THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE

But I refuse to bag out one of my favourite bands and I will not do that but it is nevertheless a massive let down after listening to the brilliance of the next 4 albums to follow this.

But every band begins somewhere and this is where it all began for these progenitors of prog rock. Perhaps this is on a par with King Crimson or Genesis' early works. Extremely experimental and wonderfully weird throughout. Very hard to like on a first listen though some fanatics will disagree. Don't listen to them. This really does have some rubbish such as the title track. I have all the VDGG albums and received this last on protest of hearing about it. I need not have bothered. It doesn't hold a candle to future releases such as the brilliant Pawn Hearts, H to He, Godbluff or The Least I can do. Heck, even the recent releases Present and Trisector bury this album for sheer production quality and songwriting. This debut rarely troubles my CD player, and I must admit I have listened to its fully for a grand total of 3 times. I heard it yesterday again and cringed, trying like heck to like it but failing miserably. It was a drag even listening to the first 3 tracks, in fact the last three are better.

But here it is in all its glory - the debut for VDGG. I am trying not to be negative but this is getting difficult. Lets look at the highlights. There are highlights, people.

Aquarian - dont ask me how it goes now as its not memorable but at the time I remember thinking this track was very good, Necromancer - OK except for that corny "I am tne Necromancer" line that ruins it. Octopus -THE highlight for certain, a track that appeared as a bonus on a VDGG classic, live in concert with Squid. It is better played with Squid though. People You Were Going To - a very short quirky thing that works well enough. Well, folks that about wraps this one up.

PLEASE do not judge this wonderful band by this album. Grab the other albums to follow with eager anticipation of opening your senses to perhaps the greatest 70s prog band in history. Their recent stuff is excellent too. But this debut - well, 2 stars for fans and completists.

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