Over the years much has been written about the beast that is Fracture. Regarded by many, including its author, as one of the most difficult and technically demanding of Robert Fripp’s compositions, in this special version, taken from a live recording of a classic KC gig at Asbury Park in June 1974, Alex ‘Stormy’ Mundy has isolated the guitar and bass to provide, if you will, an X-ray of Fracture.
In the swirl of a live performance, where any number of hazards lurk and loom, waiting to distract the performer brave enough to cross the tightrope of this especially complex piece, it’s not entirely surprising that what comes across in the music is a sense of the intense degree of focus required to navigate its many potential pitfalls.
It also serves as an extremely detailed reminder of just how tight this incarnation of the group could be. Even without the drums, violin, and keyboards, this remains an astonishing and often hair-raising journey for listeners and performers alike.
