JAKSZYK, FRIPP AND COLLINS: A SCARCITY OF MIRACLES

A Scarcity Of Miracles is not strictly speaking a King Crimson album but a "King Crimson project" (or ProjeKct as they insist on calling it) by Jakko Jakszyk, Robert Fripp, and Mel Collins. All three men are strongly associated with King Crimson and at the time of writing they are among the current members of that band. Jakszyk and Collins also previously played together in the 21st Century Schizoid Band, an excellent King Crimson alumni group which also featured founding Crimson members Ian McDonald and Michael Giles as well as other ex-Crimson members in Peter Giles (and later on Ian Wallace). The line-up on the present outing is completed by Tony Levin on bass and Chapman stick and Gavin Harrison on drums.

Not releasing this as a King Crimson album was probably wise given that the style of the music is more mellow and laid back than much of King Crimson's music. Fripp's soundscapes, Collins' saxophones, Jakszyk's lead vocals create a rather tranquil atmosphere and there is almost nothing heavy or aggressive about this music. Nonetheless one can hear the affinities with the calmer and less aggressive sides of King Crimson. Jakszyk probably had a strong influence on this music as I can hear similarities in style with his solo album The Bruised Romantic Glee Club - an album to which both Collins and Fripp as well as Gavin Harrison also contributed (together with Ian McDonald and Ian Walace and many others).

Personally, I find A Scarcity Of Miracles a very pleasant listen and I actually enjoy it more than anything that King Crimson proper has put out since 1974's Red. (But then again I have never been a fan of 80's, 90's, or 2000's King Crimson.) However, even if it starts out great with the opening title track it does not keep the same quality throughout. The album is thankfully not very long, but still it tends to get a bit samey towards the end. It would have benefited from a couple of tracks in a different, perhaps less mellow style, but I suppose we have to wait for that until a new King Crimson album is released. The fact that Collins and Jakszyk are now part of King Crimson is promising for the future.

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