BEAT

Even though this isn't actually a brilliant album, I think it is clearly better than its horrible follower Three of a perfect. It is a step in the poppier and less inventive direction. I think this album suffers the same ideology as its follower, ''We make poppy songs just in the sake of making poppy songs and making the album more diverse''. So the poppy aspect of this album doesn't feel very natural. However what sets this album above its follower is that more progressive aspect still works pretty well. Not so well as in the seventies but still pretty well. On Three of a perfect pair problem was that poppy songs were annoying and repetitive and experimental stuff forced and somewhat out of dynamics. Album starts greatly with Neal and Jack and me. Adrian Belew sings and shouts very passionately about, ''Seine alone at 4 am'' and instrumental sections sound pretty exotic. The song has much feeling even though it is pretty simple but prog rock atmosphere is still there. Tony Levin is absolutely the monster playing bass. Heartbeat is pretty unmemorable musically. It doesn't evoke much thoughts from me.

Sartori in Tangier is another winner. It is really fast and somewhat eastern sounding song. It attacks you like a freight train and it is probably the most dynamic track on beat. Waiting man is annoying cheese and total throwaway track but still more tolerable than some material on Three of a perfect pair. Neurotica has a cool chaotic sounding quitar riff and cool lyrics about jungle animals taken over the modern city. From Adrian Belew's fast talking you get impression about a man watching chaos in the city from a flying helicopter. At least I get that kind of picture from music, escpecially if I close my eyes. Instrumental sections are very aggressive. Must be the best song on the album. Two hands is very intense love song but sometimes too melodramatic if I'm not in the mood. Howler has some nice exotic instrumental sections which make up for the tune. Sunged parts are not as good. The final track Requiem is improvised instrumental like some tracks on the seventies. Noodling is quite interesting, especially when it gets louder but I would have welcomed more structured approach and more sharpness to overall sound. Still a listenable track.

Beat is a good but not an essential album. It is flawed but not as uninspired as some people make it out be. There is still something exotic playing and progressive spirit. It is hands down better than its follower alltough King Crimson has made better albums before and since.