EARTHBOUND

With four studio albums under their collective belt, King Crimson released their first live record in 1972. When hearing it now the first thing one notices is that the sound quality is less than optimal. The second thing one notices is that the performances are not as good as they should be either. Thirdly, the selections do not at all well represent the band's output up to that time. They open the disc with a rather half-baked performance of the great 21st Century Schizoid Man originally from the 1969 debut In The Court Of The Crimson King. Nothing at all is included from the follow-up album In The Wake Of Poseidon but instead they play a non-album b-side from a single taken from that album. Originally this b-side with the odd title of Groon had conventional b-side length but here they drag it out to an incredible 15 plus minutes complete with an aimless drum solo and it is a real challenge to sit through the whole thing. The band's third album Lizard is also overlooked here and one song is taken from the then current Islands. The tracks Peoria and Earthbound appeared here for the first time and are not included on any studio album.

What's more, at this time in the band's history key members like Ian McDonald, Michael Giles, and Greg Lake had moved on leaving Robert Fripp alone and having to bring in new people. On this occasion the line-up consists of Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, and Boz Burrell. This is hardly one of the best remembered formations and perhaps for good reason. Boz Burrell was not really right for the band and his awful ad lib vocalisations here prove it.

Earthbound is best avoided unless you are a completionist.

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