King Crimson - Red 30th Anniversary Edition Remastered

Grand and Compelling

The third album of the Fripp-Bruford-Wetton incarnation of King Crimson, it is also their most consistently realized. It's the album that finally puts on tape what Fripp seemed to be trying to conceptualize when he put together a new line-up for Larks' Tongues in Aspic, when he finally shucked off the lyrical hippie-trappings of the founding Crimson in favor of his muse's excruciatingly cerebral logic-rock. Brainy, however, does not mean anemic in Fripp's world, as he and crew plow their way into a soundscape of the most visceral noises imaginable. All the more impressively given that this is music from 1974. Recorded yesterday, it could still cause a stir (I'd hope), with the remastering only adding to the sonic pleasures of the disc. So it seems only logical that, after such a total realization of one's musical vision, that the band was disbanded (until seven years later, when Crimson would rise again in a new, radically altered form).

The album opens with the instrumental "Red", and has more musical interest in the first thirty seconds than most progressive rock albums: a rising scale over a distinctly exotic chord progression modulates around the fretboard three times in 5/4 to end finally on a totally delicious, metallized chord. The main riff then kicks in (midtempo, heavy, in alternating time-signatures), Fripp's guitar and chord progressions already in wholly new country, Wetton's bass thrumming along underneath and Bruford popping accents in all the right most unexpected places. This gives way to a middle section of intensely restrained chords under which growls what sounds like an enormously amplified, ultradistorted cello. The main theme returns, and the song ends as it began, with the opening scales. It's an exquisitely realized masterpiece, and might even be Fripp's most inspired composition to date.

"Fallen Angel" takes us into more conventional territory musically, but the conventionality actually enhances the song. On the face of it, the song is initially a rather soulful, semi-acoustic piece, sung with more conviction and power than Wetton has previously managed. But while the verse is comfortingly conventional, the chorus itself thunders in with a thick, heavy guitar arpeggio (reminiscent of the heavy guitar line from the Beatles' "She's so Heavy") glossed over with saxophone. Virtuosity has given way here to (guitar) orchestration and layering. The richness and thickness of the sounds, and the tact that Fripp displays for instance when he buries a shredding skysaw riff almost entirely in the mix, is what gives the piece such power.

"One More Red Nightmare", by contrast, begins unabashedly with what sounds like a growling, thick variation on the closing lick from "Lament" (on "Starless and Bible Black) with twisted parallel harmonies. The bridge, still avoiding pure showmanship, has jangly guitar with a heavily wah-wah pedaled "lead". As in "Red", another bridge section has articulated guitar with the bass hammering out the lead, this time with sax and wah-wah guitar to just add even more depth to the sound. A minor quibble: Wetton vocally seems not as up to the same level here as he demonstrates throughout the rest of the album.

"Providence", an improvisation from the city of the same name, follows. Needing to fill out side two on the original album, Fripp finally opts for a live artifact, rather than inventing some unconvincing filler and hiding it behind the label of art-rock. Like many Crimson improvisations, this one takes a bit to get its legs, but when it finally kicks in full bore, one assumes it was a no-brainer selecting this piece for "Red". The remastering really makes itself felt here, bringing out the phenomenal power of the live band. And, quite frankly, the squawks and shrieks David Cross tortures out of his violin are pretty nifty.

The album ends with "Starless", one of the greatest things ever penned by Fripp. Opening with a haunting mellotron and lead, the music steps back to let John Wetton have his finest moment at the mic. (He would hit this highpoint again on UK's "Carrying no Cross", which structurally resembles "Starless".) The song runs through the conventional verse-chorus structure twice, then reprises the opening guitar lead again. Nothing special compositionally so far-just exquisite orchestration, exemplified by the cello that accompanies Wetton when the verse next returns. But then comes the bridge, which is pure must-hear. Fripp alternately twangs away on one note at a time, while Wetton picks out an extremely cool, extremely slow bass line in 13. Bruford, naturally, is adding color and accents, but it is the guitar and bass that rivets your attention. Slowly, and very patiently, the bass line (growing more and more wickedly distorted as it goes) and lone twanging guitar note modulate and repeat around the fretboard, until Bruford officially joins in. The whole thing builds to an exceeding intensity, at which point Fripp unleashes a solo of nothing but wailing, bent notes, the bass fully tweaked up, the drums a forest of cymbals and accents.

Unfortunately, a horrible thing then happens. Wetton repeats the 13/4 riff at about 8 times the original tempo, Fripp uses his guitar as a crash cymbal, and a rather sorry saxophone plows right through the middle of everything. The second time through this accelerated version of the slow riff there is no sax, and Fripp is replaying his bent-note solo, but the damage is done. It's this compositional lapse of taste that puts "Starless" on a tenuous footing for "Best Old King Crimson Song Ever" (which probably goes to "Fracture"). Despite this stumble, though, the opening theme then returns with a vengeance, suddenly opening up into a sonic richness that is genuinely breathtaking to listen to. Here is the grandeur Fripp wanted, but couldn't find, for the closing of "In the Court of the Crimson King".

I can only imagine how it must have felt for the band as the final notes of this album first rang in their ears. I'd've been overwhelmed with the sense of accomplishment. August 20, 2008

Red Hot and Heavy

This album has been called one of the heaviest of all time, it's all that and more....not dance music for sure, but if you like prog rock and/or power trios, you cannot possibly go wrong here...don't play it for your girlfriend unless she's a hard driving musician herself! July 19, 2008

Mahavishnu wannabe

I've been a Crimson fan from the beginning. I bought "Court" at age 14; it was my first album and still one of my favorites. That said, "Red" and other albums by this lineup of KC have never been among my favorites because they are rather pale and obvious imitations of the work of Mahavishnu Orchestra and other jazz/rock fusion bands of that era. Crimson should be Crimson - unique and like no other. KC really didn't come into their own again until the Thrak era. July 12, 2008

Great album, but the remaster isn't hugely different

Red 30th Anniversary Edition Remastered Red is one of my favorite all-time albums, and I was hoping that the remaster would really bring out something I hadn't heard. But turns out, the original CD version was pretty darn close to the remaster, so it's not a night 'n' day comparison.

By contrast, the remaster of Pink Floyd's first two albums was unbelievable, as if the music had just been recorded yesterday. The Red remaster is slightly brighter, but the flat muddiness and high compression of the first track is still there, and I was hoping the remaster would open it up a bit more. Still my favorite track, though. June 8, 2008

Scorching Hot Crimson Compositions

This landmark November 1974 is equally a grand moment in the band's career and what also seemed to be a high-octane coda.

Recorded in July and August, Robert Fripp disbanded the group in late-September, which meant the album was issued without an accompanying tour. Though supplemented with a number of musicians - Mel Collins (soprano sax), Ian McDonald (alto sax), Robin Miller (oboe), Mark Charig (cornet), David Cross (violin) - this is Fripp's venue, as he masterfully weaves guitar dubs throughout the compositions.

The title track contains one of the greatest guitar solos from a recording studio, with Fripp taking his playing to incredible heights. Starless is arguably the finest track recorded by the group up to this point and remains a crowning achievement in a vast catalog of quality work.

With John Wetton (bass, vocals) and Bill Bruford (drums, percussion) delivering in wickedly wonderful fashion, the album defies time, while re-defining the power trio concept.

May 26, 2008

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