Search - King Crimson :: Absent Lovers - Live in Montreal 1984

Andy C. (acdeasy) from LOS ANGELES, CA
Reviewed on 11/12/2013...

This is an excellent double live disc, considered definitive by many fans & critics. These discs document the final shows by the Fripp-Bruford-Belew-Levin lineup. The track list draws almost completely from that lineup's three excellent releases:

6 from Discipline
3 from Beat
6 from Three of a Perfect Pair

They only step outside of those releases on two songs - Red and Larks' Tongues part II. Red sounds quite good to my ear, but Larks' Tongues part II to me lacks the intensity of the studio version. On both performances, I miss Fripp's meaner 70s guitar sound. And that leads to my only complaint with this set - the thin guitar sounds of the period occasionally grate on my ear, which isn't true of the studio albums from the time. But the band is basically at the top of their powers throughout. This set is an outstanding & exciting document.

My favorite one-two punch here is Industry / Dig Me. Check it out!

The last of the 80's performances

Dark Star-The Other One | The Bus To Never Ever Land | 01/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This show is the last one by the 1980's incarnation of the band. I really like this show although I do think they played a tad better on this tour. I saw them in Berkeley and LA on this tour and they were great. The first three songs on here all flow in and out of each other very well. Starting with the improv:Entry Of The Crims starting with Bob, Ade and Tony. Bill comes in near the end and Bob starts with the opening to Larks Tongues In Aspic Part 3. This is the 80's lineup at the top of their game, fast tight and intrecate. As this ends, Ade starts banging out the chords to Thela Hun Ginjeet which is played so fast it must have sent at least 300 dancers to the hospital that night. Next up is the instrumental Red. The 80's lineup of this band did such a wonderful job on this song. The pretty Matti Kudasai which is really a wonderful love song and a nice change of pace from what has come before. Next are three songs from the band's then newest Three Of A Perfect Pair. Industry, Dig Me and Three Of A Perfect Pair followed by Indiscipline. The second half starts with the Beat song Sartori In Tangier and then another Discipline song Frame By Frame. The band then returns to the new album with a nice Man With An Open Heart. This is followed by one of Beat's best songs Waiting Man. Followed by the song that was the new single Sleepless. I like what the 80's lineup also does with Larks Tongues In Aspic Part 2. Like in their versions of Red this lineup gives new life to this song. Discipline is nice. The band ends the show with probably this lineup's two most known songs Heartbeat and Elephant Talk. All in all, worth every penny."

Brilliant performance from 80's King Crimson

Joseph C. Helton | 11/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've started collecting live cds of the more recent iterations of King Crimson, and right now this is my favorite for the 80's lineup (Fripp, Bellew, Bruford, Levine). This recording captured the last concert they performed in Montreal, 1984 before breaking up. The sound quality is excellent, the performance is consistently brilliant.



The first disc is an enhanced cd with a somewhat interesting KC catalog. The liner notes are, well the liner notes are Fripp, rambling at best, but full of interesting tidbits for the King Crimson fan.



I'd highly recommend this for budding Crimheads, and those wishing to add to their collection of live KC.





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