King Crimson “Dicipline” their 1981 album release. King Crimson reinvented after a series of classics from the late 60s and early 70s, with the 1981 release “Discipline”, which was ahead of its time and still sounds remarkably adventurous and urgent Robert Fripp revived his band at the beginning of the 80s and moved in with drummer Bill Bruford, bassist Tony Levin and guitarist and vocalist Adrian Belew have some top players. Roughly speaking, the oeuvre of the legendary band consists of the seven albums that were made between 1969 and 1974, the three albums that date from the 80s and the three albums that were made from the 90s onwards.
King Crimson had delivered a series of classics in the first six years of its existence, because in “The Court Of The Crimson King” (1969), “In The Wake Of Poseidon” (1970), “Lizard” (1970), “Islands” (1971), “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” (1973), “Starless And Bible Black” (1974) and “Red” (1974) can be called that. These are albums that were labelled among the best symphonic rock or prog rock at the time,
On September 22nd in 1981: UK progressive rock band King Crimson released their 8th studio album, ‘Discipline’, on E.G. Records (UK)/Warner Bros. (US) – their first following a 7-year hiatus; only founder Robert Fripp & later addition Bill Bruford had remained from previous incarnations, joined by Adrian Belew (guitar, lead vocals) & Tony Levin (bass guitar, Chapman Stick, backing vocals); the band displaying a more updated ’80s new wave-oriented sound led by the College Radio & progressive FM hit, “Elephant Talk”, the album served as a gateway for ’80s youth into the King Crimson catalogue.
The still fascinating-sounding “Discipline” is largely determined by the unique guitar work of Adrian Belew who had played with David Bowie and Talking Heads in the years before.
I held King Crimson’s early work in high regard, but I have a little more to do with the three albums the band made during the ’80s, if only because these albums have stood the test of time even better. “Discipline” from 1981, “Beat” from 1982 and “Three Of A Perfect Pair” (1984) are seen as a trilogy and are made in the same composition. It is an album that was light years ahead of its time in 1981 and that still sounds fresh and urgent more than forty years after its release. “Discipline” has a unique sound in every way and it is a sound that is largely determined by the special guitar playing of Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew.
King Crimson’s songs on “Discipline” are often of the inimitable and somewhat nervous kind, but the songs on the album are also full of beautiful moments. This album blew my mind with the individual performanecs of Bill Bruford – the human drum machine for starters – plus the glorious vocals of Adrian Belew – not to mention Robert Fripp’s guitar – the subject matter, Adrian Belew’s vocals occasionally remind “Discipline” of the early work of Talking Heads, but the album also has a unique sound, which would also define King Crimson’s next two albums. The songs on “Discipline” often make a somewhat rushed impression, which is reinforced by the special guitar work on the album, but with Matte Kudasai “Discipline” also contains a particularly atmospheric ballad.
The Fat Angel Sings 