JAKSZYK, FRIPP AND COLLINS: A SCARCITY OF MIRACLES

It starts off with its title track. After an extended, mellow intro, a relaxed rhythm emerges, and Collins's saxophone is a nice, smooth complement. Jakszyk's voice is strong, and Harrison's drumming provides just the right amount of propulsion. On the downside, this song is a bit on the long side, and that will be a common issue throughout this album. The underlying ideas are strong; they're just stretched out a little too much.

"The Price We Pay" has a new wave feel to it at points, and Fripp's soundscapes add a lot of depth. "Secrets" takes too long to get going, but its second half is strong. Harrison's drumming is restrained but effective, and the harmonization of sax and distorted guitar works very well.

The introduction to "This House" is also overlong, though it does feature very pretty interplay between soundscape textures, wordless vocals, guitar, and sax. Once it gets going, it reminds me somewhat of the gentler moments on The Division Bell. The jazz flavors are nice, but this song is quite drawn out.

"The Other Man" features some interesting discordant stabs of guitar, and I appreciate that textural variation. Levin's bass is impactful, and the percussion is also the most propulsive it gets on this album. Unsurprisingly, this is my favorite cut on the album. The bloat is minimal, and the contrast between the album's overall gentleness and this cut's aggression is smartly balanced.

A Scarcity of Miracles ends on its longest song, "The Light of Day". Even by the standards of this release, the opening is spare. Jazzy guitar licks echo distantly, and Jakszyk's vocals are only minimally-accompanied. This song frequently hints at interesting melodic ideas, but it struggles to fully realize any of these suggestions. The instrumental closing section is dark and imposing, while also being controlled.

Overall, A Scarcity of Miracles is a decent album, but it channels a lot of Robert Fripp's tendencies toward ambient music and airy, jazzy improv. With that in mind, this could have been much, much worse, and if you're looking for something subdued but dark, this is a decent choice.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

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