Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: King Crimson
Label: Discipline Global Mobile
Release: 1981
Rating: 5/5
In 1981, music and especially guitar oddball Robert Fripp, in large part the inventor of what we now call progressive rock, after years as a solo musician, guest spots on various albums by other musicians such as Peter Gabriel and David Bowie, and work with the project The League Of Gentleman, founded the band Discipline. When he suddenly realizes that the music played by the lineup he has gathered around him matches the legacy of King Crimson, “frozen” for ages (seven years), not only stylistically but also spiritually, he decides to resurrect the legendary name, and the new King Crimson are (re)born in a completely new sonic guise, yet with their trademark approach of discovering unconventional and, until then, unexplored ways of playing rock music. The lineup had every right to take the name, since it soon proved to be one of the best in their history, while “Discipline” became the title of the new album, their first studio record in seven years, and eventually the name of their independent label, which today is responsible for a good number of quality releases in progressive rock. The almost totally unexpected return of King Crimson brought joy to the many prog rock fans who were just then starting to lose hope and go through tough times, because many of their favorites had stopped being active or wandered off onto strange musical paths that were only a pale shadow of their former greatness. With King Crimson, who would rather break up on the spot than commercialize themselves in any way, there was never any fear that they’d stray from their core musical philosophy. In the 80s, too, they stood firm as one of the main forces pushing rock music toward higher forms and as the chief standard-bearers of progressive rock, with a heavy emphasis on the word progressive.
On “Discipline” you really get the feeling that Fripp finally managed to achieve what he’d been striving for since the very beginning of his musical career with King Crimson: to merge mathematical precision and sonically stunning visions into an almost perfect, unbeatable blend of sound. The last Crimson album before this one, “Red” (1974), has generally little in common with this record, since the band is once again in a totally new sonic guise. This time they brought numerous elements of world music, new wave, and minimalism into their sound, along with the avant-garde that had already been typical of them, and poured it all into a unique mix of perfection, tightness, innovation, and precision. If they were previously known for a tradition of unstable lineups, none of which lasted more than one album, this time Fripp managed to gather around him professional musicians who belong at the very top of the music world. Besides his genius, dictatorial pettiness, with his “devices” (let’s call them sound toys), which by then had become known as “Frippertronics”, good old Uncle Bob stayed on, along with returnee Bill Bruford, a master of prog rock drumming who had by this time added electronic drums to his kit, and two top American musicians joined the band: guitarist and singer Adrian Belew (a guitarist recognizable from a mile away by his playing style, who had already proven himself as a guitarist for David Bowie and Frank Zappa, as well as with his playing on the Talking Heads song “I Zimbra”) and Tony Levin (a longtime member of Peter Gabriel’s band and a veteran of countless guest spots for renowned names), an exceptionally innovative bassist and stick player (a special, extremely versatile instrument that he personally helped define and that can combine bass and some guitar parts at once). Fripp’s pick of those last two in particular turned out to be a pure win, since they deserve most of the credit for the band’s new sonic makeover, while Fripp and Bruford made sure the band stayed recognizable regardless. Each musician clearly defined his role in the band with his unique musical approach and technique: Fripp and Bruford dictate the many transitions of individual sounds and rhythms, while Levin’s rolling bass and Belew’s often howling guitar, with extensive use of tremolo and slide effects, complement them. As a singer, too, Belew, who according to Fripp was picked partly to add a bit of a pop touch to the band, is a bullseye with his recognizable and versatile voice (in places he deliberately leans a bit toward David Byrne of Talking Heads), which shifts from extremely gallant to ultra paranoid. His vocal abilities shine most on tracks like “Matte Kudasai”, where he shows off his exceptional feel for singing ballads, while on “Indiscipline”, “Elephant Talk”, and “Thela Hun Ginjeet” he proves himself an intelligent narrator, a teller of tales. Besides excellent guitar playing, vocals, and good, often absurd lyrics, Belew also brought a completely fresh stage presence and a good dose of humor to the band. King Crimson were now capable of absolutely anything! This lineup lasted for a full three albums, making it their most stable so far. A big share of the success of “Discipline” rests on precisely this outstanding lineup.
Almost every track on “Discipline” counts as a classic of the band, which says a lot about the quality of this album. Every track on it is a pure winner. Just how different King Crimson are from all their previous incarnations is made clear by the opening masterpiece “Elephant Talk”, tinged with black humor, where Belew’s unusual imitation of an elephant’s trumpeting through a guitar effect shocks and thrills at the same time. The lyrics themselves are a grotesque parody aimed at the mass media, especially music critics. With its three-part tuned rhythm, formed by outstanding stick playing mixed with wildly inventive guitar riffs and intelligent, provocative lyrics, and especially the aforementioned Belew elephant impression, “Elephant Talk” carries the band into previously uncharted territory. A classic that tells the listener right away, loud and clear, that the king has returned to his throne.
“Frame By Frame” takes your breath away with its stunning rhythm and atmosphere, built mainly on Levin’s fiercely aggressive yet artful stick playing, together with Bruford’s almost gentle drumming, Fripp’s subtly tuned guitar, and, on top of that, Belew’s deeply emotional vocal. I’m especially taken with the interplay between the two guitars, since both play extremely fast chords at the same time, but in a different rhythmic pattern and tempo. This track contains polyrhythms, since the guitars play in 7/8 while the rhythm is in 4/4. Besides the stunning technical foundation, which all the band members push to the limit here, this piece stands out above all for its remarkable, ever-building atmosphere.
The deeply melancholic and sensitive ballad “Matte Kudasai” is simply one of the most beautiful creations in the band’s history. Here Fripp offers some of his lightest and most subtle parts in his entire career. His latest tricks with looped effects on “Frippertronics”, which he had already defined and demonstrated on his projects with Brian Eno, bloom here in full light. Belew’s guitar playing is brilliant too, with plenty of howling sounds using the slide effect, but above all he proves himself here as an extremely emotional singer.
“Indiscipline” is without a doubt the strangest piece on the whole album. This rhythmically wrecked and fragmented masterpiece is a real treat for all avant-garde fans. Levin’s stick sound here almost breaks through the floor, while Belew’s paranoid vocal, or rather narration of the extremely absurd lyrics, which came about after Belew spent a whole day trying to write a letter to his wife and just couldn’t get it done, makes sure the listener gets a picture of real chaos, the kind that follows when a person is under heavy strain. The excellent foundation in the background is impressive too, built by Bruford’s wildly energetic and dissonant drumming and Fripp’s screaming guitar. Each instrumentalist plays in their own corner, and from a calm beginning the track turns into pure paranoia. All I can add is what Belew yells at the end of the lyrics – “I Like It!”
But the best on the album is yet to come! “Thela Hun Ginjeet” is a total win and probably even the peak of the whole album, a place where genius, drama, and humor all mix at once. The rhythm is the bounciest on the entire record, and no way you can listen without wanting to dance! The band is simply unstoppable here, and I just can’t find the right words to describe the brilliance of this creation. The central star is definitely Belew with his incredible acting fire (he’s not only a top musician, in my opinion he was born to be a great comedian too), since through a wonderfully lived-in narration he tells about his close encounter with a street gang and later the police while wandering the streets of NYC to record sound effects for the album. The main riff and rhythm section are seasoned with wicked wit. The track is also full of jungle sounds (a nice fit with the concrete-jungle vibe of the lyrics), laid over the multi-voice, wildly exotic chorus of “Thela Hun Ginjeet”, which is somewhat reminiscent of an imam’s call during Ramadan. Just like “Frame By Frame”, this piece is built on polyrhythms.
Elements of world music, particularly oriental, come through on the splendid instrumental “The Sheltering Sky”, which delights with the sounds of Fripp’s guitar effects. Bruford’s percussion work also shines magnificently here, among the best of his career. The congas are especially impressive. The dreamiest atmosphere on the whole album, constantly building its mood from meditative-spiritual to mathematical-logical. A perfect harmony of the two elements.
Perfect, almost mathematical tightness, the true definition of this lineup, reaches its full glory on the closing, aptly named instrumental “Discipline”. A masterful excursion on drums, stick, and both guitars, which together sound as if five guitars were playing at once. All the instruments are integrated into a perfect whole. The reissue includes an alternative version of “Matte Kudasai” as a bonus track, a song whose catchy melody keeps ringing in the listener’s ears for a long time and is a more than fitting way to close things out.
“Discipline” is an absolute masterpiece of 80s progressive rock and one of the band’s key albums, showing King Crimson as newly reborn musical innovators from the days when most music was still made with heart and soul. At the same time, the album proved that old bands can not only survive in a new, different musical climate but also bloom anew and push the genre into wonderful, previously undiscovered places. “Discipline” is one of the best and most important albums for a band, one that meant a rebirth, a resurrection, and a new beginning. Of all the legendary progressive bands that founded the genre, King Crimson weathered the 80s best and stepped into one of their most stable periods. From the 80s to today, they’ve also grown ever lonelier as one of the last, if not the last, truly progressive bands from the golden age of progressive rock.
Lineup
Adrian Belew – vocals, guitar
Robert Fripp – guitar, devices
Tony Levin – stick, bass guitar, backing vocals
Bill Bruford – drums, percussion
Production
King Crimson and Rhett Davies
Track list
1. Elephant talk (4:41)
2. Frame by frame (5:08)
3. Matte Kudasai (3:45)
4. Indiscipline (4:32)
5. Thela Hun Ginjeet (6:25)
6. The sheltering sky (8:22)
7. Discipline (5:02)
Album length: 37:55
Bonus track on the reissue:
8. Matte Kudasai (alternative version) (3:50)
