My copy of the Exposure re-release arrived today. It’s priced like a single CD but the package contains two, one the original 1979 release, and the second a 1983 remix called confusingly “third edition”.

This takes a bit of untangling. Exposure was intended as part three of a “MOR trilogy”, where part one was Daryl Hall’s Sacred Songs and part two Peter Gabriel II. The original pre-release version of Exposure included several vocals by Daryl Hall, but a dispute over the credits resulted in most of these vocals being replaced by Fripp.

So, the first edition is the version as released in 1979 (no Hall vocals). The second edition is a 1983 remix, as released in 1985. The third edition, new to this release, is the remix but with Hall’s vocals restored. I think the idea is that the “third edition” is to some extent Exposure as it was meant to be; at the same time, Fripp is ever the completist; the contentious songs with the Fripp vocals appear as an appendix and Fripp notes that we can reconstruct the second edition or make our own alternate third edition if we want to.

As for the music, I love it. If you heartily dislike Fripp/Eno noodlings you won’t be much taken by this; yet it is relatively accessible and includes some real songs, not least Here Comes the Flood with Peter Gabriel vocals.

Climate change is a theme; hence “Here comes the flood”. This was prophetic in the seventies; Fripp comments in the notes:

My life changed direction in July 1974 following a terrifying vision of the future. Now, three decades later, I find that I underestimated the extent of radical change that presently underway. In 1974 my response was terror. In 2006 I trust the unfolding process.

Intriguing stuff. And finally I get to the point: in the twilight years of the CD, it’s great to see a reissue done right, respectful of the original, interesting extras, and a high-quality booklet with lyrics and new notes and pix. Recommended.

Tags: robertfripp exposure