e

[Michael]

I've listened this a few times now, and above all I have to say this is a gutsy release.  One 42.5 minute instrumental (broken into 11 tracks).  I thought there were 5 parts, for some reason--perhaps not, or perhaps the further breaks are for convenience.  (The sleeve notes are very minimal.)

If any Adrian fan keeps away because there are no vocals, well its his or her loss.  This is no avant garde or third stream work, but a logical continuation of the Trio.

The playing here is excellent throughout--the Slicks just keep getting better, and they have plenty of room to show their stuff here, while Adrian is like a one-man guitar army.

As for the sound, very composed, with lots of room to stretch, and while very much a new and forward looking piece, it at times, not surprisingly, recalls the instrumental parts of the "Sides" and Adrian era Crimson, particularly "The Construction of Light" intro.

Well worth your time and cash.  If anyone had told me 10 years ago that I would soon again be awaiting solo Belew releases with excitement, I wouldn't have believed it.

Oh, great artwork too.   

[Geno]

I've only listened once so far, but those are exactly my first impressions too. It'll obviously take some good time & attention to digest further.

[Dog_None]

Wow I really dropped the ball on this one.  Order wasn't placed until yesterday.  Hopefully I'll get it next week!

[Dog_None]

Well, well, well...

I guess one good thing about working insane hours is that you don't always remember exactly when you did something and it may turn out that you actually did a small task several days before you "remember" doing it.  So anyway, my signed copy of "e" arrived in the mail yesterday!

I haven't listened yet, will do so today.  The artwork is very cool though.

[Geno]

it at times, not surprisingly, recalls the instrumental parts of the "Sides" and Adrian era Crimson, particularly "The Construction of Light" intro.

I wondered whether the TCoL quote was intentional... that snippet seems too similar to be a coincidence. I had a similar feeling with one section where the rhythmic groove seems straight out of "Madness." I guess it fits with the trio's past habit of recycling small snippets into jams like "Beat Box Guitar."

Anyway. I always tend to have a soft spot for people who manage to be both brainy and catchy to such a degree at the same time, like KTU or Miles Davis. This disc sounds nothing like either one, but it shares that balance of qualities exquisitely. Those unison patterns are just unreal.

It also looks like Adrian explained the 11-track thing over at the blog.

"e" is actually one 43-minute piece. but I sub-divided it into 5 sections (a,b,c,d,and e) and further into sub-sections when necessary. for example "a" has 3 different sections so one is called "a" one is "a2" and a third is "a3". I really would have preferred to have NO track markers: one big piece. but for those listeners who would perhaps want to skip a certain part I made it into 11 different tracks.
they are:

a
a2
a3
b
b2
b3
c
d
d2
e
e2

clear as mud, huh?

[highlythrakked]

On the first listen, I liked it okay. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.
On a second listen, I was grooving to it.
On the third and fourth listens I was digging it.
Fifth, sixth, and seventh listens, air-trio rocking to it.
On the now eight listen it has me grinning like a baboon.
 

[Kram]

I suppose anything I say will be colored by the fact that I worked on it.

Whatevah Honey!

This is one amazing disc and one amazing band! The totally cook.

After listening to the roughs for a while, the CD sound is totally amazing. Blew me away. Big kudos to Saul Zonana, Gary Platt and Anders Peterson.

I know it may be crazy but I'd love to hear this band do more long instrumental works.

Thanks all for the positive words on the art. I will blog the tale one day.
 


I like it that  kettle drum and maracas are on it too.

[Scott]

I hear so much Crim in this release.  Much more than any of Adrian's solo stuff.  I have to wonder how much (if any) of that is deliberate.  Do you think this could be a musical statement of sorts?  To me it sounds like Adrian letting folks know just how large his contributions to King Crimson was (is?).

[Geno]

I doubt Ade specifically intended to make that kind of statement and I doubt he really has anything to prove in that regard. I think that's just the direction the muse has been going.

Any group propelled by such a powerhouse rhythm section is almost inevitably going to reach Crim-like levels of intensity anyway...

[Michael]

I agree with Geno.  I do think the references are deliberate, but not that he was trying (or needed to) make a statement.

For the record (of which there is an audio record), much of TCoL intro was developed by Trey and Robert during various projects. 

[owen]

Finally ordered e today... and also finally ordered Side One today (I was waiting for a proposed 'Sides' box that never eventuated and after giving up on that only have Two and Four so far).

It's a Belewpalooza!

[Dog_None]

Well, I've only given this album one good listen so far.  I like it a lot.  I'll write more thoughts when I've listened a few more time.  Speaking of which, I am just posting to do a little gloating about the fact that I'm currently getting myself ready to walk to the "e" listening party at Rembrandts, which is right down the street from where I live. 

[Kram]

Well, I've only given this album one good listen so far.  I like it a lot.  I'll write more thoughts when I've listened a few more time.  Speaking of which, I am just posting to do a little gloating about the fact that I'm currently getting myself ready to walk to the "e" listening party at Rembrandts, which is right down the street from where I live. 

Wow! Mista Dog, you sho' 'nuff must be livin' right! Love to hear a full report on the CD release party too!

Hurry! We are all on pins and needles!
 

[Geno]

Love to hear a full report on the CD release party too!

Ade was wearing a cool peachy-pink shirt.

[Kram]

G-man, did everyone dance?