j o n b

People look for different things in live offerings from Crimson. Many fans are going gaga over the recently released Nightwatch (a 1970s live album) because of the extensive improvisation that goes on there. Personally, that doesn't flip my switch too much. I'd prefer to hear an album which captures the live energy of a Crimson show without excessive noodling. Well, I've got one right here. B'BOOM is exactly what it says it is, an "official bootleg" (an oxymoron if ever there was one). Fripp apparently isn't that fond of people bootlegging shows, because it allows bad shows to be heard by more people (so he says). So, in an effort to let the band tap into this market for the band, B'BOOM came to be. It was one of the first live shows of the THRAK tour, if I'm not mistaken. Musically, the disc is very good. There is a good helping of THRAK material, some of it better than the original ("People", for instance), some of it not. But the real fun is listening to what this lineup does with the older material. "Indiscipline" is downright scary it's so good: just the right mix of anger and whimsy. I have never been a great fan of Larks' Tongues In Aspic, but "The Talking Drum" and "Larks' . . ." on this disc are really something. Some of the other Discipline-era material sounds a bit congested with the six piece group, but not so bad as to detract significantly from the performance. "Sleepless" and "Heartbeat" (particularly) don't quite seem to fit in, as they seem a little slight compared to the rest of the material. Of course there is some improv here, notably around "B'Boom" and "THRAK", but it doesn't go on too long or go off on too many tangents. The bottom line is that I enjoy this disc a great deal, and it sees more playing time than some of the original albums where this material came from. Crimson is obviously one of the musical forces around right now, and this is a pretty good reflection of why. review by Jon Byrne — undated —

b o b

This album is what really got me into the post-80s Crimson. I went to see the band play live in '96 (as part of the HORDE festival, believe it or not). I got there late figuring there was no way a band like King Crimson would go on first - but of course they did, and I only got to see the last 20 minutes or so of their set. But it was enough to convince me to go buy THRAK. Unfortunately, none of the music stores in my area had a copy, but one of them did have B'BOOM, so I grabbed that. And after that there was no looking back. I've become convinced that if you want to hear Crimson's best work, you have to hear them live. If I could only keep three titles from their catalog, I'd go with The Great Deceiver set, Absent Lovers and B'BOOM. On the latter, pretty much every aspect of the 80s and 90s bands (and some of the 70s) is represented - the intricate guitar interplay, the soaring soundscapes, the thundering instruments, the amazing improv, and Belew's distinctive vocals. If you've been holding off on buying B'BOOM, figuring that you don't need yet another live King Crimson album, then do yourself a favor and go buy it. Now. review by Bob Eichler — 7-26-00 —

d o m

KC has always thrived in a live context. The multitude of live recordings and bootlegs is a testament to both the band's performing abilities and their fans' desire to see them. This fairly excellent two-CD set (recorded just before the group made THRAK) finds the band applying their new double-trio format to older material, as well as ironing out kinks in the new stuff. "Frame By Frame", from the Discipline period, sounds almost completely different than its studio version. With two drummers, two guitarists, and two low-enders, the ensemble is filled out to say the least. This is not to say the sound is cluttered, as the players are sensitive enough to compliment each other, and everybody contributes to a sound that is generally big, but not overwhelming. Also, Adrian Belew has proven that he really can front a band when he has to, as well as nail some pretty tricky guitar parts. "THRAK" actually appears twice on the set, both times with extended development sections wherein the group improvises. This tune seems to have been written for the very purpose of group improv, and though very few rock acts could pull it off with any level of success (or interest), KC does. Bruford pulls out an electro-marimba, guitars become pianos, and a good time is had by all. It's not quite the uncharted territory the mid-70s band explored, but it's still Crim. While not as willing to step out of structure as previous encarnations, the band does manage to throw a few surprises into the act. Fans will quickly notice the thick, churning ensemble sound, especially on the older pieces, as well as the guitarists' impressive arsenal of synth patches. A fun set, and a nice overview of the band's various strengths. review by Dominique Leone — undated —

b r a n d o n

Unsurprisingly for a King Crimson live album, B'BOOM is quite strong. Performances all around are dependably solid, and the band has to be given kudos for making many of their songs sound very different from their original versions. The double-trio versions of "Red", "Talking Drum", and "Larks' II" burn about as much as one might expect, for example, with the added power of an extra rhythm section (though "Larks' II" turns out to be rather pedestrian compared to some other live versions). The version of "B'Boom" on disc one is wonderful, opening with relaxing Soundscapes before the intricate, laid-back drum rhythms kick in. And I wish there was more on the album like "Two Sticks", a really nice and atmospheric improv involving, I would assume, two Sticks. The fact that this was recorded before THRAK's release makes for a somewhat curious song selection. I was hoping to hear "Dinosaur", "Walking on Air", and such, but they're not present. "People" is here in a rough form. I was also hoping to see how the double trio handled "21st Century Schizoid Man", but apparently they didn't start playing that one live until after this album was recorded. The disc is instead filled with two versions of "VROOOM" (well, one each of "VROOOM" and "VROOOM VROOOM"), two versions of "B'Boom", and two versions of "THRAK". Hmm. The inclusion of "Heartbeat" and "Sleepless" is also dubious, as they are the least effective pieces on the album, and in fact I find them rather wretched. Despite the complaints, any hardcore Crimson fan should definitely pick this one up. There's enough 90s Crimson material out there to make B'BOOM a questionable purchase for casual fans, but since it's now quite cheap ($13-$15 at most places for the double CD set; I bought it for $25 a few years back), it may be worth the investment. review by Brandon Wu — 7-20-00 —