Search - King Crimson :: Discipline

Prog-Rock Without All The Pomp, And Fun To Listen To

Gus Sanchez | Raleigh, NC United States | 03/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one's not your daddy's prog-rock. That's right, it's King Crimson, a band unfairly lumped together with the likes of ELP, Yes, Kansas or any other of those purveyors of 20-minute organ solos and reworkers of classical pieces by composers famous and obscure, you need to listen to this band again. Unlike the above-mentioned bands, King Crimson's defacto leader and guitarist Robert Fripp always kept his band beyond the cutting edge, carefully crafting and deconstruting music that perhaps was more than ahead of its' time, bring true meaning of the term "Progressive", which is to look forward, not towards the past. In this instance, the result being the fabulous and very listenable "Discipline", Fripp resurrects Crimson after a seven-year hiatus (breaking up the band at their creative peak in late 1974, for fear they would become "dinosaur rock"), fueled and inspired by his relocation to New York City, the post-punk and pre-New Wave hotbed of the late 70's and early 80's. Here Fripp is joined by former band mate Bill Bruford (drums), Tony Levin (bass and Stick) and Adrian Belew (guitar and vocals), and what a band they would be. It's a musician's wet dream, and to their instinctive musical credit, they avoid all obvious cliches, careful to stay within the concept of the music and not fall into any needless soloing or posturing. You can say that the title of this album is indeed an apt description of the manner by which these master musicians interplay with one another. In fact, the name of this band was to be Discipline; Fripp did not want to call it King Crimson, but upon the suggestion of his band mates and after taking part in early rehearsals, he felt Crimson was not just an appropriate name, but also a reflection of the type of music that is synonymous with King Crimson only.
Throughout "Discipline", there's an air of control and anarchy. The band rips it up in high-powered rave-ups like "Frame by Frame" and "Indiscipline", but yet finds a delicate, introspective side in the lilting lullaby of "Matte Kudesai", and the gentle Balinese Gamelan interplay found on the title track - here, Fripp and Belew trade a repetitive cycle of guitar fingerpicking. In years past, Fripp's leadership was always stamped on the band's earlier output, throughout their many incarnations. Here, taking a cue from the vast wealth of musical language displayed by his new mates, Fripp takes a step back; he's still the leader, but Belew is truly the star of this band. Having worked with both Frank Zappa and the Talking Heads, Adrian Belew is the revelation here. He brings his entire bag of tricks, lyrically and musically. Witness his innovative elephant-wail guitar work in "Elephant Talk", a clever word-play that takes into account society's over-reliance on communication. And, lyrically, he injects humor and melancholy, themes which were sometimes hinted but never realized in other Crimson recordings. A sense of humor, really, is prevalent in nearly all the tracks, and Belew, vocally, does a fine impersonation of David Byrne's herky-jerky delivery. This is especially the case in the stark true story behind "Thela Hun Ginjeet", where Belew rails about crime in the streets of New York while recounting his experience with two potential muggers, all the while being lead by an unbelievable funky bass line from Levin, evoking the hipness and imperil of downtown New York.
In the wistful, exotic "The Sheltering Sky", the band takes a cue from Paul Bowles' masterpiece novel and brings the listener to the sands of the Sahara, on perhaps a ride on a camel with the Bedouin tribes travelling across the desert. Fripp's experimental guitar work with Brian Eno in the mid '70's pays off in spades on this track, through the use of a tape looping technique he cheekly coined "Frippertronics", molding his guitar sound into a blaring horn right at home in the bazaars of North Africa, while Bruford, through his innovative work with electronic drumming, gently propels with an array of exotic percussive sounds.
But it's on "Indiscipline" where the band truly shines. Levin, the bald master studio musician (who has REALLY worked with just about everyone you can imagine), begins this track with a lurching, disturbing rhythm coaxed out on a Stick (a hybrid of guitar and bass). Bruford joins him slowly, then impassively, unleashing a barrage of acoustic and electronic drumming that sets an uneasy tone. Belew and Fripp trade furious, nearly psychotic streams of shrieking, feeback-laden guitar, supporting Belew's spoken word lyrics which may sound like, if you close your eyes, the lunatic ravings of a serial killer, brooding in a spare, dingy apartment. The truth is, Belew used a letter his wife wrote him about a painting she drew as inspiration for his lyrics. This track really sets the tone for what this band truly is, to this day - the best and most listenable noise making unit perhaps ever heard.
This Eighties line-up owes much to the experimentalist new wave of the Talking Heads, the fierce feedback and shred of Sonic Youth (who would cite this band as an influence), the power pop sensibilities of the Police, and, yeah, even the booty-shaking funk of Parliament/Funkadelic. For once, it's a Crimson album that you might even be able to dance to, if only in moderation. As Belew shouts at the end of "Indiscipline", you'll agree when he screams "I like it!""

One of the best albums ever made!

J. Polak | Baltimore, MD United States | 12/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My opinion is that this album is pure genius and a must for anyone interested in progressive alternative music. This is a unique product influenced by minimalism, new wave and Frippitronics at it's best. "The Sheltering Sky" alone is worth the price of the album. I would go a step further and say that this is one of the best albums ever made and would be on my top 10 list although this album may be a bit heavy for some listeners. In truth I like this album more than I listen to it. Every once in a while I'll put it in and marvel at the brilliance."

One of Crimson's best

Thelonious | 04/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Discipline is a departure from the shattering Avant-Jazz-Metal-Classical amalgam that typified King Crimson's approach in the 70's. This was arguably the best music made in the 80's. On Discipline, King Crimson revealed the potential of 80's rock before it was co-opted by the music video movement and degenerated into a parade of talentless one-hit wonders. Discipline is flawless from start to finish. The musicianship is a wide-ranging marvel of technique and control. Elephant Talk and Thela Hun Ginjeet are sinewy and propulsive examples of ultra-sophisticated funk. Matte Kudasai, Frame By Frame, and The Sheltering Sky are atmospheric and dynamic. Indiscipline conjures King Crimson's legendary power and places it in an ultra-modern context. Bruford's electronic drum flurries, combined with Fripp's raging soundscapes and Belew's twisted vocals and guitar work, make this the highlight of the CD. An enduring and classic work."