Collectable King Crimson, Vol. 4 [PA]

Performer: King Crimson
Engineer: George Glossop
Producer: Alex Mundy; David Singleton
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: King Crimson: Adrian Belew (vocals, guitar); Robert Fripp (guitar); Pat Mastelotto (electronic drums); Trey Gunn. The Collectable King Crimson, Vol. 4 (2009) contains the second of two shows in Warsaw, Poland during the band's Eastern and Western European excursion. The 21st century double-duo incarnation of Krim consisted of Adrian Belew (guitar/vocals), Robert Fripp (guitar/soundscapes), Trey Gunn (touch guitar/ashbory bass/talker), and Pat Mastelotto (electronic drumming) who were collectively embarking upon the first round of shows that King Crimson had performed since the mid-'90s double-trio lineup. After the extended aggregate disbanded in the spring of 1997, the greater unit split into a variety of sub-groups (ProjeKcts) and when the smoke cleared, it was Belew, Fripp, Gunn, and Mastelotto left to pick up the pieces. The resulting album, ConstruKCtion of Light (2001), was a step toward what would eventually coalesce more definitively on their follow-up, Power to Believe (2003). Their set ranged little from stop to stop and Collectable King Crimson, Vol. 4 (2009) is an apt reflection of the quartet as they unleashed selections from the recently released ConstruKCtion of Light as well as a smattering of tracks dating as far back as 1982's "Three of a Perfect Pair" -- which is given an authoritative acoustic rendering from Belew after inquiring whether the audience has "any requests." Of the newer material, the dry humor-laden grunge rocker "Into the Frying Pan" and the instrumentals "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 4" and ProjeKct Four's "Deception of the Thrush" are flawlessly rendered, with the free-form "Improv: Warsaw" being the most inspired outing of the evening in question. There are other moments that come close, including a haunting and mesmerizing "One Time." They close with a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes," which is actually not as surprising as it might initially seem since Fripp had contributed the searing lead guitar to the original 1977 studio recording. In terms of fidelity, the audio quality gets top-shelf consideration thanks to a soundboard/mixing desk source tape. ~ Lindsay Planer

Led by innovative guitarist/conceptualist Robert Fripp, King Crimson went through countless changes in style and personnel. They moved from early symphonic/progressive rock to angular, experimental improv to a mixture of hard rock and fusion before breaking up in the mid-'70s. Revived in the '80s, the group modernized its approach by incorporating Gamelan-like polyrhythms and an almost danceable Talking Heads-influenced sound into their approach. Always the coolest of the art-rockers, Crimson was also one of the most influential of the early-'70s prog crowd.

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