I am aware that various biogs and stuff on Mr.R. Fripp and associates are available (some good, some academic in style) which review this album, but this is my poet-heart review of an old and loved favourite…excuse the flowery language..

Boom! Straight into track 1…Red - riff heaven..William Bruford thunders imperiously over/under it all…Fripp slashes and grinds…John Wetton pins the bass..

then Fallen Angel ..I used to think this gorgeous vocal was Greg Lake, but according to the sleeve it’s John Wetton..then that sax wails and sirens…Fripps guitar starts to circle in….

One More Red Nightmare…duh duh dah duh da da da duh da duh…<crash>|smash|
sublime combination of Bruford and Fripp after the 2nd vocal bit…Riffomania!! Sudden end…

Providence…violins…hummmmm…<*wonky free jazz bit> feedback…tinkle <wail> …extended noise jazz bit (not to everyones taste) ..then the guitar and bass start to tug together…sinuous rhythms entwine…tangle/untangle

Starless - the ULTIMATE MELLOTRON TRACK!!! Those mello strings come in then Bob's guitar just floats effortlessly ..re-coding your DNA…. starless and bible black…endless universe of sound…bass twang thunder…Fripp guitar twang repeat endless loop changing.riff Riff RIFF RIFF!! Then it all crashes back in…zen jazz bop Buddha in the middle..crazed dervish end circling to the middle…lightening strikes, thunder rolls….the piper stands at the gates of dawn…

SPECIAL NOTE : Not to be confused with the track "Starless and Bible Black" on the LP "Starless and Bible Black"…just to confuse matters, although another fine LP.

Reviews Index