Posted by Sid Smith on Mar 29, 2015

Starless And Bible Black was released on this date 41 years ago.


The album received mixed reviews at the time. The Melody Maker, under the headline Crimso: Black is beautiful, declared “...the history of Crimson would appear to consist of a series of internal struggles, polarised between Fripp and various caucuses in the band and centering on Fripp’s assertion of the rightness of his own path, but little of of it resulting in real creative tension. Probably as consequence of greater personal stability, however, and possibly because of a more harmonious chemical balance within this particular set of musicians, this album strikes me as an extremely happy medium between emotion and technique; it’s neither as overweeningly grandiose and manic as the first two albums, nor as precious as Islands. In short, as Micawber would say, Mr. Fripp seems to have got his shit together.”

Record Mirror observed “They are an incredibly highly strung group, fierce when driving together and daring on solo flights. Side two’s title track and Fracture may be more than you can bear to listen to on first hearing; try it again and again and rock’s cobwebs start to dissolve.”

Sounds reckoned “King Crimson have made a record that equals in intensity and innovative musicianship the strength that can achieve on stage. LTIA palled very quickly as an album, especially when you’d seen them play a good gig, but this one - I suspect - will maintain its ability to hold you through a sequence of twists and turns much longer than its predecessor.”

And finally, NYC’s TV News had this advice for listeners: “As long as you take the next few weeks to become accustomed to Starless you’ll probably develop an intense passion for it. Suggestion: don’t listen to it if you’re depressed or contemplating life after death.”