ROBERT FRIPP, TREY GUNN & BILL RIEFLIN: THE REPERCUSSIONS OF ANGELIC BEHAVIOR

Crazy man, crazy... If you liked the KCrimson Projects, especially 1 and 4 you'll love this collection of freely improvised ambient metallic and electric skronk/jazz/rock. One moment they're chewing into your brain like robotic earwigs on a mission, the next blissfully floating away on clouds of halucinogenic pepper spray. Not for those who don't enjoy musicians stepping out and communicating with one another in unprescribed ways. These boys can shred and chill. Fripp's use of electric guitar and electronics is astounding. Rieflin is an incredible drummer and Trey Gunn on touch guitar (has the range of both bass and guitar) is both subtle and thunderous. Great stuff.

If planning and execution are the intellectual side of refined, tasteful, simply fine music then improvisation is the life blood, or visceral method of breaking new ground and reaching into the unknown. Jazz and blues rely on it for inspiration. "The Repercussions of Angelic Behavior" (TROAB) is an expedition into the frontier forged by King Crimson and its members. This music is not the perfection of Fripp's grand idea. It is a step along the path blazed by "Space Groove". TROAB is more of a refinement and a further test of the idea behind The Projekts, and makes a fine addition to any progressive rock collection. Robert Fripp's guitar work figures most prominently here. Good leadership is a sort of give-and-take between urging others to follow and stepping back & letting others explore. That description is appropriate here, but Rieflin and Gunn are a bit timid here. This reviewer would not blame them, since the path is new and improvisation is a delicate ballet in which the players must support each other, make their own personal inventive contribution, while not getting in each others way. Fripp, Gunn, and Rieflin accomplish this successfully.

It would not be fair to compare Rieflin to Bruford, Mastelotto, and others. He's a drummer of some accomplishment, without sounding denigrating. But on this album he does not exceed expectations. His inventiveness does not shine through, fully. This reviewer can offer no explanation. Gunn is also restrained most of the time, given what he's done in the past. Fripp is a genius, but one can wonder what this work would have been like if Gunn and Rieflin would have been more risky in their performance.

Be certain that this is not the same old Crimson. Its different, original, inventive, and a real treat. If you're still enamored with how Crimson used to sound then it's going to take some maturation to see where Fripp is going and appreciate it. But if you have an adventurous heart...go for it. It's definitely a good ride. This reviewer never tires of TROAB.

I got this album last night. I went to sleep listening to it and found it to be soothing and relaxing.

That probably says something really negative about me. For the record, the last album that I found to be so soothing as I went to sleep was Robert Wyatt's Shleep. Again, that proably says something really negative about me.

The capsule description of this is that it is Fripp soundscapes combined with the menacing energy of some of his most daunting King Crimson work (Some of the Lark's Tounge in Aspic tracks, esp 1 come to mind, as does THRAKATTACK.) Some people love the soundscape stuff, some dismiss it as noodling. I happen to like it. Another review has compared this to some of the ProjeCKts releases, which would be an apt comparison as well.

Anyhow, what we have here is classic Fripp noodling (love it or hate it) combined with some great bass and stick work by Gunn and by some overly energetic percussion by Rieflin (whoever he is.) Gunn is really a co-creator here. The music would be short changed without him, and he really seems to be in sync with Fripp's vision of what they want to create. As for Rieflin, well, overly energetic describes his contributions well. Atmospherically, there is a darkness that overshadows the entire work. Some reviewers believe that they are hearing jazz influences. Those jazz influences, such as they are, have been long strained through prog, and specifically through earlier King Crimson and Fripp efforts.

I will give this three stars. It's good. But if you don't like Fripp's soundscapes, don't appreciate the ProjeCKts and don't want to hear Fripp release the monster in the music, you might be better served looking elsewhere for your prog fix.

The Repercussions of Angelic Behavior, was made as a spinoff from the participation of Fripp and Gunn on Rieflins: Birth of a Giant. I posted a few notes on that album here : www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=61798

Trey Gunn, well known for his work with King Crimson, Sylvian, John Poul Jones ect. As usualy he does a fantastic job with his Touch Warr Guitar, working it both as a Bass, and a Guitar Syntz.

Bill Rieflin, best known from his time as a percussionist in Ministry, one of the cornerstones in the Industrial Metal movement up trough the 90's, but also working as a drummer in the German Industrial band KMFDM, and as a Tour drummer in R.E.M. His drumming here is essential, not just backing the KC boys, but actualy playing with them. Knowing that a lot of this may well be improvised. Sometimes in a Jazz'y style, sometimes very experimental, allway very pressent.

Fripp combines his Soundscrape style, with his destinct leads.

All in all the album comes out as very relaxing, something that makes me just close my eyes and enjoy. but still with a lot more action than the soundscrape Albums. Sometimes it is even a bit aggressive like on "Heard, not seen". But in general it is soft and pleasent. And compared to ProjecKs, witch would be not that far away, seems to me its more soft Jazz/Rock inspired, where ProjeKts are generally more Experimental.

Even though i love this album a lot, and would like to give it 4 stars, in all honesty i dont think it will fit in ANY prog rock collection, so ill have to go with only 3.

But if you are into Fripp or Gunn, or just generaly into instrumental records like Frank Zappa, or Other kinds of instrumental Jazz/rock. You should think of it as a 4-4,5 star rating.