THE POWER TO BELIEVE

King Crimson incorporates a modern, heavy sound on this album, and I believe it justifies my claim that the band evolved with the sounds of the times, and incorporated them into fine progressive rock. This happens to be one of my favorite King Crimson records. It deserves to be heard, especially by those with a taste for heavier music.

"The Power to Believe, Pt. 1: A Cappella" As the title implies, this introduces the main vocal theme, using a Vocoder.

"Level Five" Similar to "Red," this piece has constructed guitar parts panned on both sides and excellent drumming. It is more experimental than said piece, but it is excellent work; neither does it make me cringe nor does it make me regret that I had purchased the album.

"Eyes Wide Open" My favorite song on the album, it's a perfect blend of Belew's excellent vocals and Fripp's exceptional guitar work. Speaking of his guitar work, his Frippertroinics briefly come in, giving the hearer a taste for more.

"Elektrik" This is one of my favorite King Crimson instrumentals. It has a great, thematic opening, interesting bass, but most of all, guitar that has separate notes panned from one side to the other alternately. It is an amazing piece, and I must be careful when playing it at night in car, since it makes me want to drive fast.

"Facts of Life (Intro)" This has a similar introduction to "The Revealing Science of God" by Yes, but is no preparation to what comes next.

"Facts of Life" The hardest song on the album thus far features distorted vocals and somewhat difficult to follow music at first, but the vocals become clean and deliver a clear message, even if the music is hard-panned. The instrumental section can be tougher to appreciate, but it fits in with cacophony of the music.

"The Power to Believe, Pt. 2" This section features less guitar and bass and more "world music," including a synthesizer and some exotic drums.

"Dangerous Curves" With strings and a steady rhythm at first, this piece evolves into something deeper and more voluminous. The final chord is both striking and definitive.

"Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With" This is the most fun song on the album, as it is a "metasong," which is to say, a song about a song. It has a heavy guitar riff and Belew's voice through a distortion box, as the song informs the listener in case he misses it. It reminds me of Alice in Chains.

"The Power to Believe, Pt. 3" This is an odd track, but reminds the listener of the theme. The guitars, bass, drums, and synthesizer are still very strong, and make this an exceptional track. The tempo is ever-changing. The guitar work is excellent here, and shows the band at their most experimental.

"The Power to Believe, Pt. 4: Code (Live)" The album flows so well from the final track back to the first, I have often missed the end when the album repeats itself (though it was not under stress).