Customer Reviews

Beat: 30th Anniversary Editions

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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.

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.

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.

It has a share of detractors I guess, but I think _Beat_ earns a respectable place in the King Crimson catalogue. Perhaps the most consistently accessible they've ever sounded, _Beat_ is also important because it most successfully bridges the unique sound of Crimson's 80s rock language and the hook laden new wave influence. Catchy music is an art in itself, after all -- especially when you make no compromises with a song's complexity.

It's (almost) all quite ear-pleasing and accessible, yet complex enough to be consumed by it. Hard to believe any band could make such a catchy song out of "Neal and Jack and Me", with its scintillating interlocking guitar parts like every sparkle on a diamond in slow-motion, and weird-as-hell vocal lines. Nor would one expect 80s pop to feature the hair-raising backwards guitar solo or tricky rhythm interplay that appears on the hook-boasting anthem "Heartbeat". And leave it to Adrian Belew to make a catchy tune out of the complex "Waiting Man", with the guitars ostinati interweaving like little whirling galaxies and exotic pointillist rhythm work of the Mighty Levin-Bruford team. A mystical song.

_Three of a Perfect Pair_ doesn't really have a ballad, so "Two Hands" is the only other ballad track aside from "Matte Kudasai" that appeared in this King Crimson embodiment. It's a beauty: minimal and transparent and weightless, its hushed tones as light as the whisk of a little bird's wing. The creamy sustain of the guitar solo on this one is one of the sweetest examples of the delicious guitar sounds Belew and Fripp employed on these albums.

There's "Neurotica", about which I've heard a lot of people displeased or annoyed, but I think it is one of the BEST KING CRIMSON SONGS. It's so insane but twistedly sensible that listening to it is like every neuron in your brain suddenly being fired at once and you become a god. Okay, that's a little over the top but it's great -- probably the best "sound of insanity" song I've ever heard. It isn't even possible to describe it, except "Bloodcurdling." "The Howler" has a more disorienting gamelan arrangement that literally makes me dizzy (or maybe it was that poison hamburger...err, no, it's the song) Another facet of that experimental side appears in the doomful improv "Requiem" -- Fripp plays a stretched solo over some Frippertronics before the rest of the band appears and lays waste to the sepulchral calm. From here, it is divine anarchy, as musicians search for a common End, but reciprocally work with and against each other as if possessed by demons. A twisted monster with an ending that sounds like a sigh of defeat, even though I think they achieved their goal.

One of my favorite pieces is the instrumental "Sartori in Tangier", which sounds like a surreal, joyful parallel to the alien halcyon of "The Sheltering Sky"...stunning.

You might think this review is ridiculous but King Crimson is a pretty incredible experience, even at their "poppiest." If you like apples in vans and sandwiches, you should buy this album.

I really like this CD: I don't think that most people really have given this music a chance. Here's a song breakdown:

"Neal and Jack and Me": Very groovy, interesting lyrics, the little reggae-esque breakdown in the 2nd verse, it's all just very cool. Inspired by Jack Kerouac the writer.
"Heartbeat": A pop-y tune, sentimental lyrics, lush guitar playing, fairly straight ahead bass and drums. One of the only Crimson songs that ever gets played on the radio.
"Sartori in Tangier": Starts out kind of weird, with Tony Levin messing around on his Stick, then everything gets ultra-funky, a little bit of organ noises, guitar synth plays a lot of stuff here, the rhythms are great, it's a very intense yet sadly brief tune.
"Waiting Man": I really like this song. Interesting African rhythms, guitars, the singing and lyrics are lovely.
"Neurotica": It's cool, I guess, but it's very intense, very weird, Belew is the ultimate writer of rambling lyrics. It's obvious that the music represents New York City.
"Two Hands": An absolutely beautiful tune, the guitars, lyrics, everything just work.
"The Howler": One of Crimson's weaker tunes, although the lyrics are good, it's just not as strong as the other tunes.
"Requiem": Starts out cool, with Robert Fripp playing his guitar, his 'Frippertronics', but it starts to get insane after a few minutes, especially when the rest of the band comes in. A 7 minute collective improvisation. You'd think these guys would be able to jam, but it just ends up being chaos. Interesting to hear at least once though.

All in all, even though i've criticized a few of the tunes, it's a fine purchase. One small complaint is that the CD is so short, only around 35 minutes or so. "Three of A Perfect Pair" from 1984, has much more extra material and unreleased tunes than "Beat" in it's remastered form. However, I really like this music, it is fairly representative of the Beat Generation, and it's just good. Look into it.

On 1981's Discipline, a new King Crimson line-up staked their claim as eccentric, jerky funkrockers. Beat, released the following year, takes many of the approaches used on Discipline a step further. Where certain Discipline tracks brought Crimson closer than ever to the standard pop song format, Beat's "Two Hands" and "Heartbeat" are ballads made for FM radio. Whereon Discipline the texture of Robert Fripp's guitar grew wavier and looser, it becomes completely fluid and roving on Beat instrumentals like "Sartori in Tangier" and "Requiem" (The method hits gold on "Sartori in Tangier," but "Requiem" is pitifully weightless). Whereon Discipline, frontman, Adrian Belew took on a captivatingly panicky persona, on Beat, the sketchy feelings of unease are amplified as Mr. Belew pays tribute to the most neurotic pop culture heroes of them all, fifties Beatnik writers.

The LP is themed after the Beats in its title and by honoring the most influential writers of that movement in the album's three best songs. Allen Gisberg is the subject of "The Howler;" the vile city scapes of William S. Burroughs are drummed-up nicely in "Neurotica" and "Neal and Jack and Me," an enthralling, vigorous and triumphant track that features Mr. Belew's potent growl at its best, recounts the adventures of Neal Cassidy and Jack Keuroac, documented in the latter's cult novel, On the Road, from, oddly enough, the perspective of their car.

Like the work of the Beatniks, Beat is not for everyone. Fans have complained about the "pop" aspects of the album and its lack of the kind of wild experimentation of releases like Larks' Tongues in Aspic and Starless and Bible Black. Keep in mind, folks, that 80s-era King Crimson was a completely different band, who played by another set of rules. Beat is more for fans of Discipline and other recent projects of Mr. Fripp and Mr. Belew such as the late-70s Talking Heads and David Bowie recording sessions where there partnership first blossomed. They should be delighted in the new directions in which Beat pulls that delightful, buoyant, funkrock.

If "In the Wake Of Poseidon" was the carbon copy of "In the Court Of the Crimson King," then "Beat" is the identical twin of "Discipline." It carries most of the same elaborate musical and studio techniques, and the same amazingly complex structures. However, the songs on this 1982 release are often more easily accessible than those on "Discipline"; for instance a song like 'Heartbeat' is a much more easily approached than other great songs that appeared on "Discipline," like 'Thela Hun Ginjeet.' However, this is still King Crimson, so the accessibility is at a minimum. "Beat" is also the first Crimson album to possess a sound that actually reflects its era--here, much of the music has a distinctively 80s flare. With most albums, the ring of the 80s would be a drawback, but with "Beat" is somehow sounds perfect.
The lineup of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Bill Bruford--arguably one of the band's best versions--soars as high as it did on their previous album together, and sometimes soars identically; the guitar of the opener 'Neal and Jack and Me' features a guitar noise that sounds almost exactly like 'Frame By Frame,' a past song. But elsewhere, "Beat" triumphs. Belew's vocals are as brilliantly loony as ever, especially on the never-dull 'Neurotica.' 'Waiting Man' meanwhile features a more subtle vocal, the heartache it induces matched only by Fripp's achieving guitar. This is also perfected on 'Heartbeat' and 'Two Hands,' the latter of which was lyricized by Margaret Belew in a less inspiring manner. The almost anthemic 'Requiem' closes the album suitably.
"Beat" is probably the closest the Crims ever came to actually sounding like something else that was being released at the time. And though it sounds much like an 80s album, "Beat" finds King Crimson throwing away any cliche associated with it and making it their own.

Taking off where Remain In Light and Starless & Bible Black ended, this version of Crimson produced some of their sharpest, most melodic and daring music with this fine album. Belew's delivery (clearly influenced by both Lennon, David Byrne and David Bowie)is much more assured and stylistically his own. His lyrics are both rich and full of wry observations.

Fripp's guitar playing (along with Belew's) is some of his most inspired on record. Tony Levin and Bill Brufford shine as well. The remastered sound (although not a huge improvement on the 1989 remastered release) is very good. Highly recommended.

King Crimson has released some spectacularly crafted and musically insightful masterworks throughout their lengthy career, especially their 1960's and '70's output. After ending the latter decade with the explosive "Red", Robert Fripp decided to retire Crimson, feeling the band went as far as it could go creatively as well as musically. In 1981, Fripp reformed King Crimson once again - replacing lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton with Adrian Belew (guitar and lead vocals) and Tony Levin (stick, bass synth). Only Fripp (guitar and Frippertronics) and Bill Bruford (percussion) returned from the previous lineup. The latter four musicians released "Discipline" in 1981. In 1982, Belew, Fripp, Levin and Bruford released their second record together, "Beat". All previous Crimson lineups prior to this one (and afterward) were always known for churning out innovative melodies, combined with an over the top musical craftsmanship, all performed on a highly professional musical level. Unfortunately, there's very little of the above qualities displayed on "Beat". Most of the selections here are nothing more than cheesy, half-baked attempts at "stylish" new wave and synthesized pop. Add to what little "Beat" has already going for it, are the lion's share of the trite, aimless lyrics written by Belew, which, for the most part, can be written by your average preschooler. In fact, a majority of preschoolers can write more insightful lyrics than these. The only track that has any noteworthy semblance of strength in the "Creative Writing 101, Inc", Dept., is the descriptive "Neurotica". If there is even the slightest notion to include "Beat" to your "essential" CD collection, it is the two instrumentals "Sartori In Tangier" and "Requiem", although on Crimson's next release, "Three of a Perfect Pair", "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" and "Industry" are stronger instrumentals, both of which feature strong stick and bass playing and knock 'em dead percussives, both supplied to the nth degree by Levin and Bruford, respectively. As for the musicianship on "Beat", the star player here is Tony Levin, who shows the most depth of the four musically, with the other three basically phoning in their licks - which, for the most part, are blatantly repetitive and lack focus. This says a lot for both Fripp and Bruford, who are usually superior musicians in their own right - except on "Beat", when compared to most other Crimson works falls flat on its face both musically and lyrically. Unless you're a die-hard Crimson fan, I'd strongly recommend leaving "Beat" out of your all-important CD collection. But, if you must have it, purchase it for the two instrumentals mentioned above, and for the CD booklet's pictures and newspaper articles. Otherwise, "Beat" leaves no lasting impression.