Red, 40th Anniversary Series [CD+DVD, Original recording remastered, Extra tracks]

My favourite King Crimson album. It has everything that was ever great about early Crimson (and it seemed, both at the time and now) to perfectly sum up the band's first phase. Tuneful songs, dramatic music, jazz improvisations ... Red is a powerful, emotional, crash-bang-wallop of an album which has never been far from my turntable/cd player since it was first released in 1974. I know it inside out - every word, every crash on the cymbals, every power chord, every note of Sir Robert's guitar.

So I reckon this is my fourth copy of 'Red' - the previous being the 30th anniversary edition on CD. So why buy another? The extra tracks are interesting and the video content surprisingly good (both sound and picture). But it was the anticipation of playing the re-mastered DVD version I was really looking forward to and - WOW - I was not disappointed.

The sound is warm - it reminds me of the original vinyl rather than the two previous CD versions. Playing it LOUD produces no distortion and the instruments and John Wetton's vocals are all clear and balanced. But the surprise is the mix - I hear the vocals up front; I am much more aware of the saxes, oboes, violins, even (uncredited) cellos. Wetton's tuneful bass and young Mr Bruford crashing away in the foreground have never sounded so good.

In the end, I do not really have the words to describe just how good Red is - I laughed out loud the first time I listened to this new version and it has brought a tear to the eye of this 56 year old several times in the last couple of days. Warmly - no, crashingly - recommended

What have we got?
CD with the original album stereo mix plus 3 bonus tracks.
DVD with a multitude of extras:
1) 5.1 remix in MLP (DVDA) and DTS (for all DVD players including Blu Ray)
2) Stereo version in MLP (DVDA) and PCM (for all DVD players)
3) A French TV program ½ hour of Live King Crimson from 1974 with an excellent Video and sound transfer.
4) Bonus tracks in 5.1 and stereo.
5) A booklet with sleeve notes from the enigma that is Robert Fripp

The sound quality is excellent not suffering from the curse of modern production this is pretty dynamic. The music is both well played and is heavy-progressive-jazz (That is really not a bad thing) there is also a lightness of touch especially the standout track for me `Providence' (two versions on this disc original album and full length an extra two minutes) and the surround mix discrete dynamic and opens up the sound field using the rears in a sympathetic way, this really is demonstration stuff.

If only all reissues were competed with this much care and attention to detail. Music fans buy and you won't be disappointed, this really is good.

Q Magazine placed this album in the top-twenty of the fifty heaviest albums of all time, famously a huge inspiration on the likes of Kurt Cobain and apparently Bill Bruford's favourite Crimson album (certainly with the ones he was involved with) it was also seen as the final King Crimson album. Obviously history has shown this was not the case but in 1974 Robert Fripp disbanding King Crimson certainly saddened many as the announcement had a feeling of permanency about it. However, if this had been the final Crimson release they would have gone out on a high.

The five piece line-up that started with "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" had dwindled down to the one remaining constant, lead guitarist/ringleader Robert Fripp alongside drummer Bill Bruford and vocalist/bassist John Wetton. Percussionist Jamie Muir left after "Larks' Tongues" in order to join a Buddhist monastery. David Cross had officially departed before the recording of "Red" but agreed to contribute to the sessions. With five tunes to commit to tape and an entire album to fill, the members of King Crimson inundated alumni, old friends, and session musicians with requirements of help. Several excellent musicians make guest appearances on Red, including Mel Collins and Ian McDonald (last seen in King Crimson's court on "Earthbound" and "In the Court of the Crimson King" respectively). Although the line-up is not consistent the surprising thing is the consistency of the album's feel and tone.

"Red" continues from whence "Starless and Bible Black" left off--with less is more, stripped back and lucid arrangements but this time packed with a great deal more punch. The album opens with the eponymous title-track which is a hard-hitting catchy rock instrumental with an aggressive guitar riff and features an interlude with a cello solo. A very impressive album opener that grabs you by the balls and forces you to listen: an aggressive, exciting and exhilarating listening experience.

Things calm down with the second track, musically. "Fallen Angel" juxtaposes quiet but driving rhythm with disturbing lyrics. The song is about a boy who gets his younger brother to join the gang he is in, and eventually watches him die in a fight. The verse is in 4/4 and the chorus in 6/8. Uncommonly for this period of Crimson, oboe and Alto saxophone can be heard. Interestingly "Fallen Angel" is the last King Crimson recording to date to feature Robert Fripp playing acoustic guitar.

"One More Red Nightmare" is a bloody great track. Not only the best on the album but one of my overall favourite Crimson tracks. The song is about a nightmare inspired by the fear of flying and tells the story of a man who falls asleep on a Greyhound bus. The character in the story dreams that he's riding in an airplane and awakens just before the plane hits the ground.

The songs overall riff is brilliant and has a good groove to it but as you can imagine from the title and the fact it is by King Crimson, the nightmare element (i.e. bloody scary) is in great musically talented abundance. The vocal sections are in 4/4 time, with instrumental sections in 15/8, 7/4, and 12/8. Furthermore, it is this track Ian McDonald makes his first appearance on the album.

"Providence" is experimental art jazz and highly listenable but is the albums only weak moment. For the albums tight punchy delivery the track does meander somewhat. Yet, it still retains the dark mood and tone as heard elsewhere and for that reason, it still coheres with the rest of "Red".

The final track, "Starless" returns to the albums glory and is a great way to close the album. The track is epic and in some-way harks back to "Epitaph" from "In the Court of King Crimson", mainly for its use of mellotron. It begins as a simple vocal-laden tune with the mellotron creeping in and Fripp's guitar leading the proceedings beatifically. So far, so calm--however, the track descends into a discordant jam of noise (of course, still listenable) and fades out on a despondent melancholy note.

"Red" is an absolutely brilliant album and it feels as though the moment the fantastic "In the Court of the Crimson King" was released , that absolutely brilliantly formed album, the band were reaching for this as their ultimate goal. Goal reached and all tasks carried out with great aplomb. Thankfully, we would not see the end of King Crimson but how would they be able to better this?