Andy Summers & Robert Fripp – Bewitched

1984 A&M Records

Andy Summers and Robert Fripp are undoubtedly kindred spirits, albeit in ways that have manifested themselves differently throughout the years.  The similarities in creative brilliance and experimental spirit are on full display on their first album ‘I Advance Masked’ and this, its equally creative but superior follow up.

This is an instrumental album consisting more of soundscapes than traditional song structures, which one would expect given the eccentric personalities who created it.  The closest they come to the familiar verse/chorus song structure is on the playful 11-minute “What Kind Of Man Reads Playboy.”

The swirling sonic consummation of guitars, guitar synthesizers, keyboards and programming is at once breathtaking and purifying.  Truly, this album brings me an overwhelming sense of calm and everything being just right every time I listen to it.  Sure it goes off on tangents sometimes, which again you should expect from Summers and Fripp.

The mantra-esque title track provided suitably esoteric background music in portions of The Police’s documentary “Police Around The World,” recorded on their ‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ world tour.  Originality and creativity win the day.

Rating:  4 out of 5

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