DAVID CROSS

David Cross was of course the violinist for KING CRIMSON on the "Larks Tongues In Aspic", "Starless And Bible Black" and "Red" albums.A couple of things surprised me about this album,first of all how heavy it is at times recalling those three KING CRIMSON albums i already mentioned.Second is that David Cross doesn't dominate the sound here,in fact i know people who have complained at how little violin there is on here. Guests include Robert Fripp,Peter Hammill,John Wetton among others. "Exiles" is of course that classic KING CRIMSON track we all love.A spacey,electronic intro gives way to the music after 1 1/2 minutes.It still doesn't sound like "Exiles" until before 2 1/2 minutes.John Wetton then comes in vocally and i like the guitar that follows after 3 minutes and later after 6 minutes where it sounds even better.So uplifting.Violin follows.It ends as it began. "Tonk" opens with a nice heavy KING CRIMSON-like soundscape.Peter Hammill comes in vocally not really sounding like himself at all.More high pitched.Fripp is offering up some angular solos.Cross is content here to let Fripp and Hammill take the spotlight. "Slippy Slide" opens with tribal-like drumming as the violin lights it up.Sax follows.This is heavy stuff. "Duo" is the Cross and Frpp show as we get smothered in atmosphere from those Frippertroncs as violin comes in slowly.It all turns more powerful as contrasts continue.The atmosphere is so strong it's hard to breathe.Incredible track. "This Is Your Life" puts the focus on the lyrics that Peter Sinfield wrote,while John Wetton sings them.A laid back tune. "Fast" is just that,a fast instrumental with in your face guitar,chunky bass and scorching violin.An excellent rhythm section on this one.Ripping guitar too.An outstanding instrumental. "Troppo" features Fripp and Hammill once again.It's experimental to start then the vocal melodies come in followed by vocals.This pattern continues.Heaviness comes and goes as well.The guitar during the prolonged instrumental section is outstanding. "Here" opens with piano,sax and drums.Flute too on this one.I like how mellow it is then it kicks in before 4 minutes.The guitar is on fire 5 1/2 minutes in as they hit us with all they got.A killer instrumental.It settles back after 7 1/2 minutes but the heavness isn't finished just yet. A must for KING CRIMSON fans in my opinion.

Certainly not your typical jazz album, am I right dear readers ? We're talking about King Crimson inspired (for sure,he has to be, being with them for so long). Every song setting its own mood, some optimistic, some dark (I like it this way) and some bizarre (well, obvious choice would be Bizarre Bazaar, strange, but funny play with words) ones. This isn't by far bad album, even it's set into dark 80's (they are finally almost over and also I was born, let's celebrate and dance in the streets), even melancholic ones (closing Basking In the Blue). I'm slowly getting used to his music, which is weird (provides some maniacal laugh), but interesting. Drums sometimes sounds like drum-machine (big, sad face from me), but lack of vocals doesn't mean anything bad, let's stay instrumental for The Greater Good. For the big Enjoy.

4(-), sometimes minimalistic (I'm starting to like this word too), but managing to be interesting enough to get your attention.

Nice cover, innovative (I have to say). This is review on (let's call it) request, or at least suggestion. I have this album for some time, so I'm able to write this. But I wasn't about to do it anytime soon. Nevermind, let's begin with reviewing.

This is music that is not jazz at all, I never heard any his previous album (except his work with Crimson guys of course), so I can't compare. But one thing I know for sure, this album can be enjoyed by many. Yes, this is not one of these "only-for-elite", or these where you have to "suffer thirteen repeated listens to begin enjoying it", nope. This is good album that has a lot to offer and is offering it straight from first listen. Are We One, just slight hint, reminds me deserts, Arabian songs. Second one, States of Deception brings on little bit of promised jazz in "intro", but then it's more like something that's not so easy to describe. Because of violin, it makes everything brand new and original. One have to wonder how it's possible (it's just violin, isn't it ?), but hell, here we are and it sounds good (note that I'm not stick with second song anymore, more like talking about this album in general).

4(+), there are of course disadvantages. Guitar solos are here, yeah. But riffs sounds pretty much the same and it beats it a little bit. It's pleasant to listen (dark music a little bit, not so optimistic though except Awful Love of course), it satisfies you, but this is not so big fault that would prevent me from giving masterpiece rating. There are others of course, but in overall, it's very good album. And yes, this interesting violin can sounds disharmonic at times (mostly in climax parts).Of course, it's dominated by violin and as violin experimentation album it's masterpiece, but other instruments here sounds like just accompanying their leader, string instrument. Which is great though. So let's take this as it is and overlook this.

And I wondered why everyone so far gave 4 stars. But anyway, I'll do the same, because this feeling of repeated background is somehow fault for close listening (thorough, thinking about music you're listening, evaluating, you know).

So to answer the unspoken question, "What's closer than skin ?" It's music of course, so penetrating that it can get under your skin. Both in good and bad way of this word. In case of this album, we're talking about very good way. Almost masterpiece.

A lot of works by which musicians who were related to King Crimson participated and formed bands exist. They might always give the listener the expectation and information and be offering the enjoyment to music for the listener. The music that derives from various bands affords us the enjoyment enough as a relation.

The listener might have taken delight in music from another angle as diversity of the music that derived from a band active by the item of Prog Rock in the 80's. And, the change and advancement were indeed provided for Prog Rock and other music in the 80's when music accomplished the revolution. Band..age..catch..always..change..grope for.The work by which the musician who was related to King Crimson in the flow as one of the enjoyments participated will be able to discover the fact from which an interesting work is announced as a correlation of music.

Music exists as various elements in Music in the 80's in the deriving flow the listener the existence of this project a little valuable. And, the listener might have expected a good chemical reaction for them for the performance of musicians who were related to this project.

This band was a project done by drum player's Dan Maurer and guitar player's Jim Juhn. To start this project, they appointed David Cross and Keith Tippett. Dan Maurer and Jim Juhn showed deference to King Crimson. And, the listener might have [me]ed it to the only work by these four people the zeal of music by the shadow and the derivation of King Crimson in the period. Music by this member might have had the approval or disapproval at that time when the age of 1987 was considered. Appointment of age when this work was announced and David Cross to retire from performance almost. And, they might have created music of participated by the musician who derived from King Crimson not feeling them for a fact quite new. This album left the name as valuable music with an experimental element and relations as shape of the band that belonged exactly in the age. There is little shadow of King Crimson though David Cross and Keith Tippett participate in this album. It is music that should catch as one of the deriving music in close relation to the age. And, this project is a work of which the color of Dan Maurer and Jim Juhn has gone out strongly.

In "Sybilization", the atmosphere of the violin that flows in a piano flow and the space with the anacatesthesia is a feature. The tension is continued and it advances slowly. A glossy melody continues.

"Fourth Dimension" uses the rhythm of seven in the basis. The melody of the violin in close relation to the arpeggio of a beautiful guitar gives the listener a beautiful anacatesthesia and a peculiar impression. Such music might be an original music exactly character by this project.

A complex melody starts from "Baptism by Fire" in the form of fade In. A basic rhythm of the theme takes the rhythm of five. The wind instrument twines from the melody with the tension and the tune advances while shifting in the form of Free Jazz. The tension continues.

"Poolside" starts with heavy atmosphere. DX7 of Eric Drew Feldman that participates in the recording of the album contributes in this tune. Atmosphere advances with heavy feeling. The element of the improvisation might be strong.

"Abstract Blue" shifts to the flow with the improvisation from the theme with unique a little at once. This tune might be strongly colored by Improvisation. Feeling advanced of the band in union keeps originality. The tune gradually becomes intense and twines round another theme. The development of this part has succeeded splendidly. The end of the tune returns to the theme of the start.

"Moronathon" has the start of which the rhythm of the percussion instrument goes out ahead in the narration. The line of constant Bass is continued and the tension is kept. The rhythm is important in this tune.

In "Amnesia", originality and the anacatesthesia might be strong tunes in the tune of this album. The part where the sound of the flute twined round the composition of an intermittent rhythm originally of Bass will be reminiscent of an Oriental melody. And, the part where the theme is not felt while continuing a constant rhythm is emphasized and it advances. It might be a tune that remarkably exactly showed the age when the sound etc. of the machine parts used for the age and the tune are considered.

"Reflection" starts from a beautiful piano melody where the DeLay effect hangs. The anacatesthesia is continued and it shifts to the part where uneasiness is called. It advances as the part of Free Jazz twining round an experimental element. The violin contributes to the tune. The state that Improvisation goes out strongly is continued and the tune advances.

"What Did You Do" has a different theme in the tune of this album. As for the flow with a complex melody and ensemble in the element of Funk, the part of Fusion might be a little strong. However, the atmosphere of the tune that the band does is consistent.

"Radically Conservative" starts in the shape connected from the part of Coda of "What Did You Do". The melody that there is an anacatesthesia in the rhythm that looks like the Afro music has good atmosphere. The wind instrument twines intermittently while continuing the rhythm. Suitably to the tune that decorates the end as the entire flow of the album. might

This consistent music develops the music character to reflect the times exactly as the only project that they left. And, it is possible to talk about the performance and four ideas that did as a part with originality.

Review 57, Exiles, David Cross, 1997

StarStarStar

This album, though my only experience of David Cross post the legendary 1973-4 King Crimson, suggests a musician who has moved, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, with the times, while retaining his basic interests. Though neither as eclectic or balanced as the superb Larks' Tongues In Aspic and Starless And Bible Black albums which this violinist is mainly known for, Exiles shows many merits, and has, sometimes effectively, and sometimes less effectively, challenged my own preconceptions and ideas. Improvisation meets carefully arranged pieces with good effect, and the overall quality is fairly strong. It's a shame that a weak ending brings down the album slightly.

The basic band is technically competent, though Cross's violin and Pete McPhail's soprano sax are really the only inherently interesting parts of it, with the background violin we see in Starless And Bible Black as the most prominent style. The other playing is usually good, occasionally very good, but sometimes a little too conventional for my taste. Of prime importance to many who might be tempted by the album is the luxurious guest list, featuring one lyric by Peter Sinfield as well as adequate David Cross/band ones, and, probably of more interest, guitar from Robert Fripp, and vocals by Peter Hammill and John Wetton. Naturally, these three guests do fill their places at least capably, and John Wetton especially is a standout vocalist.

The take on Exiles will no doubt be controversial for many classic prog fans. As it is one of my favourite tracks off my favourite album, I am one of those fans. Initially, I was utterly bamboozled by the dancey synth on the opener and saddened by the absence of Bill Bruford, though the very neat incorporations of piano, slippery acoustics and more rock-based content did impress me from the start. The twists are evident, and it's clearly putting a very different stamp on a classic piece and producing a real cover rather than simply a re-performance. David Cross's connection with the piece is evident from his own alterations on the violin as well as the general calibre of the cover, and the slightly clearer Wetton vocal delivery does a world of good for Richard Palmer-James' excellent lyrical content. Not a case of being better or worse than the original, but a case of being different, challenging and interesting in its own right, and of being strong enough to let me overcome my prejudice against the trancy introduction/conclusion of the rendition.

Tonk features Peter Hammill's vocal, growling, ferocious and threatening with a couple of clever eclectic touches. Behind the rather generic metallic riff, David Cross and Robert Fripp strike ferociously with screechy violin and chaotic Fripp guitar parts. Not instant love, for me, but once I began to look at the leads more closely, it became much more satisfying and enjoyable.

The instrumental Slippy Slide, aside from featuring an odd treble-riff thing with violin and two guitars, I think, is mostly of interest for Pete McPhail's fluid soprano sax soloing, with a convincing verve, even in the fairly heavy context of the piece. The percussion part is cleverly handled, and has a fairly nice elephantine sound to it. Overall, a very energetic and high quality piece of work.

Cakes, a, no doubt improvised, piece featuring only Cross's violin and Fripp's lush soundscapes (on guitar, supposedly). Interesting as the contrast between the very chaotic, splintering violin and the reverent, haunting keys is, I really have an issue getting any imagery or concept from the long, developing piece until about the fifth or sixth minute. A highly avant-garde piece of work, with some very odd violin choices, but still not fully satisfying for me.

This Is Your Life features Sinfieldian lyrics, which are justified if only for the line 'Rainbows Are Made Out Of Tears' and a vaguely worldy sound to the percussion. Besides a sublime Wetton vocal performance, which carries the cryptic lyrics nicely, it features excellent background violin, clever additions from keys and guitars, as well as a very nice bass rhythm. The 'tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor...' a theme which will recur at the album's end is included towards the piece's conclusion. A highly original piece of work, much as it may not be the average progger's cup of Earl Grey.

The metallic opening of Fast gives way to an Arabic-feel thick violin, and fast bass, which then switches back to the quick metal piece. This pattern of various interludes followed by the metallic theme is repeated mainly throughout. Aside from the excellent fast-paced violin soloing and the neatness with which the sections merge there's not that much to commend the piece for. Solid, but too easily forgotten.

Troppo features another Hammill performance, equally good in quality, though this time substituting confusion for threat of Tonk, and complimented by an 'oh-oh' effect. This time the bass is spotlighted in the vocal sections, while some excellent dark keys and guitar (which turns out to be Fripp, looking at the booklet) come to the forefront of the instrumental section. A dark, effective and potent piece with killer percussion.

Hero concludes the album, with a largely improvisational feel. Hugely explosive guitar features, as does some more normal sax-work. The piece builds up gradually, with some reminding themes, solid playing and some very strong soloing, but it is not entirely convincing in the way it does this. The drumming feels a little bland, and the coda at the end simply doesn't give the unified/concept feel it was meant to provide. Long, meandering, and only hitting its target of creating a scenic feel on occasion.

So, experimental and powerful at times, and with plenty of integrity and an overall consistency. However, the album is probably not essential for those who are not fans of David Cross or especially fixated on the album's three guests. It is good in most parts, but would have been more pleasing to me with a little more focus on the themes of the improvisations. Not bad at all, and I look forward to discovering more of David Cross's discography. Recommended to anyone interested in seeing a well-incorporated violin in a variety of contexts. Worthy of a place in the collection of most fans of 73-4 Crimson.

Favourite Song: Tonk

Rating: Three Stars, certainly good

Low Flying aircraft is exelent album if you like King Crimson albums Lizard, In a wake of poseidon and Islands, altough is a bit more avant. The whole album is instrumental. The crew was very inspired

A very impressive album. Krimson refernces and indeed influences abound, but that's no bad thing. Interestingly, the album evokes a cross between the pummelling power of Starless/Red period Crimson with the more 'arty' compostions of the Belew-period line-up...and a fascinating mix it is! Great playing throughout by all concerned, angular riffs and fine solos to be found in abundance. Not a relaxing listen, but for enthusiats of muscular intelligent art-prog this is highly recommended!

1,5 stars really!!

After a long passage from the music scene (at least the directly), David Cross came back with a few albums in the 90's, this one being the closest to a group effort. The group comes as a quartet (with his violin and a female keyboard player) where Dillon (the bassist) sings. As usual, one has to be very careful of early 90's "prog" albums, because the era is still unfortunately all too linked with the dreadful 80's. And indeed this album shows every weakness of that awful era, from programming drums to voice and fake midi-violins. While the booklet is nicely featuring the different works from an artist painter (some of which are quite nice) , the front cover represent an Asian child

While the bassist was obviously taken for his voice timbre that is reminiscent of Wetton, and there are few slightly red hints, we are far from the Crimsonian ambiances that Cross would've liked to emulate. Most of the songs are forgettable at best; irritable at worst; and not least the lengthy instrumental Minaret is a rather predictable with its (phony) Arabian feel. We are not far away from the full cheesy Asia fondue, filled will bad synth layers. Other tracks like barbed Wires and Black Ice hold definite and indubitable prog tendencies, but simply fail to interest this writer

More than a bad album (well it is, but not that bad, apart from a solid lack of inspiration), this album suffers from the enormous clichés of the era it was recorded in. In a couple of years would come the Scandinavian wave that would really instill a new life in prog, something so much lacking (as well as a solid dose from aesthetics) in this album.

Obviously most persons' attraction for this album is the Crimson alumni guest list, and this proghead finally remembered reserving this album from the library after having heard a few times at the album's release, back in 97. I had no lasting memory from the album, which did not augur well for itself. And indeed, my memory was fairly accurate, as this album had most elements to be a killer, but turned out like a St-Elmo's fire: ephemeral and doomed to extinguish itself if it was not for some tracks that do

I remember not being impressed by the album's title and artwork, and truth be told, my initial feeling proved rather correct. The artwork proved impersonal and one of the typical "solo" album that flood the markets, and basing the title on one of the Crimson tracks hinted at its weakness. Indeed after a very tedious (and extended) remake of Exiles (Cross's best moments in Crimson) with ex-mate Wetton singing, this cover could simply not match the original and therefore it was doomed even before the first note was recorded. Of course with Fripp and Hammill participating in Tonk, the album is bound to have some highs as well, but the track is little more than an average Crimson clone of Red. The instrumental Slippy Slide is rather interesting with its slightly ethnic (Arab with both the sax and violin) feel and semi-jazz-rock feel, while the needlessly- long, dispensable and spooky ambient Cakes. Trouble really starts with the atrocious This Is Your Life (lyrically penned by Sinfield), which is an awful 80's soft-rock made-for- radio track, where even Wetton does not dare sounding like himself. Another instrumental track alternates between softer jazz-rock passages and loud Crimsonic crunches and Fast becoming one of the album's highlights. Picture a bit Colosseum II.

Troppo is another Hammill and Fripp intervention, and rather different of the other, where Fripp's guitar is inspired and the track is long an diversified and ends up as the album's second highlight. The album closes on another jazz-rock instrumental track, this time closer to XXXX's more aerial moments with a 3-ton guitar oscillating between Fripp and Satriani and ending in a weird a cappela outro.

Well, given the stars hanging around the album's sessions and the scattered Crimson ashes, this album is bound to be in Crimson aficionados' collection, but it is certainly not an essential part of it. And no part at all of this Crimson fan!! Still a fairly worthy album, though.

David Cross is the lone bearer of the sound/tone of Larks Tongue era King Crimson. Heavy, brash, and powerful. Cross assembled a fearless group to perform this off- shoot of the KC family tree. Vocalist/Bassist John Dillion sounds like a cross between John Wetton's strained baritone and Roger Waters' manic delivery, which can at times, be either pleasant or grating, depending on the tune. Paul Clark, on guitars, is the perfect foil for Cross's fierce violin excursions. Razor sharp leads intertwine on nearly every track giving the solo spots a fusionesque edge. Sheila Maloney's keyboards add depth to the rhythm section with colorful chording and repeating motifs. Sheila rarely takes the lead, her sonic space fleshes out the overall textures. Dan Mauer keeps everything on track and consistently shifts between powerhouse bashing and odd metered grooves.

The opening track, Learning Curve, makes a strong statement. Cross wastes no time in bringing his violin to the forefront over an interesting bass/drum combo. Great lyrics and scorching vocals pull you right in. Calamity shifts and slithers between sweet ambience and spiraling solo workouts. The first two minutes of Welcome to Frisco are rather torturous. A violin can be melodic, soothing, exciting or downright ear-rippingly painful. Think; cats in the throws of passion. The tune does turn around and become more listenable further on, but those first moments cause my trigger finger to hit "skip." The Affable Mister G is another study in patience. Dillion's voice is filtered through device creating a sinister effect. This song my also cause the same automatic response as "Frisco." The Swing Arm Disconnects reminds me of the slowly evolving instrumentals of Fripp & Co, without the overwhelming crescendo.

Tripwire is the most accessible song on the album. Thirty-five years ago it would have garnered a lot of airplay. Almost Asia sounding with heartfelt vocals, catchy hooks and strong melodies. I added this track to my workout MP3 player. You can work up a sweat to this one. Cycle Logical sounds like they edited the ending of The Swing Arm Disconnects and made it a seperate track. The title track is a sound collage that really never takes off, disappointing. Abo follows the slowly building blueprint, drawing in an aboriginal drumming sequence and African vocal styled repeated phrase. The song proper begins at about 5 minutes. I get a strong John Wetton vibe at this point. A fine finish to an above average album. David Cross' best work will soon follow.