TS: Starless And Bible Black vs Physical Graffiti

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Why these 2 records? Pretty much my favourite two albums from both bands, with the exception of LedZep III which I just couldn't TS with Starless!

So, two 70's giants battle it out with colossal, complex and winning albums recorded in the same year - 1974. The spirit of the 60's were well and truly buried (Led Zep perhaps still holding onto it's ideals) while the vitriolic spareness of punk lay only a year or so ahead.

Zeppelin were never heavier and more assured. Many of Physcial's songs are truly great - "Kashmir", "Ten Years Gone", "In My Time..." etc. Sure the album has one or two filler tracks, but it's hardly one of those doubles which would have made a killer single album with x tracks omitted.

Then Starless. The definitive (well to me) Crimson line up produce a joyous and unforgiving blast on Starless And Bible Black, Fripp's overt discipline seemingly smoothed over, matched and bettered by a great bunch of musicians (Bruford, Wetton et al). I can even forgive the so-so vocals because "Night Watch" contains one of the most astounding and transcendent guitar solos of all time. Then there's the title track plus "Fracture" and "The Great Deceiver"

I'm almost stumped. What about you?

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Saturday, 19 February 2005 03:03 (twenty years ago)

Both great albums, but Physical Graffiti is just too formidably classic to get past. "Boogie with Stu" and whatnot.

Also, I prefer Larks' Tongues.

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 19 February 2005 03:12 (twenty years ago)

Yeah I find everything from Larks'Tongues to Red to be pretty untouchable, but Starless is the choice!

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Saturday, 19 February 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

gwan hafa go wit Starless here... Rocks harder. Points off for the schmaltziness of Lament's lyrics, although I love that song ..

― dave225 (Dave225), Saturday, 19 February 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Physical Graffiti. Won Ton Song, Ten Years Gone and Kashmir seal it.

I'd take Red over Starless any day.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Saturday, 19 February 2005 04:03 (twenty years ago)

Physical Graffiti, just for 'Ten Years Gone,' their greatest song, in which they contrast the bombast and confidence of youth with the quiet reflection of growing older. This is really Page's masterpiece.

― 57 7th (calstars), Saturday, 19 February 2005 04:09 (twenty years ago)

Oooh, I'm hearing you about "Ten Years Gone" winning it for Physical. Page at his best and my fave Plant (tone, delivery, feeling) vocal moment of all time in the middle eight:

"Did you ever really need somebody, And really need 'em bad
Did you ever really want somebody, The best love you ever had
Do you ever remember me, baby, did it feel so good
'Cause it was just the first time, And you knew you would..."

But, overall, I'm still undecided.

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Saturday, 19 February 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

Inerrestinink.

I go with "PG" but even I, a skeptic regarding all things Crimson, like "Starless"--the songs without words. I don't like "Larks Tongues" as much, like "Red" and "USA" a little better than I do "SABB."

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Saturday, 19 February 2005 15:32 (twenty years ago)

the second side of Starless (the live side) is probably my favorite side of any album of the era.

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 19 February 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

Somebody should do a mashup, or 2(Starless Graffiti/Physical And Bible Black?), with Plant's vocals EQd to merge with the guitars

― don, Saturday, 19 February 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

This may be little more than a thread bump tactic, but i've decided that, for me, Physical Graffiti wins it. Played both albums back to back again yesterday and Physical's got soul man.

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

While we're busy pointing out PG's pillars, let's put in a word for "Sick Again". I never really noticed it until I heard a live boot of it from Cleveland '77 in which the track begins with the riff from "The Rover". Now, that is some seriously heavy, smacked-out shit...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

Sick Again is the total dark horse on Physical you're right. I've got a '77 vinyl boot and love that live version. Certainly more intense. BTW, the concert track list kills me with it's perfectness:

Song Remains The Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In My Time Of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You.

Been playing Presence a lot these last couple of weeks too. Bleaker and less immediately classic than PG but a stunning, underrated record IMHO.

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

Yep, that whole '77 tour kills. The "Song Remains the Same" leadoff into the "Rover intro/Sick Again" thing IS awesome. And yeah, hearing those live versions did convince me as to what a smokin' track "Sick Again" is. I think on Destroyer the band sounds the best, but Plant barely says anything the whole show! The best part of Zep boots is Plant's ridiculous stage patter. Listen to This Eddie is really good, Bonham's on fire.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

As in "Good evening, does anyone remember laughter?" and so on!

I'll have to check out Destroyer. The one i have is Incest - same track list i assume?

― -the-night-watch- (-the-night-watch-), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:47 (twenty years ago)

nah, waaay better than "Does anybody remember laughter". He says some seriously funny shit!

well, Destroyer was Cleveland -- probably the show Naive Teen Idol is referring to above. Yup, same tracklisting ("No Quarter" and "Ten Years Gone"(!!) come after "SIBLY", etc.) I don't think they varied the setlist at all in the later days.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.