THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR

Beginning like an approaching engine, the vocals come in with the title track in a perfect harmony. This song is very similar to tracks from "Discipline" - it has Adrian Belew's influence all over it. It is complex but, also very catchy and you want to listen to it multiple times (or at least I did). It seems to be tighter and a bit more packaged (usually I hate that, but not in this case). The complex knotty guitar pattern and Levin's Chapman Stick bass slapping is phenomenal. This song is one King Crimson's best songs on any album, and if you like Belew it is what I called an "Adriangasm" for sure.

The second track, Model Man, is a bit of early Police and Talking Heads, it seems. Adrian's influence again dominates the track, but that's not a bad thing. MM feels like three songs in one, just pot-lucked together in some piecemeal arrangement, but it seems to work somehow, someway.

If the first two tracks were dominated by Belew's influence, the next one (Sleepless) has Tony Levin all over it. No one plays stick like Levin and this is a prime example, even though Bruford's drum work is too bland for me, too 80s, the track overall is rather enjoyable, albeit dated (much like the whole album). The band is so tight that they begin to sound like loops.

Man with an Open Heart is ridiculously Talking Heads' influenced. Adrian's stint with the TH made an incredible lasting influence on his work. MwaOH is the perfect example. By this track the album is losing its steam because the next track , Nuages, sounds like the guys decided to drop acid and noodle around.

The next three tracks are basically experimental noise as far as I am concerned. They should be appreciated for their complexity and technical skill and imagination, but leave a lot lacking for enjoyment. Apparently the acid had kicked in by this time.

The album ends with a third installment of "Larks' Tongues In Apsic" (the weakest installment, imo). Really, this sounds like a chase on Miami Vice more than anything else. Not much more I can say '

Overall, the album's beginning builds great hope for what is in store and even though TOAPP is not a bad album (it's really rather good), it gradually just falls apart after the opening track with each song getting weaker. TOAPP is very 80s, very new wave, very industrial and enjoyable, but worth no more than a three ' if that.