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King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black CD (album) cover

STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK

King Crimson

 

Eclectic Prog

3.94 | 2097 ratings

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Matej Roman
5 stars Starless and Bible Black or Where King Crimson seem to be on top for me.

There is more reasons why I find this album as the best from the line-up Fripp - Wetton - Brufford - Cross (- Muir). Maybe itīs only just that lasts 5 minutes longer than LTIA and Red, or that there is more songs, in sum up 8. Probably it is the choice of songs which is really loaded with onloy great songs...

Always after hearing the first two songs I think nothing better canīt exist. On Great Deceiver, Fripp plays in the end one chord with never repeating rhythms and Cross plays amazing violin solo that pcomplements with Wettonīs singing and bass. I donīt mention Brufford much because heīs great every moment. Lament has one of the best endings IÂīve ever heard, probably in 7/4 tones from Dim scale. Weīll Let You Know is gradually accelarating improvisation with brilliant last minute. After this, The Night Watch comes, where absolutely everything is perfect, from quiet beginning, lyrics, Frippīs minor solo often jumping across the octave, to Wettonīs delicate strumming on the second stroke near the end where Cross plays. Trio is beautiful and Frippīs howling guitar in Mincer (with catchy vocals melody) and Starless and Bible is howling and tone lasting and lasting endlessly. SaBB then goes to majestic ending and A masterpiece begins. I canīt understand how they can play it live, without A mistake, so quickly, everything put together. There arenīt even some notes which Fripp plays to be heard! I like most those parts in straccato and the hard-rock style ending - Wettonīs bass here in 15/8 plays such a cool riff and Fripp plays A tone over three strings in 5/8, at least to start... Perfect. The only objection is against a little bit poorer quality of stage recordings, but itīs a detail.

So, for me the KC album I play most often (actually from all albums generally), although my family goes soon mad. I guess itīs not easy for someone who listened to symphonic rock to get into this album, especially the second side, but after a few listenings it grew to my heart.

Matej Roman | 5/5 |

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