01	Vrooom						04:38
	02	Coda: Marine 475						02:41
	03	Dinosaur						06:37
	04	Walking On Air						04:38
	05	B'Boom						04:11
	06	Thrak						03:59
	07	Inner Garden I						01:47
	08	People						05:53
	09	Radio I						00:43
	10	One Time						05:22
	11	Radio II						01:03
	12	Inner Garden II						01:15
	13	Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream						04:50
	14	Vrooom Vrooom						05:50
	15	Vrooom Vrooom; Coda						03:03

King Crimson
THRAK
Virgin (7243 8 40313 2 9)
UK/USA 1995

Robert Fripp, guitars;
Adrian Belew, guitar, vocal;
Bill Bruford, percussion;
Tony Levin, basses, backing vocals;
Trey Gunn, stick, backing vocals;
Pat Mastelotto, percussion

Bob Eichler:
Due to many luke-warm reviews on alt.music.progressive, I put off buying this album for many months after its release. Once I finally did pick it up, I was surprised that it didn't rate higher than it did. Perhaps fans were disappointed that the band didn't follow their usual pattern of completely reinventing themselves after a lengthy break.
The music on THRAK sounds like a mix of the sonic assault of the Red-era band and the guitar interplay and "pop" aspects of the 80s Crimson. There's also a hint of the old mellotron-heavy original band, and a helping of Fripp's soundscapes. While it doesn't break much new ground, to me it adds up to a great album.
Album highlights are the opening blast of "VROOOM", and its creepy mumbled-number coda "Marine 475". "Dinosaur" is one of the band's better pop songs, with lyrics that take a shot at critics who call all 70s bands dinosaurs (don't these bands realize that the music industry won't work unless each band disappears after their 15 minutes of fame?). In a perfect world, I'd probably remove the atmospheric section in the middle - it just disrupts the flow of the song. "Walking on Air" is one of Crimson's best ballads, and "B'Boom" is a nice drum duet that works even better live.
The title track is the one song on the album that does nothing for me - it just sounds like they picked a few chords and pounded them out over and over. What's the appeal? After that the album alternates between more atmospheric numbers and some more good Belew pop tunes like "People" and "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream", plus another sort-of-ballad "One Time". The disc ends with some more of the heavy stuff in a revision of the opening song.
Overall, if you're a big fan of the 70s and 80s versions of King Crimson, then you'll probably enjoy this disc. If you're expecting something entirely new from the band, you might be disappointed.

Dominique Leone:
First album in eleven years from the veteran progressive rock outfit, adding two members to the 80s version of the band to form a 'double-trio'. While many classic rock bands made comebacks in the 90s, very few can lay claim to the vitality of Robert Fripp and company. Despite being out of the public eye (regarding King Crimson, anyways), the cerebral guitarist established a record label, oversaw a series of reissues and concert recordings, and even made the time to release new material (mostly soundscapes recordings). THRAK saw Fripp updating the classic King Crimson sound a bit, and was generally received well.
The sound harkens back to the Red-period band, with aggressive instrumentals and some fiery improvisations. The title track is possibly as overtly dissonant and aggressive as the band has ever sounded, while "VROOOM" and its pseudo-reprise are uptempo workouts that fit nicely in the band's canon. Adrian Belew returns as frontman, and doesn't miss a beat incorporating his modern-rock take on the Beatles and Talking Heads into the Crim sound.
The lively opener "VROOOM" prooves that the band can still rev it up. The classic KC formula of juxtaposing raging, rockish sections with softer, understated sections is put to use here, as is the new double trio lineup. The two drummers shine especially, with Mastelotto laying down the basic groove and Bruford dancing around him. For further evidence, check out their drum feature/intro "B'Boom".
"Dinosaur", a Belew-penned tune is about, of all things, getting older. Imagine the mid-life crisis of the world's alltime greatest fan of Magical Mystery Tour, beef up the metallic guitars, and you've got this slab of prog-pop. Heavy yet nerdy.

Joe McGlinchey:
The full-fledged return of King Crimson in the 1990s, appearing on the heels of the 'dress rehearsal' mini-album VROOOM. Strange, then, that I find the versions of "VROOOM" and "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" on the mini-album have a lot more octane than the versions here. "One Time" is more drawn out here with an expanded middle; again, I prefer the previous version. The album's stronger moments include "Dinosaur" and "Walking on Air." Other material, however, falls too neatly into one of three categories: filler (e.g. "Coda: Marine 475," the "Inner Garden" vignettes), songs that are suspiciously far beneath a statement like "music only King Crimson can play" (e.g. "People"), and not-too-subtle rehashes of past accomplishments (e.g. "VROOOM VROOOM"). Ultimately, I'd have to characterize this one as a bit of a disappointment, though at that point with most fans rabid at the return of the Crimson King, no one really minded. And hey, it does have enough enjoyable material to pull it through.

Eric Porter:
Musically this falls between the Red-era and the 80's releases. "Dinosaur" has that heavy guitar driven sound from "Red" (as do the openers "VROOOM", "Coda: Marine 475", and "THRAK", among others) but at times also goes into Beatlesque moments. Every song offers a little something different sonically, from the bombastic percussion of "B'Boom", or the moody dark "Inner Garden I", to the atmospheric pop of "Walking on Air." "One Time" again puts ambiance and texture to the fore, and creates an evocative musical wash with a catchy melody. Fripp sneaks some of his soundscapes into many of the tracks in an almost subliminal fashion. You really have to pay attention to get his entire contribution to the bands sound. Some of the music could even be considered industrial, but then Crimson would have been industrial long before that term was even used. This band proves, along with the various ProjeKcts that they have formed, that they are a vital force in the 90's as well as having been trailblazers in the late 60's. How many bands can lay claim to that?

Brandon Wu:
THRAK has been described well enough above as a mix between the mid-70s and early-80s versions of King Crimson, so I'll go ahead and give my opinion on it.
I have very mixed feelings about this album. On the one hand, tracks like "VROOOM" (three O's), "Dinosaur", and "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" are pretty fun and rock out really hard. On the other hand, "VROOOM" was much better on the earlier EP (the version here seems to have most of its fangs removed, and ends up being a bit tedious), and the inclusion of filler tracks like the "Inner Garden" and "Radio" snippets is kind of curious. Despite my misgivings, though, it's easy to enjoy what's offered: the double trio format gives the listener a lot to sort through, and with excellent stereo separation it's fun and for the most part not too difficult to figure what each member of the band is doing (though with the two bassists it's tough to tell).
Aside from said three tough-guy songs (plus "VROOOM VROOOM" and both codas), "B'Boom" (the name would later be all capitalized) is worthy of note in that it's the only purely drum-driven "song" - it's basically a dual drum solo plus soundscapes - that really manages to capture my attention on record. "One Time" is a great ballad but again, I prefer the earlier version off of the VROOOM EP. "Walking on Air" and "People" are nice enough poppy pieces, but the latter drags on for too long.
The upshot of all this disjointedness (in the album and in this review) is that I really don't know how I feel about this album. At times I think it's brilliant given the band's age, at times I find it cold and empty (something exacerbated by the total lack of acoustics, which has always somewhat bothered me about latter-day King Crimson). I get the impression that fans of the 80s KC will dig this release; it's kind of a crapshoot for others. The good outweighs the bad, but that's about the only definitive thing I'm able to say.



virgin records america 7243 8 40313 2 9

Robert Fripp: Guitar, Soundscapes, Mellotron
Adrian Belew: Guitar, Voice, Words
Trey Gunn: Stick, Backing Vocals
Tony Levin: Upright & Electric Basses, Backing Vocals
Pat Mastelotto: Acoustic & Electronic Percussions
Bill Bruford: Acoustic & Electronic Percussions



THRAK
Date of Release Apr 1995

The only progressive rock band from the '60s to be making new, vital, progressive music in the '90s, King Crimson returned from a ten-year exile in 1995 with THRAK, their first album since 1984's 3 of a Perfect Pair. As with the '80s band, guitarist/ringleader Robert Fripp recruited singer/guitarist Adrian Belew, bassist Tony Levin, and drummer Bill Bruford for this incarnation of his classic band. However, he added to this familiar quartet two new members: Chapman Stick player Trey Gunn and ex-Mr. Mister drummer Pat Mastelotto. Effectively, Fripp created a "double trio," and the six musicians combine their instruments in extremely unique ways. The mix is very dense, overpoweringly so at times, but careful listens will reveal that each musician has his own place in each song; the denseness of the sound is by design, not the accidental result of too many cooks in the kitchen. Sometimes, as in "THRAK," the two trios are set against each other, in some sort of musical faux combat. In others, they just combine their respective sounds to massive effect. On "Dinosaur," perhaps the strongest track on the record, Mastelotto and Bruford set up an ominous tom-tom groove that supports an even more ominous guitar figure. The vocal, the musings of a long-dead sauropod, are vintage Belew, just as the freaky, falling-down-the-stairs solo in the middle is vintage Fripp. Other high points include the drum duet "B'Boom" and the two Belew/Fripp "Inner Garden" pieces. Allusions to earlier Crimson abounds, such as the form of "VROOM," for example, which is suspiciously reminiscent of "Red" (from the 1974 album of the same name), or the shout-out to "The Sheltering Sky" (from 1981's Discipline) in "Walking on Air." Thankfully, this never gets annoying, but instead acts as a subtle nudge and a wink to faithful fans. King Crimson came back in a major way with THRAK, and proved that, even in its fourth major incarnation, Fripp and company still had something to say. High-quality prog. - Daniel Gioffre






King Crimson - THRAK: 30th Anniversary Edition

Released: 1995/2002
Label: Virgin
Cat. No.:
Total Time: 53:16


Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, February 2003
This version of the King Crimson lineup is my favorite, with the core players Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Adrian Belew and Bill Bruford (additional musicians were drummer/percussionist Pat Mastelotto and bassist/guitarist/Chapman Stick player Trey Gunn).

THRAK: 30th Anniversary Edition is a much more than just a reminder of this 1995 release that characterized the band's sound in the '90s; it is a demonstration of what truly defines progressive rock. After 10 years away from the studio, they returned with a roar with this splendid album. For the best possible sound, all of the tracks are digitally remastered. The CD comes packaged with LP gatefold style sleeves on quality cardboard with lyrics to each song.

Although they are a progressive rock band by designation, their music has always been dissimilar enough to cross over into other styles to make it more appetizing for those listeners that cannot handle the constant intensity that prog-rock has built its reputation on. Bear in mind this is not a pop fest by any means, it rocks hard with the intent of blowing your mind with multiple and odd time signatures that have quick changes. I am merely stating that elements of other styles can soften the blow a bit to ears not accustomed to this kind of music. I think most people would like the way Belew sings a song; the singers that have influenced him come through often enough so you make some kind of correlation with what you have heard in the past. He was also the main songwriter for the band. If you have not heard the ultimate bass player, the unparalleled Tony Levin, you will on this album, though I imagine you have at some point because he has played on so many albums over the years. He is a standout on bass as usual and I would not expect any less from the man, he fits the mold of the musicians musician whenever and with whomever he records with. It goes without saying how masterful Fripp and Bruford are with their instruments.

Even though they have always been a progressive band they still manage to fall somewhere in the middle of rock-pop and progressive during phases of certain songs. "Dinosaur," which is the best track on the entire CD, is a real rocker with just a smattering of their stronger progressive side, conversely when you listen to classics like "Vroom Vroom," their personalities prevail and as a result blossom through their instruments. They were, and remain, a very intricate and inventive musical machine capable of just about anything, with or without vocals in a song. Always a groundbreaking band, it did not matter what decade they were recording music as long as the genius of Fripp was present to lead them down the path of musical excellence.

This is the latter day King Crimson enjoying one of their finest hours. I highly recommend this reissue.

Rating: 5/5

More about THRAK: 30th Anniversary Edition:

Track Listing: Vrooom (4:37) / Coda: Marine (2:41) / Dinosaur (6:35) / Walking On Air (4:34) / B'boom (4:11) / Thrak (3:58) / Inner Garden 1 (1:47) / People (5:53) / Radio 1 (0:43) / One Time (5:21) / Radio II (1:15) / Inner Garden II (1:16) / Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream (4:48) / Vrooom Vrooom (5:57) / Vrooom Vrooom: Coda (3:00)

Musicians:
Adrian Belew - Guitar, Voices
Bill Bruford - Percussion, Drums
Trey Gunn - Bass, Stick, Vocals (bckgr)
Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mellotron, Soundscape
Tony Levin - Bass, Vocals (bckgr), Upright Bass
Pat Mastelotto - Percussion, Drums, Electronic Drums







King Crimson - Thrak

Member: topographicyes

After an 11-year hiatus, King Crimson returned in grand style and bigger than ever in 1995. Robert Fripp was quoted at the time as saying- "When music appears that only King Crimson can play, then King Crimson eventually appears to play that music." This was a return of the 80's quartet (Fripp- guitar, Adrian Belew- guitar and vocals, Bill Bruford- drums and percussion, and Tony Levin-assorted basses and Stick), augmented by Trey Gunn on Warr Guitar (a stick-like, touch instrument) and Pat Mastelotto on drums and percussion. This lineup up resulted in what was called the 'double trio'. A 'Super' Crimson band. The group quickly recorded Thrak, which Fripp described like this.... "A sudden and persistently directed impact moving from intention and commitment, in service of an aim." Musically Thrak was a departure from the interlocking 80's sound. In fact Fripp laid down the rule that no interlocking guitars would be used on Thrak. This sent the band in a darker, heavier direction that seemed like a continuation of where the Red album left off twenty or so years earlier. This was a welcome sound for many fans of Red era Crim. The first time I played Thrak I thought my speakers were going to explode! What a heavy sound! Made Metallica and typical heavy music sound like a bunch of kids. Here was a blend of harmonic complexity and ballsy distortion. What an exotic sound, I loved it!There is a good blend of incredibly heavy and dissonant tunes ("Thrak", "Vroom Vroom", "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream"), ethereal, pop influenced clean toned numbers ("Inner Garden", "One Time", "Walking On Air"), and songs that merge both ("Dinosaur", "Vroom"). There's even a funk fingered driven number, "People". I think it could have been a radio hit in a perfect world. Thanks to the CD age, Thrak was the longest Crimson album to date. This album is a great entry point into the band, and also an excellent choice for fans of Red era Crimson as well, it seems to me like the next step from that era. Also worth trying is the excellent B'boom, Live In Argentina CD, which features the double trio serving up blistering renditions of classic Crim tunes and Thrak tunes as well. Thrak is a great album, but live the double trio was a real stomper. Check it out!