Search Music Review Archives

0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Review Archives

1 | 2 | 3

Music Links:
Missing Piece
Metal-Nose
Prog-Nose
Dutch Progressive
ProgressiveWorld
Proggnois
Proglands
Prog Archives
Musea Music
Syn-phonic Mail Order
Laser's Edge
Metal- Nose
Kinesis
Prog - 4 - You
Prog Pulsion
Spanish Prog Page--PRPM
Prog-Resiste
Giant Progweed
Garden Shed
Hairless Heart
Sonic Cathedral
Arlequins
Prog Rock Ring
Sea Of Tranquility
Rock Report
AOR Dream Zone
ProgNaut
ProgressiveEars
GhostLand
Ladies Of Metal
ZNR Records
Progressor
Gnosis
Other Links
Bathtub of Adventures
Dragon's Links
Unger's Prog World
German Web Ring
Prog.Web
Axiom Of Choice
New Horizons
G.E.P.R.
Colossus
Progressive Magazine
Progressive Newsletter
E-Prog
Zoltan's Progressive
Prog Radio. Net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Progland was founded by John Gabbard in 2005. It's purpose has been to provide you, the music community with the latest music and dvd reviews. It will continue to be your link to the most popular music reviews in the progressive world.

 

Robert Fripp - "Exposure"

Label - E'G Records
Reviewed by: Jason Carzon
Genre: Prog Rock
Country: England
Language: English
Length: 49:43
Release Date: 1979
Label:
E'G Records
Band Members: Robert Fripp / guitars, Frippertronics Barry Andrews / keyboards
  Phil Collins / drums Brian Eno / synthesizer, voice
  Peter Gabriel / vocal, piano Daryl Hall / vocal
  Peter Hammill / vocal Tony Levin / bass
  Jerry Marotta / drums Sid McGuinniss / guitar
  Terre Roche / vocal Narada Michael Walden / drums
  J.G. Bennett / voice Joanna Walton / lyricist
Track Listing: 1.)- Preface (1:15) 8.)-Mary (2:10)
  2.)- You Burn Me Up I'm a Cigarette (2:23) 9.)- Exposure (4:26)
  3.)- Breathless (4:39) 10.)- Haaden Two (1:56)
  4.)- Disengage (2:52) 11.)- Urban Landscape (2:35)
  5.)- North Star (3:12) 12.)-I May Not Have Had Enough of Me But I've Had Enough of You (3:38)
  6.)-Chicago (2:11) 13.)-First Inaugural Address to I.A.C.E. Sherborne House (0:04)
  7.)-NY3 (2:17) 14.)-Water Music I (1:19)
    15.)-Here Comes the Flood (3:52)
    16.)-Water Music II (3:52)
    17.)-Postscript (0:38)
The Review

Following a personal awakening which left him disgusted and disillusioned with the music industry, King Crimson guitarist and guiding light Robert Fripp disbanded Crimson after completing their classic "RED' album in 1974, going into a sort of reclusion. Upon returning in 1977, however, times had changed, prog rock was dead, and the future was presenting itself. That furture was production, ambient music(with and without Brian Eno) and collaborations with the current New Wave scene. The new punk Fripp was now closer in spirit to the likes of Blondie, Talking Heads and David Bowie rather than ELP, Yes or Genesis. The late-70's Fripp is full of energy and ideas. During this period, Fripp put his stamp on the works of others, including Bowie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel(also going through a similar make-over), Peter Hammill, the Roches, Blondie, Daryl Hall, David Byrne, and others. It is in this climate that he produced his first solo album, EXPOSURE. The 'new wave' era Fripp remains, to me, one of his most electrifying phases, and EXPOSURE an album I return to quite often. ***

Though quite lengthy to go into detail about the making of the album, I can say that this is not a King Crimson album, though close in spots- as much of Fripp's other solo work has been of a more ambient 'soundscape' nature. This is a few years before Crimson returned in 1981 with DISCIPLINE. But this album runs the gamut, offering short track after short track of blistering angular fretwork, ambient minimalist overtones, punk energy, tape loops, and a potpouri of guests including Daryl Hall, Peter Gabriel, Terre Roche, Tony Levin, Peter Hammill, Phil Collins(when he would have been caught dead with people like Fripp), Eno and Jerry Marotta. There are hints of King Crimson, but this was a contemporary record which housed a lot of talent and had quite a lot of balls too. Basically, Fripp planned EXPOSURE to be part of a trilogy of albums which also included Peter Gabriel's second album and Daryl Hall's SACRED SONGS album(both of which he produced and played on). However the record companies delayed both this and Hall's album because they felt it was commercial suicide for the Hall & Oates soul-boy to be hob-knobbin' with an 'underground' musician like Fripp. Special mention however must go to Hall, who putas in stellar vocal performances on every turn. And some of his vocal tracks left off the original and appearing here finally may shock you if you're expecting 'Rich Girl' or 'Sarah Smile'. You get a blistering Hall-as-punk-singer instead. Absolutely stunning.***

I could write a whole chapter on this album and take all day doing so, so I won't. Keep in mind that this is remastered and features TWO discs: the original 1979 release and the re-mastered 1986 edition which featured some material redone and remixed, and featured the lost Daryl Hall tracks that the powers-that-be wouldn't let Fripp include the first time around. Best yet to pick this one up and try it out for yourself. There is a spirit of total renewal about EXPOSURE. Total commitment to look beyond what had come before. This may be one of the best avant-garde rock albums ever made, filled to the brim with a wide variety of styles ranging from King Crimson-like guitar bits to soulful pop material to abrasive punk attitude. And with such a cast of guests, you can't go wrong when in 1978 record companies were scratching their heads and going nuts trying to figure out why on Earth their hit star performers like Blondie and David Bowie all wanted to collaborate with this cult-artist Robert Fripp guy. It also sounds as if people had fun, and fun being punky or weird. Fripp may be philosophical and all, about 'Drive to 1981' and all that, be he must have been having fun being weird. EXPOSURE is a product of its era: late 70's NEW YORK in the middle of the punk/new wave days. But it also sounds frighteningly contemporary today, and was perhaps a record ahead of its time.. ***

Without wasting too many words, here's a brief description of the the trax: PREFACE: dialogue 'n stuff.***

 

YOU BURN ME UP I'M A CIGARETTE: punky song featuring Hall on vox.***

BREATHLESS: intense Crimson-like instrumental rocker featuring Tony Levin which bridges the gap between RED and DISCIPLINE.**

DISENGAGE: another frantic punker, the original Hall vocal is very Johnny Rotten, while the re-done Peter Hammill vocal is dramatic and harsh in its own right.***

NORTH STAR: gorgeous ballad-type which forshadows Matte Kudasai from DISCIPLINE a few years later. Hall's vocals have never been more soulful.***

CHICAGO: jangly and jazzy with vox by both Hall and Hammill, and I'm torn between which version is better.***

NY3/NEW YORK NEW YORK NEW YORK: the version with the recorded voices is intense and unnerving, while the one with Hall and actual lyrics is scathingly punk. And Fripp's playing some ridiculously fast stuff. Go Fripp.***

MARY: an acoustic-type folky one which really isn't so dissimilar to anything from the 1970-71 version of King Crimson, and the last reflective gentle track like it Fripp probably did. Hall's version is good, though the naked plain-ness of Terre Roche's version stands above it. I could still see Gordon Haskell singing it though.***

EXPOSURE: Fripp's version of the track which appeared on Peter Gabriel II. Funky and groovy. This edition has a Hall version, but neither that nor the Gabriel II version can't touch the version with Terre Roche's ear-shattering punk-out screaming.***

HAADEN TWO: angular guitar and tape loops. Yum yum.***

URBAN LANDSCAPE: a sort of one-note ambient soundscape which builds until...***

I MAY HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH OF ME BUT I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU: One final punky track thrashes and crashes, with both Fripp and organist Barry Andrews providing aural raping of the eardrums. A tag-team of Terre Roche and Peter Hamill on vocals drive it home.***

THE FIRST INAUGURAL ADRESS OF THE I.A.C.E SHERBORNE HOUSE: with a title like that, it can only be a three second-long track, and it is.***

WATER MUSIC I: the rest of the album is ambient and soothing in nature. This one is recorded voice over a bed of sounscape guitar Frippertronics.***

HERE COMES THE FLOOD: a gentler version of the Peter Gabriel anthem from his first solo album(which Fripp also appeared on) which many believe to be the superior version. Piano, sounscapes, and Gabriel's voice alone.***

WATER MUSIC II: a soothing wash of minimalist guitar soundcapes.***

POSTSCRIPT: dialogue & stuff.***

A great debut solo offering which is abrasive, beautiful, Crimsoid, punk, frantic, soulful, intense, soothing, weird and cutting edge from a time when Robert Fripp had put King Crimson behind him and was acting as a sort of hip older brother to a slightly younger generation of punky upstarts. Not only did he hold his own, he augmented their careers for a while and they were all the better for it. A new wave classic which I can't reccommend enough.***

It wouldn't hurt to hear other albums from that same period too: FRIPP: Let The Power Fall, PETER GABRIEL: PG II(Scratch), FRIPP: League Of Gentlemen, FRIPP: Under Heavy Manners/God Save The King, DARYL HALL: Sacred Songs, DAVID BOWIE: Heroes, DAVID BOWIE: Scary Monsters, as well a choice cuts from ENO, Blondie, Talking Heads, The Roches and The Flying Lizards.***

 

Release Dates

Daily Update News/Preview
Progressive Rock
AOR & Hard Rock
Progressive Metal
Flower Kings-Paradox Hotel-Jason's Review
Flower Kings-Paradox Hotel-Eric's Review
Flower Kings-Paradox Hotel-Angela's Review
David Gilmour-On An Island
Dead Soul Tribe-The Dead Word
Tangent-A Place In The Queue- Jason B.
Jadis-Photoplay-Jason B.
"3"- Wake Pig
Jadis-Photoplay
Shadow Gallery-Room-V
Rush-(R-30) -DVD
Izz-My River Flows
Soft Machine-Floating World-Live
Yes-Tsongas-DVD
Steve Walsh-Shadowman
Neal Morse-One
James LaBrie-Elements Of Persuasion
Canvas Solaris-Penumbra Diffuse
RPWL-World Through My Eyes-Jason's Review
It Bites-Live In London
Spock's Beard-Gluttons For Punishment-Live
Arena-Pepper's Ghost
Magenta-Seven
Pallas-River-2-Live
Kaipa-Mindrevolutions
Dream Theater-Budokan-Live-DVD
David Gilmour-On An Island-Andy's Review
RPWL-World Through My Eyes
ELP-Beyond The Beginning-DVD
Steve Howe-Spectrum
Fish-Bouillabaisse- Perception Of Fish
Blackmore's Night-Castle & Dreams-Dvd
Peter Gabriel-Still Growing Up-DVD
Peter Gabriel-Play-DVD
Camel-Coming Of Age-DVD
Genesis-Way We Walk -Live-DVD
Who-Quadrophenia-DVD
Magellan-Symphony For A Misanthrope
Tomas Bodin-I AM
Flower Kings-Adam & Eve
Jim Gilmour-Great Escape
Kino-Cutting Room Floor
Nick Magnus-Hexameron
A Place In The Queue-Gordon Review
Roine Stolt-Wall St. Voodoo-Russ's Review
Pallas-Dreams Of Men-2 Disc
IQ-Live In London-Dvd "85"
Pallas-Live In London-Dvd-"85"
Karnataka-Delicate Flame Of Desire
K2-Book Of The Dead
Proto-Kaw-The Wait Of Glory
Pendragon-Believe
Neal Morse-?
Red Sand-Gentry
Van Der Graaf Generator-Present
Roine Stolt-Wall St. Voodoo-Brent's Review
Roine Stolt-Wall St. Voodoo- ordon's -Review
Quidam-surREvival
Kaipa-Keyholder
Kino-Picture
Tangent-A Place In The Queue-Wayne
Riverside-Second Life Syndrome
Magrathea-Legends
Pendragon-Live & Last-DVD
Frameshift-An Absence Of Empathy
John Hackett-Checking Out Of London
Circus Maximus-The 1st Chapter
Geoff Downes-Shadows & Reflections
Wetton/Downes-Icon
Saga-Network
Syn-Syndestructible
Jon Anderson-Tour Of The Universe
Porcupine Tree-Deadwing
The Watch-Vacuum
Dream Theater-Train Of Thought
Magellan- Impossible Figures
Ayreon-Human Equation
Flower Kings-Adam & Eve
Vinyl Kings-A Little Trip
Asia-Silent Nation
Yes-House Of Yes-House Of Blues-Cd
Marillion-Anoraknophopia
Big Elf-Hex
John Wetton-Rock Of Faith
John Wetton-Underworld
Martin Orford-Classical Music
Grand Stand-Tricks of Time
Rush-Vapor Trails
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright @ Teakwood Productions 2000