Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Ringing Beat
2. Gasp
3. Sneering Loop
4. Tripoli 2020
5. Behold the Child
6. Timean Sparkles
7. Dirt Loop
8. Idea of Decline
9. Deep Indian Long
10. Hopeful Timean
11. Glass Structure
12. Voices
13. Cross Crisis in Lust Storm

Disc 2:

1. Ringing Beat
2. Gasp
3. Sneering Loop
4. Tripoli 2020
5. Behold the Child
6. Timean Sparkles
7. Dirt Loop
8. Idea of Decline
9. Deep Indian Long
10. Hopeful Timean
11. Glass Structure
12. Voices
13. Cross Crisis in Lust Storm

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4926 in Music
• Released on: 2007-10-30
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition

Customer Reviews

Fripp and Eno get Beyond Even.
The legendary Robert Fripp and Brian Eno have joined forces once again with "Beyond Even", a collection of unreleased pieces recorded between 1992 and 2006. The music on this CD was previously only available as a download under the title of "The Cotswold Gnomes".
While there isn't any mention as to what year each individual piece was recorded, it hardly seems to matter as the music flows at an even pace and can be essentially viewed as one single idea - a soundtrack to a non-existent movie.
A majority of the material sounds as if it were recorded around the same time as 2004's "Equatorial Stars" while other pieces are most reminiscent of Eno's 1997 solo disc "The Drop". A big twist in the entire CD is the closing track "Cross Crisis In Lust Storm" which is dominated by harsh metallic drum beats and Fripp's buzzsaw industrial-like guitar leads.
Like their previous collaborations, Fripp and Eno's "Beyond Even" contains music that is way ahead of its time and continues to show the magic these two giants can bring when placed in the same room together.
It should be noted that The initial pressing of "Beyond Even" is a 2-disc set presenting the music in two different variations. Disc one includes all 13 tracks as they were originally recorded without any segues or crossfades. Disc two presents the music in a continuous fashion with all 13 tracks forming a long 55-minute suite. Once this initial pressing sells out, the version on disc two will be the one that remains. So for the elite Fripp and Eno fans: Get this one while it lasts.

Though There Are Some Issues, Thirteen Is A Winning Number
There are two major issues at play with Beyond Even (1992-2006), which makes this a puzzling, though remarkable, set by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno.

The music - a collection of odds-and-ends - was originally released as The Cotswold Gnomes, a download-only collection released via Fripp's Discipline Global Music Live site. The only difference between the 2-CD set and The Cotswold Gnomes is this limited edition CD package comes with a second disc, which reprises the music in its entirety as a flowing piece, rather than a collection of single tracks, which is found on disc one.

This repackaging of a previous release - using a new title name, with no new content - is shocking from these two artists. There is nothing on the scant CD notes which state this is previously-issued material. Also, it is a guessing game to figure out the origins of these outtakes, though the 13 songs sound so well in the single performance format.

Cross Crisis In Lust Storm is a sonic boom over the ambient landscape, with a powerful punch being delivered in Sneering Loop, Tripoli 2020, The Idea Of Decline and Hopeful Timean.

The music ultimately rises above the various controversies and shows - at least here - that the vault which contains unreleased material is full of gold.

A jambalaya of sound
I received my copy today and have already listened to both discs. The first disc plays the songs individually, the second disc blends the songs together, which must have been a mastering nightmare due to the many moods of the songs. Instead of the typical review; I share my thoughts as the music played. 1. RINGING BEAT: Ambient with a beat. 2. GASP: Electronic space exploration. 3. SNEERING LOOP: I had a dream and Brian Eno played on a PROJEKCT but the record skipped. 4. TRIPOLI 2020: Soundscape with a rhythm section, very cool. 5. BEHOLD THE CHILD: Soundscape with chanting loop, not my favorite track. 6. TIMEAN SPARKLES: The most beautiful piece but way too short. 7. DIRT LOOP: Ambient Soundscape. 8. THE IDEA OF DECLINE: Electronica, you can dance to this one. 9. DEEP INDIAN LONG: Relaxing soundscape. 10. HOPEFUL TIMEAN: Peaceful. 11. GLASS STRUCTURE: Let there be Eno and there was Eno. 12. VOICES: Let there be Fripp and there was Fripp. 13. CROSS CRISIS IN LUST STORM: Wait a minute,maybe Eno did do a PROJEKCT. ENO FRIPP GUNN. Remember this is not a review, these are my thoughts as I listened. Now buy the record and create you own thoughts, enjoy.