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Yet the ProjeKct experiments weren’t ever about a single given style, but more to do with evolving beyond a creative impasse. The catalysing force this time is guitarist/vocalist Jakko Jakszyk (the only non-Crimson member present here), whose extrapolations of the initial improvised guitar duets with Fripp into ornate full-scale songs is a stunning achievement.
Whilst Fripp is hailed for his acerbic, angular playing whether with King Crimson or via his ‘wild card’ appearances with Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Brian Eno et al, there’s always been a yearning streak in his work which he gives full rein throughout. His clean and sparse lines carve a heartbreaking melodicism and aching melancholy on the title-track and undulating waves of The Price We Pay. As ever, Fripp’s incisive fretwork is devastating.
Mel Collins, playing with Fripp for the first time since 1974’s Red, was always every bit the equal of the feted guitarist. Here he focuses on concise but telling sax commentaries rather than any obvious soloing. Across the rumbling grooves of Secrets, he turns in mocking soliloquies and some spectacular soaring choruses that nag and push at the prowling gravity of bassist Tony Levin and drummer Gavin Harrison.
The sombre mood hanging over the album is matched by a terse sense of restraint which only breaks cover for the explosive paranoia of The Other Man and the discursive atonalities of The Light of Day which closes the album. An especially bleak Fripp/Jakszyk improvisation is disconsolately adorned by multi-tracked voices and gouging scrawls of acidic sax. It’s dark and powerful stuff.
A Scarcity of Miracles is a branching of the Crimson family tree with the co-option of an external member, and as unprecedented as it is unexpected. Whether it continues to grow further is anyone’s guess. On the basis of what’s here, let’s hope it does.
--Sid Smith
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Given the convoluted evolution of this project and give that all but Jakko have been members of King Crimson you would be forgiven for thinking that this would is a new `Crimson' album, however, it's not a Crimson album but is has been given the `projekct' monicor. It does not really sound like a `Crimson' or 'Projekct' album though. This is a fascinating album of groove/ frippertonics almost jazz inspired tunes given life and words by the Jakko, and could almost be a Jakko solo album but for the star studded cast, and the roots in the DGM HQ jams. Favourites on the album are `The Other Man' the closest song to Fripp cutting loose, and the closing song `The light of Day'.
Of interest to audiophiles is the accompanying DVD with not just 5.1 surround mixes of the album bringing extra air and life to the album Jakko is starting to compete with Steven Wilson for the prize of best surround mixer. You get 96/24 MLP stereo mixes of the album and for those without a DVD Audio player 48/24 PCM and DTS 5.1 Mixes of the album. Also on the DVD is an albums worth of alternate mixes and even more fascinatingly two of the Improvisations which inspired the whole project and finally a video to accompany the title track.
All in all mega package for such a low key release and great value for fans of King Crimson Robert Fripp and Jakko Jakszyk I can recommend this.
KC's music is always very sharp and somehow aggressive and disturbing, this leans more towards softer jazz impros with the usual ethereal Fripp sound and hypnotic bass lines.
The drumming is fine but doesn't sparkle. Neither does Collins whose playing is in good harmony with the rest and adds another range of sounds, but that's about it.
As for the singing, it reminds me more of the work of David Sylvian has put together with Fripp...Same kind of tone and mood.
Overall a good album, pleasant, and imho more relevant than the last two KC releases (Power to believe and construktion of light) which didn't bring anything new to the KC's catalogue.
It just lacks a bit of oomph...
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