King Crimson: Radical Action To Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind
Author: Andy Robson
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Musicians: |
Tony Levin (b, stick) |
Label: |
KCXP5001 |
Magazine Review Date: |
Dec/Jan/2016/2017 |
RecordDate: |
2015 |
After a couple of lumpy live preludes, the Crimson clan have now released a package that will satisfy fans new and old. The psychedelics, heavy dudes and jazzers alike will savour this 4CD package. Most intriguing is that this post-2014 incarnation of the band is the first to embrace music from many of their past phases (but tellingly not from the early 1980s Adrian Belew years). Indeed, the third disc is even called ‘Crimson Classics’, kicking in with a rumbustious ‘Red’ (saved by Collins soprano soarings), and climaxing, doubtless to the joy and wonder of all, with ‘The Court of the Crimson King’ and, yes, ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’. If not quite tipping the show into Greatest Hits territory, there's something curious about these re-runs: the three-drum unit feels leaden and Jakszyk's identikit vox are too smooth; again it's Collin's contribution, notably on flute, that brings some needed lyricism. But the ‘Mostly Metal’ disc retains a thundersome intent and there's the inevitable performance DVD which shows off the band's current dapper dress sense.

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