Earthbound is a live album by the band King Crimson, released in 1972 as a budget record shortly after the line-up that recorded it had broken up. It contains the band's first official live release of their signature song "21st Century Schizoid Man", and an extended live version of their 1970 non-LP B-side "Groon"…
Formed in the late 1980s by keyboardist Erik Norlander and vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite, the two released their first CD in 1993 joined by bassist Don Schiff who soon became a part of the band.
Rocket Scientists first efford is an interesting album, but it seems they still did no know exactly what they wanted to do or how to do. The basic elements are all here: excellent musicanship, fair use of analog keyboards, tasteful arrangements, great melodic sense. Compared to latter day RS records, the songs on Earthbound are shorter, more accessible and there are less solos. It looked like the band was still shy to experiment more and show off the excellency of their talents…
When originally issued in the summer of 1972, Earthbound was the first authorized live recording from this no longer extant incarnation of the band. This album documents King Crimson's stateside performances earlier in that year. However, what is lacked in fidelity is more than compensated for with raw, unrelenting energy and magnetic musicianship. At the time of their then-most-recent studio effort, Islands (1971), King Crimson comprised Robert Fripp (guitar), Mel Collins (sax/Mellotron), Boz Burrell (bass/vocals), and Ian Wallace (drums). The quartet's strength as improvisational members of a cohesive central unit are amply displayed throughout every sonic twist and turn. The collection likewise demonstrates their intuitive instrumental prowess on familiar album tracks such as the blistering reading of "21st Century Schizoid Man" as well as an extended "The Sailor's Tale"…