antoniodeste

Album definitely inferior to the things expressed in their first (exceptional) three albums. You can feel Curt Smith's absence. Even "Raoul And The Kings Of Spain" didn't convince me much. What a shame to lose such a band. The only song worth mentioning is probably "Break it down Again."

Dear Nick.....

Dear (and good) Macaco, but dear also to all those involved here, I would gladly write not just one but several reviews if I could afford the peace and time necessary to do them at least decently, but there it is... Anyway, Macaco, I would be more "short" than "cultured" in intellect, so don't trust me too much. As for the reviewer’s question: the equipment I mentioned has been more or less with him since digital technologies started to be (for him) reliable, so let's say for about fifteen years now. Even back in "Discipline" by the Crimson (1981), he was already wielding a Roland Guitar Synthesizer (the same one as Pat Metheny) with which he played "The Sheltering Sky." As for his works considered as "Frippertronics" (and therefore from "No Pussyfooting" onward up to around "Exposure"), it is well known that thanks to Eno's teachings/experiments, Fripp used not only the Gibson Les Paul but also two modified Revox A77 tape recorders that, working in an asynchronous way, created delays, reverberations, and echoes of modest lengths and amplitudes. The clear effects are clearly audible on both "God Save the Queen" and "Let The Power Fall." Then, as mentioned, the "system" was replaced by digital delays and harmonizers, primarily with which he still works today.

After all, it is not "complicated technological schemes" that generate the wonderful soundscape of Fripp. In reality, it is all based on sending the analog signal from the guitar (I believe currently a "Fernandes") to a (very expensive) Eventide Harmonizer with a bit of "Digital Delay" (what was called "echo" about thirty years ago, more or less... The rest is the mind and heart of a Great musician. This is indeed a precious work, but for those who wish to delve into the exciting universe of "Soundscapes," as he defines them, there is nothing but a wealth of options. Fripp has always been extraordinary.

@zzot: I'm not entirely sure, but I suppose that given the period, Holdsworth was still playing a nice Gibson SG Standard (commonly called "little devil"), or an SG Custom with three pickups. It was the same model that Ollie Halsall played at the time. It's also true that just a couple of years later, I saw Holdsworth play (!!) with a Strat that had Gibson pickups and vice versa.

Despite having great respect for Ponty, I believe that calling him a "genius" is a bit excessive; at least according to my criteria for judgment, of course.

Defining Ponty as the "violinist of Zappa" is frankly reductive (also because there was Don "Sugarcane" Harris...) and, thank God, the French violinist has a quantitatively enviable discography to his name. The second half of the 70s generated, in my opinion, an interesting series of works, including this Enigmatic Ocean. Personally, I prefer the two previous ones ("Aurora" and "Imaginary Voyage"), but to get closer to Ponty’s harmonies and flights, this one is just fine.

DanteCruciani.....the one who reviewed "Like A Virgin" by Madonna??!! The kind of "who doesn’t die, sees you again"?! Well, if that's the case....nice to see you again!!

And the duets with Sting (met in the elevator by uncle Frank) are truly anthological as he lashes out against the telepreacher Jimmy Swaggart with anger and vehemence. After Roxy and elsewhere and The best band you've never heard in your life, it's definitely one of the most savory and delightful chapters of Zappa's live sarcasm and magnificence.

Great album. I'll take my time with the comments.