VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

— First review of this album —

This is apparently a low-budget release with a poor design, unadded here until I borrowed it from my friend. I think it's 'official' enough. Sadly I haven't seen any other vintage VdGG video/DVD releases to evaluate the quality against them, but this 79-minute collection of broadcast footage 1970-1975 is nevertheless definitely worth seeing and captures this unique band in their prime. (Oops, I could have checked first if some of the contents have been released in other DVD's as sometimes is the case with low budget DVD's. The places of each performance - originally produced for TV, I suppose - were mentioned but I can't remember them now. I can edit the info page later.)

First comes two tracks from the second album Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other. Bassist Nic Potter is still in the group, Peter Hammill plays acoustic guitar with long black hair hiding half of his face. The stage is small and intimate, dimly lit, making the atmosphere gloomy and undergroundish. 'Whatever Would Rober Have Said?' and 'Darkness' are performed pretty faithfully to the album originals. No big complaints about either sonic or visual level.

The next phase dates from 1972, the group plays live in a studio (no audience around). 'Theme One', George Martin's composition for BBC, is performed by the trio of Hugh Banton on organ, David Jackson on saxophone and Guy Evans on drums - Hammill is not present. This powerful performance somehow very well shows the improvisational, dynamic essence of VdGG's music. Evans is such an animal with his crazy stares and a woollen cap! Then the camera moves slowly among dozens of candles in a line , and the first chords of 'Plague of the Lighthouse Keepers' sets shivers down your spine. Hammill sits at his electric piano. The whole epic is played with skill. Perhaps Hammill's voice is not at its best here, it sounds a bit pushy and tired.

The main body of this DVD serves the whole Godbluff album (1975) performed in Belgium. Again, if there is audience it is not seen or heard. There are no visual gimmicks or extra material, just the band playing. The DVD's technical quality is average. Knowing how powerful and emotionally strong the "real" VdGG concerts often were, these performances could be called rather safe and unsurprising. On the long run I may prefer to listen to the albums but, as I said, worth seeing at least once.

The Least We Can Do is Wave to Each Other is an album that I somehow associate with In the Court of the Crimson King. It brings together peacefulness, melancholy, and derangement all under one roof. Underappreciated Nic Potter is the star of this album.

"Darkness (11/11)" Boasting one of the grooviest bass lines in progressive rock music, "Darkness (11/11) is my favorite Van der Graaf Generator tune following "House with No Door." The marching snare and brass provide appropriate variety. As is his wont, Peter Hammill wavers between a soft falsetto and an angst-ridden rasp. The instrumental passage contains one of the most intriguing tones I've ever heard.

"Refugees" Childlike with trickling keyboard and light vocals, "Refugees" slowly adopts a memorable and anthem-like quality.

"White Hammer" Similar to "Darkness (11/11)," "White Hammer" has a prominent bass role, although the organ features more. And again, the vocal delivery is dynamic and remarkable.

"Whatever Would Robert Have Said?" This is one of the more uneven tracks, less coherent than the others. Each component of the song is eccentric.

"Out of My Book" Gentle with flute and engaging vocals, "Out of My Book" still has that vigorous bass. The acoustic guitar adds a refreshing flavor.

"After the Flood" A quirky Gentle Giant-like main theme opens the final track, maintaining the acoustic guitar. "After the Flood" contains just the right mixture of zaniness and catchy songwriting. The instrumental section in the middle screams "madness."

This live album is not for the faint of heart. David Jackson is back for this recording of a 1978 concert, but this is the Van Der Graaf lineup, which means that Hugh Banton's hammond organ is nowhere to be found (there's a lot of Graham Smith's violin, though, as well as cello from a newcomer named Charles Dickie). In addition, about half of the material was previously unreleased (some would later end up on Hammill solo albums), and the other half is transformed in ways that aren't necessarily for the better. Throw in that the recording quality is sketchy (Jackson may be present but he's a non-factor for a lot of it), and that Hammill is often more interested in yelling than in singing, and you have an album that only a die-hard fan could love, and one that anybody else could potentially hate.

Well, I don't quite hate it, and I kinda like it in spots. I actually quite like the medley of "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and "Sleepwalkers" that concludes the first half; the editing process eliminates some of the aspects I like of each track (the hard-rock groove of "Sleepwalkers" is nowhere near as powerful as before), but it also gets rid of a lot of the bad in "Plague," and the final product is one I basically find enjoyable. Plus, I feel like the violin is a great addition to the arrangement of "Plague," one that adds a lot of atmosphere.

The other familiar tracks have ups and downs, to say the least. "Still Life" trades the low-key intensity of the original (which only hinted at fully fury at times but never remotely approached it) for a louder, screamier intensity, with grumbling guitars and violin that feels a bit like a pest at times. Still, while there's nowhere near the same depressing stomach- punch effect that the original provided in its best moments, I find there's a weird charm in the overpowered bass, over-thumped drums and over-dramatic violin parts of this one. It won't convert somebody who's never heard the original, but somebody who likes the original but doesn't feel a tight connection with all of its little details could like this one.

Of the other two familiar tracks, "Last Frame" never impressed me much beyond its introduction, and this one is about the same, while "Pioneers over c" is, well, an acquired taste that might not be worth acquiring. The original was fantastic, but this is 17 minutes long (much longer than the original) and obliterates most of the atmosphere of the original, replacing it with a lot of screaming and grumbly guitars and a lot of out-of-control loud fuzz- bass. The basic skeleton of the piece is more or less the same, and I have enough residual familiarity with and love for the original that I can find some enjoyment in grooving along the various parts, but I like the original way more.

Of the other tracks, the best of the lot is definitely the closing "Nadir's Big Chance," the excellent title track of the excellent 1975 Hammill solo album, and it turns out to be a good fit for an ensemble best suited (based on their other performances) for making a lot of artsy punkish racket. The other tracks are definitely artsy punkish racket, with jazzy elements thrown in (especially on "Urban," which incorporates snippets of "Killer" during the mid- section and is thus labeled "Urban/Killer/Urban"), but they ramble a lot without leaving much of an impression (other than some nice riffs in "Ship of Fools" and "Urban"). The general approach and combination of instruments is novel enough that I wouldn't mind hearing this material again once in a great while, but something to hold onto beyond style and interesting timbre would be nice.

As with Quiet Zone, listening to this leaves me with little surprise that the band broke up as soon thereafter as it did. For whatever good that's in here, the final product sounds like a tense novelty at best, and it should say something that, as somebody who overrates prog-related live albums as easily as I breathe, I have to struggle a bit to pull out bits that I like. Buy it at your own peril.

No reviews for this delicious single? So I have to write one.

VDGG's debut Aerosol Grey Machine (which originally started life as a Peter Hammill solo album) shows this magnificent band pretty unmatured and it lacks the emotional and stylistic depth they found shortly afterwards (after adding the unique sax/flute player David Jackson). It's a bit similar case as the GENESIS debut: both are rather naive and unpresentable of what was to come, but not without charm. These two songs are in my opinion the highlights.

'Afterwards' is a soft and melodic song with a laid back tempo. Hammill's tender vocals do an excellent job here, and the playing has an ethereal psychedelic flavour, starring Hugh Banton's organ and piano. The lyrics are not very easy to figure out what's it about, for example what metaphorical meaning the petals of a flower have? A beautiful song no matter how you look at it, I think.

'Necromancer' comes close to the dark, mystic style that VDGG was heading at, even if it remains less epic in structure (in its 3½ minutes). Just by adding some sax it would fit perfectly amidst songs like 'Darkness' and 'Killer' on the next albums. I remember how I was introduced to VDGG by a Finnish radio series about prog (titled Kuun pimeä puoli) when I was probably 18. The programme dedicated to VDGG was broadcast during my holiday travel to Greece but I asked my mom to tape it. It was indeed the right thing to do! 'Necromancer' was among the songs in that programme that immediately raised a deep interest towards this band.

As I have said before, a single can get five stars from me only by including great songs outside of albums. But four solid stars for this one, definitely.

H to the He, Am the Only One is the first album from Van Der Graff that I listened too, and consequently I believe it is probably the first essential album (though the previous two are not bad by any means). Perhaps the first thing one notices is the very unique sound these guys achieve. The band (and this album) is marked by extremely complex instrumentation filled with crazy tempo changes, odd time signatures, and erratic song structures. Peter Hammill's theatric vocal style, and constant use of the saxophone (and to a lesser extent, the flute) are also heavily associated with the band. Finally, like fellow eclectic proggers King Crimson, VDGG experiments greatly with a variety of sounds and styles, which include dissonant and/or free form passages.

Each song represents a different part of VDGG, in my opinion. The opening 'Killer' is probably the most common sound and style the band usually plays, which is a series of up- tempo, and sometimes aggressive sax melodies that are repeated and developed throughout. 'House With No Door' shows the softer side of the band, which is mostly in a low-tempo, and with restrained instrumentals, especially Hammill's vocals. The structure is relatively simple, being divided in two similar parts by a very nice flute solo.

'The Emperor In His Room' is a rather gloomy song, filled with wandering flute. But there are still tons of heavier, up-tempo passages throughout, especially near the end, which has a nice loose jam feel.

'Lost' and 'Pioneers Over C' are two classic lengthy VDGG tracks, which combine a ton of blazing, heavy, rhythmically complex passages with slower, softer, melodic parts to achieve some interesting dynamics. The latter is probably the lesser of the two, if only for the annoying free form sax solo in the middle.

This is one of those albums which I like, but need to be in a certain mood for. The dissonance, experimentalism, and overly aggressive and theatric vocals don't always work for me like they might others, and unfortunately, the production is abysmal at best. VDGG have done better in future albums, but, despite my relatively low rating, I believe this is a solid introduction to the band's unique sound and style and is a good album in general.

6/10

Pawn Hearts is another essential album from the band, and is a logical progression in the sound and style from the previous albums. This one is very much identical musically to the previous, with a large focus on complex instrumentation, diverse song structures and instrument use (with the Sax taking the primary role), and Hamill's exuberant, theatric vocal delivery. This time around however, the music is divided into three longer tracks, all of which are special and exciting in its own way.

'Lemmings' and 'Man-Erg' are classic VDGG songs. Neither conforms to any form of simple structure, yet also manages to keep interest due to the repetition and development of their melodies. The instrumentation is also complex, especially rhythmically, with tons of odd time signatures, for example the aggressive 11/8 riff beginning at around minute three of 'Man-Erg.'

But the real treat here is undoubtedly the massive epic, 'Plague of the Lighthouse Keepers.' I've always viewed this as the band's answer to Genesis's 'Supper's Ready.' Both represent the pinnacle of musical creativity and musicianship, but also have a similar length and song structure. The song is mostly through-composed, that is to say much of the music is different from section to section, with few repetitions. What this really means though, is that the song is just jammed with one great melody after another. To say this is a diverse song would be an understatement; the number of tempo and intensity changes throughout is what makes the song as good as it is. The dramatic change from the beginning 8-minutes of aggressive Sax and vocal work, to the mellower, atmospheric section, and then back again to the more uplifting, intense, all-over-the-place section to follow is the perfect example. Not to mention the gorgeous Sax melody about 14-minutes in, and the exciting ending. It truly is a rollercoaster of different sounds and emotions that the band doesn't seem to achieve with any other song as much as this one.

Overall, Pawn Hearts, along with Godbluff, is the definitive Van Der Graff Generator album. The compositional genius that embodies each song is astounding. And despite my lack of fondness for the band's overall sound, and despite my relatively low score, I believe this is a must listen for any prog fan.

8/10

With Godbluff, the band has comfortably settled into the sound which defines their stronger early period. The first thing one might notice is the relative shortness of the album, coming in at only 37-minutes. But this should not be considered a negative; the brevity lends the album a more concise nature, and along with the songwriting that rivals that of Pawn Hearts, makes this album both exciting, and accessible.

The album only contains four songs; which are a bit harder to differentiate than on previous albums, if only for the more consistent nature of them. However, the diversity is certainly seen within the individual song structures. This, along with the careful repetition and development of its melodies are the greatest things about this album, and the band in general. The songs 'Scorched Earth' and 'The Sleepwalkers,' for example, introduce some killer melodies, and repeat them constantly throughout, often in different ways, yet never sound stagnant or over- repetitive. Besides this, any fan of the band probably won't find too much different here than on any previous album, except for perhaps the stronger songwriting and cohesiveness. The same general principle of technical musicianship, constant intensity, tempo, and time signature changes, and an overall experimental sound still applies to this album. Loather's of the vocal style such as myself won't find any change in that department, though I do praise Hammill on 'The Arrow,' which is easily his best vocal work.

With all that said, Godbluff is certainly the best VDGG album, above even the wonderful Pawn Hearts, if only for the more finely crafted and cohesive nature of it, and is certainly one of the essential albums in all of progressive rock.

8/10

An oustanding record, its magic! I cant believe how good this album is.( Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild) is an ultimate VDGG song. I find my self gliding in their universe of music! Hammels singing is at its peak of performance in the song. A true gym to me since i always listened to them and enjoyed their music so much, i own all their hit albums but this! And i recently heard the album wrap on youtube. What a marvelous song, i would love to own this record. ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' When you first play the album you will hear four songs which appear to be typical VDGG but somewhat improved since the members are way more comfortible after hits like still life and godbluff. Meurglys III, The Songwriter's Guild - appears to me the best VDGG song and if i ever own the album i will probably flip the record and play it as if its the whole abum.' Four and a half stars. Pawn hearts is down to number 2 in my personal favorits cause World Record is my number 1 now.

By this stage, VdGG were easily rivalling King Crimson for most insanely heavy prog band, and Pawn Hearts is without a doubt their most demented work, with vocalist Peter Hammill screeching and wailing like a complete madman. However, what sets this album apart is a sense of theatrical drama, evoked not only through Hammill's roaring vocals but also through deft use of psych organ and some Frippian guitar riffs & solos. There's a palpable sense of dread when listening to the evil "Man-Erg", and a sense of psychotic downward-spiralling from "Lemmings". You can really feel your mind fracturing as you listen. "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" is the band's longest epic yet, and is thoroughly dramatic and affecting, a painful lament interspersed with instrumental insanity. So, this is definitely one of the best prog albums ever made, and it's also worth picking up the version with some of the bonus tracks, like the epic orchestral "Theme One", for extra prog goodness.

Utterly superb.

Pawn Hearts... It took me a while to muster the effort to review this album. I first listened to it almost a year ago, and it was my introduction to what is now my all-time favorite band by an unmistakably wide margin. I bought it on a whim, having vaguely heard of VDGG on a few music-related sites (before I discovered PA) and wanting to hear something totally new and different from the more well-known 70s prog groups I was already familiar with. I got exactly what I wanted with this album.

This was probably the first album I ever heard that left me thinking, "I can tell this is awesome, but I'm not entirely sure why and probably need more time to digest it." This album rewards commitment in a way no other album ever can. Dark, oppressive, even cacophonous at times, it is a stout listen, but if its bombast doesn't scare you off, you will be treated to some of the most emotive and poetic songs in existence. Sure some say Peter Hammill's delivery is harsh and difficult to appreciate, but don't let his detractors dissuade you if you're still unfamiliar. This music begs for his hyper-emotive delivery, and nobody else could possibly make it come alive in the way he does. As one who actually does like his vocal style, I realize some may not share my view, but as stated before, this is a conclusion each listener must come to on their own. Even if he may not be your favorite vocalist, I believe in the context of these songs and their atmosphere, his singing can still be appreciated, especially as it fits so well with the poetic words he crafted.

The lyrics themselves are thought-provoking and insightful, and the music itself compliments their heavy messages perfectly. Each song's words resonate with me on a very strong level, giving the album a high degree of personal emotional significance. Lemmings adopts a viewpoint of one looking out over a mass of people lost and directionless, spinning a tale of caution to blindly following the crowd and suggesting the importance of those who stand apart encouraging the flock to find their own sense of identity and purpose in life. Man-Erg addresses the duality between good and evil, its razor- thin boundary, and the potential to become lost or overcome by our own internal power upon becoming aware of it if not responsible. Finally, A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers is an epic about alienation and identity crisis told from the perspective of a lonely lighthouse keeper. His feelings of internal anguish and misdirection stem from his isolation and the thought that while he may shine a light to guide and protect the ships he sees in the night, there is in fact nobody to guide him, no light for him to follow, and nobody to alleviate the burden of responsibility to those ships in the night who would become lost or destroyed if not for his guidance. He becomes consumed by his burdens, loneliness, and internal discontentment, causing him extreme instability and forces him to the brink of life and death as he contemplates suicide as a means of gaining a release from his existence, in which he cannot presently see the good he does by guiding those ships. His tale ends inconclusively, leaving the listener to decide whether or not he ends his life. The open- ended nature of the narrative's ending gives us a sense that while his challenges are great, his fate is not predetermined. We can all take a message of hopefulness from this, as we all face challenges in our own lives, and even though a way out might be tempting, the realization that we don't need to determine our self-worth or contentment by our current situation. A happier tomorrow follows the turbulence of the hard night as long as we do not succumb to the crushing depression we may feel when we face our internal instability and melancholy head-on. Regardless of who you are, where you've been, or what your calling in life may be, there's a powerful message here for many if you're able to appreciate the song's dark atmosphere, forceful delivery, and scathing emotional fervor. Anyone who has ever been in a position of responsibility over the fate and well-being of others at the expense of their own contentment, felt alienated by their duties, or became unhinged by the external and internal pressures of life will find a kinship to this man's tale. Although dense and bleak, it carries a strong emotional message that will surely reach anyone who can relate to this story.

As if the lyrics weren't enough of a true artistic conquest, the music itself is wildly inventive and highly unique. The level of performance is nothing short of masterful. They truly abandoned all inhibitions to embrace passages of controlled dissonance and intentional cacophony unlike any of their previous or subsequent releases. But in spite of the oppressive textures, dense instrumentation, and complex forms, melodies, and rhythms, it somehow all fits together with a sense of unity and focus. The only difference between innovation and novice excess is how well you justify your ideas, and the band does so wonderfully. Every bombastic passage is perfectly prepared and exited, demonstrating a sense of purpose and balance that truly makes each moment shine without seeming like it was included in error or as a result of some drug-induced lapse in judgment. As wild and seemingly mad as each idea may be, they all declare their intent clearly and unapologetically, and that to me is what makes this album truly remarkable. Why be ashamed of your quirks when you can show them off and use them to set you apart? Not everyone will appreciate them, but those that do will find your sense of pride and abandonment from the harsh opinions of the masses will find you a true inspiration. In a way, this album encapsulates everything progressive rock represents, and can even serve as an anthem for fans of the genre as a whole.

This album is truly one of the best, most significant collection of songs in my collection and only becomes more enjoyable and meaningful with each new listen. I strongly recommend this to anyone willing to broaden their horizons musically and experience an emotional journey both intense and cathartic. To paint a beautiful picture, you have to use some dark colors, and this album is sure to add a sense of depth with its brooding palette. If you find it off-putting on first listen, give it a few more chances. As dense as it is, there's no way to absorb its full effect with one spin alone. Upon giving it the attention it deserves, you will feel moved and cleansed in a truly unique way. It will exercise every intense emotion in your arsenal, possibly ones you haven't used or wanted to embrace in quite some time, but you won't regret the experience. This album very richly deserves a place of reverence in the history of progressive music, and for that I award it 5 stars. It truly is a perfect album, one that sits in my top 5 of all time, and will always hold a place of special emotional significance in my heart. If not for Godbluff, it would be my favorite VDGG album. But even so, it sits so far above the entire discographies of so many other groups in my book by a very wide margin.