Robert Fripp and The League of Crafty Guitarists - Live!
From ETWiki
Originally released: 1986 Personnel
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Tracks
"The New World" features only Fripp on frippertronics and overdubbed solo guitar.
- 5'18 Guitar Craft Theme I: Invocation (Fripp)
- 1'22 Tight Muscle Party At Love Beach (Essex)
- 1'43 The Chords That Bind (Fripp)
- 2'20 Guitar Craft Theme III: Eye of the Needle (Fripp)
- 3'59 All Or Nothing II (Fripp)
- 3'58 Guitar Craft Theme II: Aspiration (Fripp)
- 4'44 All Or Nothing I (Fripp)
- 3'54 Circulation (Fripp)
- 3'24 A Fearful Symmetry (Fripp, LGC)
- 9'55 The New World (Fripp)
- 3'15 Crafty March (Fripp, LGC)
Reviews
Reviews are listed in chronological order within each section. Please retain a chronological order when adding new reviews.
Entire Release
Date Submitted: 18-Jul-98
By: Michael W. Flaherty (z946128 at rice dot farm dot niu dot edu)
"From the opening cascade of harmonics that greet the listener in "Invocation", to the Fripp leads that soon follow, Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists' first release, "Live!", immediately confirms Mr Fripp's commitment during this period of his life to the craft of guitar. While occasionally recalling bits of his works with Andy Summers, this release primarily marks new ground in Mr Fripp's recording career.
""Tight Muscle Party ..." weaves simple, fast patterns with several guitars; "The Chords That Bind" manages to convey a lovely, Asian influence in its peacful setting while in fact being--a chord study. It is followed by the precision playing of the appropriately titled "Eye of the Needle", the even more demanding "All or Nothing II", and the beautiful "Aspiration", which begins with more harmonic work, and then showcases a slow, extended solo.
"The second half of the recording begins with another version of "All or Nothing", in which the close listener will hear Fripp count off before the playing begins. "Circulation" is obviously influenced by a scale, but rather than simply run through the scales, the players play the notes in an order and with a timing that creates a truly "musical" effect. "A Fearful Symmetry" is, comparably, more chaotic, as the Crafties (who are given co-writing credit with Fripp) are allowed to stretch out just a small bit.
"What is particularly impressive about this recording is that, as noted several times above, these pieces are primarily tools with which one learns the craft of guitar. Yet those who enjoy Mr Fripp's solo playing will find this recording well worth listening to for its own musical merits.
"But with all due respect to the Crafties, the high point for enthusiasts of Mr Fripp's guitar playing will still be his solo showcase, "The New World". This track is among the most beautiful and fulfilling Frippertronic works on record. The basic track is a combination of short bleeps and long notes, over which he plays melodic leads with his signiture style. As enjoyable as it is to have some extended recordings of "acoustic Fripp", this track shows him at his best: Fripp the experimental electric guitarist.
""Crafty March", the only obviously "live" track by the way, brings this enjoyable recording to an appropriately upbeat close."
