King Crimson - The Collectors' King Crimson Volume Two [3CD Box Set] (2000)

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King Crimson - The Collectors' King Crimson Volume Two [3CD Box Set] (2000)

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This three-disc set gathers two King Crimson D.G.M. Collectors' Club releases: Live at Cap D'Agde, 1982 and On Broadway: Live in NYC, 1995, respectively. Oddly, the contents within this boxed set are reversed, with the latter title featured on disc one and two and the former on disc three. On Broadway: Live in NYC, 1995 contains a composite of five shows from the double-trio version of King Crimson at the off-Broadway Longacre Theater in New York City. Enthusiasts will find a whole lot to like about this two-hour-plus performance compilation, thanks in part to the flawless sound quality, which devours the endless stream of bootlegs that quickly flooded the underground market shortly after these shows were played. Of particular note is the accurate soundstage that producer Adrian Belew re-creates - placing listeners in the dead center of Longacre's sonic sweet spot. High marks are also given to content. As the Thrak tour progressed, King Crimson's performance list was refined on a continual basis. On this release, however, many of the alternate tunes are also included - revealing a more complete performance than any single show would offer. While a majority of On Broadway: Live in NYC, 1995 defers to the Thrak album, there are also strong representations of material from the '80s. "Three of a Perfect Pair," "Indiscipline," and "Elephant Talk" are all brilliantly executed. The personnel additions of Chapman stick and bassist Trey Gunn along with percussionist Pat Mastelotto give these classic tracks new muscle and further inspiration. The instrumentals "Red" and "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II)" embody the '70s incarnation of King Crimson, adding the sonic scowl that this double-trio became noted for. The final disc contains a composite of two concurrent 1981 King Crimson performances in Cap D'Agde and Frejus, respectively. This volume captures the boundless energy and familiar musical counterpoint that would become the essence of the '80s band. The well-mixed studio-quality recording is attributed to the availability of the pro-audio and video gear being used by tour headliners Roxy Music. Those who prefer this quartet should be thrilled by this release. One can virtually hear the band attaining a newly achieved freedom with frenetic intensity and palpable contagiousness. During "Thela Hun Ginjeet," "Neil and Jack and Me," as well as "Discipline," wave upon wave of sonic energy roar through - as if the music was playing the performers.
With the addition of the multi-faceted Adrian Belew, the band's approach to balladry - such as the lilting, yet haunting "Matte Kudasai" - became redefined. A sensitive side to King Crimson is emerging. Here, the juxtaposition of "Heartbeat" between the furious tempos and polyrhythms of "Indiscipline" and the particularly ardent "Larks' Tongues in Aspic II" increases the song's emotive impact to levels rarely achieved. It should be noted that the Collectors' King Crimson box sets were specifically designed for the Asian market and are edited with respect to each title's mail-order configurations. For example, both "Thela Hun Ginjeet" and "Frame by Frame" from On Broadway: Live in NYC, 1995 have been excised for use in this volume.