Earthbound - 50th Anniversary Vinyl Edition

When originally issued in the summer of 1972, Earthbound was the first authorized live recording from this no longer extant incarnation of the band. This album documents King Crimson's stateside performances earlier in that year. However, what is lacked in fidelity is more than compensated for with raw, unrelenting energy and magnetic musicianship. At the time of their then-most-recent studio effort, Islands (1971), King Crimson comprised Robert Fripp (guitar), Mel Collins (sax/Mellotron), Boz Burrell (bass/vocals), and Ian Wallace (drums). The quartet's strength as improvisational members of a cohesive central unit are amply displayed throughout every sonic twist and turn. The collection likewise demonstrates their intuitive instrumental prowess on familiar album tracks such as the blistering reading of "21st Century Schizoid Man" as well as an extended "The Sailor's Tale." Equally as impressive are King Crimson's pervading free-form avant-garde jazz leanings, which inform the exceedingly extemporaneous and rhythmically entrancing "Peoria," which also features some ad-libbed scat lyrical contributions from Burrell. The track "Groon" -- which Fripp once described as occupying the space between a groove and a groan -- may well be familiar to enthusiasts as the significantly more succinct B-side to the 45 rpm "Cat Food" (1970). ~ Lindsay Planer

クリムゾン最問題作が遂に?まさか?登場!2010年頃よりリリースされている40周年記念エディションに『Earthbound』が名を連ねた。1972年の「解散が決定していたツアー音源」「契約期間の消化」という曰く付きでありながらも、劣悪な音質から匂い立つ常軌を逸した覇気は他のアルバムに引けを取らない名ライヴ盤。CD化を禁じられていた歴史もあり、その音質故かこの記念シリーズに入るとは夢にも思われなかったからこそ、まさかまさかの事態。まさにファン狂喜の必携盤。さらにイタリアポリグラム盤の曰く付きジャケットもW紙ジャケとして採用され豪華の方向が斜め上の特別仕様!
intoxicate (C)板谷祐輝