VA - The Many Faces Of King Crimson (2016)

Crimson disbanded in '84 (one of several sad breakups) but re-formed a decade later as a 'double trio' consisting of Fripp, Belew, touch guitarist Trey Gunn, bassist/stick player Tony Levin, and drummers Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto. Then in 1997, it was time for another chapter of Crimson. The plan: To 'fractalize' into four 'research and development' units (as Fripp says). The Projekcts were born. Ironically, the first one deployed was Projekct Two, an outfit consisting of Fripp, Gunn, and Belew, who instead of playing guitar, handled Roland V drums (hardly a surprise, considering he was a drummer before he become a guitarist). 'The whole idea really was that the Projeckts would lead us to some basic building blocks that we would then turn into songs and formal pieces of music,' says Belew.

Enter The ConstruKction of Light, which goes where no Crimson record has gone before and features Fripp, Belew, Gunn and Mastelotto. Eye-brow raising, but in a good way, are 'Into the Frying Pan' (with its lurching techno groove and screaming guitar leads), the aformentioned blues tune, 'Larks, Tongues In Aspic Part 4' (yep, the 'Tongues' saga continues), and 'FraKctured' (presenting some of the most dazzling guitar parts of Fripp's illustrious career). In order to truly understand the present, one needs to have a firm grasp of the past. Here, Fripp chronicles the illustrious history of King Crimson.

TRACKLIST

CD1: The Many Faces Of King Crimson

01. Anthony Phillips Feat. Andy McCulloch - Salmon Leap
02. Iona Feat. Robert Fripp - Divine Presence
03. Peter Sinfield Feat. Boz Burrell & Ian Wallace - The Night People
04. Gordon Haskell - Wonderland
05. Jamie Muir, Michael Giles & David Cunningham - Cascade
06. Pat Mastelotto & Trey Gunn - Thunderbirds In Thirds (Edit)
07. Sandy Dillon & Hector Zazou Feat. William Rieflin - Still Moving In Fear
08. Peter Sinfield Feat. John Wetton, Mel Collins, Keith Tippett & Ian Wallace - The Song Of The Sea Goat
09. Johnny Warman Feat. Tony Levin & Jerry Marotta - Walking Into Mirrors
10. Jamie Muir, Michael Giles & David Cunningham - Ghost Dance
11. Peter Sinfield Feat. Greg Lake - Still
12. Johnny Warman Feat. Tony Levin & Jerry Marotta - (S.O.S.) Sending Out Signals

CD2: Giles, Giles & Fripp

01. Giles & Fripp feat.Ian McDonald - I Talk To The Wind
02. Giles & Fripp - Make It Today
03. Giles & Fripp feat.Ian McDonald - Wonderland
04. Giles & Fripp - Suite N° 1
05. Giles & Fripp - Newly-weds
06. Giles & Fripp - Why Don't You Just Drop In
07. Giles & Fripp - Erudite Eyes
08. Giles & Fripp - Scrivens
09. Giles & Fripp - She Is Loaded
10. Giles & Fripp - Digging My Lawn
11. Giles & Fripp - Tremelo Study In A-major (Spanish Suite)
12. Giles & Fripp - Hypocrite

CD3: Fission Trip

01. Fission Trip - Make It All Up
02. Fission Trip - Sonething's Going On
03. Fission Trip - Spectrum
04. Fission Trip - Master
05. Fission Trip - Going
06. Fission Trip - Santa Maria
07. Fission Trip - Silent Life
08. Fission Trip - The Valley Below
09. Fission Trip - Better Be Right