As previously mentioned, the 21st Century Schizoid Band has been picking up some good reviews in the press for their Pictures of a City deluxe double set.
Classic Rock Magazine, July 2006 issue
21st Century Schizoid Band
Pictures of a City - Live in New York
There are too many ex members of King Crimson in the 21st Century Schizoid Band to call them a tribute band, even though they are dedicated to reviving Crimson's first three heady years.
Mel Collins, Ian Wallace, Ian McDonald and Peter Giles all played with Crimson during that halcyon period (although never all together) and they wallow exuberantly at the Court of the Crimson King, pulling out rare plums such as Cat Food and Formentara Lady alongside classics like Ladies of the Road and, naturally, 21st Century Schizoid man.
Singer Jakko Jakszyk, who watched the others as a schoolkid, takes on the difficult role of Robert Fripp (who doesn't do nostalgia), and even adds a spark of his own.
7 out of 10
Hugh Fielder
And this one from Record Collector August 2006
21st Century Schizoid Band
Pictures of a City - Live in New York
Once and future kings take Manhattan
This albums title track is often dismissed as a poor man's Schizoid Man...by the same token, it's probably legitimate to enquire whether 21CSB can ever amount to anything more than a glorified King Crimson tribute. Happily, they're very much more than that. Robert Fripp's recent incarnations of KC left this repertoire behind, but there are still plenty of us who appreciate hearing it (such as the audience at BB Kings Blues Club in Times Square, 2004, whose enthusiasm is clear enough from this recording), drummer Ian Wallace, bassist Peter
Giles, Horns and keys men Ian McDonald and Mel Collins, are all evidently qualified to play it, and frontman Jakko Jakszyk makes light work of filling in simultaneously for Fripp on guitar and Lake (or Wetton) on vocals. Nor is this the KC legacy set in aspic featuring as it does one new composition (Catleys Ashes) and an item from McDonald's solo career (Let There Be Light), plus reworkings of the classics. Epitaph sounds more pertinent than ever as a piece of social commentary, though on this form, it's way too early to be writing one for 21CSB.
4 out of 5
John Martin
