall of droning strings on “Alarum” and “Coda”.
Fall, on which Maki’s vocal adds a dreamy glamour, celebrates the space and resonance created between the voice and violin. There’s a very real excitement caused by not knowing what may happen next. One suspects it’s the same for the performers. Yet they show no signs of being tentative about their respective playing which never lacks passion.
There are moments when it feels like it could go wrong, as though allure of stylistic extremes proves impossible to resist. “Curtain Call” flirts alarmingly with Pachabel and risks being cloyingly sentimental. At the other end of the spectrum, the jagged sparring which opens The Stone’s Throw sounds like its trying a bit too hard to be dissonant for its own sake.
Yet throughout this beautifully recorded album they create something that is captivating and entirely accessible. Cross has said that his electric chamber music “demands attention and challenges preconceptions.”
With “Unbounded” he’s succeeded on both counts.
Track List:
01. A Letter From The Front
02. Stone’s Throw, The
03. American Walkway
04. Curtain Call
05. Sassy
06. Fall
07. Alarum And Coda
Links in comments.
David Cross – Closer Than Skin (2005) (@256)
27 Aug 2008
(Review from progressiveworld.net, amazon.com)
“Closer Than Skin” offers a set of well-developed pieces with strong melodies, pieces that focus on the songs rather than on instrumental flash. Not that instrumental prowess doesn’t ooze from the tracks; well-played would be an understatement for the musicianship here.
The album takes references from a much broad range than simply the Crimson of 30 years ago, indeed a lot of the new, and melds them into tunes which sound very 21st Century and better still: exciting.
The King Crimson references provide that contact to 72-74 , with the enimatic lyrics by Richard Palmer James, or one very brief but pungent instrumental sample about 3 and half minutes into Awful Love (track 5), here you’ll find a classic Fripp guitar riff (from ‘Lark’s Tongues’ itself), employed to provide both a dramtic break and a counter-rhythm to the middle eastern feel in the song.
This a modern album loosely in the style of the mid 70s King Crimson but significantly affected by 30+ years of experience and change in David Cross, tempered by the young musicians who has around him.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin
- Arch Stanton / vocal
- Lloyd / drum
- Mick Paul / bass
- Paul Clark / guitar
Track List:
01. Are we one?
02. States of deception
03. Over you shoulder
04. Only fooling
05. Awful love
06. Counting
07. I buy silence
08. Valley of the kings
09. Tell me your name
10. Anybody
Links in comments.
David Cross – Exiles (1997) (@256)
26 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Exiles” is a mix of the new and old. It kicks off with an updated and modern sounding re- recording of the King Crimson title piece, Exiles. Complete with John Wetton on vocals! Funny that David Cross didn’t use Robert Fripp on the track, since the guitarist appears on three other tracks. This version of Exiles is less frantic, more polished. John Wetton appears on one other track, This is Your Life. The tune sounds more like a Wetton solo tune, with very little violin to point to the band leader.
Peter Hammill guests on two tracks, Tonk and Troppo. Tonk sounds like a missing track from Larks Tongue. Hammill’s voice is shrill and angry, while Fripp and Cross trades scorching leads. Troppo may be the most interesting track on the disc. Over eight minutes of shifting textures, keyboard driven passages and perky percussives.
Slippy Slide is a rambunctious instrumental, with guest saxaphonist, Pete McPhail, who also makes an appearance on Here. The tune ends with a round of Wetton’s vocals from This is You Life. Duo is a Frippertronic/Cross ambient piece. Soundscapes and violins. Fast is just that, a tune played with a fair amount of speed and power.
This is more of a real solo album than David Cross’ previous recordings with a lot of guest musicians.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violins
- Mick Paul / bass; also 4 guitar chords on track 5
- Dan Maurer / drums; also programming on track 5
- Peter Claridge / guitar (1,2,7)
- Paul Clark / guitar (1,3,5,6,7,8)
- Robert Fripp / guitar (2,4,7)
- Peter Hammill / vocals (2,7)
- Dave Kendal / keyboards (1,2,7)
- Pete McPhail / Sopranino sax, flute (3,8)
- John Wetton / vocals (1,5)
Track List:
01. Exiles – 8:59
02. Tonk – 3:44
03. Slippy Slide – 4:03
04. Duo – 6:51
05. This Is You Life – 4:42
06. Fast – 5:39
07. Troppo – 8:44
08. Hero – 10:53
09. Cakes – 7:47
Link in comments.
David Cross – Big Picture (1992) (@320)
25 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
On this album David Cross not only showcases his skills on the violon but he is a very good composer too, all compositions sound strong and dynamic featuring spectacular play on the acoustic – and electric violin. There is often an ominous climate with some fiery and heavy eruptions.
Unlike the previous album, there are vocals on this one. Dillon sounds slightly similar to Roger Waters (cynical undertone) and John Wetton (powerful and melancholic).
The highlights include the opening “Nurse Insane”, “Christine”, the instrumental “Minaret”, “Black Ice”, the instrumental “Sundays”, the complex “Grinfixer”, “Holly and Barbed Wire”, not to forget the bonus instrumental “Nurse Alone”.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin
- Sheila Maloney / keyboards
- John Dillon / vocals and bass
- Dan Maurer / drums
Track List:
01. Nurse insane (4:55)
02. Christine (6:05)
03. Inc (4:10)
04. Dustbins (3:55)
05. Minaret (7:43)
06. Black Ice (6:52)
07. Brake (3:44)
08. Sundays (5:42)
09. Grinfixer (4:35)
10. Holly and Barbed Wire (4:35)
11. Nurse Alone (Bonus) (5:26)
Link in comments.
David Cross – Memos From Purgatory (1989) (@192)
24 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com, scaruffi.com)
This is the first album David Cross released under his own name. Like on his later albums, Cross is supported by several other musicians, but more than his other albums, “Memos From Purgatory” sounds like a solo album, even though three of the eight songs were written by Sheila Maloney. The album is completely instrumental.
David Cross also directed the staging of “Memos From Purgatory” at the Half Moon Theatre and other venues using dancers, musicians, lights, slides, etc.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin
- Pete McPhail / saxophone
- Sheila Maloney / keyboards
- Simon Murrell / bass
- Dan Maurer / drums
Track List:
01. Poppies (3:54)
02. Meantime (9:38)
03. First Policeman (5:30)
04. Animal (6:25)
05. New Dawn (6:17)
06. Postscript (4:49)
07. Bizarre Bazaar (4:00)
08. Basking in the Blue (3:10)
Link in comments.
Low Flying Aircraft – Low Flying Aircraft (1987) (@160)
23 Aug 2008
(Info from primecuts.fi)
“Low Flying Aircraft” is a short-lived Canterbury-style experimental jazz-rock / progressive outfit, formed by ex-King Crimson David Cross, Keith Tippett, Dan Maurer and Jim Juhn.
Their first and only album is totally instrumental.
Line-up:
- Dan Maurer / drums, EMU II, whirled tube
- Jim Juhn / guitar, bass, EMU II, percussion, whirled tube
- David Cross / violins
- Keith Tippett / piano
with
- Ron Linton / tenor sax
- Eric Drew Feldman / DX7
- Paul Burwell / percussion, sqweek drum, bowed metal, whirled tube
Track List:
01. Sybilization (3:17)
02. Fourth dimension (3:14)
03. Baptism by fire (2:46)
04. Poolside (5:34)
05. Abstract Blue (5:32)
06. Moronathon (3:13)
07. Amnesia (2:59)
08. Reflection (8:45)
09. What did you do (2:06)
10. Radically conservative (3:04)
Link in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC29 Live in Heidelberg (1974) (@256)
11 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
This show was recorded in Heidelberg at 29th of March in 1974. The sound quality is excellent, just as the concert itself.
The recording starts with an improv, which is more or less an intro to Dr Diamond. This track was never released on a studio album but Crimson played this song a lot during the first months of 1974. It is a dark track about a driver of an underground train. Next is a long version of Exiles with excellent mellotron and violin interplay. This is followed by the second improv of this show. It starts heavy but ends in the vain of Trio, which is a nice bridge to the wonderful Starless. This is one of the classic Crimson tunes. It starts as a ballad and then developes through some heavy bass lines to an excellent epic. Next are two melodic tracks: Night Watch, about Rembrandt’s painting and Lament. Then comes the heavy Easy Money and the album ends with the opening bars of Fracture.
The only flaw on this album is that the tape runs out during Fracture, so only the first three minutes appear on this album.
Line-up:
* David Cross – violin, mellotron, electric piano
* Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron, electric piano
* John Wetton – bass guitar, vocals
* Bill Bruford – drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Improv: Heidelberg I – 2:43
02. Dr. Diamond – 7:03
03. Exiles – 10:04
04. Improv: Heidelberg II – 6:48
05. Starless – 12:46
06. The Night Watch – 4:39
07. Lament – 4:19
08. Easy Money – 6:35
09. Fracture – 3:08
Links in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC24 Live in Guildford (1972) (@256)
05 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Live in Guildford, 1972″ presents us the concerts which established the Wetton / Cross / Muir line-up of King Crimson and also show up the birth process of their classic “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” album. Its sound quality is better than the previous KCCC releases with Muir.
The show opens with a very aggressive version of “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic – part one”, and that distorted tone of Fripp’s guitar is just a pure killer. The two second movements after the violent main theme are here quite similar, later the bass and drum patterns evolved separating these moments as more different from each other. The number is also here longer than in the Beat Club performance, having the violin “Larks’ Ascension” solo part, missing only the nightmarish coda, which ends the studio version and later performances of this brilliant avant-garde number. The violin tunes are followed with “Book of Saturday”, creating a nice contrast and a calm moment to the more violent and chaotic moments here. Here the song has some tambourine backing it up, usually it doesn’t have much percussions played over it. The name of the song is also yet “Daily Games” according to Fripp’s following polite and disciplined speech. The speech also reveals that the set should end up with “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic – part two”, which sadly didn’t got on this recording, as the tape ran out too quickly.
The next “attack towards culture” is a freeform collective improvisation which is built up by the same principles as the long improvisation of the era-concerts. It opens up with really loud and violent communal crashing of the instruments, and then stage is free, players presenting themes and demanding reactions from others. If you like interactive jamming and old rock sounds with Mellotrons, here’s a gourmet dish of this for you!
The record ends to the beginning of the harmonic “Exiles” rising up from the “Mantra” theme, which was used also in the 1969 concerts as an opener for other musical ideas. The version here is incomplete, and the tape runs out after three minutes, which is a really sad thing but from the documentary point of view it’s good to have it here, as it’s nice to hear how Muir coloured the beginning with his bird whistles.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin, flute, mellotron
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron
- John Wetton / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Bruford / drums
- Jamie Muir / percussion & allsorts
Track List:
01. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I) – 8:58
02. Book Of Saturday (Daily Games) – 4:23
03. Improv- All That Glitters Is Not Nail Polish – 25:38
04. Exiles – 3:40
Link in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC20 Live at Zoom Club (1972) (@256)
01 Aug 2008
(Review from progreviews.com)
This double album spanning nearly two hours of music with two sprawling, occasionally awe-inspiring improvisations taking up more than half of the running time. It also offers historical significance; the show documented was the first live appearance by the Larks’-era band, and it’s one of the few recordings available showcasing the talents of madcap percussionist Jamie Muir. Given the short time that the band had had to gel at the time of this show, it’s remarkable how tight they already are and how mature some of the compositions are.
“Larks’ Tongues” is a killer way to open the set, though it stops after Cross’ violin solo and segues into a somewhat embryonic “Book of Saturday”. The latter is a little different from the final album version, but is still very nice, marred only by some surprisingly awful flute playing from Cross. “Easy Money” is a really great surprise; it lacks the aggression of both the studio cut and subsequent live versions, instead offering Cross space for a soothing violin solo — even Wetton steps back and plays a soft, relaxed supporting role. The end result is unexpected but undeniably pretty.
Of course, the real attraction point of this set are the improvs. The two shorter ones on disc 2 are easily approached: “Easy Money” goes straight into what would end up being the central guitar riff for “Fallen Angel” on Red, and of course it’s fascinating to hear how the riff originated and what the other bandmembers do around it. Between improvs on disc 1, comprise nearly 70 minutes of spontaneous music. It’s beyond power to satisfactorily describe such a beast, but suffice it to say that — to surprise — the band keeps up the intensity throughout. The interplay between Fripp and Wetton is particularly fun, as is the first half of “Zoom” which features Wetton scat-singing along to his bass playing, with Fripp interjecting accents here and there and the rest of the band mostly just taking a back seat and letting Wetton do his thing. Cross gets more of a chance to shine the latter half of “Zoom”, after a long and seriously intense Fripp solo. “Zoom Zoom” is impossibly long, and the band hits on countless themes; while admittedly it begins to sound samey after a while (46 minutes is a long time!), these guys have a good feel for pacing and there’s always something interesting happening.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violin, flute, mellotron
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron
- John Wetton / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Bruford / drums
- Jamie Muir / percussion and allsorts
Track List:
CD1
01. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I) – 8:22
02. Book Of Saturday – 3:16
03. Zoom – 22:03
04. Improv: Zoom Zoom – 44:48
CD2
01. Easy Money – 4:08
02. Improv: Fallen Angel – 4:12
03. Improv: Z’Zoom – 4:48
04. Exiles – 8:36
05. The Talking Drum – 6:13
06. Lark’s Tongues In Aspic (Part II) – 8:37
Links in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC15 Live at Mainz (1974) (@256)
27 Jul 2008
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com)
This show took place at Elzer Hof, Mainz, Germany, March 30, 1974. Like other concerts from the European tour of early 1974, it was recorded directly from the soundboard. “Live at Mainz” is actually a very good supplement for any serious collection of King Crimson’s 1972-1974 era albums. There is a heavy does of instrumental improvised material here, and also many special versions of their basic tracks.
The first three of the songs are pleasantly extended with impressionistic free form sound wall openings, from where the composed songs then emerge. The starter “Improv: The Savage” / “Dr Diamond” is an excellent performance, clearly the best version of this song so far I have heard. This composition didn’t do it on any of the band’s studio albums, but it’s present on many of their live recordings of years 1973- 1974. “Improv: Arabica” opens “Exiles” with nice layers of percussions, and the performance is a a very good, lasting 10 minutes. “Improv: Atria” has some good parts, but there seems to be some problems to find a common direction in some moments too.
Upcoming “Night Watch” is perfect with no edits or switches from one performance to other. “Starless” is a good song, and this is a decent version, featuring those a bit clumsy early lyrics which may be interesting to spot if they not yet familiar. “Lament” is a good track too, and the next song “Improv: Trio” is an interesting track, as it isn’t technically a complete improvisation anymore, it’s more like a reprise of an earlier improvisation from the Amsterdam concert 1973. It has maybe evolved as a jam pattern, and a small embryo of composition growing up from it. Some themes of the songs “Lament”, “Dr. Diamond” and “Fallen Angel” can be witnessed in the live recordings of the Muir-era line-up at 1972 in similar manner. And it’s a pretty tune, a relieving contrast for the aggressive material done by this band. The final tune “Easy Money” is a good version too, and it also has a bit different lyrics on stage as it had on the studio album.
Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron, electric piano
- David Cross / violin, mellotron, electric piano
- John Wetton / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Improv: The Savage – 2:12
02. Dr Diamond – 5:48
03. Improv: Arabica – 2:29
04. Exiles – 7:01
05. Improv: Atria – 6:14
06. The Night Watch – 5:07
07. Starless – 12:27
08. Lament – 4:20
09. Improv: Trio – 4:36
10. Easy Money – 7:51
Links in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC10 Live at NYC (1974) (@256)
22 Jul 2008
(Review from progreviews.com progarchives.com)
This concert was recorded at Central Park, New York, USA, July 1, 1974.
The show begins with a tape playing then recent Fripp & Eno collaboration “No Pussyfooting”, and then the band kicks in with a fine version of “21st Century Schizoid Man” featuring a Fripp on fire. The following “Lament” is also a good version of the song, there’s a furious interplay going on between Bruford and Wetton especially! The tuning before “Exiles” morphs into a very oppressive and chaotic improvisation, which then transmutes to the mantra and then as the main song. The contrasts are exceptionally fine here, the beautiful minor ballad rises from the maelstorm of a violent nightmare. Then comes the full-improvised number, named as “Cerberus”, which is an OK number. The quarrels within the band had escalated, and it can be heard in these “blows”, the rhythm section dominates the playing, and Fripp and Cross try to punch in their melodic passages desperately.
On “Fracture”, Wetton’s bass performance is stunningly virtuosic (or maybe just really, really loud), and gives the piece an almost funky flavor here that I’ve never heard on any other recording. Definitely one of my favorite renditions of this piece. The performance of “Starless” is blazing, and pretty close to the version that ended up on Red, although unfortunately the volume level seems to peter out a bit just as the climax hits. David Cross’ performance on “The Talking Drum” is definitely notable, and this piece in general is quite brutal here. “Larks’ Tongues Part 2″ is almost anticlimactic as a closer, but still has sections that burn.
Robert Fripp claimed that this concert, the last concert King Crimson played in the 1970s, was the only one that matched the fury and intensity of the 1969 live band. Unfortunately the sound quality of this release is average, but still pleasurable.
Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron, electric piano
- David Cross / violin, mellotron, electric piano
- John Wetton / bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Walk On ,,, No Pussyfooting – 2:11
02. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 7:58
03. Lament – 4:49
04. Exiles – 7:53
05. Improve: Cerberus – 8:27
06. Easy Money – 6:26
07. Fracture – 11:20
08. Starless – 12:31
09. The Talking Drum – 5:30
10. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic: Part 2 – 6:57
Links in comments.
King Crimson – KCCC03 Live at Bremen (1972) (@256)
16 Jul 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
This concert was recorded on the German programme Beat Club, in Bremen, Germany, on October 17, 1972.
The first track is named as “The Rich Tapestry Of Life”, which I recall is Fripp’s quotation from a letter he got from Jamie Muir. So this one begins with few minutes of anxious waiting, there’s some muffled speaking, tuning and such going on, and strangely it works as a nice contrast to the chaotic improvisation, which suddenly begins after two and a half minutes. The chaotic one minute blast clams down to beautiful tones of the mellotron, violin and bass guitar. Wetton begins to form a funky rhythm which the others join, and the famous King Crimson musical improvisation begins to blow, creating long layers of both calm and aggressive musical sequences. There also a funny anecdote here, as Cross plays some real flute in some parts of this track. If you are in to free jazz and old heavy rock of the 70′s, this is a must material for you, as it combines both of these elements. The players are very bold, and they are not afraid of small “mistakes” or “misjudgments” which shall most surely occur in this kind of collective musical adventuring. Considering this, one can also find a nice metaphoric idea in Fripp’s name selection for this piece! The half hour long jam most surely contains the full scale of life’s all emotions!
After the final waves of the massive improvisation begins to fade, the beautiful forms of sounds emerge from the sea of chaotic turbulence, and the music changes straight as the song “Exiles”. The version of “Exiles” it self is a bit clumsy, but if you are interested how these numbers evolved during time, this is an essential document of that process. Cross also does some singing on this one. The final number on this concert is “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic – part one”, which is a decent version but not essential. It’s a bit shorter version, as it ends in the part where the violin solo begins.
The sound quality is not remarkable, but good. There’s also some tuning problems with mellotrons, singers and the violin… More matured versions of “Exiles” and “Larks’” are also available in other releases, but they have historical values, and the big improvisation (taking up two-thirds of the album) is great.
Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron
* John Wetton – bass guitar, vocals
* David Cross – violin, mellotron
* Bill Bruford – drums
* Jamie Muir – percussion
Track List:
01. Improv: The Rich Tapestry Of Life – 29:49
02. Exiles – 7:53
03. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I) – 6:53
Link in comments.
King Crimson – Great Deceiver (Live 1973-74) (@256)
28 Jun 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
This box set features live recordings of the band from 1973 and 1974. All recordings feature the lineup of Robert Fripp, John Wetton, David Cross and Bill Bruford. Jamie Muir, who left the band in early 1973, is not featured on the set.
Throughout the four discs, the listener goes through many different concerts and ultimately is presented with many different songs (although there are a few repeats) as well as a plethora of improvs that really show the experimental nature of the group.
The first disc of this album is taken from a concert from Providence, Rhode Island, and stretches onto the second disc (for the first two songs). The set list is varied and has a stellar version of Starless with David Cross giving a superb violin part. Of the two improvs, which are Providence (which would eventually find its way onto Red with the crowd track cut out) and A Voyage To The Center of the Cosmos, the latter one really shows how the band could play completely improvised music and make it sound like it was well rehearsed and planned out… utterly stunning to put it shortly. Fracture also has a particular kick this time around, with the raw sound quality really coming and making it just a bit better than the other versions. The two songs on the second disc from this show, being 21st Century Schizoid Man (which is good, but the Night Watch version is better) and Walk Off Providence No Pussyfooting (which would act as the introduction and the closer of the show).
The second disc has a couple of rarities in Cat Food and Peace- A Theme as well as some wicked improvs (although they aren’t as spectacular as the Cosmos one on the first disc). The version of Larks’ Tongue in Aspic Part I is especially biting here with more violin presence. There’s also an abridged version of Easy Money as well as another full version on the same disc. Anyway, there’s more crowd presence on this disc, which gets a bit bothersome in the quieter pieces like Book of Saturday and Peace- A Theme. Despite that, though, it just doesn’t live up to the overall energy and feel (as well as the set list) of the first disc. It’s good, just not to that extent.
The third disc has four improvs as well as the only official release of Doctor Diamond (a song that was almost featured on Red but was cut out at the last minute) as well as another stellar version of Starless. Of the four improvs, the final one really is the best of them because of the great interplay between Bruford and Wetton (with Fripp playing excellently as well). This is also the first disc to feature a Talking Drum/Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II segue (with LTiA II being abridged) and for the most part it also comes off rather nicely. This disc also sounds wonderful with a nice overall ambience and a great balance in the instruments.
The final disc is from Toronto’s Massey Hall and a show from Switzerland. The opening four pieces range from constructed pieces (Fracture and the Night Watch) to all out improvs. The two improvs here, titled Clueless & Slightly Slack and The Golden Walnut, are a bit longer than the standard improvs on this set, but they are very captivating and really show the overall cohesiveness and intensity that the group was able to convey through their seemlessly complicated and intricate improvisational pieces that sound more like a rehearsed piece than something done completely on the fly. The rest of the disc comprises of 3 more improvs (one actually based on the No Pussyfooting theme) and a two part one titled The Law of Maximum Distress, which is probably my least favorite improv in the collection. Another strong version of Larks Tongue in Aspic part I and a rousing and sudden finale in The Talking Drum are also here, and for the most part they are pretty good.
Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron, electric piano
* John Wetton – bass guitar, vocals
* David Cross – violin, mellotron, electric piano
* Bill Bruford – drums, percussion
Track List:
CD1
01. Walk On … No Pussyfooting – 0:48
02. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, Part Two – 6:24
03. Lament – 4:38
04. Exiles – 8:57
05. Improv – A Voyage To The Centre of the Cosmos – 15:03
06. Easy Money – 7:12
07. Improv – Providence – 10:18
08. Fracture – 11:14
09. Starless – 12:03
CD2
01. 21st Century Schizoid Main – 8:26
02. Walk Off from Providence/No Pussyfooting – 2:11
03. Sharks’ Lungs in Lemsip – 2:31
04. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic – 7:49
05. Book Of Saturday – 3:02
06. Easy Money – 6:41
07. We’ll Let You Know – 4:54
08. The Night Watch – 5:17
09. Improv – Tight Scrummy – 8:58
10. Peace – A Theme – 1:01
11. Cat Food – 4:36
12. Easy Money (2) – 2:20
13. …It Is For You, But Not For Us – 9:10
CD3
01. Walk On … No Pussyfooting – 0:58
02. The Great Deceiver – 4:26
03. Improv – Bartley Butsford – 3:12
04. Exiles – 7:19
05. Improv – Daniel Dust – 4:09
06. The Night Watch – 4:39
07. Doctor Diamond – 5:11
08. Starless12:25
09. Improv – Wilton Carpet – 5:52
10. The Talking Drum – 5:29
11. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic: Part Two – 4:07
12. Applause & Announcement – 2:12
13. Improv – Is There Life Out There? – 14:49
CD4
01. Improv – The Golden Walnut – 11:46
02. The Night Watch – 4:37
03. Fracture11:51
04. Improv – Clueless and Slightly Slack – 8:12
05. Walk On … No Pussyfooting – 0:53
06. Improv – Some Pussyfooting – 2:26
07. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic: Part One – 8:16
08. Improv – The Law of Maximum Distress: Part One – 6:31
09. Improv – The Law of Maximum Distress: Part Two – 2:33
10. Easy Money – 7:32
11. Improv – Some More Pussyfooting – 5:53
12. The Talking Drum – 6:02
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King Crimson – Night Watch (Live 1973) (@256)
27 Jun 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
Never mind the studio stuff: Crimson was and always will be at their best on stage, and this 2-disc live set from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw vividly captures what many fans consider to be the band’s best line up at their creative peak, in late 1973.
Hearing the show in its (more or less) uninterrupted entirety, and with a reconstructed sound that shames most contemporary live recordings, is nothing less than a revelation. this one performance belatedly sums up all the awesome power and ingenuity of the Bruford-Wetton-Cross-Fripp configuration.
Every song is dramatically superior to its studio counterpart, from the first sudden downbeat of “Easy Money” to the final crescendo of “Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II”. Listen to the band working its way through the spiral groove of “The Talking Drum”, gradually shifting gears upward into overdrive with near telepathic precision. Or breaking into a funky mock-rock ‘n’ roll stomp during the acerbic “Lament”, with Fripp soloing all over the auditorium (unlike his tame sustained fuzz on the later album version). Or sidestepping an unexpected technical glitch with textbook grace under pressure, after David Cross’ mellotron audibly short circuits mid-way into the second verse of the title track. A quick thinking shift to electric piano alters the entire chemistry of the song, for the better in my opinion: adding a touch of delicacy sometimes lacking in the faux-string arrangements.
However, it’s the group improvisations that have always defined the various Crimson Kings, and on this night the band was certainly firing on all cylinders, despite the claims of chronic tour burnout. You can perhaps hear their fatigue in the way each of the three improvs begins from a point of zero energy and absolute silence. But the act of spontaneous music making must have had a galvanizing effect, judging by how each one develops.
“Trio” is an oasis of calm in the often discordant sea of classic Crimson noise and fury. “Starless and Bible Black” gradually builds into a mind-frying jam of epic proportions, propelled by the Wetton-Bruford rhythm section at full steam. And in “The Fright Watch”, meant as little more than a prelude to “The Talking Drum”, John Wetton coaxes sounds from his bass guitar that need to be heard to be believed, reminding me of a slumbering subterranean dinosaur slowly emerging from some ancient primordial swamp.
The first two improvisations were both featured on the “Starless and Bible Black” album, but hearing each of them in the context of a complete show puts the music in an entirely fresh perspective.
It is, pure and simple, beyond criticism, and the next best thing to having been there in Amsterdam on that late November night.
Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron
- Bill Bruford / drums
- David Cross / violin, mellotron
- John Wetton / bass, vocals
Track List:
CD1
01. Easy Money 6:15
02. Lament 4:14
03. Book Of Saturday 4:08
04. Fracture 11:28
05. The Night Watch 5:27
06. Improv- Starless And Bible Black 9:13
CD2
01. Improv- Trio 6:09
02. Exiles 6:37
03. Improv- The Fright Watch 6:03
04. The Talking Drum 6:34
05. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II) 7:51
06. 21st Century Schizoid Man 10:38
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King Crimson – USA (Live 1974) (@256)
16 Jun 2008
(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)
The posthumous live effort of the Larks’-era King Crimson is quite simply one of those great live album documents to emerge from the 70s. This remastered edition of the album brings the great sound quality lacking in ‘Earthbound’ with the addition of three more tracks.
With some notable exceptions, in this album melody and delicacy of touch are largely replaced by sheer strength, aggression and stunning technical proficiency. The sound is at times harsh and metallic, with John Wetton’s powerful yet intricate bass lines providing a solid background for Fripp’s angular guitar excursions. Bruford’s drumming, stellar as always, is unfortunately somewhat swamped by the bass in a mix which, while miles better than its predecessor “Earthbound”, does not enhance all the instruments in the same way. Even David Cross’s violin sounds harsher and less lyrical than on the studio albums.
To further the level of necessity for this particular live recording, “Asbury Park” is one of the best -nowhere else available- improvisational cuts ever released. Its signature and key might seem trite at first, but the energy reaches several peaks, giving it distinction above a great many of their improvised operations.
Line-up:
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
- David Cross / violin, keyboards
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron
- John Wetton / bass, vocals
with
- Eddie Jobson / violin (2), piano (3)
Track List:
01. Walk On … No Pussyfooting – 0:34
02. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part II 6:24
03. Lament 4:21
04. Exiles 7:23
05. Asbury Park 6:53
06. Easy Money 7:11
07. 21st Century Schizoid Man 8:10
08. Fracture 11:19
09. Starless 14:53
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King Crimson – Red (1974) (@256)
15 Jun 2008
(Review from progreviews.com, vintageprog.com, wikipedia)
With David Cross’ exit from the band, King Crimson forged ahead as a trio, and produced this, the last album Crimson would make in the 70s. Red is often cited as the strongest of the three Larks’-era albums, and sometimes of King Crimson’s entire discography. Generally, here the band is consistently heavier in force and tighter in focus than ever before, with the departure of any remaining possibility for the violin line of abandon from Cross.
The first side is a juggernaut of solid musicianship and probably represents the most accessible and distilled album side for this era of the band. The title-track opens the album, and is as typical for this version of Crimson as it can get, consisting of a simple but yet powerful and heavy riff that carries the track all the way through. “Fallen Angel” is a strong vocal-track with the mellotron mixed very far back in the sound on the verse, while the chorus is a far heavier and more electric thing. “One More Red Nightmare” is another prime example of how Fripp could use a very simple riff to create a really powerful and enjoyable progressive rock track.
The masterpiece of Red, however, is doubtlessly the album’s closer “Starless”. It’s hard to find a more emotional, down-to-earth moment in Crimson’s repertoire than Wetton’s weary voice clutching for a ray of hope as it enters past the melancholic, mellotron-drenched opening: “Sundown, dazzling day…” The thunderous climax (in 13/8) and sweepingly powerful ending of the song closes the chapter on 70s Crimson like an unstoppable (and unforgettable) deluge.
Robert Fripp, increasingly disillusioned with the music business, was turning his attention to the writings of the mystic George Gurdjieff, and did not want to tour as he felt that the “world was coming to an end”. The Red line-up never toured, and two months before the album’s release Fripp announced that King Crimson had “ceased to exist” and was “completely over for ever and ever” and the group officially disbanded on late September 1974.
Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitars
- Bill Bruford / drums
- John Wetton / bass, vocals
with
- Mark Charig / cornet
- Mel Collins / soprano saxophone
- David Cross / violin
- Ian McDonald / alto saxophone
- Robin Miller / oboe
Track List:
01. Red – 6:17
02. Fallen Angel – 6:04
03. One More Red Nightmare – 7:07
04. Providence – 8:11
05. Starless – 12:18
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King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (1974) (@256)
14 Jun 2008
(Review from progreviews.com)
With a bang, this album starts and doesn’t let up for air until about mid-way through. Of all the King Crimson mid-period, this one perhaps is there most consistently breathless — let’s see: we’ve got hyped-up blues-prog in “Great Deceiver”, the schizophrenic narrative “Lament”, marvelously cohesive improv in “We’ll Let You Know”, “Trio” and the title track, the symphonic ballad “The Night Watch”, the spooky, atmospheric “The Mincer”, and arguably Fripp’s finest masterpiece, “Fracture.” If ever a progressive band was lean, mean, and ready to fight, it was this one.
Fripp has stated that he always thought his drummer and bassist of this period were great players, but never sure if they were a great rhythm section. In any case, Bruford and Wetton set the tone for many of the pieces on this album. Tightly wound, precise punches and jabs; bladed, metallic bass figures rip through thin layers of mellotron and violin, while high-tuned toms and snare keep ahead of the beat and make no room for error, or even diversion. This is not to say the two men weren’t sympathetic performers, but driven.
While the whole-tone adventures of “Fracture” and later pieces such as “Red” and “One More Red Nightmare” have captured the attention of many progressive fans, the most distictive aspect of this band may have been its willingness to step out of its structured pieces into improvisation. The mid-period King Crimson were doubtlessly the *most* popular proponents of free-improv in the history of prog. “Trio” is simply that: Fripp, Cross, and Wetton delicately composing in the moment; “We’ll Let You Know” is avant-funk without the burden of a dancefloor; “Starless And Bible Black” is exotic, dark, and well-timed – leading into the explosive “Fracture” in much the same way as “The Talking Drum” led into “Larks Toungue part II” on the previous album.
This album saw the band at the height of its powers, and should be a reference to all those defending progressive as something other than bombastic flower-music.
Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitars
- Bill Bruford / drums
- David Cross / violin, viola, kbds
- John Wetton / bass, vocals
Track List:
01. The Great Deceiver – 4:02
02. Lament – 4:06
03. We’ll Let You Know – 3:41
04. The Night Watch – 4:41
05. Trio – 5:40
06. The Mincer – 4:11
07. Starless And Bible Black – 9:12
08. Fracture – 11:14
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King Crimson – Larks Tongues In Aspic (1973) (@256)
13 Jun 2008
(Review from wikipedia, vintageprog.com, progarchives.com)
Shortly after the Earthbound tour, that Crimson line-up completely disintegrated. Once again, Fripp began the task of looking for new members. These included improvising percussionist Jamie Muir; vocalist and bassist John Wetton, formerly of the band Family and a college acquaintance of Fripp; violin, viola and keyboard player David Cross; and drummer Bill Bruford, who had chosen to leave the commercially successful Yes for the comparatively unstable and unpredictable King Crimson. With Sinfield gone, the band recruited a new lyricist, Wetton’s friend Richard Palmer-James.
Ushering in a new era for the band, “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” showcases the new King Crimson playing progressive rock of a kind and in a way no other band had done before them. Their new style was often based in very heavy and loud riffs built around raw and freaked-out improvisations.
The title-track bookends the album, with the first part being subtle and understated and the second almost heavy-metal in its intensity. The above-mentioned “Book of Saturdays” and “Exiles” are both wistful, moving ballads, the second punctuated by Cross’s romantic violin strains; while “Easy Money” has an interesting structure, with an almost funky feel and rather weird lyrics. The quirky “The Talking Drum” leads then the way for the monstrous riffing and complex rythmic patterns of “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic pt. 2″.
Line-up:
- Bill Bruford / drums
- David Cross / violin, viola, mellotron
- Robert Fripp / guitar, mellotron, devices
- Jamie Muir / percussion
- John Wetton / bass, vocals
Track List:
01. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One – 13:37
02. Book of Saturday – 2:56
03. Exiles – 7:41
04. Easy Money – 7:53
05. The Talking Drum – 7:27
06. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part Two – 7:08
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David Cross – Testing Destruction (1994) (@256)
21 Mar 2008
(Review from progarchives.com, gepr.net)
David Cross is the lone bearer of the sound/tone of Larks Tongue era King Crimson. Heavy, brash, and powerful. Cross assembled a fearless group to perform this off- shoot of the King Crimson family tree. Vocalist/bassist John Dillion sounds like a cross between John Wetton’s strained baritone and Roger Waters’ manic delivery, which can at times, be either pleasant or grating, depending on the tune. Paul Clark, on guitars, is the perfect foil for Cross’s fierce violin excursions. Razor sharp leads intertwine on nearly every track giving the solo spots a fusionesque edge. Sheila Maloney’s keyboards add depth to the rhythm section with colorful chording and repeating motifs. Sheila rarely takes the lead, her sonic space fleshes out the overall textures. Dan Mauer keeps everything on track and consistently shifts between powerhouse bashing and odd metered grooves.
The opening track, “Learning Curve”, makes a strong statement. Cross wastes no time in bringing his violin to the forefront over an interesting bass/drum combo. Great lyrics and scorching vocals pull you right in. “Calamity” shifts and slithers between sweet ambience and spiraling solo workouts. It has an infectious melody and very good dynamic shifts between restrained, tension-building vocal sections and explosions of rock power.
“Tripwire” is the most accessible song on the album. Thirty-five years ago it would have garnered a lot of airplay. Almost Asia sounding with heartfelt vocals, catchy hooks and strong melodies.
“Abo” is probably the album highlight: it opens with some ambient samples and abstract percussion, moving through a nice vocal section to an impressive instrumental blowout; here the pulsing bass line, repetitive riffing, gradually increasing intensity and finally the wordless falsetto vocals show definite zeuhl influence.
Five tracks are studio recordings and four are recorded live at Floz Club, Berlin, October 1993.
Line-up:
- David Cross / violins
- John Dillon / vocals and bass
- Sheila Maloney / keyboards & vocals
- Paul Clark / guitar
- Dan Maurer / drums
Track List:
01. Learning Curve (6:33)
02. Calamity (8:59)
03. Welcome To Frisco (Live) (6:49)
04. The Affable Mister G. (4:14)
05. The Swing Arm Disconnects (Live) (7:15)
06. Tripwire (4:44)
07. Cycle Logical (Live) (3:43)
08. Testing To Destruction (Live) (1:56)
09. Abo (12:22)
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