Adrian 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. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
