THRAK

After ITCOCK I had problems in following KC. I never really entered into their music even if the lineups during the years have included people that I have appreciated a lot with other bands. So for some strange reason one day I tried to listen to something more recent.

Thrax was quite a surprise. Not fully in my pot but good enough to me. I think the reason why I like this album is that I'm almost a newbie with KC so I don't have particular expectation and I don't have phylosophical consideration to do about this re-entry after some years of silence or about Belew singing.

I just hear good progressive with a bit of funky contamination (but just a bit) thanks to Tony Levine's bass and Trey Gunn's stick. It's also strange seeing that the stick is played by Gunn as the first time that I've seen one it was played by Levine.

I've also liked a lot the "radio" and "Inner garden" interludes. Adrian Belew's voice is not my favourite. It makes me think to Chris Rainbow on "Pressure Points", but I think it's because the other KC album that I really know had Greg Lake singing.

Highlights for me are tracks like Dinosaur or One Time, but the average level of the whole album and also the production is high. Nothing to say about drumming, of course. Bill Bruford can't be discussed and the fact that I'm unable to distiguish what is played by him and what by Pat Mastellotto is a good point in favour of the second.

Respect to their historical early albums like Lizard or Islands, this one is more easily approachable and this will hopefully help me in appreciating also the old things when I'll decide to retry with them.

4 stars from a KC newbie.