THRAK

This album by King Crimson was the first one that I hade ever heard the band with a double-trio line-up. It's been usual a band having two or more guitar players and also two drummers. But a band with two bass guitar players? I never heard before. So I purchased this album with curiosity how it would sound like. It's quite surprising for me at first spin of the CD which I purchased in 1995. It's a brilliant concept and it produces excellent music packed with sounds coming from different instruments. Even from the opening instrumental track "Vroom" I can sense how heavy the music is. Fripp plays the soft part of the guitar that most of the time sounds like a keyboard / synthesizer while Adrian Belew plays the hard-edge, rough ones. What I could not differentiate at first was how Tony Levin differentiate himself from Trey Gunn with his Warr Guitar. But with repeated spins finally I could get it right - probably. Bill and Pat styles are practically similar so it's no need to differentiate. But, looking at the sleeve actually we could easily separate one trio (Robert, Trey, and Pat) at left channel and another trio (Adrian, Tony and Bill) at the right channel.

By second track "Coda: Marine 475" and "Dinosaur" I can differentiate especially Adrian is now doing his vocal job as well. The music is a bit experimental in nature where there are some breaks with avant-garde style before it continues with another set of melody and rhythm section. I enjoy how guitar sounds play differently but in a good harmony. "Dinosaur" is the band's favorite live track.

"Walking On Air" brings the music to another style with practically no heavy drumming- only solid bass lines, percussions and guitar fills and nice vocal. "B'Boom" is an excellent track with powerful drums by Pat and Bill while other instruments play softly at the background. This reminds me to the band's legendary "The Talking Drum" track. "Thrak" brings the music in heavy mode with heavy guitar riffs and solid bass lines. Robert demonstrates his howling guitar sounds which suddenly turn silent and drums enter the music wonderfully. Distorted guitars between Adrian and Robert produce have made this track interesting. "People" brings the music into a groove and funky style with Adrian's excellent vocal. It's an enjoyable track.

"One Time" is my all-time favorite. The song is simple in structure relying its rhythm section on heavy bass lines and drum beats which accompany melodic and powerful vocal by Adrian. Guitars provide their fills and serve as rhythm section. This track is also the band's favorite live track. "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" is the band humorous performance with varied vocal styles of Adrian, including those with distorted and distant singing style. "Vroom Vroom" is like the ending part that summarizes all music of this album - it's like a reprise. This is finally concluded with "Vroom Vroom: Coda" with almost all instruments are performed in distortion style. It's good to close the album.

Overall it's an excellent (and almost perfect!) album that prog fans must have. If you appreciate the band's "Discipline" album music style, "Thrak" represents further development of the band musical concept. It's recommended. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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