The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson – Volume Two – 1981–2003 cover

The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson – Volume Two – 1981–2003

King Crimson · 2005

311 min · 65 tracks · progressive rock · psychedelic rock · art rock

A kaleidoscopic blend of intricate melodies, polyrhythms, and cerebral lyrics that define progressive rock's evolution.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic journey with varied energy
  • cerebral engagement for attentive listeners
  • explorative sessions with shifting moods
  • immersive experience for deep dives
  • thought-provoking soundscapes and melodies

Maybe skip if you want

  • seekers of instant gratification
  • prefer straightforward song structures

Where this album fits

Career context
Released in 2005, this compilation captures King Crimson's creative resurgence following their 1994 comeback album 'THRAK'. By this point, the band had solidified their reputation for innovative musicianship and genre-defying sound, reflecting on over two decades of influential work.
Stylistic neighbors
Yes· Genesis· Frank Zappa

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Elephant Talk 4:44
  • 2 Frame by Frame 5:08
  • 3 Matte Kudasai 3:46
  • 4 Thela Hun Ginjeet 6:27
  • 5 The Sheltering Sky 8:23
  • 6 Discipline 5:03
  • 7 Heartbeat 3:55
  • 8 Waiting Man 4:27
  • 9 Neurotica 4:49
  • 10 Requiem 6:36
  • 11 Three of a Perfect Pair 4:10
  • 12 Sleepless 5:25
  • 13 The King Crimson Barber Shop 1:36
  • 14 Form No. 1 3:04
  • 15 Bude 0:25
  • 16 Potato Pie 4:34
  • 17 Clouds 0:31
  • 18 Einstein’s Relatives 3:08

Disc 2

  • 1 Entry of the Crims 4:42
  • 2 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part 3 (edit) 2:48
  • 3 Thela Hun Gijeet 5:55
  • 4 Matte Kudasai 3:40
  • 5 The Sheltering Sky 10:32
  • 6 Neal and Jack and Me 5:40
  • 7 Indiscipline 8:10
  • 8 Sartori in Tangier 4:22
  • 9 Frame by Frame 3:56
  • 10 Man With an Open Heart 3:41
  • 11 Waiting Man 6:00
  • 12 Sleepless 6:11
  • 13 Three of a Perfect Pair 4:24
  • 14 Discipline 4:53
  • 15 Elephant Talk 5:02

Disc 3

  • 1 VROOOM 4:39
  • 2 Coda: Marine 475 2:42
  • 3 Dinosaur 6:37
  • 4 Walking on Air 4:38
  • 5 B’Boom 4:12
  • 6 THRAK 0:44
  • 7 Fearless and Highly THRaKked 3:50
  • 8 Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream 4:45
  • 9 Radio II 0:43
  • 10 The Power to Believe I: A cappella 0:43
  • 11 Level Five 7:15
  • 12 Eyes Wide Open 4:10
  • 13 Elektrik 8:00
  • 14 Facts of Life (intro) 1:39
  • 15 Facts of Life 5:05
  • 16 The Power to Believe II 7:45
  • 17 Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With 3:31
  • 18 The Power to Believe III 4:12
  • 19 The Power to Believe IV: Coda 2:24

Disc 4

  • 1 VROOOM VROOOM 5:04
  • 2 Neurotica 3:40
  • 3 Prism (abridged) 2:54
  • 4 One Time 6:53
  • 5 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part IV 10:47
  • 6 ProzaKc Blues 5:28
  • 7 The ConstruKction of Light 8:40
  • 8 FraKctured 8:38
  • 9 The World’s My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum 5:50
  • 10 Sus‐tayn‐Z 7:51
  • 11 X‐chayn‐jiZ 4:19
  • 12 The Deception of the Thrush 5:20
  • 13 2 ii 3 1:57

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata