EPITAPH, VOLUMES ONE & TWO

This double disc release deals with presenting live material from the first KC lineup and it contains extracts from various gigs like the Fillmore East and The Fillmore West (which occupy all disc 2) and BBC sessions from back in 1969. The sound quality is not always brilliant on volume 1 while the second is very good indeed, anyway the playing level from every musician is superbe. Some higlights are for sure "21st Century Schizoid Man" live at Fillmore East (on volume 1) and also the one on disc 2 live at Fillmore West, which are incredibly powerful, featuring incredible bass lines, violent guitar solos and jazzy sa :perhaps more bombastic than the one on "USA" that I personally consider out of this world, very good Epitaph from the BBC sessions and "Mars" a revisitation of Holst original piece of music...a grandious climax which starts from nothing and rise up to extremely high dynamics (with bass and drums ostinatos and disturbing dissonant mellotron lines): a sort of clichè from King Crimson later material (The Talking Drum, Dangerous Curves). If you like "In The Court Of The Crimson King" and KC first lineup generally speaking this album is perfect for your tastes. I wouldn't consider it a masterpiece due to the raw production, anyway it's amazing and most of all is the definitive live collection from this period of the band (this last particular is true also for volumes 3 and 4, which I'll review very soon).