WhatzUp

Side One
Adrian Belew
by Jason Hoffman

To say that I’ve been waiting a long time for this album is a bit of an understatement. The last true solo album Adrian Belew put out was in 1996, the fragmented and inconsistent Op Zop Too Wah, which followed in the wake of his masterpiece, 1994’s Here. Sure he’s put out some acoustic renditions of past songs and has logged plenty of time with King Crimson, but what I’ve been yearning for is some of the magic that only the twang bar king can dish out.

Side One promises to be the first of three new electric albums out this year, and, unfortunately, I’m not exactly chomping at the proverbial bit to hear the other two sides. To make fans wait eight to 10 years and then throw them a 33-minute disc, half of which seems to be incomplete sketches or slightly structured jam sessions, seems like a slap in the face. Belew seems so determined to avoid the very Beatlesque influences that made his music appealing to me that he’s left cold, technical and experimental.

So what’s good about Side One? Definitely the first three tracks where Belew forms a demented power trio with Les Claypool of Primus and Danny Carey of Tool. Each of these songs is killer and almost makes the cost of the album worth it. But there won’t be any more of these, aside from one track on Side Three (sob). “Ampersand” is a dense flurry of slapped bass, punchy drums and hammered guitar notes. “Writing on the Wall” is a funky rocker similar to early 80s King Crimson, while “Matchless Man” is a spacious contrast with lazily weaving guitars, hand percussion and carefully placed bass while Belew sings “Here I am / A matchless man / Trying to set your heart on fire.” In the non-power trio realm there is the bridge of “Walk Around the World,” where the bass gets squishy and the rhythm invigorating and the verse melody is somewhat similar to those found on the tribal Young Lions album. Then there’s, um, well, not much.

Adrian Belew is a complex musician with many sides. Perhaps Side One finds him showing off only his King Crimson side (a band which admittedly has never done much for me), while Side Two or Three will display his ability to write incredible, earnest rock songs. Those of us who fell in love with his music during the early 90s can only hope.

To don my Super Nanny hat, let me close with: Meestah Belew, this album is un-accepabull. Mummy and daddy luf you, but we know that you can do bettah. Go sit in the naughty chay until you’re ready to giff us bettah songs.