b o b

I don't have much to add to the already existing reviews, except to say that this disc is my favorite from the Larks/Starless/Red era, and one of my overall favorite prog CDs. "Fracture" is one of the absolute classic tracks of prog, and gives the album a crushing finish (I always end up turning the volume up throughout the album until it's near bleeding-eardrum levels by the end of "Fracture"). "The Great Deceiver" opens the album with an irresistible hook, and "The Night Watch" is one of the better lyrical, symphonic prog songs that I've heard. The improvisational tracks don't hold my interest quite as much as the composed pieces, but they're still worth hearing. Overall, a great disc. review by Bob Eichler — undated —

d o m

With a bang, this album starts and doesn't let up for air until about mid-way through. Of all the KC mid-period, this one perhaps is there most consistently breathless -- let's see: we've got hyped-up blues-prog in "The Great Deceiver", the schizophrenic narrative "Lament", marvelously cohesive improv in "We'll Let You Know", "Trio" and the title track, the symphonic ballad "The Night Watch", the spooky, atmospheric "The Mincer", and arguably Fripp's finest masterpiece, "Fracture." If ever a prog band was lean, mean, and ready to fight, it was this one. Fripp has stated that he always thought his drummer and bassist of this period were great players, but never sure if they were a great rhythm section. In any case, Bruford and Wetton set the tone for many of the pieces on this album. Tightly wound, precise punches and jabs; bladed, metallic bass figures rip through thin layers of mellotron and violin, while high-tuned toms and snare keep ahead of the beat and make no room for error, or even diversion. This is not to say the two men weren't sympathetic performers, but driven. While the whole-tone adventures of "Fracture" and later pieces such as "Red" and "One More Red Nightmare" have captured the attention of many prog fans, the most distictive aspect of this band may have been its willingness to step out of its structured pieces into improvisation. The mid-period King Crimson were doubtlessly the *most* popular proponents of free-improv in the history of prog. "Trio" is simply that: Fripp, Cross, and Wetton delicately composing in the moment; "We'll Let You Know" is avant-funk without the burden of a dancefloor; "Starless And Bible Black" is exotic, dark, and well-timed - leading into the explosive "Fracture" in much the same way as "The Talking Drum" led into "Larks Toungue part II" on the previous album. This album saw the band at the height of its powers, and should be a reference to all those defending prog as something other than bombastic flower-music. Great album. review by Dominique Leone — undated —

h e a t h e r

This is probably the review for a rock album that I most and least want to write. It's one of my favorites. Yet so much has been said, I don't know what I can add. I can just tabulate the reasons why I love it, I guess: 1) the improv "Trio", which flows so gracefully and makes me feel nostalgic, and for some reason see faded film showing sunny children's faces and green forests 2) the massive guitar composition "Fracture" which just keeps escalating in intensity from start to finish, and is one of the most divinely intense compositions ever written 3) the improv "We'll Let you Know" which starts out quiet, almost not there, and then tentative, and then breaks into a funky jam which continually builds in loudness 4) the beautiful song the "Nightwatch" which to me is the musical equivalent of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" 5) the improv "Starless and Bible Black", a nine minute devotion to Fripp's sinister heavily sustained guitar tones, with a truly shocking and frightening end 6) the faded Mellotron string and flute tapes throughout 7) Fripp's serpentine guitar throughout 8) Bruford's imaginative percussion, everything from loud rock drums to sleigh bells and triangles 9) Wetton's absolutely loud, muscular, clumsily funky bass 10) the fact I'll keep thinking of more new reasons why I love it review by Heather Mackenzie — 5-2-03 —

s e a n

Starless and Bible Black is the second of three albums recorded by the second incarnation of King Crimson, which included Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, John Wetton and David Cross. Generally given less attention than their other albums of this period, this is the least accessible of the three, but possibly the one that best captures what Crimson was all about. The albums consists of composed and improvised pieces in about equal parts, with the improvised material performed live with the audience dubbed out. The composed material is all fairly strong, whether it's the wistful balladry of "The Night Watch", aggressive hard rock of "The Great Deceiver" or the intense aural attack of "Fracture". The improvised material seems to throw a lot of people off, but is just as strong, if not stronger, evaluated on its own merits. "Trio" is a particular beautiful improv where Bill Bruford is credited with "restraint", as the story goes. He saw that the improv didn't need him, and stayed out of it. "The Mincer" and the title track are both dark, brooding affairs that occasionally burst into something more frenetic. King Crimson is one of the classic ensembles in prog. Anyone interested in the genre should hear this album eventually. review by Sean McFee — undated —

j o e

The previous album began with a cool whisper. This one begins with an unambiguous bang, as the roaring guitar and violin riffs of "The Great Deceiver" assault the listener in mid-fortissimo. The album continues in 'conventional' rock mode with the edgy, sardonic "Lament," but then abruptly shifts gears. And before the end, you will have been put through the wringer, as the band ventures into funk ("We'll Let You Know"), arhythmic classicism ("Trio"), and moody improvisation that sounds at once both abrasive and floating ("The Mincer"). The closer, "Fracture," is another masterpiece of Frippian construction, slowly building and releasing tension until it brings down the house in much the same way as "Larks' Tongues, pt. 2." Maybe not as fresh as Larks' Tongues in Aspic or as even-keeled as Red, but Starless and Bible Black is just as essential. review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —

b r a n d o n

Of the three King Crimson albums from 1973-74, this one is probably the weakest. It lacks the thematic continuity that both its predecessor, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and its successor, Red, both possess; and it not as consistent as either of those releases. Robert Fripp really comes into his own here, with his fast runs in "The Great Deceiver" and his meticulous picking in his masterpiece, "Fracture". It's the improvisations that really make this disc worth it, though - the full-band jamming of "We'll Let You Know" is amazing, especially when Bruford and Wetton kick into a somewhat normal groove; and the sheer perfect beauty of "Trio" - which is hands down the single best improvisation King Crimson has on record, as far as I'm concerned - will have new listeners wondering if it really was actually composed beforehand. Overall, except for "Trio" and the ballad (?) "The Night Watch", this is a harder-edged release than anything King Crimson had yet done, with sharp, electric guitar playing and very aggressive, distorted bass. Not a good introduction to the band's work, but still an essential release for fans. I read somewhere something akin to this description, which is perfect: "If Starless and Bible Black does not quite succeed, it is one of the most spectacular failures I've ever heard." review by Brandon Wu — undated —