21st Century Guide To King Crimson (Vol 2 1981-200

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Performer: King Crimson
Distributor: Phantom Import Distributi

Notes: This set compiles what Robert Fripp contends is "a comprehensive overview for new ears of all that is necessary in the Crimson corpus." Going on to acknowledge that "old-generation completists might disagree with some choices, but material not included here is available for new-generation completists, should they wish." Enthusiasts' personal preferences aside, The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson, Vol. 1: 1969-1974 (2004) is the first of two four-disc volumes gathering the entire recorded output of the band in its variety of personnel. Each CD contains highlights from a specific era, either in the studio or live, and the material is presented in chronological order. Disc one tracks through In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), In the Wake of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970), and Islands (1971). Suitably, most of the debut effort is presented from recently recovered master tapes that had been unavailable for all prior pressings of the CD. Other truncated titles are the instrumental edits of the tracks "In the Wake of Poseidon" and "Islands," as well as an abridged version of "Sailor's Tale." Disc two offers a concert counterpart with ten selections from each of the touring incarnations of King Crimson circa 1969-1972. Among the standouts are a hard-driving cover of Donovan's "Get Thy Bearings," the rave-up "Groon," and an instrumental edit of "21st Century Schizoid Man" -- the latter pairing from February 11, 1972. Disc three houses cuts from Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), and Red (1974), with abridged readings of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 1" and "Starless" being the only comparative anomalies. Disc four concludes the collection in epic fashion with what is hands-down the most compelling aggregate of performances ever assembled from the 1973-1974 lineup. The vast majority of the USA (1975) album is featured, with the notable exception of a slightly abridged "Exiles." Additionally, "Improv: Augsburg" is the sole inclusion to be previously unreleased and is excerpted from a March 27, 1974, show. The 24-page booklet has plenty of eye candy and visual ephemera surrounding a detailed chronology and discography of the band through its breakup in 1974. ~ Lindsay Planer

Rolling Stone (No. 966, p.65) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A] singular union of power, passion and intellect....Proof that math rock can kill: Fripp's lethal guitar solos..." Uncut (p.90) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[M]an, were they loud. On the two live discs in THE 21ST CENTURY GUIDE you can hear them detonating their sound bombs, reducing to post-nuclear ash anyone unwise enough to have them as a supporting act." Mojo (Publisher) (p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[It's] the hairy jazz-metal of 1974 that still sounds new, with John Wetton's fuzz bass and Bill Bruford's drums creating a devastating rhythm section."

Led by innovative guitarist/conceptualist Robert Fripp, King Crimson went through countless changes in style and personnel. They moved from early symphonic/progressive rock to angular, experimental improv to a mixture of hard rock and fusion before breaking up in the mid-'70s. Revived in the '80s, the group modernized its approach by incorporating Gamelan-like polyrhythms and an almost danceable Talking Heads-influenced sound into their approach. Always the coolest of the art-rockers, Crimson was also one of the most influential of the early-'70s prog crowd.

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