Here's a recent rant of mine sent to the King Crimson Newsletter.  Check back here for a review when ConstruKction of Light - the new King Crimson record - is released in the US - late May, I think.

So, I saw a review in the Independent for The ConstuKction of Light and favourable it was not.  In fact, the reviewer had quite a pop.  The gist was that Fripp's a fine guitarist and innovator, but KC is "turgid and ponderous".  Furthermore, the current effort "bears all the hallmarks of redundant Seventies prog-rock" and "the most unbearably solipsistic music I have heard in years."

Well, what do you expect from Andy Gill?

Here's the problem.  I'm waiting here expectently for the latest KC masterpiece, but there seems to be so much negaitve vibe and hubris around that I'm also doubting that it'll be worth the effort.

Okay, so I've only caught snatches of COL online.  Fripp's admirable embrace of technology has left me a little behind.  My PC is now three years old.  I've got a 33.6 modem and I'm fed up with trying to download the latest release of whichever plug-in I need for whatever web site.  (I'll leave out my very long gripe about the Mexico City download.)

Those snatches have disappointed me.  In the four or five years since Thrak - not the best KC release, but not the worst - music has moved on, as I know Fripp, Trey Gunn and others have.  KC has not.

Conclusion: KC is redundant.  At least the current incarnation is.  It is time Fripp laid the beast to rest and pursued new avenues.  And, avenues I am sure there are.  Fripp's solo soundscapes have been left aside.  It's time for him to pick them up again moving to the future.  I don't what futures there are, but I'm sure they'll map themselves out.  And, there's a little life left in the fractals.

Ah, but is it for me to say so?  What Mr F does is for him to decide.  I am a mere audient.

Meanwhile, Live in Central Park (n.b. only available from the DGM Club, possibly dodgy Japanese import, EBay or other crroks) pops through the mail box.  What better evidence of the power, edge and restraint that KC had in it's best moments.  "Fracture" from that set is a particular example and there are countless others from each KC incarnation.  Those dynamics seem to be gone.  Strange though because they were there from time to time in the ProjeKcts work.  You would have thought KC/ProjeKcts - no difference.  And, there was magic in the Shepherd's Bush gigs in '96 (though not at the RAH in '95).  But, we know that KC is a beast unto itself.

Don't get me wrong, I am not recommending that KC reunite for a farewell tour playing the old "hits" - god forbid.  Deep down, I am sure Fripp, who knows the KC beast so well, will recognise when the time is up.  My two penneth is that time IS up.  Interesting to hear, from what little I did of the online chat (I kept losing the connection with my "ancient" technology), that Fripp now feels that KC cannot go on without him.  Telling that.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for the US release - yeah, sure I'll buy it.  But, I'm also not expecting much.  Hopefully, the tour will be better.  I expect however that KC will play in god awful big venues in the US.

As an aside, a recent poster lamented the lack of REAL MUSIC today.  What do you mean by REAL MUSIC?  There is plenty of great music out there.  Oepn your ears and take a few chances.  Check out Built to Spill's Live for one or the four experimental CDs by Sonic Youth.  Also, just about anything on the Canadian Constellation label, US Matador, UK Domino or German Kitty-yo.  Better still, read me reviews at http://connect.to/pete or http://members.xoom.com/mcclymontp

Pete McClymont
pjmcclym@erols.com
 
 

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