Customer Reviews

Great Deceiver

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If only all archival live releases were assembled by someone with as much insight into the mentality of the hardcore fan as Mr Fripp. This is what we've been waiting for, for decades in some cases. A document of the 1973-74 band refining and developing their core repertoire - and freely-improvising A LOT! I can't recommend it highly enough.

In the `core repertoire' category, highlights include "Larks Tongues Part 1" from Disc 4, with its unusual violin solo; the effective reworking of "Cat Food" on Disc 2; the first version of "Easy Money" in which Wetton laughs and drifts out of tune on the first verse; a rare chance to hear the title song performed live; Disc 3's "Starless" in which Cross and Bruford play ferociously; Disc 4's "Fracture" in which the tuned percussion is upfront in the mix (at last!)...and a previously unreleased song, "Doctor Diamond". Bootleg collectors will know that this song evolved quite a bit during its lifetime - fortunately, this box includes the best version, the one with a slow, largely-composed, middle section.

As to the improvisation - it goes without saying that those who can't handle it had better not buy this box, but, frankly, what are those people doing listening to King Crimson? "Outside" improvisation was practically King Crimson's raison d'etre during their first phase of existence - and their ability to carry it off, especially during 1973-4, was the thing that most set them apart from the rest of the so-called prog-rock genre.

The David Cross-dominated pieces are my personal favorites - "Clueless and Slightly Slack" is marvellous (no matter what the band-biography says!). The incredibly sinister "The Law of Maximum Distress" really takes flight when Cross re-enters on violin for a ferocious exchange of ideas with Bruford. (Note: This improvisation has been edited to cover up the fact that "The Mincer" was also extracted from it). On Disc 1, "Providence" is finally released in its entirety. Disc 3's "Daniel Dust" stands out for its mellowness, though it's not as gentle as "Trio". And there are two really rollicking "Talking Drum"s with Cross more to the fore than on the studio version.

I must mention also an exceptional 14-minute improv on Disc 1 that moves through many moods and instrumental combinations and a surprising extension/development of "Easy Money" on Disc 2.

So to recap, this is four CDs of some of the most inventive, and most courageous music, ever played in rock venues. The box is expensive - but the music is probably worth it!

(Note: I am in fact ghengisadonis, aged twenty-something, using the Kids Review form because the usual form is currently unavailable due to a technical error).

This is it, really, the Holy Grail for Crimheads, four discs of live mayhem from Ramblin' Bob Fripp and his Merrie Men of 73-74. Unless you're an obsessive bootleg collector, in which case you probably have these already, you can hardly fail to marvel at the fact that people actually played this stuff live and people paid to listen to them. It's a party pack of fun'n'laffs as the boys from Crim rip into some of the darkest and grimmest rock music ever created. It also has the pleasant bonus of some of Fripp's hilariously tongue-in-cheek stage announcements, plus a detailed booklet including extracts from Fripp's 1974 tour diary, many embarrassing photographs and some amusingly negative reviews. Improvs galore, which is a joy for those of us who like them and probably something of a pain for those who don't - but then, who really wants to hear yet another live version of 21st Century Schizoid Man?

DO NOT pay the ridiculous sum of money asked by amazon sellers. Go to www.disciplineglobalmobile.com (the official King Crimson store which manufactures almost all the live, hard to find Krimson material) for a new copy of this at the standard box set price of $63. This item is still in print as of 2004, and should stay in print indefinitely, but if it ever goes out of print, go to the DGM site to contact customer service. Usually they'll be able to tell you when/if the item will go back into print and of course if enough people email them about a particular product, they'll have no choice but to put it back into print. Other than that, I recommend this item. 5 out of 5 stars doesn't really do this justice. I'd give at least 7 stars if I could.

This is from the group that put out Lark's Tongue in Aspect, Starless and Bible Black, Red and USA. The group consisted of Fripp, Cross, Wetton and Bruford (although Cross dropped out near the end).

This is a 4 CD set that comes in one of those 6 inch by 10 inch boxes. Each disc has a separate jewel case. As with any of these King Crinsom releases, there is an extensive full color booklet with lots of commentary from Fripp. The boxset is currently out of print, but copies can be found (Amazon won't let me tell you where). It should be rereleased within the next few months.

Since it is a 4 CD set from one concert tour, a number of the songs are repeated several times. There are some songs that didn't need to be repeated. But, for the most part, the songs are done differently enough each time that it doesn't get repititious. It may have been possible to cut this down to a 3 CD set without losing anything. The music is the loosest, and most energetic and imaginative that King Crinsom has ever put on record. The earlier material (Epitath) comes close but the sound quality is too poor to really enjoy the flow of the music. The material from the eighties (Absent Lovers) seems stiff (although I wonder if this concert was the best representative of the band from this era-I remember them sounding much better in concert). The most recent material isn't as melodic.

There were two other live albums from this same time period. "USA" was an LP released in 1975. It was rather disappointing and didn't come close to giving a clue what King Crinsom sounded like in concert. It was more of an attempt to capitalize on another live recording of 20th Century Schizoid Man. I haven't seen it available on CD and there is probably a reason for that. The second live album is the 2 CD "Night Watch", which was taken from a single concert. At $18, less than half the price of Great Deceiver, it is a good deal, but isn't close to being the equal of Great Deciever. Great Deciever has the same core material, plus tons more improvisations.

The sound quality of this box set isn't up to today's standards, but perhaps that's one of the things that makes it so great. Close your eyes, and you'll almost feel as if you were back in some sweaty venue back in the day of the Mellotron.

With various gigs included in this set, one gets a sense of how the same songs changed from night to night. Particulary striking is the interplay between John Wetton's voice and bass. My favorite disc is the third one, with versions of the Great Deceiver, Nightwatch, and Exiles. Peace/A Theme segueing into Cat Food is excellent as well (and a dandy little surprise).

The only reason I give the set four stars instead of five is some of the improvisational numbers. But then, even when Crimson fails in its overindulgence, they seem to do so in an interesting way.

The most human and powerful live album ever produced.

It's unbelievable, but this box-set is now out os stock. This is a must-have to any Crimson fan, and, of course, to any real good music fan. All songs were recorded live at various venues, during 1973-74 tours. Although some songs don't have a state-of-art recording, none of then are really awful. But the best is the performances, and all of them are simply wonderful. There are lots of "Easy Money", for instance, and Fripp didn't play the same guitar solo in any of them. This box-set is simply fantastic, and worth of re-release. There's only one point: the booklet could be better. Fripp's journal is fantastic, but, why we have lots of reviews of the "Frame by Frame" box set? Concert reviews would be better. Search for it, it's worth of.

This is a great live album and the sound quality is amazing thanks to the fact that these shows were taped on pro multitrack tapes. Alot of people talk about how this is the lineup that turned King Crimson into a hard rock almost heavy metal band and that's true, but it's also true that this band was also great at turning beautiful soft passages and wonderful soulful songs(ie The Night Watch, ect.). The set list is a joy and includes rarely performed songs (ie Cat Food and the untill here unreleased Dr Diamond)as well as standard material from this era(Starless, Larks Tongues In Aspic 1 & 2, Book Of Saturday). Dispite what some have said, this IS essential all the way and believe me, you'll love this although I am a little upset that Robert edited Larks Tongues Part 2 on disc 3 and completely gone on disc 4(maybe due to tape flips?).

First of all, don't be detracted when you see that there are four different versions of Easy Money, in addition to repeats of other studio material. King Crimson will never fail to amaze you in each instance of the repeated song. Fripp, Cross, and Wetton play differently each time. You'll also be pleased to know that Bill Bruford doesn't like playing the same drum lines twice.

Now, while the other reviewers cover how great the album is as a whole, I'd like to share my input in a more focused manner. The song Exiles, while beautiful on the studio album "Larks Tongues' in Aspic", cannot be truly appreciated unless you hear both instances of it on this box set. Fripp and Cross trade mellotron roles at least twice, and the transition still amazes me each time I hear it. On CD3 there is even a fantastic improvisational introduction to it.

Also the unreleased track Doctor Diamond, sounding like a mix of One More Red Nightmare and The Great Deceiver, is a great track that Fripp believed was too "weak" to be included on Red. While it is a little weak in some areas, they could have easily polished it in the studio and it most likely would have enhanced Red as an even greater album than it already is.

Also, check out Discipline Global's website if amazon doesn't have it in stock. Elephant talk has some great reviews if you are not yet convinced.

Although the Great Deceiver is currently out of print, it can be found. I managed to locate a new copy in March of 1999. It is well worth the search so keep digging! This recording breathes new life into the incredible music of the '73-'75 version of King Crimson. I'm amazed that these gems have stayed buried for so long. The best tracks are the improvisations. The fourth disc is my personal favorite, with lots of improv and the most amazing version of "Lark's Tounges In Aspic Part 1" I've ever heard. If you can't find this set, or if you already have The Great Deceiver and you can't get enough of these live recordings, I recommend buying The Night Watch double CD. It contains another concert from this tour that is not on this set.

There's rummors that this set will eventually be re-released by Disciple Global Mobile (http://www.discipline.co.uk), but why wait? If you find a copy, but it today!

This is the ultimate LIVE document of the greatest or at the very least the most powerful prog-rock unit of the 1970s. The greatest rhythm sections in rock have all had one thing in common and that is one half of all of the is Bill Bruford. Bruford/Wetton is arguably the best one of all. No prog-rock fan should be without this set. This Boxed Set is out of print. However, you can save yourself at least 40 bucks off the marketplace sellers' prices by clicking over to Bill Bruford's Official site where rare brand new copies are still for sale AT REGULAR PRICE! Hurry up because they won't last.