STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK

It's been fun reacquainting with two old Crimson titles the last few months but the experiences have been decidedly different. Whereas "Lizard" was a joy all over again and a masterpiece in my eyes, "Starless" by contrast is emotionally indifferent and a tedious slog for repeated play. It's not that the album doesn't have some cool moments, it really does and I appreciate them. But there is an underlying coldness to the playing, a seeming diabolical impulse to reign in any sort of heart before it explodes into anything fun. Fripp has that old story about how he lured Bruford into the fold by saying it was time for him to play some "real music." Well sorry Bob, but as hard as they work to make this a happening album I keep having to ask myself why I should care about the "Cigarettes Ice Cream" Crimson when from the same time period I could be playing Relayer. I love improv and experimentation as much as the next guy but does it have to be so dry? Fripp can diss Yes all he likes but Yes had great heart.

"Trio" is a lovely meditation without drumming that is a rare pastoral breather in the often sharp, imposing atmospheres of Starless. The other gem for me is "The Night Watch" which combines the Crimson sound with just a bit more buttery aftertaste than the hardass stuff. A nice welling up of guitar, cymbals, and violin lead to a wistful vocal accented by Fripp's harmonics. Then comes a lead guitar line with some heart and a decent solo as well, for a moment you feel some warmth. And there you have it. The last 3 tracks are 25 minutes of straight, unflinching improvisation that will either thrill you or have you reaching for your pistol. Whether Starless is a success to you will depend on these songs. To my ear there is plenty of musical bravery on hand but not enough musical joy.

The album had it supporters when it emerged. This blurb is from Rolling Stone's Gordon Fletcher from June 1974: "They've taken the disjointed pieces of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, infused them with some life, and woven them into a package as stunningly powerful as In the Court of the Crimson King. The material relies on instrumental interaction, with Crimson now intent on exploring some of the frontiers charted by Yes. The Great Deceiver rocks out almost as maniacally as did 21st Century Schizoid Man, showing that where Yes would marvel at the world, Crimson prefers to grab it by the balls. But with Trio Crimson demonstrates that it's capable of maintaining the balance between aggression and introspection, using the juxtaposition of viola and mellotron-flute tape to evoke a hauntingly blissful serenity. The two lengthy instrumental passages that comprise Side Two of Starless and Bible Black show Crimson at its best, relaxing into lengthy improvisational patterns that spotlight the virtuosity of each member. The ease with which these moves are carried off indicates that Fripp has finally assembled the band of his dreams." [Gordon Fletcher, Rolling Stone, June 1974] More recently Brandon Wu at Ground and Sky put it another way in a few sentences from his review: "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. [Brandon Wu, Ground and Sky]

Starless is not a bad album but I do not feel it is a masterpiece either. The first two tracks are throwaway and while some of the instrumental mayhem is choice other sections are as much fun as a root canal. This is the Crimson album for true believers of the band rather than casual fans. It is more intellectually impressive than emotionally satisfying. I believe it is a good progressive album but it is not a favorite.