DISCIPLINE

In the 80s, Robert Fripp decided to name his newest band after the old one, even though there is very little in common between that old dinosaur rock and this amazing techno prog band. Discipline is the only work by King Crimson that I actually like. I think it's a combination of loving Adrian Belew's guitar sounds and really enjoying the synthesis of prog with semi-pop melodies that really put this one into the + category. Two other works from the 80s (Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair) aren't bad, but suffer from too much ambition and a lack of beautiful flow.

I just listened to (7) Discipline, a lovely progressive work without those pesky lyrics that recapitulates the theme of the entire album: not-too-difficult music and likeable melodies. (1) Elephant Talk has equally likeable music and clever Belew lyrics. People who hate progressive will like this song best of all because it's funny and a real toe tapper. (2) Frame by Frame always strikes me as a love song about making progress with a relationship. (3) Matte Kudasai is an unmemorable prog work. (5) Thela Hun Ginjeet is a rare KC work with lyrics in a foreign language. I find the repitition of the title phrase a little distracting, but the music is unforgettable. (4) Indicipline finds the band continuing a searing jam session in the same vein as Discipline, but more loose (certainly from Fripp's rigid perspective). (6) The sheltering sky is a wonderful mood piece that represents some of the best work of these four musicians working within Fripp's KC framework.