LIVE IN MAINZ, GEMANY 1974

This concert recording is actually a very good supplement for any serious collection of King Crimson's 1972-1974 era albums. There are lots of improvised material here, and also many special versions of their basic tracks. Surely many of these features can be found on other DGM releases as well, but this CD offers a very good selection of these on one disc. The recording quality is good in my opinion, though the sound tones aren't exceptional.

The first three of the songs are pleasantly extended with impressionistic free form sound wall openings, from where the composed songs then emerge. The starter "Improv: The Savage" / "Dr Diamond" is an excellent performance, clearly among the best versions of this song about "Train to Hell" so far which I have heard. This composition didn't do it on any of the band's studio albums, but it's present on many of their live recordings of years 1973-1974. "Improv: Arabica" opens "Exiles" with nice layers of percussions, and the performance is a very good, lasting ten minutes. "Improv: Atria" has some good parts, but there seems to be some problems to find a common direction in some moments too, and I think that this wasn't the best performance this group can do. Upcoming "The Night Watch" is then maybe the best version of this song, as it is here perfect with no edits or switches from one performance to other. Solos, changes and everything go perfectly well, for example when comparing to performances captured to "The Great Deceiver" box set. "Starless" is a good song, and this is a decent version, featuring those a bit clumsy early lyrics which may be interesting to spot if they not yet familiar. "Lament" is a good track too, and the next song "Improv: Trio" is an interesting track, as it isn't technically a complete improvisation anymore, it's more like a reprise of an earlier improvisation from the Amsterdam concert 1973. It has maybe evolved as a jam pattern, and a small embryo of composition growing up from it. Some themes of the songs "Lament", "Dr. Diamond" and "Fallen Angel" can be witnessed to born in the live recordings of the Muir-era line-up at 1972 in similar manner. And it's a pretty tune, a relieving contrast for the aggressive material done by this band. The final tune "Easy Money" is a finer version too, and it also had bit different lyrics on stage as it had on the studio album. If you like this band's live stuff, this is of course essential, and it's also a recommendable item for all prog fans.