Coming Attractions

by Greg PratoAdrian Belew is easily one of rock's most prolific guitarists. He's lent his six-string talents to such notables as David Bowie, Frank Zappa, the Talking Heads, and Nine Inch Nails; played with King Crimson and the Bears; performed as a solo artist; produced bands like Jars of Clay; and wrote songs for others (such as Mariah Carey's "Daydream Interlude"). In 2000, Belew had several projects in the working stages -- a new solo album, a new Bears album, a live acoustic album titled This Is a Pencil, a new King Crimson album, and a box set titled Dust. Tasters from all of these projects (save Crimson) plus a few odds and ends were included on Coming Attractions, as well as a couple of live acoustic tracks (the latter sounding similar to his last Thirsty Ear release, Salad Days). From his upcoming solo album, the track "Inner Man" is perhaps Belew's heaviest rock track yet, while the pop perfection of "117 Valley Drive" (from the Bears release) is reminiscent of Belew's last couple of solo releases (Here, Op Zop Too Wah). Other highlights include the two live acoustic tracks "Inner Revolution" and "Time Waits," which highlight Belew's underrated vocal talents in addition to his superb guitar skills, as well as a solo demo titled "People," which previously appeared as a fully realized version on King Crimson's Thrak.