Customer Reviews

The Power to Believe

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

It seems that the older each member of King Crimson becomes in age, the younger they become in spirit. You wouldn't believe that a bunch of 50-year-olds would be making music that sounds so heavy and so modern. If one were to listen to some of the tracks on this particular release, without any prior knowledge of this being the product of a musician who made "boring old fart" music in the late 60s and early 70s, they'd most likely be shocked, to say the least. Who am I talking about? That would be Robert Fripp, the driving force behind Crimson -- from '69 until now.

While Crimson were lumped with other classic progressive rock bands like Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, ELP and several others, Crimson possessed a darkness and a heaviness which set them apart from the rest. To make a personal hypothesis, symphonic-oriented bands like Tull and ELP seem to be generally more appreciated by the older crowd, while Crimson possessed more of a darker, heavier, sinister edge that many vituperative-loving youngsters -- whom otherwise wouldn't have much use for the sophisticated works of prog-rock -- felt they could latch onto. This definitely isn't "your daddy's prog-rock," but more like the prog-rock of kids who locked up their parents in a closet, threw away the key, and added their OWN twist on things, which would again, point to irony, given that the folks who created this music assumedly average a half-century in age. (Note: if by chance, you stumble upon this page and review, doubt that prog-rock could be heavy and "boring," and haven't heard a thing from Crimson, head straight to their 1974 release, RED.)

Robert Fripp (guitar), Adrian Belew (vocals/guitar), Pat Mastellotto (drums - though credited for traps and buttons, don't ask me what they're supposed to be) and Trey Gunn (Warr guitars -- guitars that mimic guitars, basses, and sometimes keyboards) continue on their strange and compelling musical journey. This album sees Crimson making complex, technical hard rock/metal, but this time out, they've trimmed things quite a bit to be more succinct and concise, and the results are very impressive. Within all the heaviness, there are moments of ethereal beauty that one probably wouldn't expect from Crimson -- not to mention that the album is addictive and utterly fun.

The album opens up with a theme that revolves around the title track, bringing some resemblance to the cyclical theme running through IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON (1970). It features a processed a cappella vocal from Adrian Belew, which brings some atmospherical resemblance to Dire Straits, as well as some 80s new wave bands, before sliding into the heavy, menacing "Level Five." Opening with an ominous 7/4 crunch, the phrases teeter between ascending and descending, which eventually give way to a scrumptious climax: the climactic riff lifted straight out of "FraKctured," was used as this track's climax as well. Then, come around the 5:03 mark, the main song's riff is repeated, but altered in key, which sounds very similar to the ominous, cello-laden middle section of the title track to 1974's RED. "Eyes Wide Open" is an ethereal, ambient ballad with dreamy, oriental-like soundscapes. Crimson? Ethereal, poignant and dreamy? Who knew? A very beautiful number. "Elektrik" begins with some airy, woodwind-like soundscapes, which I'm guessing are spurted from Trey Gunn's Warr guitar, before kicking into one of the most addictive, grooving, head-bopping sections to be heard. The guitar passages seem to coil around one another like two or more snakes, which seem confusing, at least on the surface, while the soundscapes in general sound like perfect music for a video game. "Facts of Life" features some quirky, yet unusually thought-provoking lyrics, as we see Adrian taking on something of a Neil Peart role - philosophically discussing...life!

The second part of the title track is an ambient number featuring a multitude of soundscapes. The first section can please many hydrophiles with those drip-drop sequences, while later there's a soothing section of chime-like beauty that can lull a baby to sleep. "Dangerous Curves" is an exercise in tension: the orchestration seems to mostly ascend in pattern throughout the song, which naturally links up with the steadily increasing dynamics before a creepy explosion closes out the song. "Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With" has been said to be a mockery of numetal bands, but, I think the members are generally poking fun at any musician who writes in standard, typical verse/chorus/verse format. The chorus is 11/8-ish, which isn't odd, given that 11 is the exact amount of syllables in the title (11 syllables = 11 eighth notes.) That sinister laugh heard somewhere near the end of the track shows the boys having some fun - even if it were on sinister accounts. That, to me seems like the real ending of the album, as the last two parts of the title track seem like bonus tracks tacked onto an otherwise excellent album. They're enjoyable on their own, but in context with the rest of the album, they seem like filler, and wasted space.

Not much more can be said from me. Robert Fripp and company continue to make interesting music. This album is intelligent, sinister, aggressive, poignant, fun and hilarious. Worth adding to your collection if you're a Crimson fan.

34 years after their classic debut, 1969's "In The Court Of The Crimson King," the veteran prog-rockers King Crimson are still going strong. The band, comprising founder/guitarist Robert Fripp and Whoever The Heck Fripp Wants To Work With, are rock monsters that can easily shred wallpaper with full force. But they can also dip into dreamy psychedelic soundscapes, take off into the wild avant-garde, and, with the inclusion of singer/guitarist Adrian Belew since 1981, they also have a fine pop sensibility. Their latest album, "The Power To Believe," gives you the best from all of Crimson's worlds, as Fripp & company blend a modern sound with a great throwback feel to the band's experimental early days of "In The Court Of...", "Larks Tongues In Aspic," "Red," etc. Diehard Crimheads everywhere should totally dig this disc.The band tear through incredible instrumentals like "Level Five," "Elektrik," and "Dangerous Curves" with tremendous intensity. "Eyes Wide Open," the only real radio-friendly track on the album, is a terrific song---I'm sure it would do very well on modern rock radio stations. "Facts Of Life," and the tongue-twistingly titled "Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With," are great Crimson rockers. And the band ingeniously break up the title song into four separate sections that are spread throughout the album, each featuring a haunting vocal from Belew, and each one given a slightly different arrangement. It works wonderfully. Robert Fripp, now in his late-50's, still plays a lean, mean, slithering electric guitar. Adrian Belew's excellent vocals & guitarwork also stand mightily tall. Trey Gunn brilliantly plays a monstrous Warr bass guitar, and drummer Pat Mastelotto is a pure powerhouse on his "traps and buttons" (according to the CD booklet). "The Power To Believe" is an astounding King Crimson album, one of their best. May this Crimson line-up rock for many more years to come. :-)

When I discovered just a few days ago that there was a new studio King Crimson CD, I didn't hesitate to get it. I love The ConstruKction of Light, but this is in many ways better. The most significant improvement is regarding the ProjeKct X-like spacey interludes. On ConstruKction, the ProjeKct X material at the end of the album served as a rather unrelated, albeit enjoyable and interesting Coda. Here, the ProjeKct X sound is integrated with the rest of the CD by distributing "The Power to Believe" throughout the disk. Fripp first used this kind of musical form in "In the Wake of Poseidon," lending overall structure to the album, elevating a collection of songs to a cohesive work considerably more complex, and ultimately, more deeply affecting.

"The Power to Believe" opens with a simple version of the title piece, labeled a cappella is a bit misleadingly, since Belew's voice is so intensely filtered and processed electronically. "She carries me through days of apathy, she washes over me. She saved my life, in a manner of speaking, when she gave me back the power to believe." This is followed by a monstrous (i.e., rocking, great!) piece, "Level Five," reminiscent of "Discipline."

King Crimson always includes lovely, acoustic tunes to soften the blows, and "Eyes Wide Open" represents yet another shimmering entry, just as attractive as the best of "Beat." "Elektrik," begins with woodwinds and smashes into a piece that recalls "Red" and the "Larks's Tongues" series. "Facts of Life" is expansive and mysterious in its opening, and we again are banged up against the side of head with a rocker that harkens back to "Indiscipline." Belew is in his element, singing soulfully over the cacophony, tongue-in-cheek.

After the wickedness of "Facts," a return to the calm and introspection of "Power" is in order. This is an extended exploration of the musical theme introduced a cappella by Belew. The atmospherics remind me of moments from "Larks' Tongues" and "Three of a Perfect Pair." Exotic percussion builds in intensity and accompaniment by electronic glissandi in high and low registers take this soaring to the skies. Although I don't recall seeing other reviewers mentioning this, I think this is yet another reason why comparisons are being made to the masterful album "Discipline." I haven't heard anything like this from Fripp since "The Sheltering Sky."

"Power" is followed straight up with the climax of the album, the spectacular "Dangerous Curves." Echoes of mellotrons lead into a piece that is not unlike "The Devil's Triangle." The percussion is driving and the engineering crystal clear, which is fortunate because the piece becomes very loud and requires no more distortion than what is intended.

A time-warp takes us into "Happy with What You Have to be Happy with," a humourous and rocking knod to and knock at post-metal mediocrity. The final two tracks reprise "Power," and the sparely accompanied melody is, in the final analysis, quite moving.

I find this latest contribution to be instantly compelling. I listened to it immediately five times in a row, and it took about that long to figure most of it out. Incredibly, yet another masterpiece from Fripp and his team, and, I would argue, overall the best work King Crimson has ever produced. Practice makes perfect!!

I'm just getting into the many facets and faces of this band, but felt compelled to share a little blurb with those interested. Simply put, this is a great, great album.

How great? The best compliment that I can pay it is that whenever I listen to it, it's hard for me to find something worthy of following it in the rotation. Meaning, I need to take a break from music after this album because few compare to the atmosphere, bombasity, and beauty of this piece of work. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I am a King Crimson and prog-rock newbie through and through. I guess it was semi-natural to come to this point in my music listening seeing as I grew up on 70s rock and metal and have been a musician since the age of 12. Regardless, I would never claim to be a prog-rock genius but as with any kid finding a new hobby, I'm like said kid in a candy store constantly discovering new bands of the metal/stoner/prog genres and they don't come much bigger in the progressive arena than King Crimson.

Initially, I was introduced to King Crimson via their most recognizable track "21st Century Schizoid Man" and was immediately floored by it's technicality and heaviness for it's time. Even for coming out in an era where musical experimentation was applauded in the rock world, King Crimson stood out like a sore thumb and that soreness has continued on into 2003's "The Power To Believe" album.

The opening track is a short acappella piece that segues into the awesome "Level Five" that leads me to believe that a good number of death metal bands were more than a little bit influenced by King Crimson. "Eyes Wide Open" is a much mellower and soothing track that gives the listener the feel of endless space and calm. The whole of the album from here is a blend of electronics and variations of "The Power To Believe" that is split into four separate versions. The remainder is made up of the electronic laden "Facts Of Life" and the album highlight "Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With" that has one of the most memorable and eventful choruses in modern rock music.

"The Power To Believe" is as interesting and unconventional as one would expect from almost any progressive rock band. King Crimson, in 2003, crafted an album that bands like NIN only dreamt of making while maintaining their heavy rock roots. Much like I think it did then, the world needs a band like King Crimson now more than ever and hopefully, more albums like "The Power To Believe" will come down the pike.

The Power to Believe is easily the best album released in 2003, and a welcome return to form for the Krims after the odd and somewhat disappointing ConstruKction of Light. The current lineup of Robert Fripp (Guitar, Mellotron), Adrian Belew (Guitar, Vocals), Trey Gunn (Warr Guitar) and Pat Mastroletto (Percussion) seem to finally be more at home with each other after the departure of Tony Levin and Bill Bruford. If anyone could ever truly replace Tony and Bill, Pat and Trey are probably the only conceivable choices. Pat's drumming is on par with Bill's, though it lacks the true fire and passion heard from Bill's earlier Krim work. Hearing Trey work his Warr Guitar is a beauty to behold (all the more reason to pick up their two excellent live DVDs), and while he definitely lacks the punch of Chapman Stick maestro Tony Levin (we won't be hearing another "Elephant Talk" for a while), he is skilled in a very different and just as competent way.

The album begins with the first of the "Power to Believe" suite, simply consisting of Adrian's heavily processed voice speaking the only lyrics to all four parts:

"She carries me through days of apathy
She watches over me
She saved my life in a manner of speaking
When she gave me back The Power to Believe"

Sounds uplifting, right? Well, once you listen to the next track (and best of the album), the rollicking instrumental "Level Five," you come to realize that this is the same Crimson that was able to release such punishing albums as Red and THRAK. "Level Five" is almost completely minor in chord progression and structure, and features the same great interplay between Adrian and Robert since Discipline. It features a thrilling middle section of extreme beautiful dissonance, and is the most powerful song they've released since "Red." It is immediately followed by "Eyes Wide Open," a song basically designed for Adrian that shows off his vocal chops. "Elektrik" is another excellent Crimson instrumental.

"Facts of Life" seems to put off most of my immediate family (all Crimson fans), but I do still like it. It's the weakest song of the album, somewhat formulaic while retaining some sense of Crimson weirdness. The chorus is excellent; I wish I could say the same for the verses. It is followed by the second incarnation of "The Power to Believe," another solid instrumental.

"Dangerous Curves" picks up steam, a slow sizzler of a song that builds in intensity until it reaches its apex of power, preparing the listener for the sonic assault that is "Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With," which features some of the best lyrics of Adrian's Krim career. It's formulaic songwriting outside of the wild bridge/reprise that once again shows off the Krims' desire to simply throw meter and downbeats out the window.

The disc ends with "The Power to Believe" parts three and four, two more instrumentals. Both are excellent mood pieces in stark contrast to "Happy." In the end, The Power to Believe is simply that, an album of contrasts, and a beautiful one at that. King Crimson is back in all its glory.

Well, a lot of you disliked _The ConstruKction of Light_ but I think it is one of the best King Crimson albums, a great accomplishment in musical art, and downright profound. At this point I prefer TCOL to _The Power to Believe_ but at the same time I feel comparison is unfair, because I currently feel that perhaps, as a listener, I am too "there" with the album to fully grasp it. _The ConstruKction of Light_ was released back in 2000 so we have had years to unravel it.

Comparison and contrast with past King Crimson albums is most effective with TCOL because it has the same lineup and is similar in many ways. Many of the pieces here were culled from live works before the recording of the album, and they have been carefully developed and adapted to different contexts which expand their effect and power. Sonically, there are also similarities: the instrumental juxtaposition of light (Belew's and Fripp's scintillating guitars) and dark (the deep, brooding bass of Gunn and Mastelotto's grave, hypertight drumming), and a tendency towards fearsome heaviness that would make most prog metal bands weep. Likewise the album's flow: distinct feelings of polar moods. The sequencing is more ambiguous in purpose than TCOL, which was symmetrical in the way it balanced darkness and light. Here, the band has a similar light-dark dynamic but the flow is split up differently, and I do not understand the entire relevance of "The Power to Believe" theme. However, there is still a sense of unity throughout with thematically macrocompositional tonal centers, althouugh their layout is very complex. The music itself is basically unreal and refers to past Crimson developments -- unfathomable metrical complexity, interlocking guitar dialogue, pointillist rock gamelan, progressive tonality, et cetera.

An ethereal a capella intro by Belew disappears into "Level Five". This is one of the nastiest Crimson tunes EVER, and it's really something everyone has to hear. A tangled yet sensible mesh of multiple tempo and key changes fuels this bulldozer which underscores the brutal essence of the Crimson King (which I'm starting to think is some schizophrenic, infernal angel-demon hybrid). The sublime lyrical element of King Crimson that we hear on "One Time" or "Walking on Air" returns from its TCOL hiatus with "Eyes Wide Open". This gorgeous piece sounds like Pink Floyd were they to attain divinity. "Facts of Life" sounds like an evil machine coming to life, with Belew's voice heavily distorted and guitars screeching like twisted metal in a car crash. The weird funky interlude and blaring guitar solo are CRAZY. That Belew was able to make a catchy song out of such evil twisted rock music is amazing. "Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With" is more machine rock that hides numerous intricacies in its catchy refrains. The chilling instrumental "Dangerous Curves" flattens me every time with its nerve-racking crescendo, and "Elektrik" is one of the most ineffably addicting Crim tunes.

The recurring "The Power to Believe" theme takes on a different form each time. The intro is merely Belew's vocorder. "The Power to Believe II" is one of the most weirdly enchanting King Crimson songs, along with "Moonchild" and "Nuages". It is also reminds me of "Sartrori in Tangier" or "The Sheltering Sky", which are a like distorted reflections of neoprimitivism. "The Power to Believe II" similar, a gnarled parallel to music of a more Eastern nature, I suppose. Part III is a ambiance from another plane of existence captured and entombed in steel, and the minimalist, spellbinding coda hangs in the air like a ghost. "She carries me through days of apathy | She washes over me | She saved my life in a manner of speaking | When she gave me back the power to believe."

Then it is over, satisfying and peaceful, like coming down from a hallucinogenic trip. Your mind feels more vast, like the album has unlocked gateways that remain open even when the music is over. Yet as much as I love it now, King Crimson always defies quick judgments, so I still have a ways to go with _The Power to Believe_. In two years, I think I will have come to grasp TPTB more fully, and again see how Fripp & co. are musical leaders and mentors, leading the true ethic of progressive music into the 21st century.

King Crimson enter 2003 with the most amazing album, truly one of their all-time best five.
It combines heavy metallic powerful pieces with beautiful transcendental music, all united by what have been called Belew's "musical haikus."
It opens up with the album's theme a cappella and then soars into the most yet powerful and mind-blowing version of Level Five. The drumming is especially amazing on this piece and together with Fripp's soloing and Trey Gunn's superb bass completely charges one up. Lyrical "Eyes Wide Open" soothes the listener after such a mean masterpiece. This is definitely a Belew's song and it is beautiful. "Facts of Life" is a heavy metal song by KC that is completely brand-new and absolutely grooves and rocks. Transcendental "The power to believe II" is one of my absolute favorites. It has evolved from Level 5's "Virtuous Circle" from "Level Five" and takes into a completely different wordl. It has Eastern feel to it and is rich wiht different mystical sounds and grooves. The voice in this track is also beautiful and adds to the richness of the song. "Dangerous Curves" is even more powerful than on "Level Five." "Happy" is another heavy track soaring wiht power. It is followed wiht "Power to Believe III" that has evolved (it seems to me) from "Deception of the Thrush." The perfect closing piece on the album is "The Power to Believe IV: COda" re-stating the theme and offering the perfect conclusion to the musical journey undertaken by the listener.
I personally absolutely love this album and cannot wait till hearing the guys live.
The quality of sound is oustanding as well.
In conclusion, this is an amazing album that is an absolute MUST for any Music Fan.

A lot will be said about this disk because it's one of King Crimson's best and they're an influential band. The important thing is that The Power to Believe contains great music that is both emotionally rich and intellectually stimulating. The disk accomplishes the seemingly impossible by being forward looking and at the same time consolidating the rich KC tradition. If you never have heard KC before, then this is a good place to start. If you're an old fan, this disk will not disappoint.

Many have said that this is "heavy" music and that is true enough. One reviewer wrote that "KC has not mellowed with age." But it also is deeply felt music that resonates with the world situation (in ways that are up to the listener). Another reviewer said "in the face of war, KC makes hopeful thunder." That's a good formulation. The music sounds grim at times but also is brimming with hope. I get a similar feeling listening to composers like Mahler and bands like Tool.

Other amazon reviewers have pointed out the brilliance of these performances and of Machine's wonderful, clear-as-a-bell recording. It's all true! Anyone with an interest in "tweaking" rock music for the sake of new musical and expressive frontiers should listen to this disk.

May I suggest that it's Grammy time for King Crimson?!

I'm not going to give a full review of every song on this cd, because I just purchased it today, and like any King Crimson offering will require multiple listenings to fully digest and appreciate. At first blush a good portion of the cd is the crunching, heavy KC sound that originated on the Red album nearly 30 years ago. Frankly, that is not my favorite side of King Crimson, and this description applies to the tracks Level Five, Elektrik, and Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With. However, there are three tracks that I immediately LOVE at first listening. Eyes Wide Open is a melodious, delicate (by Crimson standards) vocal offering by Adrian Belew which holds up alongside Frame By Frame or Walking On Air, a sound which was unfortunately absent from the last KC album, The ConstruKCtion Of Light. The Power To Believe II and Dangerous Curves are flatly two of the best songs that KC has EVER done, by any line-up. TPTB II begins very quietly in a style similar to the beginning of Larks Tongues In Aspic Part I, and develops with a guitar theme similar to The Sheltering Sky. When two songs can give me goose-bumps on the first listen, I know they will only get better with time.