HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE HAPPY WITH

Having been a longtime Crimson fan, I should probably like this. But I can't. It bares no resemblance whatsoever to the 60's or 70's King Crimson, and barely any resemblance to the 80's Crimson, even though 1/2 of the band is still the same. And it just flops around like a sick fish, not accomplishing much.

Some of the songs are an ugly grunge-sounding mess (the title track and Larks Tongues IV). The only worthwhile songs are the somewhat heavy Potato Pie, bell-like percussion instrumental Shoganai, quiet Eyes Wide Open, and the hidden track of excerpts in Clouds. But even those are a far cry from the classics from earlier Crimson releases.

If Fripp and Co. are going to release junk like this, they ought to do it under a different band name, and not drag "KING CRIMSON" through the dirt.