Thrang illustrates the technical virtuosity of Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen without ever creating truly engaging music. This edition of the band features guitarist Fripp, bassist and former Gang of Four member Sara Lee, drummer Johnny TooBad, and ex-XTC and Shriekback member Barry Andrews on organ. Recorded live on a small club tour, the music does have the spontaneous spark of improvised music, but frequently the songs just sound like a showcase for their talents, not as individual pieces of music. Fripp can play nearly anything -- he runs through spiky punk, prog-rock, new wave pop, dance and rock & roll, with flair and expertise. But the end result is rather numbing, since all of the speedy licks and quirky, off-kilter effects blend together after a while. Certainly, fans of Fripp and guitar fanatics in general will find quite a bit to treasure here, but most listeners will find initially interesting, but ultimately tedious.
