H TO HE, WHO AM THE ONLY ONE

Van Der Graaf came right around when I was starting to get into prog, and I was just starting to find out about the thousands of prog bands that have existed over the past 50 years. I remember vividly how Killer immediately implanted itself into my brain, and i would listen to that song constantly- it was so different, being based mostly on Hammill's incredible voice and key-sax interplay as opposed to traditional guitar-based instrumentation, not to mention it was incredibly catchy. However, it took me a while to listen to and fully digest the other tracks, which turned out to be equally impressive. House With No Door is a simply incredible song that pretty much captures the feeling of soul-crushing depression in its six and a half minutes. The Emperor is another incredible song, with guest guitars from Robert Fripp. I was never a fan of Lost, but it's an okay song. And then, the closer, Pioneers Over C comes back with nice intensity and Hammill's always great lyrics, though the middle section could have been trimmed or omitted. Problem is, as time has gone on, I eventually got kinda bored of this album, and really a lot of things like it. Despite this, H to He is a very good album that rewards repeated listening by a dedicated and focused listener, but it is not flawless, as it contains some unnecessary instrumental passages and doesn't quite shine so bright in places. I think that as a musical work it may deserve 4 stars, but I really can't be that generous towards and album that I really never find myself wanting to listen to, or able to complete in one long block. So, I believe H to He is a solid three star album, and a strong one at that.