King Crimson includes: Adrian Belew (vocals, guitar); Ian McDonald (vocals, flute, saxophone, Mellotron); Tony Levin (vocals, bass, Chapman stick); Greg Lake, Boz Burrell, Gordon Haskell, John Wetton (vocals, bass); Michael Giles (vocals, drums, percussion); Jon Anderson (vocals); Robert Fripp (guitar, Mellotron); Trey Gunn (guitar, stick); David Cross (violin, Mellotron); Mel Collins (flute, saxophone); Robin Miller (oboe); Mark Charig (cornet); Nick Evans (trombone); Keith Tippet (piano); Peter Giles (bass); Bill Bruford, Pat Mastalato (acoustic & electronic drums, percussion); Andy McCulloch, Ian Wallace (drums); Jamie Muir (percussion); Peter Sinfield.

Compilation producers: Robert Fripp, David Singleton.

Recorded live between 1969 and 1998.

Digitally remastered by Robert Fripp and David Singleton.

As the name of this live double-disc anthology implies, the nearly two-and-a-half hours of content offer the uninformed [read: young person] an opportunity to sample audio swatches from the various personnel and frakctalizations of King Crimson over a span of nearly three decades (1969 -- 1998). Rather than a strict chronology, the material is presented with an ear toward diversity and contrast. Both being qualities that the mighty Krim possessed in spades -- some might even claim, to a fault. Volume one -- which is creatively nicknamed "Neon Heat Disease" -- spans 1984 through 1998 including the Projekct One and Projekct Two frakctals. These were effectively side-groups involving participants of the double-trio '90s edition of King Crimson. A different facet of that particular lineup is explored within each "projekct" or frakctal. From Adrian Belew (guitar/vocals) comes the clever and often self-analytical wordplay of "Dinosaur," "Indiscipline," and "Three of a Perfect Pair." The rapid response of the full ensemble can be heard on the instrumentals "Red," "B'Boom," and the potent pairing of "Vrooom Vrooom" and "Coda: Marine 475." Projekct One -- consisting of Robert Fripp (guitar), Trey Gunn (touch guitar), Tony Levin (bass/Chapman stick/synthesizer), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion) -- is the source for the languid and experimental improvisation "1 ii 2," while the trio of Belew (V Drums), Fripp (guitar), and Gunn (touch guitar/talker) unveil the promising works-in-progress "Deception of the Thrush" and "Heavy Construkction." Volume Two -- aka "Fractured" -- reaches further into Crimson's past. All the way back, in fact, as the 1969 debut incarnation erupt into "A Man a City" -- which for a brief time was the working name for "Pictures of a City" -- and the epic "In the Court of the Crimson King" with Fripp (guitar), Ian McDonald (flute/sax/Mellotron/vocals), Greg Lake (bass/vocals), Michael Giles (drums/percussion/vocals), and Peter Sinfield (words/illuminations). Then onto 1972 as mainstay Fripp (guitar/Mellotron) is flanked by Boz Burrell (bass/vocals), Mel Collins (sax/flute), and Ian Wallace (drums) for incendiary readings of "21st Century Schizoid Man" and "Ladies of the Road." By the mid-'70s, the configuration had once again shifted as Fripp (guitar/Mellotron) is joined by John Wetton (bass/vocals), David Cross (violin/Mellotron), and Bill Bruford (drums/percussion). They supply a hefty portion of Volume Two with uniformly consummate installments of "Fracture," "Easy Money," "Improv: Besancon," "The Talking Drum," and "Starless." Yet, before the latter concludes the proceedings -- and as if to provide an ideal symmetry to the beginning of the compilation -- listeners are whisked back to the future as the mid-'90s band presents a barn burning "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2." The packaging is quite nice with appropriate big top themed cover art courtesy of P.J. Crook, the accompanying liner booklet contains page after page of reproduced memorabilia, band photos, and a breakdown of the respective manifestations of King Crimson, while the gatefold outer jacket details all the discographical information concerning the musical contents. ~ Lindsay Planer

There are so many King Crimson retrospective albums on the market that all but the most carefully attentive fans must to be hopelessly confused. Cirkus, great as it is in terms of content, doesn't help matters any. Pay attention now: whereas 1998's Absent Lovers (also a two-disc live album) documented King Crimson's 1984 tour (in support of Three of a Perfect Pair, the last album the band made before taking a ten-year break), Cirkus includes live material spanning the band's entire career, from its earliest 1969 lineup to its later double-trio configuration. That means that the material varies enormously in style; compositions from the late '60s and early '70s ("Ladies of the Road," "Starless," "21st Century Schizoid Man," etc.) tend toward that sprawling prog rock bombast that is thought of as typical of the era, complete with Mellotron and endless soloing. The early-'80s material is more tightly constructed and includes great live versions of "Neurotica" and the classic "Elephant Talk." There are also several performances of more recent tunes, on which the 1980s lineup has been augmented by another drummer and Chapman Stick player; the resulting sound combines some of the monstrous noise of the band's 1960s incarnations with the more disciplined structures of its 1980s phase, to good effect. Overall, the result will please fans, though newcomers may be bewildered by the huge variety of styles in evidence. ~ Rick Anderson