Beat: 30th Anniversary Editions [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

King Crimson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 15, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Caroline
• ASIN: B00005AFMS
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,178 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Neal And Jack And Me

2. Heartbeat

3. Sartori In Tangier

4. Waiting Man

5. Neurotica

6. Two Hands

7. The Howler

8. Requiem

Editorial Reviews

Beat is an album filled with varied guitar textures, highlighting Robert Fripp's Frippertronic tape techniques, explorations and Bill Bruford's uncommon drum rhythms. 8 tracks. 2001 reissue. Standard Jewelcase.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Haunted by the Future, December 24, 2002

By 

Snow Leopard (Urbana, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beat: 30th Anniversary Editions (Audio CD)

First a thank you to Rorscach12 for pointing out that the title of the album refers to the writers of the Beat Generation. The sense of looking backward to our most forward-thinking poets actually colors the whole album.

More than with "Discipline" (which is often regarded as perfect), "Beat" is accused of stepping with both feet into the poop of pop. A very strange assertion, considering the presence of "The Howler," "Requiem" and "Satori in Tangier". It's not really fair to say that "Beat" is weaker than "Discipline"; maybe it's not as consistent, but that assumes that the album is aiming at the same kind of effect as "Discipline".

"Neal and Jack and Me", for instance, with intertwining gamelan-guitar lines, driving bass, supra-subdued drums, a killer bridge, and the growlingest vocals from Adrian so far, every bit deserves fair comparison with "Discipline". Arguably, it's "Discipline" that needs to measure up here.

"Heartbeat" is decidedly straightforward, definitely a candidate for an Adrian Belew solo album. Everyone cheered when elder Crimson played straight up hippie-pop ("Cadence & Cascade" and "I Talk to the Wind") way back when, without crying sell-out. Why now? I invite the listener to ignore structure for a minute, and listen to the soundscape this "pop" song presents: the gorgeousness of Bruford's drums, the water-like smoothness of the guitar, the understatement of the solo, the tastefulness of the bass. Pop music hasn't a clue how to put something like this together, and the simplicity chosen here by the band effectively allows its elegance to shine through. I'd like to hear Belew sing it with more conviction though.

"Satori in Tangier" is definitely a highpoint on the album. Moreover, it's the first peek back at the more aggressively progressive Crimson of old, as a prelude to side 2 (and "Three of a Perfect Pair") to come. It's like Fripp is itching to unleash his demons again, and all this discipline is getting to him. "Satori" is a beautifully put together piece. The gorgeous mellowness of its middle section makes the crashing return of the opening theme spine-tingling. The rhythm guitar tone Belew uses here was amazing way back when, and is still exquisite. Pop this is way not.

"Waiting Man" is lyrically and vocally a ballad, floating on top of a more energized variation of the drums of "The Sheltering Sky". It reminds me of the way Bowie crooned over the top of driving music on "Station to Station". The bridge presents a nod to the song "Discipline", but one-ups the other song with more beat and drive. The solo is an amazingly sonic, glassy thing straight out of Belew's book of weird sounds so that, once again, this is decidedly nothing like pop.

"Neurotica" could be said to be the "Indiscipline" of this album, another essay on the insanity of urban life. Sonically, however, it is much more crushing and interesting. Compositionally as well, the sudden musical breaking off for the "chorus" is especially surprising and effective, all the more so for the dreamy tone of Belew's voice. In a way, it's seems like an extended expansion of "Satori" structurally. In general, it's not just not pop, it's anti-pop and draws on the gargantuan assault sensibility of old Crimson, skysaw guitar and all.

King Crimson's mania for contrast puts the sentimental "Two Hands" next. With drums reminiscent of "Waiting Man," the simplicity of "Heartbeat", and the guitar tone of "Satori", it seems a bit like a redundancy. The lyrics don't work so well in its depiction of sensual passion, partly because Belew's delivery seems more spaced-out than sensual. If nothing else, the song serves as an interlude and setup to the next song, though I tend to program it out.

"The Howler" finally lets the monster out of the closet. Although it still features passages of intertwined guitar lines (now distorted, rather than crisp and clear), bass, drums and guitars are here dedicated to putting out a vicious wall of noise. The dancy little bridge in the middle might seem kitschy on the one hand, but it goes very nicely towards setting up the shredding skysaw solo to come, which kicks out further than any other passage from 80s Crimson. Apparently, though, this isn't a popular song with other fans. It's one of my favorites on the album. Incidentally, it's not pop.

"Requiem" is the most obviously retrospective piece on the album. Basically, it is a distinctly frenetic Fripp solo, perversely atonal (and marvelously so), with a dirge-like bass, and nervous, jittery drums. Belew then weighs in with an intensely metallized guitar wail and feedback, so that the piece simultaneously reaches both forward and back 10 years, to the Crimson of old and to "Thrakattak" to come. A 1974 Crimson improvisation performed by the 80s lineup, it is uncompromising, harsh and, in the final analysis, a surprisingly effective musical gesture. The close of the piece, especially, with its lone sustained note over Levin's sinking bass line, is a very somber, and satisfying end.

"Beat" could be said to be of two minds in its effort to discover an effective marriage of "Discipline" and the desire to let the howler howl as of old. As a "transitional" album, that means that its overall feel will not be as monolithic as "Discipline". Is "Discipline" better then? Who cares. Except for "Two Hands", which is undeniably cheesy (however well-done), "Beat" carves out a peculiar soundscape of its own that, like "Requiem", is in the final analysis strangely compelling and effective, partly because it risks more in the direction of what King Crimson would become.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great followup to "Discipline"-- KC keeps moving., March 28, 2005

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beat: 30th Anniversary Editions (Audio CD)

An unfairly lamented album, "Beat" had the incredible misfortune of being the followup to one of the truly great records of its era. Tension abounded as the band sought new directions, and while stories of Fripp storming out of the studio at one point abound, through all this, the most difficult of the three 80s Crimson albums was born.

Named "Beat" as it took its inspiration from the beat poets, nothing shows this quite as clearly as "Neal and Jack and Me"-- an overt reference to Neal Cassidy and Jack Kerouac, filled with a driving beat, guitar pyrotechnics, and a great half shouted vocal from Belew, wrapped in interlocking guitars, its clear things have changed. This is about it for interlocking guitars-- there's a couple funky songs, with driving sort of beats, the instrumental "Sartori in Tangiers" and the frantic paced and crazed "Neurotica", which features a great break that takes the pace down before popping back up in intensity.

This one has no less than three ballads, two of which succeed and one of which ("Two Hands") is pretty much throwaway in my book. Hoewever, "Heartbeat" is a great love song, far and away the most straightforward the band has ever done-- it is however responsible for the opinion that Belew was putting a pop spin on the band, and I suspect if they did it over again, this one may not have made it. "Waiting Man" however is brilliant, featuring syncopated rhythms, a wonderful vocal from Belew, may be the best track on the album.

The album closes on a bizarre note, leaning towards the future in a way-- "The Howler", with its twisted guitars and the instrumental and brutal "Requiem". Full of angst ridden guitars and darkness, this one feels older, timeless in a way, full of the sort of darkness Crimson has been known for over the years-- almost out of place on this one, but one of the great moments of the '80s Crimson.

Its not as good as "Discipline", but "Beat" is a unique and interesting record. Definitely worth checking out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wheels, moving wheels.., March 22, 2002

By 

spiral_mind (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beat: 30th Anniversary Editions (Audio CD)

King Crimson, circa 1982. They'd just finished touring behind the flawless Discipline album and the newly revamped group had gained its acceptance as the new KC rather than another of Robert Fripp's projects. To take the accessibility factor even higher, they emerged from the studio the second time around with Beat. There are two main theories to account for the change in sound:

1) Adrian Belew - with a good pop sensibility and fresh off some work with the Talking Heads - ran rampant over the proceedings and played all the guitars himself, keeping Fripp locked in the basement with only Tony Levin's sushi dinners to sustain him until the album's release, or.. 2) The guys just wanted to have a little more fun this time around.

Though we may never know which was the case, Beat is unquestionably the most radio-friendly and pop-like album in the Crimson canon. If you stretch your imagination a little, you can even hear Bill Bruford playing a steady 4/4 beat at times. (Not to say his drum work is any less inventive - take a listen to "Sartori in Tangier" if you need some reassurance.) On the other side, "Heartbeat" and "Waiting Man" could fit in on an Adrian solo album. And just to remind you this is still Crimson, there are still some moments here to send roommates away complaining about the noise - depending on your perspective, "Neurotica" and "Requiem" will be either listenable experiments or pieces of aimless cacophony.

Often unfairly overlooked, this album falls somewhere in the middle of the KC canon.. worth picking up after the essentials Discipline and Red, but before the diehards-only Lizard or Islands. "Neal and Jack and Me" shows their trademark dual-guitar interplay in top form and "Sartori" still ranks as one of the group's finest instrumentals. And even 35 minutes of Crimson is better than no Crimson at all.