Na de King Crimson box On (and off) The Road uit 2016 dacht ik dat de koek op was. Maar niets is minder waar: dit jaar bracht toch een nieuwe box: Sailors’ Tales. Wat een heerlijkheid van die karmozijnen Goedheiligman: 21cd’s, 2dvds en 4 Blu-rays met muziek uit de periode 1971-1972. Een beetje de vergeten periode uit de Crimson-geschiedenis doordat de toentertijd uitgebrachte platen – In The Wake Of Poseidon, Lizard, Island en de ‘bootleg’ Earthbound – niet de impact hadden gehad van de debuutplaat of latere platen als Larks’ Tongues In Aspic en Red. Nou, ik kan u nu zeggen: TEN ONRECHTE! Want de muziek op de studioplaten, zoals altijd briljant opgepoetst door Steven Wilson, klinkt loepzuiver en laat alle nuances horen waardoor tracks als Pictures Of A City, Cadence and Cascade, Lizard, Formentera Lady en Ladies Of The Road (om er maar een paar te noemen) echt de speakers uitknallen. Ook heel fijn is dat Earthboud, toentertijd toch ietwat haastig in elkaar gesleuteld en op LP-lengte uitgebracht, gerestaureerd is tot haar volle lengte. Niet met de beste geluidskwaliteit, en dat geldt voor nog een paar andere concerten opgenomen in deze box, maar dat deert de liefhebber echt niet, de muziek is er namelijk niet minder indrukwekkend om.
With much of the material from In The Wake Of Poseidon, Lizard and Islands now being performed by the current King Crimson lineup (2014 - ), it is only in recent years that the wider world has begun to realise what fans have always known: this era’s recordings are as vital as any other segment of the King Crimson catalogue. Recorded between the dazzling impact of In The Court Of The Crimson in 1969 and the startling reinvention of the band in 1973’s Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, this boxed set documents a crucial period in King Crimson’s history and shows it to be brimming with innovation, experimentation, and boundary-pushing energy. With a wealth of previously unheard studio recordings from band rehearsals to full alternate mixes and a vast array of live material, much of it on CD/Blu-Ray for the first time and including four recently found, never before released concerts, this set presents the complete King Crimson recorded history of the period in the best quality audio possible.
•The complete 1970-72 King Crimson boxed set: 21CDS/4Blu-Rays/2DVD – all audio. •3CDs feature Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp stereo mixes of In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970) & Islands (1971) + additional tracks. •6CDs feature the Islands line-ups early concerts from Germany (new to CD) & the UK (1971). •9CDs feature live recordings (several new to CD and/or previously unreleased in any format) from the 1972 US tour, including a new stereo mix of Summit Studios & an expanded Earthbound. •3CDs feature auditions for the Islands band & two further, as yet, unidentified concerts from 1972 (all previously unreleased) •3 Blu-Ray discs contain the main studio albums in 5.1 Surround Sound & recent stereo editions mixed by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp + 30th anniversary masters of the original stereo albums mixes (all in 24/96 hi-res), plus extensive additional material with each disc also featuring a complete alternate album + a further selection of additional, related studio/live material in hi-res. •Lizard Blu-Ray: also contains the audition material from CDs19/20 recording from the 1972 US tour: Wilmington, NYC (2 shows), Chicago (2 tracks only), Detroit, Jacksonville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Peoria, Indianapolis & Denver (2 shows). •2 DVDs feature the expanded Earthbound, Summit Studios, Schizoid Men, New York 1972 & the recently discovered live concerts. •12” box with booklet, memorabilia, a further downloadable concert, new sleeve-notes by Sid Smith, Jakko Jakszyk & David Singleton •Advertising booked includes full pages in Record Collector & Prog Magazine •Islands Blu-Ray: also contains the following concerts in stereo Zoom Club (4 shows), Marquee Club, Plymouth, Glasgow, Detroit all from 1971. •Earthbound Tour: Blu-Ray features an expanded version of the original album, Summit Studios gig in Stereo & Quadraphonic (newly mixed), the Schizoid Men sequence from the Ladies of the Road album, 2 newly discovered concerts in hi-res stereo & every existing soundboard concert
