AAJ Review: King Crimson, Radical Action (To Unseat The Hold of Monkey Mind)

[AncientChord]

Wow what an articulate and extensive review. You were spot-on about all the different aspects of the product. And I agree with just about everything you said on it. And you were so right about the way that the group has rearranged many of the classics and left room for a staple of the band which is improvisation, which has always been at the heart of the bands essence. None of the old songs sound stale or worn out. Everything sounds fresh, vital and renewed, unlike what groups like YES are doing. There is absolutely no lack of energy to hear, just the real thing and like the band was always doing they just keep progressing. Congratulations on such a well thought-out review

[Spiral]

You mention 'Red' and that's one song where the revamping by the new lineup doesn't quite win me over. ... And in all truth, the only track that I just end up skipping is 'Level Five.' That's on me though...that piece is so near/dear to my little heart that I simply can't appreciate a different take on the song.

Interesting. Those are two of my favorites from this septet. I've always said the post-80s songs are the ones that benefit most from the difference in tones (particularly flute/sax instead of all guitars and electronics). Mel's L5 solo is just as much of a high point for me as Adrian's was. Meanwhile the early-years stuff doesn't stand out as much to me due to sticking closer to the old blueprint, but "Red" is one instance where they've found a noticeably new angle.

[rottersclub]

Thanks, man. This helps. Anyone willing to tough it out and read over 6,500 words of the kinda density I seem unable not to do (as Rottersclub will happily attest)? It's gotta be at least not half bad 😎

Seriously, thanks. That's very flattering.

Guilty as charged.

[Spiral]

so far, barring this, it's been met with (surprisingly) deafening silence. Which surprises me.

Well geez, some of us are only starting to catch up. As I write this it's not even 9AM on Monday and I've barely had a chance to read anything from the weekend at all.

But back to the point: I realize it's not a totally apt fit, but I do think arguments could be made for it. Do you not think Frippertronics/Fripp & Eno and Soundscapes have created new genres?

I'd rather say they were adapting or synthesizing existing things. Neither was an instance of the artists doing something entirely new for the first time (not that they claimed to be anyway, AFAIK), but they were putting a stamp on an obscure idea and making it... marginally less obscure.

But that's just nitpicking. I'd agree that RF and MD have more than a few similarities, musical and otherwise. The question of "creating" a genre vs. "stretching" or "gear-shifting" is really irrelevant. Putting an innovative spin on (or synthesizing and adapting) existing things can be just as exciting as creating a genre from scratch. I wouldn't know how to distinguish the two anyway, and there's definitely some overlap between.

[battema]

Interesting. Those are two of my favorites from this septet. I've always said the post-80s songs are the ones that benefit most from the difference in tone (flute/sax instead of all guitars and electronics). Mel's L5 solo is just as much of a high point for me as Adrian's was. Meanwhile the early-years stuff doesn't stand out as much to me due to sticking closer to the old blueprint, but "Red" is one instance where they've found a noticeably new angle.

Sure. It is definitely a case of bias on my part; I very much prefer the electronics to the winds (I'm not very much of a sax fan in general, no matter how amazing a player Collins is). Not saying it's wrong/ruined/horrible...but I personally greatly prefer the prior versions.

If the worst thing I have to do is just hit "next track" once in a while, then I'm not exactly suffering here

[Mister Triscuits]

So, before entering into a review of Radical Action (To Unseat The Hold of Monkey Mind), Crimson's lavish three-CD/single Blu Ray set--culled largely from its 2015 performance in Takamatsu, Japan, with additional material from two nights elsewhere in Japan and farther afield, as well as including three tracks ("One More Red Nightmare," a new song introduced in 2015, "Suitable Grounds for the Blues," and "The Light of Day")--a couple of responses:

Is there something missing from this sentence, concerning the three tracks?

[jkelman]

Wow what an articulate and extensive review. You were spot-on about all the different aspects of the product. And I agree with just about everything you said on it. And you were so right about the way that the group has rearranged many of the classics and left room for a staple of the band which is improvisation, which has always been at the heart of the bands essence. None of the old songs sound stale or worn out. Everything sounds fresh, vital and renewed, unlike what groups like YES are doing. There is absolutely no lack of energy to hear, just the real thing and like the band was always doing they just keep progressing. Congratulations on such a well thought-out review

Thanks YOU, for such particularly kind and generous words. All I can say is: I keep trying to improve, and I do think this may be one of my best long-form pieces.

Thanks again!

[jkelman]

Guilty as charged.

You're a good friend

[jkelman]

Well geez, some of us are only starting to catch up. As I write this it's not even 9AM on Monday and I've barely had a chance to read anything from the weekend at all.

...I know investing time to read 6,500 words is no small one so, believe me, I am absolutely not being critical of silence as a whole. And, frankly, while it's always nice to hear, nor am I pumping people for kind words about the writing. I'm just happy to see that it has been read over 12,000 times since published just two days ago, and leapt to the #1 position on our "Most Read Reviews of the Past 30 Days" list about 36 hours after it first ran.

Hope this clarifies...and yes, I do appreciate peoples' generous words...but I'm actually more appreciative if the article engenders discussion, as that's always my hope. But no, I wasn't intending to criticize people who've not yet had the time to tough it out through such a long piece; quite the contrary, I really,appreciate that so many people do!

But also consider: my comment about silence wasn't just directed at PE; you are only the second person to raise the Fripp/Miles thing; between All About Jazz (where you can also post comments), the seven social media platforms I use, and a variety of bulletin boards and email lists, I just expected that one single thing would have been more of a "button-pusher," especially with jazz purists.

Maybe it's not such a big deal....all I know is I was expecting more ... including some serious outrage. I mean, comparing a progressive rock guitarist to a jazz icon? How dare I!

Clearly, it's not as big a deal as I thought when I wrote it.

I'd rather say they were adapting or synthesizing existing things. Neither was an instance of the artists doing something entirely new for the first time (not that they claimed to be anyway, AFAIK), but they were putting a stamp on an obscure idea and making it... marginally less obscure.

But that's just nitpicking. I'd agree that RF and MD have more than a few similarities, musical and otherwise. The question of "creating" a genre vs. "stretching" or "gear-shifting" is really irrelevant. Putting an innovative spin on (or synthesizing and adapting) existing things can be just as exciting as creating a genre from scratch. I wouldn't know how to distinguish the two anyway, and there's definitely some overlap between.

Glad to hear your thoughts on the matter. For me, innovation or gear-shifting matter only because there aren't that many musicians i can think of who do it on such a regular basis.

And yes, I'd also argue that in many cases it's not about being the first...but about being the first to bring it to wider attention. I hate when folks suggest Miles, for example, created jazz-rock/fusion. So, i think, switching gears may be most applicable, though both have also innovated over their careers. But Miles' '80s work was, for the most part, hardly innovative....but it sure was a gear-switch.

Thanks for taking the time to post.
Cheers!
John

[chalkpie]

Finally read the whole review - great as always man!

You has a goods way with them words's, you knows?

[jkelman]

Is there something missing from this sentence, concerning the three tracks?

Oops. The problem of not being edited by anyone else. I'll correct. I meant the were the tracks recorded farther afield.

Thanks for the catch!

[jkelman]

Finally read the whole review - great as always man!

You has a goods way with them words's, you knows?

Thanks...i's tryin', i's tryin'

[Spiral]

Hope this clarifies...and yes, I do appreciate peoples' generous words...but I'm actually more appreciative if the article engenders discussion, as that's always my hope. But no, I wasn't intending to criticize people who've not yet had the time to tough it out through such a long piece; quite the contrary, I really,appreciate that so many people do!

Oh, no problem; I didn't think it actually sounded critical. I just tend to spend weekends unplugged from the net, so I didn't think it was too surprising for these things to take a little time.

it's not such a big deal....all I know is I was expecting more ... including some serious outrage.

Ummm, careful what you wish for?

(Also intended as tongue-in-cheek. Actually, the kind of purists who'd get outraged wouldn't be the more open-minded fans you'd want for such discussions, would they?)

For me, innovation or gear-shifting matter only because there aren't that many musicians i can think of who do it on such a regular basis.

That's certainly true. Then there's the distinct instrumental voice (you can spot them just about anywhere once you know what their playing sounds like), and the reputation for being unpleasant offstage.

And yes, I'd also argue that in many cases it's not about being the first...but about being the first to bring it to wider attention. I hate when folks suggest Miles, for example, created jazz-rock/fusion.

Yes, that makes more sense. I'd probably say it's the only way to look at it. So often there are multiple steps before that well-known breakout point, as it were, so there isn't just one spot to nail something down and say "this is where the thing was invented."

Regarding the two artists... they both had career turning points based around wild sudden changes and others that were more gradual. I probably wasn't interested in pinning down the two because, hey, I like it all anyway.

[jkelman]

Oh, no problem; I didn't think it actually sounded critical. I just tend to spend weekends unplugged from the net, so I didn't think it was too surprising for these things to take a little time.

Ummm, careful what you wish for?

(Also intended as tongue-in-cheek. Actually, the kind of purists who'd get outraged wouldn't be the more open-minded fans you'd want for such discussions, would they?)

Perhaps. But I knew what I was writing when I wrote it, and while I don't consider it any more pleasant than a couple of cats have been on the other Radical Action thread, I really was expecting a bit of purist lambasting. I can handle it so 'm just a bit surprised.

That's certainly true. Then there's the distinct instrumental voice (you can spot them just about anywhere once you know what their playing sounds like), and the reputation for being unpleasant offstage.

I hate using terms like ROFL or whatever it is....but I did when I read this...almost...

Yes, that makes more sense. I'd probably say it's the only way to look at it. So often there are multiple steps before that well-known breakout point, as it were, so there isn't just one spot to nail something down and say "this is where the thing was invented."

My line is: nothing emerges out of a vacuum. Not empirically true about everything, but when it comes to music, it's an absolute truth. Everybody has roots, cultural things that infuse their work, etc. So I'm with ya.

Regarding the two artists... they both had career turning points based around wild sudden changes and others that were more gradual. I probably wasn't interested in pinning down the two because, hey, I like it all anyway.

As do I. The idea actually just dawned on me, as I was writing this piece...as often happens. I thought a bit about it and the possible repercussions...and thought, "why not?"

Turns out, at least so far, that it truly was much ado about, if not nothing, then very little....

[battema]

I have to admit, when I saw the comparison I did have a little "ho boy, this should be interesting" moment

I can see your point, as well as the clarification that "nothing emerges from a vacuum." Like with Frippertronics I think of stuff like La Monte Young, Terry Riley and the like...but it's true that arguably he (and especially Eno) pushed that stuff into the mainstream perspective.

And really, beyond the semantics of what defines "first," I think the comparison holds up nicely. Both men are considered major movers in their respective genres, pushing the boundaries and infrequently standing still for long. Both tended to get musicians that were capable of realizing a unique vision while also bringing their own contributions to the mix. Both also have a public reputation for being "curious characters," shall we say (even if behind the scenes, at least in Fripp's case, I suspect the reality is a different story). And in the long view of musical history, I can see both being remembered as giants in their respective fields.

All IMHO.

[Dave (in MA)]

"nothing emerges from a vacuum."

Spoken like a guy who's never accidentally put the hose on the outlet of the Shop Vac.

[jkelman]

Spoken like a guy who's never accidentally put the hose on the outlet of the Shop Vac.

Good point. Let me rephrase......

[jkelman]

I have to admit, when I saw the comparison I did have a little "ho boy, this should be interesting" moment

I can see your point, as well as the clarification that "nothing emerges from a vacuum." Like with Frippertronics I think of stuff like La Monte Young, Terry Riley and the like...but it's true that arguably he (and especially Eno) pushed that stuff into the mainstream perspective.

And really, beyond the semantics of what defines "first," I think the comparison holds up nicely. Both men are considered major movers in their respective genres, pushing the boundaries and infrequently standing still for long. Both tended to get musicians that were capable of realizing a unique vision while also bringing their own contributions to the mix. Both also have a public reputation for being "curious characters," shall we say (even if behind the scenes, at least in Fripp's case, I suspect the reality is a different story). And in the long view of musical history, I can see both being remembered as giants in their respective fields.

All IMHO.

If anyone lambastes me anywhere else, can I quote you? Again, you're nailing my thoughts precisely.

I love when, on occasion, I hear from an artist who doesn't just like getting a positive review, but that I "get it."

As a writer, I should start the same practice: thank you for "getting" my piece

[rottersclub]

You're a good friend

(closest to blush I could find)

[2000jw]

My review of King Crimson's new live, triple-CD/single-Blu Ray box, Radical Action (To Unseat The Hold of Monkey Mind), today at All About Jazz.

Many thanks for this, John - as penetrating and stimulating as ever. The comparison with the previous live releases was helpful for those of us who were wondering about going after this one as well (I think I will, even though it'll mean getting hold of a blu-ray player).

And thanks for the RF/MD link: remarkably audacious at first sight, but one which is making more sense upon further consideration - nice one.

[battema]

If anyone lambastes me anywhere else, can I quote you? Again, you're nailing my thoughts precisely.

I love when, on occasion, I hear from an artist who doesn't just like getting a positive review, but that I "get it."

As a writer, I should start the same practice: thank you for "getting" my piece

Quote away! And thanks! It was a great piece about a great set and well worth subsequent conversation, you know?

Cheers as ever

[g.bremer]

Thanks for the review, you always do a great job with these!

I'm still not convinced by this version of the band, but I'll probably buy it anyway since KC is one of the handful of bands where I'm a completist and the improved audio formats will do a better job of bringing out details in the performances. At this point I'm more interested in the individual contributions than the whole, which doesn't really move me (yet).

[jkelman]

Many thanks for this, John - as penetrating and stimulating as ever. The comparison with the previous live releases was helpful for those of us who were wondering about going after this one as well (I think I will, even though it'll mean getting hold of a blu-ray player).

And thanks for the RF/MD link: remarkably audacious at first sight, but one which is making more sense upon further consideration - nice one.

Thanks for the kind words. About the only thing I know I'm good at is context, so you can always count on my reviews, where relevant, positioning the title at hand with previous releases, in this case also my experiences seeing four live shows by the band as well. Other than that? I dunno....

And thanks, re the Miles:Fripp comparison. As I've already said, it just hit me as I was writing this over the course of two days, and to be honest, the more I think about it....the more I like it.

I'm glad you are here to see it.

[jkelman]

Thanks for the review, you always do a great job with these!

I'm still not convinced by this version of the band, but I'll probably buy it anyway since KC is one of the handful of bands where I'm a completist and the improved audio formats will do a better job of bringing out details in the performances. At this point I'm more interested in the individual contributions than the whole, which doesn't really move me (yet).

This one just might change your mind...

...and, as ever, thanks for the kind words.
Cheers!
John

[Sean]

http://www.dgmlive.com/archive.htm?artist=35&show=2032

Free download of A Sailor's Tale from the new tour is here! ^^ It SMOKES!

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