ROBERT FRIPP

ROBERT FRIPP
EXPOSURE (2006 REMASTER)
192-320 KBPS

The late 70s were probably Fripp's most diverse period, bridging the gap between the two least silly King Crimsons, working with Brian Eno on those classic Bowie albums, writing screeds about the capricious record industry long before Messrs Albini and Love made it fashionable, and even forming a punk band called The League Of Gentlemen before he started a more new-wave outfit that coalesced into a new King Crimson.
Anyway, the album. It's a bit of a grab bag, with angular guitar workouts, ambient pieces, and interesting (as in "... to say the least") vocal turns from guests Daryl Hall, Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill - who practically leaves his lungs on the studio floor after "Disengage". One highlight for me is "Breathless", which manages to combine the crunchiness of Red, the discreet clangour of Discipline, and his ambient stuff with Eno (such as "Wind And Water") in the space of four and a half minutes. "North Star" prototypes King Crimson's "Matte Kadusai" with its laidback feel. Elsewhere there's more ranty wordplay from the pen of Joanna Walton, soundbites that echo Fripp's philosophies, and of course the trademark byzantine guitar playing. The album winds up with a final act which consists of two ambient pieces named "Water Music", natch, bookmarking Gabriel singing a stripped-back "Here Comes The Flood".
In the end, it's not the most astounding record, but it is very listenable as far as "solo" albums from überguitarists go. Certainly, it's muchly recommended for those who acknowledge that King Crimson were never about wearing capes.

CD 1 - ORIGINAL RELEASE
1. Preface 1:15
2. You Burn Me Up I'm a Cigarette 2:23
3. Breathless 4:39
4. Disengage 2:52
5. North Star 3:12
6. Chicago 2:11
7. NY3 2:17
8. Mary 2:10
9. Exposure 4:26
10. Haaden Two 1:56
11. Urban Landscape 2:35
12. I May Not Have Had Enough of Me But I've Had Enough of You 3:38
13. First Inaugural Address to I.A.C.E. Sherborne House 0:04
14. Water Music I 1:19
15. Here Comes the Flood 3:52
16. Water Music II 3:52
17. Postscript 0:38

CD2 - THE 1983 REMIX
1. Preface 1:15
2. You Burn Me Up I'm A Cigarette 2:24
3. Breathless 4:42
4. Disengage 2:43
5. North Star 3:12
6. Chicago 2:17
7. New York, New York, New York 2:17
8. Mary 2:08
9. Exposure 4:26
10. Haaden Two 1:57
11. Urban Landscape 2:34
12. I May Not Have Had Enough Of Me But I've Had Enough Of You 3:37
13. First Inaugural Address To The I.A.C.E. Sherborne House 0:07
14. Water Music I 1:18
15. Here Comes The Flood 3:55
16. Water Music II 3:53
17. Postscript 0:55
18. Exposure 4:28
19. Mary 2:06
20. Disengage 2:49
21. Chicago 2:02
22. NY3 2:15

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