So, what’s a King Crimson fan to do now that Robert Fripp has closed up shop? Well, one option is to follow Crimson alumnus Pat Mastelotto on drums, teamed with two “guitarists” that have a foot in the future. One, Markus Reuter, has been a teammate of Mastelotoo (and Tony Levin),playing the patented Touch Guitar and Soundscapes on Stick Men, while Trey Gunn adds Warr Guitar, Vocoder and Fretless Warr Guitar, just to keep you guessing on what sounds like what on this double disc of sounds that go back to the future.
The lack of a bass is not even observable on these nine tunes, as the textures and thick guitar lines give enough for Mastelotto’s drums to work with. His high hat sizzles through the dark tunnel journey of “Apple Turtle” with a funky pulse for the deep blue brushwork of Reuter and Gunn on “31”. Lots of the pieces here sound feel like a deep delving into stalactite caverns, as on the clip clopping drip drops of “On The Other Side” or the spacious grays floating on the hovering “Moses”. Reuter and Gunn whipsaw through the roller coaster of “Contact Information” and give a long shadow for the sinewy “Crofin”. Most wondrous are the more atmospheric pieces, with Mastelotto’s cymbals floating with the effects on the spacious “Poem About A Sad Horse” while the foreboding “ Poodles” has the stringed chords form edgy frames of nimbus clouds.
I’ve seen Stick Men in concert, and this album will inspire me for this next incarnation of the progression of progressive music.