HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE HAPPY WITH

From the opener to the last track this album gives you a no-nonsense bumpy ride on (haha) King Crimson Street -- in which the music swing freely from the light, easy part to the heavy part, from the quiet part to the noisy part. And yet there is no room for the listeners to bring forward any reasonable complain.

Listening to "Bude", a short spoken, electronically manipulated verses (as Peter Frampton did on "Show Me the Way" or Jeff Beck on "She's a Woman" live version with Jan Hammer), one might expect a sit-back-and-relax comfort. But this is not the case, because in no time enter the heavy riff of one of the best tracks, a kind of Belew style of alternative metal flavor "Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With". An interesting twist (or trick?) the listeners can find every now and then.

After the two-minute meditative soundscape "Mie Gakure" and again a short spoken verses "She Shudders", another best new track "Eyes Wide Open" follows. Performed with rhythmically acoustic guitar, "Eyes Wide Open" brings a relieving feel with its poignant lyric. With Belew's effective vocals and marvelous instrumentation, this beautiful song should bravely takes its place alongside "Frame by Frame" from "Discipline".

Another great track worth mentioned is "Potato Pie", a bluesy tune partly best describes as Fripp and Belew guitar play exchange.

Having earned a reputation as a cutting-edge band, always reinvent itself, King Crimson is almost sitting on a comfortable place to do any thing. And they always meet any expectation, as is with this EP. This is a precious addition to your collection.