THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR

For people who aren't familiarized of KING CRIMSON's, and particularly, Robert Fripp's peculiarities - the paradigmatic frontman -, the philosophy that moves them is based on expanding the boundaries of music and exploring the most enigmatic melodies. The reason they're called "Eclectic prog" is exactly thanks to this characteristic: they're much experimental, at the verge of avant-garde music boundaries. That's the reason why the band is so respected and influential - it has a little more to do with just releasing IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING.

THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR is part of the post-progressive KING CRIMSON era. Fripp sort of acknowledges that the progressive movement, especially its foremost principles, are dead. He preferred, then, to preserve prog's original objective of musical expansiveness with different methodologies, which culminates in DISCIPLINE, founding a genre that is originated from prog, but isn't prog itself. It is distinct as because of its differentiated basis - most notably the art and avant-garde rock genres, as well metal influences -, and its name is the aforementioned post-progressive.

It is the 80's, though. Britannia's waves are ruled by a new, synthetic wave: the new wave. DISCIPLINE's successfully merged it with several other influences, creating a genuinely progressive masterpiece in every aspect conceivable. THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR, though, has the post-progressive avant-garde and pop alloy a little worn out, as it shows rather than comfortable balance a downright polarized, peeling physiognomy: at one side it is pure pop and the other is pure experimentation. The album sounds somewhat unsettling, but that's because of the Frippertronics, that this time sounds anxious and neurotic, meticulously cold and robotic.

While it might seem a good idea to separate the album in two hemispheres, it isn't. It just shows that KING CRIMSON has always explored all corners of New Wave they could find. The experimental portion, for instance, is hardly New Wave. It is unidentifiable, purely experimental, even repeating moods and atmospheres from the band's previous incarnations, and that just points out they're out of creative mojo, needing to repeat experiments that were already done.

Individually, though, the album is thought-provoking and breaks the disco new-wave paradigm of its time, so it's enough to call it a day.

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