USA

"USA" is for sure the best live record by King Crimson, as far as it concerns the Wetton-era lineup second only to "The Great Deceiver" box set. The performance here is really powerful and improv. tracks, well only one ("Asbury Park") sound very very inspired; the tracklist is a collection of Crimson classic tracks like "Larks' tongues in aspic p.2", "Lament", "Exiles", for instance...

The "21st Century Schizoid Man" version included on the 30th anniversary edition is STUNNING, the best version of the tune I've ever heard, in which Fripp delivers some IMPRESSIVELY VIOLENT guitar solos and Wetton's heavily distorted vocals won't make you regret Greg Lake.

"Starless" is good, too, probably not their best version of the song, but anyway it delivers some frantic moments of interplay between guitar, bass and drums, and an epic ending to the record in other words: majestic as always.

The only two negatives notes are :

1. The choice to abridge "Easy Money", why?

2. The record is quite short, in the end. Even if I really don't know if this could be considered a fault.

But, apart from this, the album is an awesome live album and I strongly recommend it to any progressive fan.

4.5 stars.