BEAT

I consider this album a "50/50". I mean, side one is pretty good, side two could have been way better. Here the Crimso's tried to add a melodic flavour to the funky, quasi-disco style of "Discipline", but probably they weren't inspired enough to do that. I've read a Fripp interview somewhere in which he said that they made the album in a hurry and the results were consequent. Said that, I still find side one pretty enjoyable. Especially "Sartori in Tangier" and "Waiting man" are remarkable songs; the first tries to add something to the "The sheltering sky" vibe, creating a whole new mood, the second is an emotionally and melodically strong number which Belew handles greatly. Side two is just a bit boring, except maybe for "Requiem", which I find interesting, anyway it's just a furios atonal improv by Fripp over the "same-old" soundscapes. The rest is a bit obvious and/or monotonous (see "Two hands", a pretty drab love song not helped by Mrs. Belew's lyrics). For how strange it may sound, I do prefer "TOAPP" to this. And of course "Discipline" is still the best of the trilogy.