BEAT

King Crimson

Eclectic Prog

3.10 | 1442 ratings

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Bonnek
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

Beat continues the smart-pop tendencies from Discipline. While it doesn't reach the same heights, it still contains plenty of great prog-pop music (supposing such a genre would actually exist).

The album opens with two dead-catchy songs. Neil and Jack and Me is one of the highlights, a very emotive funk rock song with exceptional vocals from Belew. If you've never heard this incarnation of Crimson then Talking Heads is the obvious reference that should give you an idea of what this band sounds like. Fripp's guitar picking is the obvious prog feature here, there's no way this chromatic counter-rhythm playing could be tagged just pop music.

Heartbeat is pure pop music, but it has the essence of a great pop song, it is catchy and emotional as much as it is tasteful and sincere. The instrumental Satori In Tangier has always been my favourite from this album, the constantly impressive Tony Levin lays down a funky slap bass rhythm and Bruford rides along with the groove. He has sure learned not to 'over-drum' things, something that really flatters a virtuoso like him. Waiting Man completes this marvellous string of songs that made up the A-side of the original album.

Just like the Islands album, this is a record that I have rarely turned around to play the B-side. Neurotica isn't bad but sounds more like a style exercise on Indiscipline then like a really captivating and inspired piece of music. The smooth pop ballad Two Hands is more to my liking, it may sound trite to some people but this kind of quality pop is not something an inferior musician could accomplish. The Howler is a weak filler track. Requiem is a fascinating piece but not something I need to hear often.

Beat is an album that starts very promising but goes under halfway in. With a good 25 minutes of worthwhile music 3 stars are still deserved.

Bonnek | 3/5 | 2009-12-24

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