Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly The Best Live Crimson Ever?, 14 Dec 2002
The original "USA" on Island records was never released on CD during the early 1980's and subsequently, as were all the other Crimson back catalogue albums, except "Earthbound" (thank God out now) & "A Young Persons Guide to King Crimson" (when, Robert, when???). This always seemed to me such a waste and a short-sighted approach, as the "USA" album displayed the definitive band (Cross, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford) at the height of their strength and depth. This album has moments of genius, raw power and exquisite, piercing beauty. The opening of "No Pussyfooting" into "Larks Tongues II" cannot fail to lift even the most lethargic listener into rocking along with the beat and tapping anything they can lay their hands on; Cross's violin and Wetton's voice on "Lament" have a haunting quality when offset by Fripps guitar in such a powerful way I wonder why electric and acoustic ever parted company; and, the inventive pulse of "Asbury Park" shows off Bruford's mastery perfectly. However, prepare to be humbled by Fripp's wonderful sustained riffs during the second, instrumental part of "Easy Money". It has to be the best track he ever recorded. It is beauty and pain beyond belief to listen to it. You have to hear it LOUD...and you have to be prepared to cry. Fripp's playing is exquisite. I can think of no better live Crimson album before or since...for my money the best live album ever made, even if the recording quality prevented the record company from putting it out sooner. This is the real, definitive band. Nothing else comes close!
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fine testament to this scorching version of King Crimson, 25 Mar 2004
This was the first album I owned by King Crimson, way back in 1974. At long last it has a very welcome CD release. Fripp has held back from making this available for so long as other archive performances from this line-up of the band have been available for some time, namely the 4 CD box set “The Great Deceiver” and “The Nightwatch”. The latter is the concert performance from which substantial parts of the album “Starless and Bible Black” originate from. USA was the final release before Fripp put to rest this incarnation of the band. For Crimson die-hards it includes some essential material. In particular, the improvisation based piece “Asbury Park” is outstanding. Though the basic ideas for this were investigated by the band on earlier improvisations, it all came together on “Asbury Park”. Bruford starts things off on his trademark tight snare, setting up the rhythm for Wetton to join in on crunching bass together with Fripp’s recognisable sustained guitar. But the whole piece is an ensemble marvel, with Fripp particularly searing throughout. This track has never lost it’s power and ability to make the hairs stand up on my neck. Also inspired is Fripp’s solo during “Easy Money”. This is one of his best, with Fripp at one point strangling the notes out of his guitar. Disappointingly, the track still fades out on this CD after the solo. The readings of “Larks Tongues in Aspic, Part 2”, “Lament” and “Exiles” are powerful, with “Lament” in particular bettering the studio version. This remaster is as per the album, apart from the inclusion of the extra tracks “Fracture” and “Starless”. Eddie Jobson’s overdubs also remain intact. At one point, there were plans to release this as a double CD which would have included the extended, full version of “Asbury Park”. Sadly it is not to be. Nevertheless, this release is testament enough to Bruford, Cross, Fripp and Wetton, who as King Crimson then, were one of the most powerful, imaginative live bands around.
|
|
|
|
