PAWN HEARTS

My first try with the Graaf; not my cup of tea considering that I've heard both GODBLUFF and STILL LIFE as well. PAWN HEARTS is more sedated of an album than their later classics, and it's kind of off-putting in a way.

VdGG are a unique band in the sense of you really have to understand what's going on lyrically in order to understand the music, and the epic ''A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers'' is a perfect example of this. Whatever mood of the keeper that Peter wanted to convey, he let it show in both the music and words to the point where you can't understand one without the other. It's annoying for me not being a fan of lyrics, but only parts of the big epic hold any interest with the best part being ''The Clot Thickens'' (epically haunting) coming right after the worst in ''(Custard's) Last Stand'' (a boring piano ballad).

''Lemmings'' and ''Man-Erg'' are slightly better because both are shorter and both have more memorable moments. The schizoid part in the middle of ''Man-Erg'' (the one in 11/8) is the best point of PAWN HEARTS. While Pete Hammill wrote everything, I say Guy Evans is the MVP here because his drumming is gripping and holds everything together in otherwise dry music territories.

Get GODBLUFF or STILL LIFE for a better introduction to VdGG. This album is a lot harder to understand and could potentially bore those not prepared, but don't underestimate VdGG.