THE POWER TO BELIEVE

Have you ever wanted to like an album so badly, but for whatever reason the music just doesn't satisfy you as much as you think it should? This describes my feeling towards King Crimson's The Power to Believe. There are plenty of reasons why I think I would love this album. But I just don't.

Strangely enough, I really liked this album on the first listen. And since just about every prog album I have ever given a chance has grown on me with subsequent listens, I was thinking I was going to really grow to love this piece of music. But instead, subsequent listens have actually bored me. It's almost as if I have seen the movie and know how everything turns out and I'm not nearly as interested or on the edge of my seat with what is coming next.

Fripp continues to put together Discipline-like soundscapes with his guitar on a number of the tracks of this album (Level Five, Elektrik and Dangerous Curves). There are very few vocal parts and in the limited instances where Belew uses his voice, he's more likely to be doing something other than singing. Overall, this album is just too artsy for my taste and does not produce any type of lasting enjoyment as a listening experience. I much prefer THRAK if I want to listen to Belew-era King Crimson.

There are a few nice moments worthy of mention. "Dangerous Curves" is a nice instrumental story, with some great sounds which make you feel as if the brakes in your car have gone out and you are barrelling down a curvy mountain pass of a road. "Eyes Wide Open" is also a decent track and is one of the few times when Belew actually sings.

Two stars is all I can give The Power to Believe.