Adrian Belew Side Otwo

On Mr. Music Head, guitar virtuoso Adrian Belew serves up a pure pop-sounding album, and does a satisfying job to boot. He puts his guitar to good use, at times sounding experimental, but only doing so to add color to his three-minute tunes. On "Oh Daddy," his daughter Audie shares the singing on this light, cheery little number…

This short and sweet CD-5 release from Adrian Belew is a rather pleasant addition to his catalog, especially for Belew fans. The disc features Adrian's duets with David Bowie (from the Young Lions CD) and daughter Audie (from Mr. Music Head), but also contains two previously unreleased tracks…

Adrian Belew - Young Lions (1990)
EAC AccurateRip | APE, IMG+CUE, LOG | 246,4 MB | MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | 80,8 MB | Complete Scans (300 dpi) | 25 MB
Prog Rock | Label: Atlantic | Catalog Number: 7 82099-2 | Time: 38:16 | RAR | RS.com

Young Lions is as solid an album as Adrian Belew had put out in some time, including his work with the Bears. Apparently, the relative chart success he had with his last effort fueled the desire for another single, and no less a luminary than former employer David Bowie was brought in to write and duet with Belew on "Pretty Pink Rose" (they even did a video to support it). While that song and "Gunman" (the pair's second collaboration on the album) are little more than a reprise of Bowie's work with Tin Machine, they clearly relieve Belew from having to scrap together all the material himself. Leaning on a not-too-distant King Crimson standard, "Heartbeat," and the Traveling Wilburys' "Not Alone Anymore" leaves Belew holding the bag for an even half-dozen originals, which reduces the filler ratio that plagued some of his earlier efforts. From the energetic opener, "Young Lions," to the Motown-inspired "Looking for a U.F.O.," Belew comes up with some off-center pop/rock songs that hold up under inspection. His work with the Bears had smoothed out the guitarist's rough edges, but on his own, Belew is more nimble and quirky, as "Men in Helicopters" and "Small World" demonstrate. Like Mr. Music Head before it, Young Lions presents Belew's assets in a very palatable package. Despite the lack of a real standout single, Belew's one-man performance on Young Lions is worth hearing. AMG

Adrian Belew used his third release to blatantly demonstrate his love and talent for avant-garde guitar work, but many of the tracks on Desire Caught By the Tail take his passion for boisterous distortion, warped notes, thick sound, and highly experimental playing methods into absurdity…

Adrian Belew - Inner Revolution (1992)
EAC AccurateRip | APE, IMG+CUE, LOG | 266,2 MB | MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | 84 MB | Complete Scans (300 dpi) | 34,2 MB
Prog Rock | Label: Atlantic | Catalog Number: 7 82370-2 | Time: 39:52 | RAR | RS.com

Here's to adversity. This album was recorded after a difficult divorce and shows Belew in a moment of self-actualization – taking positive steps to overcome pain and hardship. And this is one of the strongest critiques of this record…"God Adrian, do you have to be so upbeat about everything?!" This is a misconception, however; the transcendental pinings are so strong in places that the darker ins and outs of this recording are often overshadowed. Nearly all instruments are played by Belew. Probably the strongest track here is "This Is What I Believe In" (once described by Linford Detweiler as "having more time changes than a cheap wristwatch"). Music is intense and yearning – and Belew sings as though his life depends on getting the words out. His guitar solo on this track sounds like a saxophone, and other diverse experimentation with the guitar litters this record at every turn. The signature lick on the first single, "Standing in the Shadows," is created by scratching the strings vertically with a guitar pick. Other transcendental songs, such as "Birds," "I'd Rather Be Right Here," or "Member of the Tribe," are uplifting exhortations – this is the first time Adrian has sung about this kind of thing. He sings about the dissolution of his previous marriage in the unfortunately titled "War In the Gulf Between Us" – with a mood akin to exhaustion and resignation. From beginning to end, this is a fun romp and a fine example of Belew's prowess – creating inventive music that is simulateously experimental and accessable. One of his finest offerings. AMG

Adrian Belew - Here (1994)
EAC AccurateRip | APE, IMG+CUE, LOG | 259,9 MB | MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | 94,3 MB | Complete Scans (300 dpi) | 47,4 MB
Prog Rock | Label: Caroline Records | Catalog Number: CARCD 26 | Time: 44:57 | RAR | RS.com

Adrian Belew is one of the world's most underrated guitarists, and his unique talents truly deserve more attention. He's played guitar with Frank Zappa and David Bowie, and also handled lead vocal duties with King Crimson. On his 1994 solo release Here, Belew not only wrote all of the material himself (co-writing one with Ross Rice), he also played every single instrument and served as the album's producer. His vocal style is quite similar to David Byrne, while his guitar style cannot be compared to anyone – it's completely unpredictable and off the wall. The album's biggest surprise is the calm, psychedelic track "Fly," with a stark arrangement (voice, acoustic guitar, and an effect here and there) only intensifying the song's spacious, haunting feel. The album's upbeat opener, "May 1, 1990," finds Belew telling about a date on which "something changed inside me," while "Never Enough" is a warped rocker in classic Belew style (on which he makes his guitar sound like a violin). Here is a good representation of present-day Belew, but as his longtime fans know, it's not by any means a permanent direction. AMG

Op Zop Too Wah is a typically idiosyncratic and entertaining effort from Adrian Belew, demonstrating equal amounts of unparalleled guitar virtuosity and maddeningly pedestrian songcraft. Occasionally, Belew hits upon thrilling compromises between the two extremes, but just as often he meanders, missing his targets as frequently as he hits them…