Three of a Perfect Pair
Three of a Perfect Pair | ||||
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Released | 27 March 1984 | |||
Recorded | Mid-to-late 1983 | |||
Studio | May 1983: Arny's Shack, Poole, Dorset, England; June 1983: Marcus Studio, London, England; November 1983: Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York, United States | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:59 | |||
Label |
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Producer | King Crimson | |||
King Crimson chronology | ||||
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King Crimson studio chronology | ||||
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Singles from Three of a Perfect Pair | ||||
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Three of a Perfect Pair is the tenth studio album by English band King Crimson, released in March 1984 by record label E.G.. It is the final studio album by the 1980s lineup of the group.
Content
The album balances traditional song structures on the "left side" with more free-form improvisation on the "right side", fitting somewhere between the experimental Discipline and the more commercially accessible Beat.[citation needed] Tony Levin had more input than on any other King Crimson album.[citation needed] The "other side" on the 2001 remaster consists of bonus tracks including an a cappella in which all four members supposedly sing in a barbershop quartet but is really Levin's voice overdubbed to create harmonization.[citation needed]
The name of the album is based on the idea of perfect opposites and "three sides to every story", or his, hers, and an objective truth.[citation needed]
The Peter Willis designed artwork illustrates the sacred–profane dichotomy while being a simplified version of the Larks' Tongues in Aspic cover; a rising phallic object represents a male solar deity about to penetrate the crescent figure, a female lunar deity.[citation needed] The back cover illustration is the same but adds a third element, a curved line stretching to reconcile the opposing sides.[2][3]
Tracks 10-15 were added for the 2001 30th Anniversary remaster. Two of the three "Sleepless" mixes were previously available on the UK 12" single. The Bob Clearmountain mix appeared (incorrectly credited and against the band's wishes) on the U.S. Warner Bros. LP pressing.
The hip hop duo Gang Starr would later sample the intro to "Dig Me" in their song "Words I Manifest (Remix)" from their 1989 debut album No More Mr. Nice Guy.
Release and reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B−[5] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kerrang! | mixed[7] |
Trouser Press | mixed[8] |
Released on 27 March 1984, Three of a Perfect Pair reached number 30 in the UK Albums Chart[9]
Trouser Press described it as "a most disjunct album from a band that prided itself on carefully matched contradictions. The Left Side sports four of Adrian Belew's poorer songs and a self-derivative instrumental; the flip is nearly all-instrumental, nearly free-form, nearly brilliant. [...] Apparently the Frippressive "discipline" that forged the critically acclaimed pop/art synthesis of the first two latter-day Crimson albums is not a permanent condition."[8]
During an interview on BBC Radio 1 in 1984, Robert Fripp described the album's 'left' side as "accessible" and 'right' side as "excessive".
A new 5.1 surround sound mix by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp was released in October 2016 for the 40th Anniversary Series as a standalone CD/DVD package and as part of the On (and off) The Road (1981 - 1984) boxed set.
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Adrian Belew; all music is composed by Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp and Tony Levin, except "The King Crimson Barber Shop", with music & lyrics by Levin
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" | 4:13 |
2. | "Model Man" | 3:49 |
3. | "Sleepless" | 5:24 |
4. | "Man with an Open Heart" | 3:05 |
5. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (Instrumental) | 4:47 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
6. | "Industry" (Instrumental) | 7:04 |
7. | "Dig Me" | 3:16 |
8. | "No Warning" (Instrumental) | 3:29 |
9. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (Instrumental) | 6:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
10. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" | 1:37 |
11. | "Industrial Zone A" | 1:44 |
12. | "Industrial Zone B" | 4:33 |
13. | "Sleepless" (Tony Levin mix) | 7:26 |
14. | "Sleepless" (Bob Clearmountain mix) | 5:24 |
15. | "Sleepless" (François Kevorkian dance mix) | 6:17 |
2016 40th Anniversary edition
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (2016 Stereo Mix) | 4:13 |
2. | "Model Man" (2016 Stereo Mix) | 3:49 |
3. | "Sleepless" (2016 Stereo Mix) | 5:24 |
4. | "Man with an Open Heart" (2016 Stereo Mix) | 3:05 |
5. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (2016 Stereo Mix - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
6. | "Industry" (2016 Stereo Mix - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
7. | "Dig Me" (2016 Stereo Mix) | 3:16 |
8. | "No Warning" (2016 Stereo Mix - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
9. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (2016 Stereo Mix - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
10. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (Bonus Tracks) | 1:38 |
11. | "Robert's Ballad" (Bonus Tracks) | 3:23 |
12. | "Shidare Zakura" (Bonus Tracks) | 2:40 |
13. | "Industrial Zone A" (Bonus Tracks) | 3:15 |
14. | "Industrial Zone B" (Bonus Tracks) | 5:34 |
15. | "Industrial Zone C" (Bonus Tracks) | 15:50 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 4:13 |
2. | "Model Man" (Original Album) | 3:49 |
3. | "Sleepless" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 5:24 |
4. | "Man with an Open Heart" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 3:05 |
5. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
6. | "Industry" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
7. | "Dig Me" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 3:16 |
8. | "No Warning" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
9. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (Original Album - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
10. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 1:38 |
11. | "Robert's Ballad" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround) | 3:23 |
12. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 4:13 |
13. | "Model Man" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 3:49 |
14. | "Sleepless" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 5:24 |
15. | "Man with an Open Heart" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 3:05 |
16. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
17. | "Industry" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
18. | "Dig Me" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 3:16 |
19. | "No Warning" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
20. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (Original Album - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
21. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (Bonus Tracks - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 1:38 |
22. | "Robert's Ballad" (Bonus Tracks - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround) | 3:23 |
23. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 4:13 |
24. | "Model Man" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 3:49 |
25. | "Sleepless" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 5:24 |
26. | "Man with an Open Heart" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 3:05 |
27. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
28. | "Industry" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
29. | "Dig Me" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 3:16 |
30. | "No Warning" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
31. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (2016 Stereo Mix - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
32. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 1:38 |
33. | "Robert's Ballad" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 3:23 |
34. | "Shidare Zakura" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 2:40 |
35. | "Industrial Zone A" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 3:15 |
36. | "Industrial Zone B" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 5:34 |
37. | "Industrial Zone C" (Bonus Tracks - MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48)) | 15:50 |
38. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 4:13 |
39. | "Model Man" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 3:49 |
40. | "Sleepless" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 5:24 |
41. | "Man with an Open Heart" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 3:05 |
42. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
43. | "Industry" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
44. | "Dig Me" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 3:16 |
45. | "No Warning" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
46. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (2016 Stereo Mix - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
47. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 1:38 |
48. | "Robert's Ballad" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 3:23 |
49. | "Shidare Zakura" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 2:40 |
50. | "Industrial Zone A" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 3:15 |
51. | "Industrial Zone B" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 5:34 |
52. | "Industrial Zone C" (Bonus Tracks - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48)) | 15:50 |
53. | "Three of a Perfect Pair" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Left Side) | 4:13 |
54. | "Model Man" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Left Side) | 3:49 |
55. | "Sleepless" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Left Side) | 5:24 |
56. | "Man with an Open Heart" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Left Side) | 3:05 |
57. | "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Left Side - Instrumental) | 4:47 |
58. | "Industry" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Right Side - Instrumental) | 7:04 |
59. | "Dig Me" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Right Side) | 3:16 |
60. | "No Warning" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Right Side - Instrumental) | 3:29 |
61. | "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Right Side - Instrumental) | 6:05 |
62. | "The King Crimson Barber Shop" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side) | 1:38 |
63. | "Industrial Zone A" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side) | |
64. | "Industrial Zone B" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side) | |
65. | "Sleepless" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side - Tony Levin Mix) | |
66. | "Sleepless" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side - Bob Clearmountain Mix) | |
67. | "Sleepless" (30th Anniversary Remaster - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Other Side - Dance Mix - F. Kevorkian) | |
68. | "Sleepless" (Video content - promotional video) |
Personnel
- King Crimson
- Adrian Belew – fretted and fretless guitars, lead vocals
- Robert Fripp – guitar, frippertronics
- Tony Levin – bass guitar, chapman stick, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Bill Bruford – acoustic and electric drums
- Additional personnel
- Brad Davis – engineer
- Tony Arnold (Arny's Shack) – co-engineer on "Industry" and "Dig Me"
- Nick James, Ray Niznik, Peter Hefter – assistant engineers
- Tex Read – social services
- Peter Willis (Trevall Mill Studio) – cover symbol design basis
- Timothy Eames – cover art
Charts
Album
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1984 | U.S. Billboard 200 | 58[10] |
UK Albums Chart | 30[9] |
References
- ^ A Beginner’s Guide to the epic music of King Crimson
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Keeling, Andrew. "Smashwords – Musical Guide to Larks' Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson - A book by Andrew Keeling - page 31". Smashwords.com. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "King Crimson Three of a Perfect Pair review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Reviews: Three of a Perfect Pair". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (10 May 1984). "Album Reviews: King Crimson – Three of a Perfect Pair". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Sinclair, David (3 May 1984). "King Crimson 'Three of a Perfect Pair'". Kerrang!. Vol. 67. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 10.
- ^ a b Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira. "TrouserPress.com :: King Crimson". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ a b "King Crimson | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "allmusic ((( Three of a Perfect Pair > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
External links
- Three of a Perfect Pair at Discogs (list of releases)