SIDE THREE

One thing you know or should know about Adrian Belew's solo projects is this crystal clear fact: He does not asssume himself as any kind of reference or musical- line. In fact he as his sometimes music colleague Frank Zappa rather be joking than been taken seriously.

This guy sets the tone for this kind of sophisticated "clowning" performances with an undertoned virtuosism. The great thing of course is his multi-skilled talents with other instruments, as his Zappa, King Crimson guitar master level.

So that is the whole "package" and from there he will go anyway his fancy takes him off. So, to balance his talents, he can turn out to be sometimes amusing, boring, intelligent, frantic, spiritual, etc., etc.

Therefore some of his self-titled efforts can be as excellent, as so-so, or plain down expendable but they are always and almost by rule personal & daring projects as he has no kind of ambitious/vicious goals beyond his association with Prog "legends" and the thrill of performance.

He pens down his music compositions but really anything can happen as they turn around in any kind of different direction and atmosphere.

Now, considering this "hazardous/blessing" process in his solo efforts "Side Three" is perfectly matched, both in aspirations as in songwriting.

So to close things up this album is a flawless display of Mr. Belew's antics and performance skills and as diverse, as creative, as fun, as intelligent as to withhold the whole project, without losing a drop of all his best attributes and still be irreverent and deep in the whole conception without being or becoming pretentious and even less sounding like that.

If you like this musician tone and style here he sets some new standards even for himself!.

****4 "We were long overdue!!", PA Stars.