PROJEKCT FOUR: LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO - THE ROAR OF P4

In November 1997 King Crimson began a series of projects (or ProjeKcts) by fractals of the six members King Crimson existed of at that time. In October 1998 the third fractal was born, which was ProjeKct Four. It was assembled by Fripp, Levin, Gunn and Mastelotto. The first release from this projeKct was "West Coast Live" which was a part of the box set "The ProjeKcts".

This release is subtitled "The roar of P4" and that's just what it is. It was recorded on November 1, 1998 at the 7th Note in San Fransisco. The album opens with "Ghost". It starts with a spacy sound, but this is soon supported by a fast beat and extensive soloing by Fripp. An energetic track. This followed by "Heavy" and "Light ConstruKction". While the first is a good metal like tracks the latter lacks direction. These two tracks were previously performed by ProjeKct Two (they can be found on the album "Live Groove") and were later performed by ProjeKct Three (on the album "Live in Austin"). The track "Deception of the Thrush" was later adopted by KC. This version is well done but doesn't really spark. "Seizure" can also be found on the improve disc of the triple album "Heavy ConstruKction". Again a very dynamic track, not much melody but mainly rhythm. The album closes with "Ghost 3", which is a slow and heavy track and "ProjeKction" that resembles the space sound of ProjeKct Two.

This is a heavy and dark album. The opening and closing tracks are great, but in the middle of the performance the excitement is far away. A nice performance but also a bit sloppy. I prefer "West Coast Live", because it has more variation.

I seems that no matter what group of King Crimson musicians make up one of these ProjeKct groups, you get a similar product in the end: a disk full of interesting, but not astound improvs. Of course it helps that Robert Fripp, like in King Crimson itself, is the common thread throughout (but then how many people would pay to see a ProjeKct without the master himself?).

This like and ProjeKct disk, has nice, but meandering improv pieces, where again, the music doesn't go anywhere. They always sound like random ideas played by each artist, with rarely any interplay between the musicians.

Still, like any ProjeKct disk, it's worth hearing.