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King Crimson - Heavy ConstruKction CD (album) cover

HEAVY CONSTRUKCTION

King Crimson

 

Eclectic Prog

3.69 | 149 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars A Masterpiece of Progressive Rock Live Album!

This package that comprises 3 CDs set represents King Crimson's European Tour during the year 2000. CD 1 and 2 are recordings taken from DAT recordings of the front-of-house mixing desk during the KC Tour of Europe, May-July 2000. The FOH sound mixer is George Glossop who has been with KC since 1981. CD 3 is "a cohesive presentation out of a series of incoherent events" - as the sleeve says - imagine an evening of KC improvisations, complete with rouge flash photographers.

As you might have known that King Crimson whom the debut album "In The Court of The Crimson King" (1969) took the music industry by the storm where most music critics acclaimed that this album remarked the birth of progressive rock genre, has changed their music direction since 1981 with the release of "Discipline" album. If you enjoy the music of "new" King Crimson like "Discipline" album, I'm almost pretty sure that you would definitely love this album wholeheartedly. Oh yeah, for me personally, this album is a masterpiece progressive rock live album. Am I exaggerating? Of course not! These are my rationales:

First, this live album delivers King Crimson's sound at its best. What I mean with King Crimson sound here of course their music since "Discipline" album onwards where the music combines raw and rough sounds of guitar (usually played by Adran Belew) and soft, smooth guitar sound like the sound of synthesizer (usually played by Robert Fripp, KC's founding father and leader of the band). You would also hear the sound of touch guitars which also serve as bass guitar made exclusively by Mark Warr of Warr Guitars, played wonderfully by Trey Gunn. In addition to the above, you would also hear great drum playing by Pat Mastelotto and Belew's unique vocal quality. On top of regular songs from their previous studio albums, the European Tour recordings (CD 1 & 2) also include great improvisations like "Improv: Munchen". Oh yes, this improvisation (track 4, Disc 1) is really great and it's probably the "best" of any improvisations that KC has ever made. I especially love how the ambient music is combined with tight drum beats and bass lines. It flows wonderfully and creates wonderful nuance! All tracks featured on Disc 1 & 2 are great. My favorites include: "Prozack Blues" with raw vocal and guitar, "One Time", "Dinosaur", "FraKctured", "The ConstruKction of Light", "Sex, Sleep ..", "Lark's Tongue in Aspic", "Cage", "Three of A Perfect Pair" and song written by Bowie / Eno "Heroes". Really great!

As Disc 3 comprises jam session or improvisations with some regular tracks like "The Deception of The Thrush", "Arena of Terror" and song by Lennon/McCartney "Tomorrow Never Knows", it requires special qualification to enjoy the disc: you must love jamming kind of music. Otherwise, you might suffer listening to the CD. For me personally, I enjoy this Disc 3 as, again, I love the combination of rough and smooth / soft guitars and obvious and tight bass lines - the Crimson sound!

Second, let's talk about non musical thing but it helps build the overall image of the music eventually: production. This album is produced with high standards of quality with George Gossop did the mixing part. Play this CD with high volume at your stereo set! You would be amazed with the quality and do not realize that this is a "live" recording. Yes, I reconfirm that the sound quality is extremely excellent and it sounds like a studio recording!

Third, the artwork is also top notch! This is usually my first attraction point to buy King Crimson album or DVDs like "Eyes Wide Open", "Neal and Jack and Me", etc. where the cover artwork by P.J. Crook. I always enjoy listening to the CD while holding the CD case and sleeve notes. Awesome!

Well, my dear prog colleagues all over the world . what can I say, overall, about the CD package with respect to my above comments? You can see my overall rating. It tells everything and I'm telling you the truth. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Gatot | 5/5 |

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