THRAKATTAK

Mother Hold The Candle Steady While I Shave The Chicken`s Lip is one of the titles allotted to this collection of free-form improvs from the Crim`s `95 tour. I usually put this one in the deck when I want people to think I`m insane.

Since the 1970`s improvs have been an integral part of Crimson live shows and a couple have even made it on to studio albums ( Providence & Starless & Bible Black ) with the audience track removed and actually sound like pre-composed pieces. Theses improvs and others heard in the seventies were much more coherent than what the listener will find here with the 1990`s double trio version of King Crimson.

With the exception of the opening Thrak improv, for the most part what we get here is clusters of directionless mess interspersed with brief moments of false hope. One wonders if the 6 musicians themselves know what`s going on within the density of the confusion. Fortunately drummer Bill Bruford does his best at times to hold it together which are the album`s higher points.

These disturbing, violent, kaotic and sometimes brilliant displays of very esoteric musicianship are definitely reserved for the King Crimson fanatic, those with avante garde tastes or those who enjoyed the film Eraserhead. For more structured Crimson performances from this era B`boom: Live In Argentina or Live In Japan àre recomended. Nevertheless, I can`t help but giving it a 3½, but approach this one with caution.