This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
There was a time back in the ’70s when I owned all the King Crimson albums. Nowadays, you’d have to be well-heeled, obsessed and/or just plain nuts to try it.
Over the last few years, founding guitarist Robert Fripp has released literally dozens of discs — reissues, live albums, archival tapes, rarities boxes, telephone answering-machine tapes (OK, I made that last one up, but you know it’s only a matter of time). Thankfully, you don’t need to send away to Japan or sell your blood to get the band’s latest CD The Power To Believe. Even better, it’s one of the finest Crim sets in years. Co-starring angular singer-guitarist Adrian Belew, The Power To Believe strikes a fine balance between the complex math-metal of old Crimson, the ambient soundscapes of Fripp’s solo work, and the quirky pop-rock of the ’80s lineup. The dreamy Eyes Wide Open and the slamming round Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With are the band’s most commercial tunes since Elephant Talk; the challenging Level Five will satisfy the prog faithful; the skittery ElektriK wouldn’t be out of place on an Aphex Twin CD; and the multi-part structure of the epic title track echoes back to the days of Larks’ Tongues in Aspic. If you want to buy just one King Crimson album from this century, The Power To Believe is it.
