EARTHBOUND

'Earthbound' is the first live album by King Crimson, released in June of 1972, and recorded at various venues in the United States; Interestingly, this album has become infamous for its poor sound, which unfortunately has not been improved much on subsequent remasters... However, I am really frustrated that this is often the reason for which this very curious recording gets snubbed undeservedly. It is a live album that captures the Crim with the following lineup: Robert Fripp, Boz Burrell, Mel Collins, and Ian Wallace, one of the most short-lived incarnations of the legendary band, and one that focused on creating versatile jazzy compositions, sometimes very distorted and very chaotic - just like the bulk of the material on 'Earthbound'!

Let's not forget that this live album also fits in right between 'Islands' from 1971 and 'Larks' from 1973, so at a transitory period for King Crimson who are always seeking out new challenges, so to say, perpetually shifting their style and band members, and progressively moving forward with each new album. Of course, what would a KC live album be without '21st Century Schizoid Man'? So, this one kicks things off, followed by a track called 'Peoria'; This one could be classified as an instrumental, despite the fact that it features scat vocals from Boz... and the results are surprisingly satisfying! Next up is 'Sailors Tale' from the then-new album, an entirely instrumental track, that gradually fades out after some five minutes, just in time for the title track to begin. This is another jazzy, kind of lo-fi instrumental, not aided by the terrible recording quality, but nonetheless interesting to hear. Finally, we get a 15-minute instrumental epic called 'Groon', which is simply mental...

Far from being the best King Crimson live album, 'Earthbound' is certainly a must-hear for anyone who considers themselves startled and intrigued by the multi-flavored legendary band. The quality of the recording is really bad, but the material on it is what makes it a delightful listen.