Posts tagged Trey Gunn

(Review from allaboutjazz.com)

As ever, the Crimson Double Trio culled its set from a larger pool of material with certain consistencies, including the proto-nuevo metal of “Red,” the elliptically grooving “Elephant Talk,” the weighty stream-of-consciousness “Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream” and power-pop “Dinosaur.” But this is the only officially released recording of the sextet playing the stylistically hybridized, wood drum-driven “Sheltering Sky,” making it of clear interest to committed Crimson followers.

This final (ever) performance of the Double Trio finds a band that is undoubtedly tired and feeling the strains of such intensive energy-consuming dates. Adrian Belew whips through the beat poetry of “Indiscipline” faster, perhaps, than any live version on record, but it sure doesn’t feel tired. Instead, there’s a different kind of energy at play, of a group sprinting with last-minute energy to the finish line.

If there’s a star of this show, it has to be Belew, who’s particularly vicious during his solos on “Elephant Talk,” the perennial “21st Century Schizoid Man” and relentless “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part II.” Drummer Pat Mastelotto, who didn’t really get the chance to blossom in this incarnation, is more a foil to longstanding Crimson drummer Bill Bruford’s precision grooves. Meanwhile, touch guitarist Trey Gunn doesn’t stand out as much as the group’s ineffable groove-meister, bassist/stick man Tony Levin. But they both add to the jagged density that was a differentiator of this line-up, as it reaches out for greater improvisational territory on the complex head-banger, “THRAK”.

“Live in Philadelphia” may not be the Double Trio’s best show, but it’s still a fine one, and a worthwhile document for those who continue to follow this group’s every move.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / Guitar, Vocals
- Robert Fripp / Guitar, Soundscapes
- Trey Gunn / Touch Guitar
- Tony Levin / Basses, Stick
- Pat Mastelotto / Acoustic & Electronic Drums And Percussion
- Bill Bruford / Acoustic & Electronic Drums And Percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Conundrum – 1:32
02. Thela Hun Ginjeet – 6:00
03. Red – 6:19
04. Dinosaur – 6:49
05. One Time – 5:55
06. VROOOM VROOOM – 4:56
07. Waiting Man – 4:32
08. Neurotica – 4:34
09. Elephant Talk – 4:59
10. Sheltering Sky – 6:52
CD2
01. B’Boom – 5:44
02. THRAK – 8:39
03. Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream – 4:47
04. Indiscipline – 6:04
05. Lark’s Tongues in Aspic Part II – 7:01
06. Prism – 5:11
07. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 7:16
08. VROOOM – 3:52
09. Coda – 3:33

Link in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC34 ProjeKct Three Live in Alexandria (2003) (@256)

19 Aug 2008

The concert in Alexandria was actually planned as a King Crimson concert but when Belew didn’t show up, the band played as ProjeKct Three.

Recorded March 3, 2003 at Birchmere Theatre, Alexandria.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Trey Gunn – touch guitar, talker
* Pat Mastelotto – electronic traps and buttons

Track List:
01. Introductory Soundscape – 8:46
02. Improv I – 6:53
03. Level 5 – 5:00
04. Improv II – 6:49
05. The Power To Believe II – 14:10
06. Facts Of Life – 3:17
07. Sus-tyan-Z – 10:49
08. The Deception Of The Thrush – 12:29
09. VROOOM – 4:47
10. Q & A – 3:14

Links in comments.

King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC33 ProjeKct Two Live in Chicago (1998) (@256)

18 Aug 2008

Recorded on June 4, 1998 at Park West, Chicago, USA.

Line-up:
* Adrian Belew – V-drums
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Trey Gunn – touch guitar, talker

Track List:
CD1
01. Vector Shift – 2:02
02. House – 9:31
03. X-Chayn_Jiz – 7:19
04. Vector Shift To Planet Belewbeloid – 2:47
05. Light ConstruKction – 6:20
06. Heavy ConstruKction – 7:28
CD2
01. Sus_tyan-Z – 9:29
02. House 2 – 9:52
03. Contrary ConstruKction – 7:02
04. The Deception Of Thw Thrush – 13:17
05. Acoustic Dinosaur – 6:40
06. Lounge VROOOM – 6:04

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC31 Live at the Wiltern (1995) (@256)

13 Aug 2008

Thanks to Bragi Taliesin for the contribution.

(Review from stagerat.com, dgmlive.com)

Fripp believed the Wiltern gig to be a major show and wanted to release it straight away. Belew agreed and a mix was partially completed but the tapes were lost. The planned record was shelved; superseded by B’Boom and the all-improv album, THRaKaTTaK.

With the tapes recovered, here we have the whole show — it may yet be the most powerful live album of the double-trio line-up.
The band is very clearly enthusiastic and excited to play, and it shows throughout every piece in the set. Perhaps it’s that “last night of the tour” mindset that allows for this. Whatever the case, this is a show not to be missed.

One of the interesting aspects of this show is “Prism”, the percussion piece that featured Bruford, Mastelotto, and Belew. Most versions featured all three in front of a percussion table at stage front, playing together. However, the version in this concert has Bruford playing from his kit. It sounds as if Mastelotto is at least doing some of his percussion from the kit as well (if not all of it), and he even appears to throw in some samples of soundscapes in the midst of it!

The concert features the brilliant arrangements and master mind of a sextet perfectly executing counter rhythms while avoiding the usual mindless cluster of notes and nuances before it becomes inaudible and indistinguishable between all the players.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / guitar, voice
- Robert Fripp / guitar, soundscapes
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar
- Tony Levin / basses, stick
- Pat Mastelotto / acoustic & electronic drums and percussion
- Bill Bruford / acoustic & electronic drums and percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Introductory Soundscape – 6:16
02. VROOOM VROOOM – 5:22
03. Frame by Frame – 5:23
04. Dinosaur – 7:17
05. One Time – 5:52
06. Red – 6:36
07. B‘BOOM – 6:36
08. THRAK – 5:52
09. Matte Kudasai – 3:47
10. Walking on Air – 8:36
CD2
01. People – 6:22
02. Improv: Two Sticks – 2:42
03. Elephant Talk – 4:33
04. Indiscipline – 8:51
05. Prism – 2:27
06. The Talking Drum – 3:04
07. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic: Part II – 8:12
08. VROOOM – 3:56
09. Coda: Marine 475 – 4:16
10. Walking on Air – 8:36

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC28 Live in Warsaw (2000) (@256)

09 Aug 2008

This concert was recorded on June 11, 2000 at “Roma” in Warsaw, Poland. Some parts of it was also included on the mainstream “Heavy ConstruKction” live album.

Line-up:
* Adrian Belew – guitar & vocals
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Trey Gunn – touch guitar, ashbory bass, talker
* Pat Mastelotto – electronic drums

Track List:
CD1
01. ProzaKc Blues – 6:09
02. The ConstruKction of Light – 8:43
03. The World’s My Oyster Sout Kitchen Floor Wax Museum – 7:42
04. Improv-Warsaw – 12:35
05. Dinosaur – 5:27
06. One Time – 5:52
07. VROOOM – 4:46
08. Cage – 5:27
CD2
01. Into the Frying Pan – 6:40
02. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic-Part Four – 13:54
03. Three of a Perfect Pair – 4:01
04. The Deception of the Thrush – 10:18
05. Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream – 7:12
06. Heroes – 7:17

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC27 ProjeKct Three Live in Austin (1999) (@256)

08 Aug 2008

(Info from progarchives.com)

ProjeKCt Three played on the University of Texas campus in the basement of the student union in a sweet little wood-paneled club called the Cactus Cafe. This little boho, campus box of a bar room usually hosts the likes of open-mic singer/songwriters or Texas acoustic troubadours. The concert was overbooked and about 200-250+ rabid Crim fans piled in, to imbibe ProjeKCt Three’s sonic mayhem. The little wooden box of the Cactus Cafe and the 200 sweaty fans were the perfect acoustic sound chamber for the assault of sound and ideas wrangled ProjeKct Three.

Here we are treated to a symphony of electronically treated guitars, drums & samples that the Fripp/Gunn/Mastelotto could wrench out of their musically fervent minds. Imagine the rock monstrosity that the Lark’s Tongue In Aspic is and cram it through Fripp’s mind, a bank of computer/samplers, and then stir well with improvised musical chops and the nuance of King Crimson’s legacy.

This is music performed by interdimensionally-minded virtuosos with their latest toys and then amped up to 11 by an enthusiastic crowd all up in the band’s face.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Trey Gunn – touch guitar, talker
* Pat Mastelotto – electronic traps and buttons

Track List:
01. Masque 3 – 15:37
02. Masque 11 – 7:25
03. X-chayn-jiZ – 8:29
04. Hindu Fizz – 2:32
05. Heavy ConstruKction – 4:44
06. Introductory Soundscape – 3:35
07. Masque 8 – 7:13
08. Light ConstruKction – 1:43
09. Masque 2 – 7:17
10. CCCCCCs – 9:02
11. ProjeKction – 4:41
12. The Deception Of The Thrush – 6:37

Links in comments.

King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC22 ProjeKct One Jazz Cafe Suite (1997) (@256)

03 Aug 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

This album contains 50 minutes of improvised music by four members of King Crimson, divided in three suites. Some parts may sound familiar, since small bits and pieces were released on the album “Live at the Jazz Cafe”. It was the last time Bill Bruford was a member of King Crimson.

The album opens with a soundscape and after a few minutes the band starts to play. This means the distinctive rhythm provided by Bruford / Levin, complemented with guitar parts from Fripp / Gunn. The music that follows is very groovy, lively, sometimes boring, but more often fascinating. It changes between fast and slow, has great soloing (especially from Gunn) and some strange sounds. The second suite also starts slow. As its main attraction it has some trademark Fripp solos. After a while it sounds a lot like the space rock of ProjeKct Two. The shortest and third suite starts with the xylophone sounds where the second suite ended with, but soon picks up a groove with bass sounds everywhere.

ProjeKct One wasn’t the first of the ProjeKcts, it also probably wasn’t one of the best of the ProjeKcts. When a band plays improvised music it can both create magical moments and boring times. That also happened with this release. It is a joy to listen to the Bruford / Levin tandem, but the music that is played is not from the highest order.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Trey Gunn – Warr guitar
* Tony Levin – bass guitar, Stick, synth
* Bill Bruford – drums and percussion

Track List:
01. Suite One – 29:02
02. Suite Two – 15:13
03. Suite Three – 6:25

Link in comments.

Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC19 Live in Nashville (2001) (@256)

31 Jul 2008

This concert was recorded at 328 Performance Hall, Nashville, USA, November 9-10, 2001.

Line-up:
* Adrian Belew – Guitar and Vocals
* Robert Fripp – Guitar
* Trey Gunn – Warr Guitar
* Pat Mastelotto – Drums

Track List:
01. Dangerous Curves – 4:52
02. Level Five – 7:50
03. The ConstruKction Of Light – 8:49
04. ProzaKc Blues – 5:58
05. EleKtriK – 8:13
06. Thela Hun Ginjeet – 5:46
07. Virtuous Circle – 7:04
08. Elephant Talk – 4:16
09. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic: Part IV – 10:30
10. The Deception Of The Thrush – 8:09
11. Red – 5:42

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC17 ProjeKct Two Northampton (1998) (@256)

29 Jul 2008

This is a live album from ProjeKct Two, a fraKctal of King Crimson. It was recorded on July 1, 1998 in Northampton, USA.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / V-drums
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar, talker

Track List:
01. Vector Shift – 10:45
02. X-chayn-jiZ – 5:54
03. Vector Shift – 2:04
04. Vector Shift to Planet Belewbeloid – 0:28
05. Light ConstruKction – 5:29
06. Heavy ConstruKction – 6:02
07. The Deception of the Thrush – 8:31
08. Sus-tayn-Z – 6:41
09. Vector Shift – 7:39
10. Contrary ConstruKction – 7:22

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC13 Nashville Rehearsals (1997) (@256)

25 Jul 2008

1 comment

(Review from progarchives.com)

After the studio album Thrak, which was released in 1995, and a series of concerts, King Crimson was back in a recording studio to work out some ideas for the next release. They went to SIR studios in Nashville in May 1997. As we all know another release of the double trio would never be released. Some ideas that were rehearsed in Nashville would however resurface in some sort of form in the ProjeKcts and on the first release by the double duo (“The ConstruKction of Light”).

The overall sound of these tracks has more in common with the sound of the ProjeKcts than with THRAK. The problem with this release is that it is very fragmented. You mainly hear bits and pieces that could have ended up in a song. Most of the tracks lack any form of structure. Exceptions are the groovy “Presidents”, the heavy “Snugel”, the eerie “Jimmy Bond” and the melodic “Sad Woman Jam”. Another interesting track is the closer “Tony’s Jam”. This is a long jam with a rhythm that changes faster than you notice.

This release is of interest for the KC aficionado who is interested in the working process of the band and who is curious how some of the tunes were born. If you like the ProjeKcts than this album will also not be a disappointment.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – Guitar, Soundscapes
* Adrian Belew – Guitar
* Trey Gunn – Warr Guitar
* Tony Levin – Basses, Stick
* Pat Mastelotto – Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion
* Bill Bruford – Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion

Track List:
01. Presidents – 7:04
02. Scapeplay – 3:37
03. Snugel – 5:45
04. Off Sets – 4:23
05. Big Funk – 3:29
06. Jimmy Bond – 7:06
07. Have U Got? – 1:05
08. Mulundrum – 0:38
09. Too many eeee’s – 1:11
10. Nice To Start – 0:12
11. Pat’s Meckanical Fives – 3:03
12. Seizure – 0:51
13. Circulation – 1:03
14. KCF – 0:31
15. Ragin’ Drone – 3:40
16. JB in 7 – 2:41
17. Split Hands – 4:36
18. Sad Woman Jam – 2:35
19. Tony’s Jam – 12:57
20. Trey, Pat & Bill – 0:47

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC08 VROOOM Sessions (1994) (@256)

20 Jul 2008

(Review from progreviews.com)

The eighth edition in the King Crimson Collector’s Club presents outtakes from the first series of rehearsals of the ‘double trio’ of the band in 1994.

The sessions heard here are largely an exhibit of six musicians just beginning to oil their joints as a unit with no firm material yet established. So, one can’t fault Fripp and company too much for stretching out in what is clearly a rehearsal setting not recorded with an eye towards release.

Still, even in these simple jams, there’s a slightly detectable forced ‘descent into busywork’ that seemed to dog this lineup at the expense of a more focused simplicity. Eventually this led to the oversaturation and the band moved towards partitioning into ‘fraKctals’.

That’s not to say there aren’t some interesting moments to be found here. The aptly titled “Monster Jam”, with Fripp’s sinister soundscapes and Bruford’s thundering drumwork, shows the tremendous force that this band could summon with little difficulty. Among the other tracks, “Bill & Tony” recalls “Waiting Man” from Beat, and there are instrumental run-throughs of “One Time” and an embryonic version of “Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream” (here entitled “No Questions Asked”). Also, “Krim 3″ would eventually see light as a track on Adrian Belew’s solo album under a different name.

Obviously one wouldn’t expect to hear anything inspiring, though it provides insight into this particular time slot in Crimson’s history for the interested.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – Guitar, Soundscapes
* Adrian Belew – Guitar
* Trey Gunn – Stick
* Tony Levin – Basses, Stick
* Pat Mastelotto – Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion
* Bill Bruford – Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion

Track List:
01. Bass Groove – 4:34
02. Fashionable – 4:59
03. Monster Jam – 8:38
04. Slow Mellow – 2:57
05. Krim 3 – 3:20
06. Funky Jam – 4:57
07. Bill & Tony – 1:36
08. No Questions Asked – 3:24
09. Adrian’s Clouds – 1:39
10. Calliope – 5:58
11. One Time – 5:24
12. Booga Looga – 3:46

Link in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC07 ProjeKct Four San Francisco (1998) (@256)

19 Jul 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

This release is subtitled “The roar of P4” and that’s just what it is. It was recorded on November 1, 1998 at the 7th Note in San Francisco. It is a heavy and dark album.

The album opens with “Ghost”. It starts with a spacy sound, but this is soon supported by a fast beat and extensive soloing by Fripp. An energetic track. This followed by “Heavy” and “Light ConstruKction”. These two tracks were previously performed by ProjeKct Two (they can be found on the album “Live Groove”) and were later performed by ProjeKct Three (on the album “Live in Austin”). The track “Deception of the Thrush” was later adopted by King Crimson. “Seizure” can also be found on the improve disc of the triple album “Heavy ConstruKction”. Again a very dynamic track, not much melody but mainly rhythm. The album closes with “Ghost 3”, which is a slow and heavy track and “ProjeKction” that resembles the space sound of ProjeKct Two.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / Guitar
- Tony Levin / Basses, Stick
- Trey Gunn / Touch Guitar, Talker
- Pat Mastelotto / Electronic Traps And Buttons

Track List:
01. Ghost – 8:50
02. Heavy ConstruKction – 9:14
03. Light ConstruKction – 8:32
04. Deception Of The Thrush – 9:04
05. Seizure – 13:36
06. Ghost 3 – 12:13
07. ProjeKction – 10:10

Links in comments.

King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – KCCC05-06 Broadway (1995) (@256)

18 Jul 2008

(Info from wikipedia)

The tracks on the album were recorded at the Longacre Theater in New York City, USA, on November 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25, 1995, as the band was touring to promote the album Thrak.

“Vrooom Vrooom” live album features one disc with recordings from the Broadway concerts. The final track, “Fearless and Highly THRaKked”, is also featured on the live album THRaKaTTaK. An alternative version of this track, entitled “Biker Babes of the Rio Grande”, is featured on the “Vrooom Vrooom” live album.

Lead singer and guitarist Adrian Belew performed John Lennon’s “Free As A Bird” as a solo piece throughout the Broadway engagement. This was not included on King Crimson On Broadway, but was released on Belew’s solo album Belewprints and on the “Vrooom Vrooom” live album.

Line-up:
* Robert Fripp – guitar
* Adrian Belew – guitar, vocals
* Tony Levin – bass guitar, Chapman stick
* Trey Gunn – Warr guitar
* Bill Bruford – drums, percussion
* Pat Mastelotto – drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Conundrum – 1:57
02. Thela Hun Ginjeet – 6:43
03. Red – 6:29
04. Dinosaur – 7:16
05. Vrooom Vrooom – 4:48
06. Frame By Frame – 5:10
07. Walking On Air – 5:28
08. B’Boom – 5:35
09. Thrak – 6:31
10. Neurotica – 4:34
11. Sex,Sleep,Eat,Drink.Dream – 4:58
CD2
01. People – 6:14
02. One Time – 5:55
03. Indiscipline – 7:16
04. Improv: Two Sticks – 2:02
05. Elephant Talk – 4:17
06. Prism – 3:56
07. Talking Drum – 2:59
08. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part II) – 7:27
09. Three Of A Perfect Pair – 4:22
10. Vrooom – 3:54
11. Coda: Marine 475 – 2:41
12. Fearless And Highly THRaKked – 2:31

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Happy with What You Have to be Happy With (EP 2003) (@256)

11 Jul 2008

6 comments

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

As Vrooom was to Thrak, so too is Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With to The Power to Believe. This 32-minute mini-album was only meant as a teaser for the upcoming King Crimson album “Power to Believe”, so it might not rate more than a passing mention in retrospect.

There are four substantive tracks which are surrounded by brief interludes. A majority of the interludes (“Bude”, “She Shudders”, “I Ran”, “Clouds”) are synthesized-vocal poetry segments by Belew, an idea that would be passed on to the upcoming “Power to Believe”. Other interludes include a soundscape passage from Fripp (“Mie Gakure”) and a jimble-jamble of tuned percussion (“Shoganai”) that is in the vein of the opening of “Larks’ Tongues I”.

And the four substantive tracks? “Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With” was written ostensibly as a parody, but practically ends up as self-parody in the process. The meta-lyrics, singing about the process of writing the verses within the actual verses and the chorus within the actual chorus, etc., are intended to be a joke poking fun at the vacuity of the nu metal of the time.

While the title track is certainly nothing new coming for the band, in its favor it at least crunches along with some degree of energy and attitude. Pat Mastelotto, who is a kind of Alan White counterpoint to Bill Bruford in King Crimson, provides some of the more interesting contributions here, walloping the drum kit and inserting some fresh fills.

The EP contains an acoustic version of “Eyes Wide Open”, which also later appeared on “Power to Believe”. This is a gentle song merging the mellow vibe of “One Time” with the desert caravan percussion of “Walking on Air” from Thrak. “Potato Pie” is another Crimson-warps-the-blues piece as was “ProzaKc Blues” for “ConstruKction of Light”. There is a version of “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic IV” sounds a diluted, hybridized rehash of “Larks’ Tongues II”, “Red” and “THRAK”. The EP finally fizzles out with the hidden track “Einstein’s Relatives”, an amalgamation of studio banter and outtakes.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Adrian Belew / guitar, vocals
- Trey Gunn / warr guitar, rubber bass, fretless warr
- Pat Mastelotto / drums

Track List:
01. Bude – 0:26
02. Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With – 4:12
03. Mie Gakure – 2:00
04. She Shudders – 0:35
05. Eyes Wide Open – 4:08
06. Shoganai – 2:53
07. I Ran – 0:40
08. Potato Pie – 5:03
09. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part IV) – 10:26
10. Clouds – 4:10

Link in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Level Five (Live EP 2001) (@256)

09 Jul 2008

10 comments

(Review from progarchives.com)

The new period (with its amazingly various flashes) of King Crimson isn’t just about “THRaK”, “ConstruKction Of Light” and “Power To Believe” (pivotal, but sole-blistering role), it’s yet about many other sides, recordings, influences, powers, gown states and purified energies, eclectic touches and dark permanent transitions (etc). Albums and side loops merely contemplate the great fusion of taste, passion, dark, drought, rock, math, cycle, groon or dim-stem elements have an equal share of treat, vituperance and fun-based Crimson energy. Well… here is “Level Five”.

This is a live recording from 2001 when King Crimson toured with Tool. As the band often does, they allow the audience to hear some new material that will be released on their next album (“Power To Believe”).

Like Tool’s music,this is dark and very heavy. “Dangerous Curves” features synths-like sounds and drums. “Level Five” is another “Power To Believe” song at at over 8 minutes in length. It opens with screaming guitar,and check out the outbreaks of bass that comes and goes several times. “Virtuous Circle” was changed a bit to become “Power To Believe II” on that record. Lots of percussion as the guitar joins in. The sound does lighten as percussion continues. The waves of synths-like sounds are majestic.

“The ConstruKction Of Light” from the album of the same name is over 13 minutes long. Drums open the song as relentless angular guitar melodies play throughout. Great bass lines again,and vocals 6 minutes in. “The Deception of Thrush” from various ProjeKcts starts with a monologue of processed vocals for 2 minutes. Then a dark,heavy soundscape rises from the depths. It does lighten up as synths-like waves come in with guitar melodies.

Un-critical and un-measurable, yet as a secondary kind of release and stage act, “Level Five” is almost beyond the normal drought of such albums.

Line-up:
* Adrian Belew – Guitar, Vocals
* Robert Fripp – Guitar
* Trey Gunn – Warr Guitar
* Pat Mastelotto – Drums

Track List:
01. Dangerous Curves
02. Level Five
03. Virtuous Circle
04. The ConstruKction Of Light
05. The Deception Of The Thrush

Link in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct X : Heaven and Earth (2000) (@256)

08 Jul 2008

14 comments

Thanks to Bragi Taliesin for the contribution.

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

Heaven and Earth was taken from the rehearsals and recording of King Crimson’s “ConstruKction of Light” album. Basically, this is a hodgepodge of improvisations, jams, studio conversations and robotic whispers by Belew, all whirled around and thrown together with techno hyper-beat programming of Mastelotto.

You may have already heard the sultry title track, added as an epilogue to the “ConstruKction of Light” album. But by itself it doesn’t give an altogether accurate impression of the adrenalin-driven, hyperspace grooves on display here. Crimson’s 2003 studio album, “Power To Believe”, may have better integrated the ProjeKct X ethos into an actual song-based format, but this is Mastelotto’s Crimson King in all its unexpurgated glory, at last fulfilling the promise of the post-Double Trio research and development fraKctals in brilliant, no-holds-barred fashion.

Exactly how state-of-the-art is it? Consider that the running time of each track, as listed in the CD booklet, is broken down to a ridiculous 1/100th of a second, something only a true music nerd could appreciate.

Line-up:
* Adrian Belew – Guitar, additional ‘V Drumming’ (3)
* Robert Fripp – Guitar, Soundscapes
* Trey Gunn – Bass Touch Guitar, Baritone Guitar
* Pat Mastelotto – Traps, Buttons

Track List:
01. The Business of Pleasure
02. Hat in The Middle
03. Side Window
04. MaximIzer
05. Strange Ears (aging rapidly)
06. Overhead Floor Mats Under Toe Real Audio
07. Six O’Clock
08. Superbottomfeeder
09. One E And Real Audio
10. Two Awkward Moments
11. Demolition
12. Conversation Pit
13. Cin AlayI
14. Heaven And Earth
15. Belew Jay Way

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct Four West Coast (Live) (1998) (@256)

08 Jul 2008

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

West Coast Live, is very ambiguous and quite the opposite of conserved state. Just like ProjeKct Two, it’s chaotic, a heavy surplus, and a very dynamic explosion. It sounds like “Ozric Tentacles meets Soundscapes”. The Ozric feeling comes from electronic “twiddly bits” that help to propel the rhythm section.

Like ProjeKct Two, this one seems more composed than other parts of the set. “West Coast Live” opens with a song in four sections (with the sections sounding like four different performances spliced together) called “Ghost (part 1)”. The album also includes a version of “Deception of the Thrush”, this time with a booming, pounding rhythm section. “Hindu Fizz” and “ProjeKction” follow, and finally the album ends with the five-track song, “Ghost (part 2)”. This last song begins with Fripp and Levin trading scratchy low notes and getting some laughs from the audience.

Perhaps ProjeKct Four has too much power that isn’t perfectly handled, but that goes well in the context of sheer wild insanity.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar, talker
- Tony Levin / basses, Stick
- Pat Mastelotto / electronic traps and buttons

Track List:
01. Ghost (part 1) 1 – 9:14
02. Ghost (part 1) 2 – 4:07
03. Ghost (part 1) 3 – 5:55
04. Ghost (part 1) 4 – 5:06
05. Deception of the Thrush – 7:12
06. Hindu Fizz – 4:46
07. ProjeKction – 5:29
08. Ghost (part 2) 1 – 1:39
09. Ghost (part 2) 2 – 2:43
10. Ghost (part 2) 3 – 3:53
11. Ghost (part 2) 4 – 1:48
12. Ghost (part 2) 5 – 4:57

Links in comments.

King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct Three Masque (Live) (1999) (@256)

06 Jul 2008

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

ProjeKct Three’s Masques, is generally considered the projeKct masterpiece, containing delightful King Crimson moments.

The source material for it came mainly from live improv performances, but then the music was edited with bits and pieces moved here and there to “make a better flow and cover a few, but not all, brown spots”. The result is an album that sounds more “studio” than the others, but still retains the energy and experimentation of the live shows.

In the band we have Mastellotto as drummer, which is perfect for charismatic percussion. Correlation can be made with ProjeKct One, in the sense that it’s very educated standard of music, abstract and intelligent without growing too much chaos or music extreme. Very refined, somber and introspective in prevalent shapes, subtle and well-outlined. Thirteen movements of improvisatorial educated wonder.

The linear notes suggest you play the album in random mode to continue the improvisation.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar, talker
- Pat Mastelotto / electronic traps and buttons

Track List:
01. Masque 1 – 5:40
02. Masque 2 – 3:13
03. Masque 3 – 6:17
04. Masque 4 – 3:10
05. Masque 5 – 3:19
06. Masque 6 – 0:45
07. Masque 7 – 3:21
08. Masque 8 – 4:26
09. Masque 9 – 2:40
10. Masque 10 – 6:11
11. Masque 11 – 6:23
12. Masque 12 – 3:51
13. Masque 13 – 5:08

Link in comments.

King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct Two Live Groove (1998) (@256)

05 Jul 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

Live Groove, is a reference to the double album Space Groove, released one year before this, and it’s actually a prevalent interpretation of Space Groove’s repertoire or, least of all, essence.

It’s a guitar sense, as only Fripp, Belew and Gunn form this frakctal of King Crimson. That means slight soundscapism, chords refinement and the casual construction of such an imposing feature. The play is virulent, in a chaos of sensations, in several senses. Perhaps not intact as speech, but a pill of shock therapy. Energic, yet perhaps too close in its sharp form.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Adrian Belew / V-drums
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar, talker

Track List:
01. Sus-tayn-Z – 8:05
02. Heavy ConstruKction – 5:11
03. The Deception Of The Thrush – 7:33
04. X-chayn-jiZ – 6:01
05. Light ConstruKction – 5:17
06. Vector Shift To Planet Detroit – 3:41
07. Contrary ConstruKction – 4:55
08. Live Groove – 10:50
09. Vector Shift To Planet Belewbeloid – 1:24
10. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 11:50

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct Two Space Groove (1997) (@256)

04 Jul 2008

Thanks to Bragi Taliesin for the contribution.

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

Considering that many bands that tackle the double disc format spend a long time writing and recording only to turn out a mediocre product, ProjeKct Two’s attempt to produce a double album in three days seems foolhardy. Space Groove, written and performed by half of King Crimson (Adrian Belew, Trey Gunn and Robert Fripp) is surprisingly decent, then, and even good considering the time constraint and amount of material.

The pieces have a jazzy space feel to them; the choice of futuristic-sounding instruments and sounds no doubt plays a major part in this. Overall, the music is very subtle; enjoyable. The pieces don’t seem to be in any particular order, and could just as easily be rearranged with the same effect.

Fripp is the sole lead guitarist, and it is refreshing to hear him leading from the front for once. Gunn’s WARR guitar has a huge range of notes, enabling him to function as either bass or second guitar as rquired, and the V drums can trigger bass lines and samples, so at times it sounds like a lot more than 3 musicians.

CD1 features 2 lengthy, jazz inflected improvs and one much shorter piece. The shorter pieces on CD2 are often excellent, with a much sharper focus — probably because it uses the better excerpts of long jams instead of the long jams themselves.

Adrian Belew wrote an accompanying short science fiction story (included in the packaging) that tries to make some sense out of the improvisational chaos. The second disc, “Vector Patrol”, seems to follow this narrative, as it consists of fourteen smaller pieces of music whose titles indicatic thematic flow.

Space Groove are for those who enjoy improvisational, low-key space music.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Adrian Belew / V-drums
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar, guitar synth

Track List:
CD1
01. Space Groove II
02. Space Groove III
03. Space Groove I
CD2
01. Happy Hour on Planet Zarg
02. Is There Life on Zarg
03. Low Life in Sector Q-3
04. Sector Shift
05. Laura in Space
06. Sector Drift
07. Sector Patrol
08. In Space There Is No North, In Space There Is No South, In Space There Is No East, In Space There Is No West
09. Vector Patrol
10. Deserts of Arcadia (North)
11. Deserts of Arcadia (South)
12. Snake Drummers of Sector Q-3
13. Escape from Sagittarius A
14. Return to Station B

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – ProjeKct One Live at the Jazz Cafe (1997) (@256)

03 Jul 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

Improvisatorial, non-conformist, heavy experimental, sound chaser King Crimson has become by the end of the millennium more than a fact, an affinity or a special side of them. It has become a genuine character, a strong brand and an always intriguing viewpoint of their music.

King Crimson delved into more research and development, exploring the capabilities of the six member line-up by forking into four subsets (frakctals). What they did to do some experimental, mostly live, mostly improvisational music in pairs.

ProjeKct One’s “Live At The Jazz Cafe”, is impressive through clear scales, rigorous composition, keen adaptation. Less abstract, more melodic; less wild, more pragmatic; stable in a convenient form. Music goes enchanting (though this word can seem out of King Crimson definition, if you think about it), being a complete of a speech done to perfect value and minute form. Serves as a good reference. Does a great impression. Speaks a veridical language. Good, simple, clean, pure, light in the meaning of fluency, nonetheless of the right mood and the right approach. A titled hint of style, a conserved and understandable crimsonian movement.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion
- Trey Gunn / touch guitar
- Tony Levin / basses, Stick, synth

Track List:
01. 4 i 1 – 6:11
02. 4 ii 1 – 3:29
03. 1 ii 2 – 4:27
04. 4 ii 4 – 7:58
05. 2 ii 3 – 4:27
06. 3 i 2 – 8:14
07. 3 ii 2 – 6:32
08. 2 ii 4 – 4:27
09. 4 i 3 – 4:32

Link in comments.

Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Vrooom Vrooom (Live 1995-96) (@256)

02 Jul 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

For a line-up which released only one studio album (Thrak) , there’s an awful lot of material by the double trio available, especially if you count in the ProjeKcts. This double set gives a good selection of live versions of 90s material, updated versions of older material, some improv and a cover version thrown in for good measure. King Crimson has always come alive on stage, and these double album show just how powerful they can be when they’re firing on all cylinders.

The two discs were recorded during different concerts, in Mexico City (disc 1, and New York (disc 2). Somewhat confusingly disc 1 was recorded 9 months after disc 2, which means that the band sounds slightly less polished on disc 2 if you listen to them in order. Although they were drawing on the same repertoire for these shows, only one piece (Thrak) crops up twice.

Disc 1 sees the mighty Crim beast launch a non stop, no holds barred assault on their audience, 60 minutes of the kind of high intensity few other bands can deliver. The first five selections come from Thrak, including a storming version of Dinosaur with Belew in fine voice. This is followed by a blast from the past as they give us The Talking Drum and LTIA II, with Bruford and Mastelotto almost matching the Muir/Bruford partnership for manic interplay. Neurotica is another bravura vocal from Belew, a white knuckle ride on a piledriving rhythm that constantly threatens to fall apart but somehow holds together. Two other oldies get the double trio makeover; Red, which sounds a bit messy compared to the version on “Absent Lovers”, and a nu-metal reworking of 21st Century Schizoid Man which works surprisingly well once you get over the initial shock.

Disc 2 is a slightly looser affair which draws mainly on Thrak and the 80s albums. The 80s material is reworked by the expanded line up to great effect, especially Elephant Talk which gives Gunn and Levin an opportunity to trade licks at lightning speed. Indiscipline shows the bands mastery of wildly fluctuating dynamics and stop/start rhythms, while the gentler songs show that the double trio was also capable of great subtlety and restraint, particularly the the closer, Walking on Air. An unexpected surprise is a cover version of the Beatles’ “Free as a Bird”, which was released at the time of these concerts. Belew does a remarkably fine job as a Lennon impersonator, and you can hear the band and audience audibly cracking smiles during this performance.

Vrooom Vrooom is a great Crimson live album, it gives a good overview of a remarkable line-up in full flight.

Line-up:
- Robert Fripp / guitar, soundscapes
- Adrian Belew / guitar, voice
- Trey Gunn / Warr touch guitar
- Tony Levin / basses, Stick
- Pat Mastelotto / acoustic drums, electronic drums, percussion
- Bill Bruford / acoustic drums, electronic drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. Vrooom Vrooom – 5:01
02. Coda: Marine 475 – 2:44
03. Dinosaur – 5:05
04. B’Boom – 4:51
05. Thrak – 6:39
06. The Talking Drum – 4:03
07. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic [Part II] – 6:13
08. Neurotica – 3:40
09. Prism – 4:24
10. Red – 7:03
11. Biker Babes of the Rio Grande – 2:27
12. 21st Century Schizoid Man – 7:37
CD2
01. Conundrum – 1:57
02. Thela Hun Ginjeet – 6:44
03. Frame By Frame – 5:12
04. People – 6:12
05. One Time – 5:52
06. Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream – 4:55
07. Indiscipline – 7:16
08. Two Sticks – 1:50
09. Elephant Talk – 5:14
10. Three Of A Perfect Pair – 4:16
11. B’Boom – 3:47
12. Thrak – 6:43
13. Free As A Bird – 3:03
14. Walking On Air – 5:35

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – B'Boom Live in Argentina (1994) (@256)

01 Jul 2008

(Review from progreviews.com, progarchives.com)

B’Boom is exactly what it says it is, an “official bootleg”. Fripp apparently isn’t that fond of people bootlegging shows, because it allows bad shows to be heard by more people (so he says). So, in an effort to let the band tap into bootlegging for the band, B’Boom came to be. As one of the first shows of the Thrak tour, it was recorded live at the Broadway, Buenos Aires, Argentina in October 1994

The concert was digitally recorded from the mainboard. Because of this, the recorded sounds are exactly how the microphones heard the performance, not how the audience heard it. This produces a very detailed live record due to the sound engineer’s unique talent.

There is a good helping of Thrak material but the real fun is listening to what this double-trio lineup does with the older material. “Indiscipline” is downright scary it’s so good: just the right mix of anger and whimsy. “The Talking Drum” and “Larks’ . . .” are really something. Some of the other Discipline-era material sounds a bit congested with the six piece group but it doesn’t detract significantly from the performance. Of course there is some improv here, notably around “B’Boom” and “Thrak”, but it doesn’t go on too long or go off on too many tangents.

This is the triumphant return of King Crimson to the live stage in the 90s.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / vocals, guitar
- Bill Brudord / drums, percussion
- Robert Fripp / guitar, soundscapes
- Trey Gunn / Warr guitar
- Tony Levin / Stick, basses, vocals
- Pat Mastelotto / drums, percussion

Track List:
CD1
01. VROOOM – 7:06
02. Frame By Frame – 5:24
03. Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream – 4:48
04. Red – 6:08
05. One Time – 5:35
06. B’Boom – 6:48
07. THRAK – 6:28
08. Improv – Two Sticks – 1:25
09. Elephant Talk – 4:25
10. Indiscipline – 7:20
CD2
01. VROOOM VROOOM – 6:18
02. Matte Kudasai – 3:36
03. The Talking Drum – 5:44
04. Lark’s Tongues In Aspic Part II – 7:31
05. Heartbeat – 3:51
06. Sleepless – 6:05
07. People – 5:22
08. B’Boom (Reprise) – 4:16
09. THRAK – 5:33

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Vrooom (EP 1994) (@256)

01 Jul 2008

(Review from allmusic)

To reward longtime King Crimson fanatics who waited ten long years (1984-1994) for new studio material, the band issued this EP of six tracks that would (for the most part) later appear on the full-length Thrak.

The band is caught at its rawest and most passionate, erasing any doubts that may have surfaced concerning whether the regrouped King Crimson could still cut it. They haven’t rocked this hard in years, the proof being in the first two songs — the long and winding instrumental title track and “Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream,” which contains some classic paranoid Adrian Belew vocals. “Cage” is a not-so-distant ancestor to their old track “Neurotica” (off 1982′s Beat), due to its message and approach. And as for the three other songs, “Thrak” is as primal as King Crimson have ever gotten; “When I Say Stop, Continue” is moody background music; and “One Time” is a slow, pretty number.

As on past releases, King Crimson are not scared to use cacophony to create musical tension — there’s lots of it on VROOOM.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / guitar, vocals, words
- Bill Bruford / acoustic & electronic percussion
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / Stick
- Tony Levin / Stick, basses
- Pat Mastelotto / acoustic & electronic percussion

Track List:
01. VROOM – 7:34
02. Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dram – 4:42
03. Cage – 1:35
04. Thrak – 7:18
05. When I Say Stop, Continue – 5:20
06. One Time – 4:27

Link in comments.

Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – EleKtrik : Live in Japan (2003) (@256)

24 Jun 2008

(Review from progarchives.com)

If your a fan of “Power To Believe” record, you have to get this live album. It was recorded when they toured Japan in 2003 and most of the songs are from that record with three songs from “ConstruKction Of Light” and one from “Thrak”. Almost 75 minutes of fantastic music and most of it is incredibly heavy.

The album doesn’t start off that way though with the “Introductory Soundscape” that has over 5 minutes of spacey music. “Power To Believe 1: (A Cappella)” is Belew singing alone in this short intro tune. “Level Five” is a heavy duty song with some amazing guitar and percussion. The guitar is screaming after 5 minutes. “Prozakc Blues” from “ConstruKction Of Light” is a humerous song with Belew singing in a deep voice. More heaviness on this one as well. “EleKtriK” features some intricate and complex guitar and percussion that gets heavy 6 minutes in. “Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With” opens heavily with some incredible guitar 2 minutes in. “One Time” is almost a refreshing break, as this laid back song from the “Thrak” album is so smooth, warm and wonderful.

“Facts Of Life” just smokes, it’s so heavy! “The Power To Believe II (Power Circle)” is kind of cool as the band brings in some eastern sounds (hey,it’s in Japan). There is a lot of atmosphere and spacey sounds that again are so moving. “Dangerous Curves” slowly builds to a hypnotic rhythm. This is a powerful song! “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic IV” and the final song “The World’s My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum” are both from “ConstruKction Of Light” album.The first one is all about the band just flat out playing one instrumental from them, while the second concentrates more on the lyrics and Belew.

EleKtrifying and eleKtrified. The combination of King Crimson high moments of the “new millenium” work and thrilling scenes pulse in the situation of a mature performance. No compromises. The live expression of beautiful.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / guitar, vocal
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / Warr guitar, fretless Warr guitar
- Pat Mastelotto / traps and buttons

Track List:
01. Introductory Soundscape – 5:05
02. The Power To Believe I- (A Cappella) – 0:42
03. Level 5 – 7:22
04. ProzaKc Blues – 6:01
05. EleKtriK – 8:01
06. Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With – 4:15
07. One Time – 6:01
08. Facts Of Life – 5:29
09. The Power To Believe II – 8:44
10. Dangerous Curves – 6:02
11. Larks’ Tongues In Aspic-Part IV – 10:33
12. The World’s My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum – 6:31

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Power to Believe (2003) (@256)

23 Jun 2008

(Review from progreviews.com, progressiveworld.net)

King Crimson exists in different bands, with different approaches, but always with a similar spirit (in composition as well as improvisation). This studio album is the second from the “Double Duo” incarnation of the band. The Double Duo unit crafts their sound with electronic percussion, MIDI guitars, touch basses, and heavily processed vocals. This is a very electronic type of music, countered with the snaky warmth so characteristic of the touch basses.

The Power to Believe has individual pieces that are similar enough to music from their history, enough to raise strong comparisons, but unique enough to stand on their own, and to be a good contribution to an ever-growing canon. Unique because this band is different, and their sound is different (more “futuristic”), and with new musical elements integrated into their sound; particularly, Pat’s techno/drum and bass techniques, a stronger metal sound, and the greater guitar vocabulary allowed by all the technology.

For example, “Level 5″ will raise comparisons to “VROOOM” and “Red”; “Dangerous Curves” will raise comparisons to “Mars” and “Talking Drum”; “Power to Believe II” to “Sheltering Sky” and “Satori in Tangiers”; “Elektrik” to “Discipline” and “Frame by Frame”; “The Facts of Life” to “Schizoid Man” and “Sailor’s Tale”; and “Power to Believe III” strongly reminds me of “Starless and Bible Black”.

However, the music here has different personalities. For example, where “VROOOM” and “Red” possess a heavy but jaunty forward motion, like a musical motorcycle, “Level 5″ has a personality that is a dark black, foreboding musical omen, a dead-serious Bartók/metal fusion. “Dangerous Curves” possesses the aggressive and atmospheric minimalism of similar earlier works but replaces the earthier textures (tablas, violin, buzzing guitars) with mechanical rhythms and electronic clouds.

Bartok-metal is perhaps a good description for a lot of music here; at least for “Level 5″ and “Facts of Life” but even parts of “Power to Believe III” reminds me of elements of Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta. Gamelan music is perhaps the other. Electrified gamelan music appears in the guitar writing of “Elektrik”, and shockingly, “Power to Believe II” contains a section that simulates a real gamelan orchestra. “Elektrik” has a fiery and ethereal beauty, with some intense dynamic changes.

“Power to Believe III” is simultaneously dark, alien, and beautiful. Beautiful in how there are moments of almost complete silence, just a ray of sound like light, and then sudden shocking stabs of the drums, and the rustling and rattling sounds, and the strange theremin-like guitar sounds with eerie harmonics. On a side note, this is a development of the “Deception of the Thrush”, which has appeared in many forms over the years in live recordings.

A lot of people knock “Happy With…”, but in my opinion the main riff is clearly satirical, the most obvious and trite riff occurring in nu-metal, and it is as mocking as the lyrics. But the “Happy with what you have” odd-metered vocal riff and drunken bumblebee guitar solo save this song from just being a throwaway satire or joke.

If you have ”The Power To Believe”, the music can take you anywhere.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / guitar, vocals & electronic percussion
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / Warr guitar, rubber bass
- Pat Mastelotto / drums

Track List:
01. The Power To Believe I-A Cappella – 0:44
02. Level Five – 7:17
03. Eyes Wide Open – 4:08
04. Elektrik – 7:59
05. Facts Of Life-Intro – 1:38
06. Facts Of Life – 5:05
07. The Power To Believe II – 7:43
08. Dangerous Curves – 6:42
09. Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With – 3:17
10. The Power To Believe III – 4:09
11. The Power To Believe IV-Coda – 2:29

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Heavy Construkction (Live 2000) (@256)

22 Jun 2008

12 comments

(Review from progreviews.com)

The Heavy ConstrucKtion improvs are quite different from the THRaKaTTaK improvs of 1995. The improvs here are closer to normal “rock” music than the freeform sounds of THRaKaTTaK. In general, the individual improvs are shorter, more focused, with stronger and more consistent themes. Stylistically, all tracks are rhythmic some beastly, some almost in ambient house style, all layered on top with guitars.

Speaking of the guitars: the team of Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp offer up their most experimental playing, featuring wild textures, wild guitar effects, wild samples, and lots of dissonance mixed with almost-melodies. Pat Mastelotto is a real monster here, with an array of whacking styles that range from a highly industrialized take on drum ‘n bass, to a more ambient house drumming style, whichever feels appropriate for the improv. He is a real master of sound here, with drum sounds that come out of a monster movie: pows, whacks, bangs, thunder crashes, gun shots, deep dark rumbles, heartbeats, all manner of crazy sounds, sometimes even carefully placed silent stretches for drama. On “Thrush” he even breaks out the crazed rattle of the tambourine. And Trey Gunn provides some funky, almost Primus-like basslines, when he can be heard. He gets the chance to shine with a lovely solo during the “Deception of the Thrush”.

The first few tracks are beastly rhythmic rockers with a funk-like sense in the bass work. Around tracks five and six, the Crim veer into a more exclusively techno/drum ‘n bass territory, where Pat is the highlight. In the middle part of the album, they delve into ambient-house like rhythms overlaid with immense guitar fantasias, delving into a surreal, psychedelic territory. There is the surreal beauty of “Beautiful Rainbow”, with its synthesized bamboo flute like sounds, deep chant like effects, and prismatic guitar playing so elusive and textured it is difficult to pinpoint the actual notes. “7 Teas” is the poison underbelly of this experience.

Then, there is the voyage into complete darkness, with tracks like “Tomorrow Never Knew Thela”, “Uboo”, “Deception of the Thrush”, and “The Arena of Terror”. “Tomorrow Never Knew Thela” consists of what seems like two sinister radio stations fighting it out over a beat ripped from the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows”. My favorite is “Uboo”, which starts with subsonic heartbeats and builds into a juggernaut with weapon-like rhythms and skronking guitars. Next up is yet another unique version of “Deception of the Thrush”. Finally, we have “Arena of Terror”, with the mad tambourine and the theremin-like guitar solo, with delirious crowd echoes mixed in.

Line-up:
- Adrian Belew / guitar, vocals
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / Touch guitar, bass, talk
- Pat Mastelotto / electronic drums

Track List:
CD1
01. Into The Frying Pan – 6:20
02. The ConstruKction Of Light – 8:29
03. ProzaKc Blues – 5:25
04. Improv Munchen – 8:35
05. One Time – 5:44
06. Dinosaur – 5:24
07. VROOOM – 4:44
08. FraKctured – 8:46
09. The World’s My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum – 7:38
10. Improv Bonn – 9:20
CD2
01. Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream – 4:30
02. Improv: Offenbach – 6:30
03. Cage – 3:54
04. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic: Part Four – 12:51
05. Three of a Perfect Pair – 3:42
06. The Deception of the Thrush – 8:26
07. Heroes – 6:09
CD3
01. Sirap – 5:40
02. Blastic Rhino – 4:13
03. Light Please, Pt. 10:56
04. cccseizurecc – 6:02
05. Off and Bank – 4:11
06. More (And Least) – 3:13
07. Beautiful Rainbow – 6:59
08. 7 Teas – 4:07
09. Tomorrow Never Knew Thela [Including Tomorrow Never Knows] – 4:49
10. Uböö – 7:59
11. The Deception of the Thrush – 10:42
12. Arena of Terror – 3:22
13. Lights Please, Pt. 2 – 4:51

Links in comments.

Adrian Belew, King Crimson, Live, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn

King Crimson – Construkction of Light (2000) (@256)

22 Jun 2008