BEAT

Where Discipline was fresh, on this album the style was already becoming stale. What was interesting for the resurrected King Crimson one year previously was now becoming tired. And this album seems more like an Adrian Belew album than a King Crimson composite. Even the title, an homage to Jack Kerouac seems more apropos to Belew than the rest of the band. And there's no amazing Tony Levin stick work, a la Elephant Talk.

As far as I'm concerned, only half of the album is worth repeated listenings. Sartori In Tangier is an interesting mellow tune, with some cool guitar synth. Neurotica and The Howler are worthy for their aggressiveness. And after a slow Frippertronics start, Requiem develops into a good improv piece.

But in relation to the rest of Crimson's work, I can only give this 2.5 stars. Rounded down.