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David Cross - Closer Than Skin CD (album) cover

CLOSER THAN SKIN

David Cross

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

4.04 | 39 ratings

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SouthSideoftheSky
Special Collaborator
Symphonic Team
4 stars More than close

Despite the fact that both Robert Fripp and John Wetton (as well as Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator) contributed as guests to his previous record Exiles, Closer Than Skin is the David Cross solo album that comes closest to the sound of King Crimson of which Cross was a member between 1972 and 1974. The band that Cross assembled around himself here is really strong and they are a very solid unit as also evidenced by the very good live album Alive In The Underworld recorded shorty afterwards. The material presented here is also strong and I would say that not only is this Cross' best studio album as a solo artist but it is also better than anything released by King Crimson since the 1970's! However, the aforementioned live album is the optimal place to start with David Cross as that album gives a better overview of his whole career featuring several King Crimson songs as well as songs from most of his solo albums including two from the present album.

Being Cross' main instrument, the violin is of course omnipresent in this music but he leaves equal space to the other members. Guitars, vocals, bass and drums are excellently played and important elements. There is however less keyboards than on previous records. This music rocks rather hard and occasionally approaches Metal territory. In those moments where the music takes on a Middle Eastern flavour the band Orphaned Land comes to mind! Also Fates Warning can be a relevant comparison at some points.

When I first started listening to this album I thought that many of the songs sounded similar to each other, but on many further listens they started to distinguish themselves more and the album as a whole kept growing on me. Closer Than Skin is a very good album! If I should complain about something is has to be the fairly dull cover picture.

Highly recommended in addition to Alive In The Underworld

SouthSideoftheSky | 4/5 |

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