A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson [Best of, Import, Double CD]

King Crimson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Original Release Date: 1975
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Best of, Import, Double CD
• Label: Virgin Records Japan
• ASIN: B002TMUVQU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #635,933 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1990 2-disc Jarmac/Virgin JAPAN IMPORT release housed in standard single-wide double jewel case. Track listing: Disc One: 1. Epitaph; 2. Cadence & Cascade; 3. Ladies of the Road; 4. I Talk to the Wind (previously unreleased version); 5. Red; and 6. Starless; Disc Two: 1. The Night Watch; 2. Book of Saturday; 3. Peace -- A Theme; 4. Cat Food; 5. Groon (released as single with Cat Food; March 1970); 6. Coda from 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part I'; 7. Moonchild; 8. Trio; and 9. In the Court of the Crimson King.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Something always undermines a KC compilation, April 17, 2011

By 

Johnnie Neptune (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson (Audio CD)

A very good compilation obviously marred by the exclusion of 21st Century Schizoid Man. But then, Robert Fripp is a 21st Century contrarian.

However, this contains my dream side of vinyl for K.C. on side two where "Red" leads off followed by the FULL version of "Starless". 2 of the VERY BEST Crimson songs EVER back to back on vinyl. For fans of this older form of audio, it doesn't get much better than this!

Here's the track listing:

* 8'52 Epitaph
* 3'36 Cadence and Cascade
* 5'27 Ladies of the Road
* 3'15 I Talk to the Wind
* 6'18 Red
* 12'17 Starless
* 4'38 The Night Watch
* 2'52 Book of Saturdays
* 1'14 Peace - A Theme
* 2'43 Cat Food
* 3'30 Groon
* 2'09 Coda from Larks' Tongues in Aspic pt. 1
* 2'24 Moonchild
* 5'36 Trio
* 9'21 In the Court of the Crimson King

What this cd release does do is include the brilliant, full version of "Starless" which in later compilations was edited by Fripp to omit the fantastic instrumental section featuring former Crimsonian Ian MacDonald. And without 'Schizoid', no compilation is complete. One star docked for the inclusions of "Moonchild" and "Trio" - pointless. Otherwise, a good summation of the band from the powerful first album right up to the Seventies Swan Song of "Red".

However, the story continues, picking up in the 80's and still being written as of 2011, at least officially. There are more recent and extensive KC compilations, The 21st Century Guides (2 Volumes) that make this one a little dated for cd release. However, while you get "Schizoid", you don't get the full version of "Starless". I would probably go with the newer Vol. 1 of the guide over this one for the cd format myself. However I very much recommend this title on vinyl as it is one of the best ways to listen to K.C. on this beloved audio format.

5.0 out of 5 stars And I'm Not Even a Fan of Prog Rock..., June 5, 2011

By 

W. Wilson (Boxborough, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson (Audio CD)

While I am not a huge progressive rock fan, when music went from albums to CDs I did snap up some discs: the first two albums by Hatfield and the North, Gong's 'Angel's Egg,' and several Caravan albums.

I bought this 2-CD Japanese import in the early 1990s. As a teenager, I owned several King Crimson albums: 'Starless and Bible Black, 'Lizard,' and 'Larks Tongues in Aspic.'

Obviously, there's no way a 2-CD set is going to satisfy everyone. I'm disappointed that not a single track from 'Lizard' is included here; in particular, I would have liked to have heard a remastered "Indoor Games."

And not including "The Great Deceiver" from 'Starless and Bible Black' seems criminal.

Nevertheless, I'm giving this 2-disc set five stars because it simply is a work of art both graphically and musically and seems to this "non-fan" to include some daring choices and an even mixture of loud-soft-loud tracks.

"Red" is simply outstanding and in my opinion transcends the progressive rock genre. I wonder if it was ever used in a movie scene. This song sounds like the color it describes. If "Red" were a painting, we might see a huge canvas with violent brush strokes.

"I Talk to the Wind"...intriguing that this appears to be a non-album track sung by non-band members.

"Cat Food" is a hard-to-find single that was not on any album when this set was released.

The sound of the Japanese pressing is wonderful. Over the years I have held on to this CD and would never sell it.

Finally, if any KC fans are reading this, is it true as a friend told me long ago that Gordon Haskell (lead singer on the 'Lizard' album) shot himself after the 'Lizard' sessions were completed due to depression over recording the album?