THE CONSTRUKCTION OF LIGHT

When this was released it was the first new KC album since I started getting into them. The fanboy in me thought this was a great album at the time. Ten years later I can see this for the mediocre mess it is. First of all, those "Kc"s instead of "c"s was already getting old after the ProjeKcts. The ProjeKcts, although works in progress based around improv, was the most interesting music this band came up with since Discipline. Here they decided to revive "Fracture" and LTIA(again).

Pat Mastelotto uses V-drums here. The drumming mostly sounds like it was programmed. The most interesting thing about "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum" is the title itself. "ProzaKc Blues" is a 'blues' song that opens the album. Belew's vocals are recorded in a way that makes him sound like he has a deep voice. This song includes the line: "You've been reading too much Elephant Talk". That is not a reference to the song on Discipline; it is a reference to the internet newsletter for "Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiastes"(now defunKct). I was a member of that mailing list at the time. Everybody patted themselves on the back because ET got mentioned in an official Crimson song. In retrospeKct, it only dates the song even more.

The title track is split in two for some reason. The first part doesn't start to pick up until 3 minutes in. At the beginning of the second part Ade overdubs each word seperately. "Into The Frying Pan" is one of the best songs here. It starts with either Fripp or Belew going up the guitar scale while the other goes down it. At the same time. Ade's vocals sound like Lennon. Trey Gunn's Warr guitar adds some life to the song. It ends with some of Fripp's Soundscapes. "FraKctured" is the unwanted bastard child of the song on SABB. The best part of the whole song starts at 5:10.

LTIA Pt. 4 is at least better than Pt. 3 on Three Of A Perfect Pair. "Coda: I Have A Dream" is interesting musically but I can't stand Ade's preachy lyrics. The best song on this whole CD is the bonus track. "Heaven & Earth" was recorded by ProjeKct X at the same time as TCoL. Much more original and interesting than anything that made the official Crimson album. I wouldn't say this sucKs but it's nothing essential by any means. 2 stars.