King Crimson - THRAK: 30th Anniversary Edition


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Virgin
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 53:16:00

This version of the King Crimson lineup is my favorite, with the core players Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Adrian Belew and Bill Bruford (additional musicians were drummer/percussionist Pat Mastelotto and bassist/guitarist/Chapman Stick player Trey Gunn).

THRAK: 30th Anniversary Edition is a much more than just a reminder of this 1995 release that characterized the band's sound in the '90s; it is a demonstration of what truly defines progressive rock. After 10 years away from the studio, they returned with a roar with this splendid album. For the best possible sound, all of the tracks are digitally remastered. The CD comes packaged with LP gatefold style sleeves on quality cardboard with lyrics to each song.

Although they are a progressive rock band by designation, their music has always been dissimilar enough to cross over into other styles to make it more appetizing for those listeners that cannot handle the constant intensity that prog-rock has built its reputation on. Bear in mind this is not a pop fest by any means, it rocks hard with the intent of blowing your mind with multiple and odd time signatures that have quick changes. I am merely stating that elements of other styles can soften the blow a bit to ears not accustomed to this kind of music. I think most people would like the way Belew sings a song; the singers that have influenced him come through often enough so you make some kind of correlation with what you have heard in the past. He was also the main songwriter for the band. If you have not heard the ultimate bass player, the unparalleled Tony Levin, you will on this album, though I imagine you have at some point because he has played on so many albums over the years. He is a standout on bass as usual and I would not expect any less from the man, he fits the mold of the musicians musician whenever and with whomever he records with. It goes without saying how masterful Fripp and Bruford are with their instruments.

Even though they have always been a progressive band they still manage to fall somewhere in the middle of rock-pop and progressive during phases of certain songs. "Dinosaur,? which is the best track on the entire CD, is a real rocker with just a smattering of their stronger progressive side, conversely when you listen to classics like "Vroom Vroom,? their personalities prevail and as a result blossom through their instruments. They were, and remain, a very intricate and inventive musical machine capable of just about anything, with or without vocals in a song. Always a groundbreaking band, it did not matter what decade they were recording music as long as the genius of Fripp was present to lead them down the path of musical excellence.

This is the latter day King Crimson enjoying one of their finest hours. I highly recommend this reissue.


Tracklisting:
Vrooom (4:37) / Coda: Marine (2:41) / Dinosaur (6:35) / Walking On Air (4:34) / B'boom (4:11) / Thrak (3:58) / Inner Garden 1 (1:47) / People (5:53) / Radio 1 (0:43) / One Time (5:21) / Radio II (1:15) / Inner Garden II (1:16) / Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream (4:48) / Vrooom Vrooom (5:57) / Vrooom Vrooom: Coda (3:00)

Musicians:
Adrian Belew - guitar, voices
Bill Bruford -percussion, drums
Trey Gunn - bass, Stick, background vocals
Robert Fripp - guitar, Mellotron, soundscape
Tony Levin - bass, backgournd vocals, upright bass
Pat Mastelotto - percussion, drums, electronic drums

Discography:
In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969)
In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970)
Lizard (1970)
Islands (1971)
Earthbound (1972)
Larks' Tongues In Aspic (1973)
Starless & Bible Black (1974)
Red (1974)
USA (1975)
Young Person's Guide To King Crimson (1976)
Discipline (1981)
Beat (1982)
3 Of A Perfect Pair (1984)
The Compact King Crimson (1987)
Frame By Frame, Vol 1: 1969-1974 (JP) (1991)
Frame By Frame: The Essential King Crimson (1991)
The Great Deceiver, Vol. 1 (Live 1973-1974) (1992)
The Great Deceiver, Vol. 2 (Live 1973-1974) (1992)
The Concise King Crimson (1993)
Vroom (1995)
Thrak (1995/2002)
B'Boom: Official Bootleg - Live In Argentina (1995)
Thrakattak (1996)
Epitaph, Vols. 1-2 (1997)
Epitaph, Vols. 3-4 (1997) Night Watch (1998)
Space Groove (1998)
Absent Lovers: Live In Montreal 1984 ()
Live At The Marquee, 1969 (1998)
Live At Jacksonville, 1972 (1998)
Live At The Jazz Cafe (1998)
Live Groove (JP) (1999)
Live At Cap D'Agde, 1982 (1999)
On Broadway: Live In NYC 1995 (1999)
West Coast Live (JP) (1999)
Masque (JP) (1999)
Live In San Francisco: The Roar Of P4 (1999)
The VROOOM Sessions, 1994 (1999)
21st Century Schizoid Man (JP) (1999)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol. 1 (JP) (1999)
Essential King Crimson (1999)
The Deception Of The Thrush (UK) (1999)
The Projekcts (UK) (1999)
Live At Summit Studios: Denver, 03/12/1972 (JP) (2000)
Live In Central Park, NYC '74 (2000)
The Construkction Of Light (2000)
Discipline: Live At Moles Club, Bath 1981 (2000)
Heavy Construkction [Live] (2000)
Live At Plymouth, 1971 (2000)
Nashville Rehearsals, 1997 (2000)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 2 (JP) (2000)
A Beginner's Guide To Projekcts (JP) (2000)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 3 (2000)
A Beginners' Guide To King Crimson Collectors' Club (2000)
Live In Mainz 1974 (2001)
Live In Berkeley, CA 1982 (2001)
Projekct Two: Live In Northampton, MA July 1, 1998 (2001)
Live In Detroit, MI 1971 (2001)
Vrooom Vrooom (2001)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 4 (JP) (2001)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 6 (2001)
Shoganai (2002)
Live In Nashville, TN 2001 (2002)
Live At The Zoom Club, 1972 (2002)
Earthbound [Live] (2002)
Live In Hyde Park: July 5, 1969 (2002)
Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With (ep) (2002)
Ladies Of The Road [Live] (2002)
Champaign-Urbana Sessions January 17-30, 1983 (2003)
The Power To Believe (2003)
Projekct One: Jazz Cafe Suite (2003)
Live In Orlando, FL 1972 (2003)
Official Bootleg Volume One (2003)
Live In Guildford, 1972 (2003)
Elektrik (2003)
The Power To Believe Tour Box (2003)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 7 (2003)
Live At Fillmore East, 1969 (2004)
Live In Philadelphia, PA 1982 (2004)
Projekct Three: Live In Austin, TX March 25, 1999 (2004)
The 21st Century Guide To King Crimson, Vol 1: 1969-1974 (2004)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 8 (2004)
Live In Heidelberg, 1974 (2005)
Live In Warsaw, 2000 (2005)
The 21st Century Guide To King Crimson, Vol 2: 1981-2003 (2005)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 9 (2006) Live In Mexico City 1996 (JP) (2006)
The Collectable King Crimson, Vol. 1 (2006)
Live In Munich, 1982 (2006)
Live At The Wiltern, 1995 (2006)
Cirkus (2006)
Cirkus: The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson (2006)
Collectors' King Crimson, Vol 10 (2006)
The Condensed 21st Century Guide To King Crimson: 1969-2003 (2006)
Live In Alexandria, VA 2003 (2007)
Live In Denver, CO 1972 (2007)
Live In Kassel, 1974 (2007) The Collectable King Crimson, Vol2 - Live In Bath 1981 (2007)
Collectors' Box, Vol 1: 1969 (2007)
Collectors' Box, Vol 2: 1971-1972 (2007)
Collectors' Box, Vol 3: 1972-1974 (2007)
Collectors' Box, Vol 4: 1981-1982 (2007)
Collectors' Box, Vol 5: 1995 & After (2007)
Live In New York, NY 1982 (2008)
The Collectable King Crimson, Vol 3: Live In London, Pts. 1-2 1996 (2008)
40th Anniversary Tour Box (2009)
Collectable King Crimson, Vol 4 (2009)

The Noise: Live At Frejus '82 (DVD) (1985)
Live In Japan 1995 (DVD) (1996)
Deja Vroom (DVD) (1999)
Eyes Wide Open (DVD) (2003)
Neal And Jack And Me: Live 1982-1984 (DVD) (2004)
Inside: 1972-1975 (DVD) (2005)
In Concert, Tokyo 1995 (DVD) (2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: February 11th 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.king-crimson.com
Hits: 2431
Language: english

  

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