pi-airot

The album is beautiful, even though some things seem thrown in there with a lot of self-indulgence ("Happy Family" feels like a second version of "Indoor Games" with a cacophonous electric piano that has nothing to do with it and is put there just to make an impression; the suite at times is exhausting). "Prince Rupert's Lament" is among my absolute favorite guitar solos. Anderson's contribution is also captivating, bringing some sunshine to an otherwise rather leaden album... who knows what would have happened if he and Fripp had conceived the whole album together! Finally, a note of disapproval goes to Gordon Haskell, who a handful of years ago, buoyed by a very banal single that nonetheless had some commercial success (who still remembers "How Wonderful You Are"?), cheerfully spat into the plate he had eaten from while guesting on that amusing Red Ronnie show, and for which someone still remembers him.

When I heard "Ddiamond," it felt like I was hearing "Five percent for nothing" by Yes again, with the chord progressions from the intro to "Damned if I do" by the Alan Parsons Project. I like it!!!