Hello and happy Saturday night my friends! Your pal the Meista here with another great pairing for ya... King Crimson's amazing "Three Of A Perfect Pair" (37 years old today... wow!) and a hoppy and bright 3-Way IPA from Fort George Brewery and Public House in collaboration with Level Beer and Structures Brewing!
Album Info:
- Artist: King Crimson
- Title: "Three Of A Perfect Pair"
- Recorded: May through November 1983 at Arny's Shack in Poole, Dorset Marcus, London and Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, New York
- Release date: March 27th,1984 (10th studio album by King Crimson)
- Record company: E.G. / Warner Bros.
- Production: Peter Willis
- Album cover art: Rob O'Connor
- Personnel: Adrian Belew (guitars, lead vocals, and additional drums), Bill Bruford (drums and percussion), Robert Fripp (guitar, organ, and Frippertronics), and Tony Levin (bass guitar, Chapman stick, and backing vocals)
- Musical style: Progressive rock, experimental rock, Avant garde jazz, electronic rock, new wave
- Sound: As with all music composed and played by the mighty King Crimson, the songs employ intricate time signatures and tempos, haunting electronic sounds, and wonderful precision. They incorporate a multitude of diverse influences and instrumentation including: symphonic, Avant Garde jazz, folk, psychedelic rock, hard rock, and electronica. The first side of the album ("The Left Side") is more accessible and melodic, while the second side ("The Right Side") is very experimental and dark, incorporating a mechanical/industrial sound with lengthy improvisational pieces. Much of the writing on this album is from Levin, so it revolves around the bass... which is superb!! Highlights include the title track, "Three Of A Perfect Pair," "Model Man," "Sleepless," "Dig Me," and "Larks Tongues In Aspic (Part III)."
- Major themes: Although not a concept album, there is a common thread running through each track of the album, the idea that there are "three sides to every story:" his/her side, her/his side, and the objective truth. The lyrics on "Three Of A Perfect Pair" are rather abstract, sometimes bizarre, and completely honest.
- Notes:
- The album cover is a reference to the Smaragdine Table or the Tabula Smaragdina (sometimes called the Emerald Table). The Smaragdine Table is a representation of a male solar deity on the top and a female lunar deity underneath. While more modern and minimalist, Willis's design pays homage to King Crimson's "Larks Tongues In Aspic" album cover from 1973.
- Sadly, this incarnation of the band did not last long as Fripp was not happy with their output. Of the bands demise, Bruford stated, "Robert broke up the group, again, for the umpteenth time, dwelling at length, I suppose on our lack of imagination, ability, direction and a thousand other things we were doubtless missing. I suppose this only because I remember not listening to this litany of failures. Might as well quit while you're ahead, I thought."
- I purchased "Three Of A Perfect Pair" on vinyl (the one pictured) way back in the mid-80s at a library sale for only 10 cents! Yes, 10 cents!!
- Tracks:
- "Three Of A Perfect Pair"
- "Model Man"
- "Sleepless"
- "Man With An Open Heart"
- "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)"
- "Industry"
- "Dig Me"
- "No Warning"
- "Larks Tongues In Aspic (Part III)"
Brew Info:
- Brewery: Fort George Brewery and Public House (Astoria, Oregon) in collaboration with Level Beer (Portland, Oregon) and Structures Brewing (Bellingham, Washington)
- Website: https://fortgeorgebrewery.com//
- Brew: 3-Way IPA
- Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
- Serving: 16 ounce can
- ABV: 7.2%
- Ingredients: "Pilsner malt, spelt, and flaked oats, and dry-hopped with ridiculous levels of Simcoe, Azacca, Citra, and Chinook hops"
- Pour: The 3-Way IPA pours a very hazy, pale golden-honey hue with a bright white, 1+ finger, creamy head with great retention and lots of sticky and intricate lacing.
- Nose: The nose of the 3-Way IPA is citrusy, tropical, and malty. There are aromas of orange peel, tangerine, mango, pineapple, peach, apricot, melon, strawberry, cereal grain, doughy bread, and soft caramel/toffee.
- Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the 3-Way IPA is wonderful blend of refreshingly juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavors with more subtle grains and malty sweetness. There are notes of fresh squeezed orange juice, mango, apricot, peach, cantaloupe, light berry, and soft caramel.
- Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, juicy, yet smooth and soft with a finish.
Overall pairing: The 3-Way IPA is a wonderful bedfellow for the inventive, artistic, and sometimes chaotic precision that is King Crimson's "Three Of A Perfect Pair". The complexity of this beer really does enhance the listening experience. Well, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my beer and the rest of this album. The next time you enjoy a frosty brew, think of your pals at Brews and Tunes. May life treat you well... to your health my friends!!
Cheers!!
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