On Andy Summers and Robert Fripp's second album, Bewitched, the duo offered a new batch of their instrumental songs, which turned out to be much more rock-oriented than their texturized 1982 debut, I Advance Masked. The album was originally going to be a more musically varied affair – at the time, Summers talked about recording calypso and Tex-Mex/Ry Cooder-like tunes with Fripp, but they never saw the light of day. Like its predecessor, it contains plenty of great guitar work, with songwriting being stressed over instrumental virtuosity. For example, Summers and Fripp know how to subtly insert challenging sections into their songs (such as the 7/4 time signature in "Maquillage"), without making them seem like an obvious attempt to impress fellow musicians. Although '80s-sounding electronic drums are primarily used for backbeats (such as the track "Train"), it doesn't take away from the album's charm. Whereas their last album featured a few compositions that were quite King Crimson-like, their sophomore effort contains a few that sound like Police instrumentals (the title track). Unfortunately, Bewitched would prove to be Summers and Fripp's last collaboration together.
Robert Fripp Releases Free Ambient Music to Get You Through the Lockdown: Enjoy “Music for Quiet Moments”
Thrang illustrates the technical virtuosity of Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen without ever creating truly engaging music. This edition of the band features guitarist Fripp, bassist and former Gang of Four member Sara Lee, drummer Johnny TooBad, and ex-XTC and Shriekback member Barry Andrews on organ. Recorded live on a small club tour, the music does have the spontaneous spark of improvised music, but frequently the songs just sound like a showcase for their talents, not as individual pieces of music. Fripp can play nearly anything - he runs through spiky punk, prog-rock, new wave pop, dance and rock & roll, with flair and expertise.
Thrang illustrates the technical virtuosity of Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen without ever creating truly engaging music. This edition of the band features guitarist Fripp, bassist and former Gang of Four member Sara Lee, drummer Johnny TooBad, and ex-XTC and Shriekback member Barry Andrews on organ. Recorded live on a small club tour, the music does have the spontaneous spark of improvised music, but frequently the songs just sound like a showcase for their talents, not as individual pieces of music. Fripp can play nearly anything - he runs through spiky punk, prog-rock, new wave pop, dance and rock & roll, with flair and expertise.
Reading the full name of this release - Jakszyk, Fripp And Collins With Levin And Harrison - A Scarcity Of Miracles - A King Crimson ProjeKct - leads to one central and almost unbelievable thought: this must be a new King Crimson album after all these years (the last album was released in 2003). But it is just like Robert Fripp, King Crimson’s mastermind and guitarist, wrote in the album’s liner notes: listening to A Scarcity Of Miracles is “like meeting a close member of the (King Crimson) family for the first time”. The music on this album is consistently mellow, sophisticated prog, similar, but smoother than the soft tunes from the Belew era, perhaps closer in tone to the Sylvian/Fripp albums.
Reading the full name of this release - Jakszyk, Fripp And Collins With Levin And Harrison - A Scarcity Of Miracles - A King Crimson ProjeKct - leads to one central and almost unbelievable thought: this must be a new King Crimson album after all these years (the last album was released in 2003). But it is just like Robert Fripp, King Crimson’s mastermind and guitarist, wrote in the album’s liner notes: listening to A Scarcity Of Miracles is “like meeting a close member of the (King Crimson) family for the first time”. The music on this album is consistently mellow, sophisticated prog, similar, but smoother than the soft tunes from the Belew era, perhaps closer in tone to the Sylvian/Fripp albums.
Cheikha Rimitti was a popular Algerian raï female singer. Robert Fripp sails right into the Oriental motifs like he was born with an electric oud in his hand. The Fowler brothers, from Zappa's bands - handle the North African-style horn arrangements with aplomb. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) has a hard time getting out of his American funk stylings, but the fusion works really, really well.
Cheikha Rimitti was a popular Algerian raï female singer. Robert Fripp sails right into the Oriental motifs like he was born with an electric oud in his hand. The Fowler brothers, from Zappa's bands - handle the North African-style horn arrangements with aplomb. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) has a hard time getting out of his American funk stylings, but the fusion works really, really well.
Many a guitar fan would have predicted that a summit between legendary guitarists Andy Summers (the Police) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) would result in a guitar solofest. But the music on their first collaboration together, I Advance Masked, stresses guitar textures and moods over indulgent soloing. Although the recording sessions weren't entirely enjoyable for Summers (who was experiencing marital problems at the time), some very beautiful music can be found on the resulting album. The music for the track "Girl on a Swing" does an excellent job of conveying the song's title in one's mind, and the duo's guitars weave wonderful polyrhythmic guitar lines throughout "China – Yellow Leader." "The Truth of Skies" is an atmospheric piece, created by a wash of keyboard sounds and guitar dissonance, while "New Marimba" would have sounded right at home on an early-'80s King Crimson album. I Advance Masked has a dreamlike quality to it, and is definitely not typical rock music. It's highly recommended to fans of these two great and original guitarists.