Similar Albums:
- Artist: King Crimson
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1991
- Total Time: 277:20
- Type: Compilation (best of), Box set
- Genre: Rock
Review
With its varying short-lived phases, King Crimson is well suited to the box set treatment, and overall, Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson doesn't disappoint. At four discs, it's perhaps a little hefty to serve as a comprehensive introduction for newcomers, even though it could work very well in that context; in the end, the box is more of a close-to-definitive package for fans who fall somewhere in between the realms of casual and devoted. The first three discs do an excellent job of summarizing King Crimson's extremely distinct prime-period lineups: the first disc concentrates on the often jazzy symphonic rock of 1969-1971 (including almost the entirety of In the Court of the Crimson King), the second covers the heavy, experimental soundscapes of 1973-1974, and the third features the off-kilter, new wave-influenced prog pop of 1981-1984. The fourth disc is a career-spanning sampler of live Crimson, and although the varying sound quality and musical styles make it a less cohesive listen than the other discs, it does give an excellent idea of the various lineups' extraordinary performing range. Bandleader/compiler Robert Fripp's selections are sometimes skewed toward particular albums, and devotees may cringe at the fact that some of the longer songs have been edited for time, but, in fact, all of this makes for a better, tighter listen; it's difficult to argue with what is here, and the edits often chop out less interesting sections of the pieces. Additionally, the remastering job and the liner notes are both excellent. So, in spite of its minor flaws, Frame by Frame is really everything one could want from a basic King Crimson box set. ~ Steve Huey, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| 21st Century Schizoid Man | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (7:20) |
| I Talk to the Wind | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (6:05) |
| Epitaph | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (8:44) |
| Moonchild | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (2:26) |
| The Court of the Crimson King | King Crimson | (9:25) | |
| Peace - A Theme | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (1:16) |
| Cat Food [Edit] | Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (2:45) |
| Groon | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (3:31) |
| Cadence and Cascade [Remix] | Robert Fripp, Peter Sinfield | King Crimson | (4:10) |
| The Sailor's Tale [Abridged] | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (7:27) |
| Ladies of the Road | Robert Fripp, Peter Sinfield | King Crimson | (5:31) |
| Bolero [Remix] | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (6:45) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 1 [Abridged] | Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (10:53) |
| Book of Saturday | John Wetton, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (2:53) |
| Easy Money | John Wetton, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (7:55) |
| Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2 | Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (7:09) |
| The Night Watch | John Wetton, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (4:40) |
| The Great Deceiver | John Wetton, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (4:03) |
| Fracture [Abridged] | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (6:57) |
| Starless [Abridged] | John Wetton, David Cross, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (4:38) |
| Red | Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (6:17) |
| Fallen Angel | John Wetton, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (5:59) |
| One More Red Nightmare | John Wetton, Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (7:09) |
CD 3
CD 4
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Get Thy Bearings [Live] | Donovan | King Crimson | (9:21) |
| Travel Weary Capricorn [Live] | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (4:23) |
| Mars [Live] | Gustav Holst | King Crimson | (8:09) |
| The Talking Drum [Live] | Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross, Robert Fripp, |
King Crimson | (29:04) |
| 21st Century Schizoid Man [Live] | Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, |
King Crimson | (9:15) |
| Asbury Park [Live] | Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross, Robert Fripp | King Crimson | (6:52) |
| Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 3 [Excerpt][Live] | Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin | King Crimson | (2:35) |
| Sartori in Tangier [Live] | Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin | King Crimson | (4:08) |
| Indiscipline [Live] | Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin | King Crimson | (5:26) |
