Y'know, I don't think it's fair of me to discount Japan so easily. I've only heard a few tracks, none of which I found particularly gripping, but it may have had to do with a number of factors, including the mostly awful mix they were on (which, fwiw, was a technopop mix from years back that seemed designed to highlight the worst of each artist; I've since come around to appreciation for some of the other artists on that mix).

Edit - I overexplain just because.

Do folks who love early solo Eno also like the first two Roxy Music albums? (Eno was in Roxy for those two albums.) 'Cuz they are good and stuff.

Rap rap rappity rap

I love Roxy in all its incarnations. I think the first album has higher highs, but For Your Pleasure is the more consistently good of the two Eno albums. I don't think Roxy hit its peak, though, until Country Life/Siren.

Hayden, I wouldn't say Japan is for everybody - very delicate and precise, but they don't sound dated in any way. Give Quiet Life a listen, because it's much less precious than the other two (and has some kick-ass guitar that later got phased out of the band's sound). I will admit that Sylvian's vocals are like a more mannered Bryan Ferry's, but he's got a different edge - as a reviewer said shy rather than dissipated or jaded.

I'd also HIGHLY recommend the Fripp/Sylvian collaboration The First Day, but I'm a total Crim head, so take that with whatever grains of salt you will.

Totally with you on the early Eno, though. The man had something going on. Whether how it changed was for the better or for the worse, I don't want to get into (because I like a lot of his ambient stuff), but those four "conventional" albums are SUBLIME.

I should probably check it out again. Hey, I listened to King Crimson's Red the other day for the first time in about 12 years. Gotta say, it was pretty damn good.

hayden, I'm listening to Calexico's Feast of Wire on your recommendation. It's freaking amazing, and I love it.

Next up, Lambchop.

Hey, I listened to King Crimson's Red the other day for the first time in about 12 years. Gotta say, it was pretty damn good.

Oh HELL YES!!!! If you haven't heard any of their recent releases (THRAK, The Power to Believe), I recommend them highly. Also, if they play anywhere near you, go see them. I've seen them four times, and outside of Tom Waits, I can't think of anyone who's been a more transformative experience live.

hayden, I'm listening to Calexico's Feast of Wire on your recommendation. It's freaking amazing, and I love it.

Next up, Lambchop.

Sweet! Yeah, Calexico's absolutely fantastic and almost a necessity if you ever find yourself driving through the West. Which Lambchop? I'm partial to Nixon, but I haven't heard everything they've done, including either of their recent double releases.

Oh HELL YES!!!! If you haven't heard any of their recent releases (THRAK, The Power to Believe), I recommend them highly. Also, if they play anywhere near you, go see them. I've seen them four times, and outside of Tom Waits, I can't think of anyone who's been a more transformative experience live.

Roger that. I was a big fan as a teenager, but rejected them at some point. Red is fucking great, though. I have Discipline, Lark's Tongue in Aspic, and Starless & Bible Black on vinyl, too, so I've been thinking I should pop those on the turntable sometime soon.

Roger that. I was a big fan as a teenager, but rejected them at some point.

I started grooving on them as a teen as well (this would be the Beat/Three of a Perfect Pair era), but never lost the love. First, they kept stopping when they didn't have anything to say, which I respect in bucket loads. Second, everytime they came back, they sounded different, and yet still identifiably Crimson-ish. Anyway, I think Fripp is one of the most underrated great guitarists, and funny-ass guys in the business. It's a bone-dry humor, granted (although I've known him to pass on the odd bodily function joke), but that's my style of humor generally.

Red is probably the single best thing they've ever done, though. It fucking kicks ass, takes names, and leaves no witnesses.

We covered Crimson's Lizard in the book.