DISCIPLINE

King Crimson

Eclectic Prog

4.14 | 2259 ratings

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DangHeck
Prog Reviewer

I just realized that I had a quick write-up for this album elsewhere, so I'll put it here.

From 31 weeks ago, apparently, a revision:

And it feels to me that a great lot has culminated (for me) to this moment... Yes, all ye Prog freaks who knoweth best: This is my first ever listen-through of Discipline, one of King Crimson's most beloved records.

I see this album definitely in accordance with the interesting stylistic shift that was happening in Prog bands at this time (here, in 1981), but also happening in music everywhere(!); with the re-substantiation of Art Rock within New Wave, but also with the advent of what would be called "Post-Progressive" music. Thinking now, this latter bastard genre (as I've referred to it in the past) is rightly ill-defined, and yet here we have a firm example of it [If I can attempt it, as it's been explained in some fashion to me, compositional elements were taken from Progressive Rock and combined with I feel most notably Ambient music and Post-Punk/New Wave. Looking at Ambient music as a form of minimalism in popular music, the Wikipedia article for the genre likewise suggests (definitely accurately, looking at, say, David Byrne) a World Music origin (Ahh, yes, my favorite. "Ethnic music". Supposedly what was meant by that is broadly international folk traditions.)]

Here we have a furthered melodicism and a glance (backwards for Fripp) at a "try" at popular music. Bill Bruford returns to KC from the prior lineup for this break in their then-7-year hiatus. He and Fripp are joined by Adrian Belew (following his stints in Zappa's band and David Bowie and Talking Heads) and Tony Levin (I would say most prominently associated with Peter Gabriel, another major contributor to Post-Progressive music) (I'm pleased to say, I got to see him live with KC!). Household names all today.

Overall, a great album, and historically and monumentally important to the Progressive timeline.

DangHeck | 4/5 | 2021-6-3

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