ABSENT LOVERS - LIVE IN MONTREAL, 1984

The definative KC live album! This album is the final release from the 80's line-up of King Crimson, and they could not have gone out in better style. This show were the last on the tour and the last for a decade (at least for the name King Crimson), and they played like it was that way.

First off, i have to mention sound quality. I am not a huge fan of live albums, becuase the sound tends to be muddy and hard to hear the subtle undertones of the music. However, there is no trace of that here. Crystle clear sound quality for the entire one hour and forty-four minutes. Now for the songs: All absolutly steller! Bruford really goes for it all on the drums, Levin is a madman on the bass, and the two guitarists play exceptionally, on every song. Highlights are Industry, Disicpline (with wicked guitar), Waiting Man (an extended version with intro played magnificently by Bruford and Belew), Indiscipline (complete with drum solo), and the retro tracks of Red and Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II). Though it is really hard to find a bad song on the album. The only complaint i can possibly come up with for this album is the audiences screams, claps, general noises, and such. The last song on the album is a bit of a tease, instead of getting eight minutes of Elephant Talk you get Belew thanking everyone who made the tour and KC happen. Even though it takes away from the music, it doesn't take away from the album and it is nice to hear the hard working people get the recognition they deserve.

All in all one of the best live albums in the prog genre, IMO. A fabulous collection of King Crimson songs and a great final mark on the music world for 80's Crimson. Absolutely essential for KC fans, and for anyone interested in the prog genre. Highly Recommended!

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