Progressive rock pioneers King Crimson enter the new century with a new lineup and a new album, THE CONSTRUKCTION OF LIGHT. Crimson abandoned their visceral two-bassist, two-drummer arrangement after the departure of drummer
Bill Bruford and bassist
Tony Levin, so here the twin guitar assault of
Robert Fripp and
Adrian Belew takes center stage. Where the previous double trios albums
THRAK and
VROOOM knocked you down with their sheer power, THE CONSTRUKCTION OF LIGHT takes a more subtle approach, drawing ideas from the past and expanding on them. But the music is as progressive and challenging as ever: Belew's distorted vocal and guitar work on "Prozakc Blues" references "Elephant Talk," and the interplay between Fripp and Belew's guitars on the title track brings us back to "Frame by Frame" from
DISCIPLINE. Drawing heavily on melodies from
RED, "Larks' Tongues in Aspic -- Part IV" alternates bracing power chords with synthesized guitars and dual guitar leads, culminating with guitar solos that push all boundaries. The album also includes "Heaven and Earth," a bonus track from the Crimson sideline Project X; it's an excellent vehicle for Fripp's improvised sounds, which recall his playing on the solo release
THE GATES OF PARADISE. Though it's not for the faint of heart, those in search of stimulating adventures in sound would do well to bathe themselves in THE CONSTRUKCTION OF LIGHT.
