BEAT

After a very long break (seven years) KC (or Discipline) released "Discipline", a not so intersting album IMO. Too much funky oriented. The same line-up is at work for this record. Even if one can, very briefly, find some bits and bites from earlier Krimson work we have to admit that, again, the funk-rock a la Talking Heads is very much there.

Most of the album will sound the same again. "Heartbeat" though is quite good. It will pave the way for the next album, which will sound even more poppish. Can you imagine. KC sounding poppish ?

With "Sartori In Tangier" KC is flirting with electro-pop sounds. Still, this instrumental piece with some Oriental flavour (Tangier is a Moroccan city) is also one of the good number of "Beat".

I do not know whether it is natural or an imitation but in "Waiting Man" Belew sounds really as Byrne (TH). Almost a clone. Having been a huge fan of this interesting New York band (a new-wave pioneer since 1975), I am quite disturbed with this. It is the poorest number so far. A complete waste. It is very difficult to praise such songs. They are different from KC before their split (which could have been interesting) but also totally boring. Nothing inventive nor creative here. Just repetitive stuff.

Same feeling prevails with "Neurotica". Actually several numbers could have been linked the one with the other to form a lenghty and dull number. It is almost impossible to distinguish one piece from another. I even start to regret the jazzy-improv KC style which I almost hated in earlier releases. At least it was instantly recognizable. These type of songs on "Beat" are soulless, impersonal. I'm glad to see that some die-hard fans or more knowlegeable reviewers than I am about this band think about the same as I do.

Very short format of the songs as well. It is also an indication on how short of inspiration they were. Not able to develop an "idea" for more than 4'47" (with "Neurotica") for almost the whole of this effort.

The longest track, and my preferred one (that beats all when you know that the Crimson style I prefer is the symphonic one !) is "Requiem". At least this one can be considered as prog (which is not the case of most of the other songs). Complex guitar intro and weird atmosphere. Finally a true Crimson track. But it is the last song of this album !

I'm afraid that two stars is the maximum rating I can give (thanks to "Requiem" really).