Absent Lovers: Live In Montreal 1984

Performer: King Crimson
Engineer: Alex Mundy; Brad Davis; David Singleton
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: King Crimson: Adrian Belew (vocals, guitar, drums); Robert Fripp (guitar); Tony Levin (synthesizers, bass, stick, background vocals); Bill Bruford (drums, percussion). Recorded live at the Spectrum, Montreal, Canada on July 11, 1984. King Crimson: Adrian Belew (vocals, guitar, drums); Tony Levin (vocals, synthesizer, bass guitar, unknown instrument); Robert Fripp (guitar); Bill Bruford (drums, electronic drums, percussion). When Robert Fripp recreated King Crimson in the early '80s, he started with a blank slate. The new order of the day was funky, circular patterns that were equal parts Balinese Gamelan music and Talking Heads' REMAIN IN LIGHT. Reprising his role as post-Hendrix guitar hero on the latter, Adrian Belew was a driving force in the new Crimson, his more poppish, light-hearted sensibilities proving the perfect foil for Fripp. Aside from a couple of videos, this is the only live document of that aggregation, recorded in 1984 at their final performance. The African-inspired rhythms of the percussive, polyrhythmic "Thela Hun Ginjeet" and "Waiting Man" are contrasted by Belew's David Byrne-ish vocals as well as his and Fripp's guitar fireworks. Belew's arsenal of bizarre sounds blends with Tony Levin's high register Chapman Stick melodies to fine effect on "Elephant Talk." The countryish (!) "Matte Kudasai" is one of the group's loveliest ballads, achingly delivered. KC's venerated free-form fury is showcased well on "Industry," "Dig Me" and "Lark's Tongues In Aspic." ABSENT LOVERS offers a rare live view of one of the '80s most progressive (in the literal sense) bands.

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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