VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

This is one of the best Van Der Graaf Generator albums. Having four tracks, VDGG manages to create some fine and enjoyable progressive rock. Peter Hammill is without a doubt the star, having an incredibly unique vocal approach to the lyrics. The opener The Undercover Man is a rock-opera sounding song, Scorched Earth And Arrow both blend saxophone and keyboards very well and The Sleepwalkers is the longest of the album which features some very tight instrumentation. I wouldn't say it revolutionized the genre but it definitely is a solid record and despite giving it three stars, I definitely recommend it.

This is a compilation of live VDGG music recorded from 1968 to 1977 the year they released their final studio album before the breakup, reuniting again for 2005's "Present". So a great cross section of music is presented here with eight studio albums to draw on and they do it chronologically which I like. So the first three tracks are from 1968 and from the Top Gear Sessions. They have Keith Ellis on bass and there's no David Jackson yet. Favourite of the three would be "Afterwards" for the organ and vocals. "Darkness" and "After The Flood" are also from Top Gear but in 1970 and the latter makes my top three for disc one. The other top three is "Darkness" yes again but a different version from 1971 and this is powerful with those theatrical Hammill vocals to boot. "Theme One" is from this session as well and is a George Martin composition and a catchy instrumental. The final three tracks from disc one are from a John Peel concert also from 1971. "Killer" from this group makes my final top three for disc one. Stuck in my head too much though last week. Disc two features all tracks from the John Peel Sessions from 1971 to 1977. It opens with my first top three from disc two "Refugees" which is so moving. Love "Masks" from a 1976 session along with "(Fragments Of)A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers/Sleepwalkers" from 1977. There is so much amazing music on here and I'm surprised at how good Hammill's voice sounds throughout.

This is such an important piece of VDGG's history that has been unearthed for us from the BBC. Considering "Vital" was the only previous live recording from this era this is a real find.

I was curious and at the same time fearful in expectation this album. Curious because I consider VdGG to be one of my absolute favorites, more anxious because VdGG have always been: Hammill, Banton, Evans and David Jackson. For reasons that are hotly debated in fan circles, the latter is no longer there, so an integral part of the old group sound is missing from these recordings.

Even the cover with the trio in an industrial building stands out clearly from earlier ones, it reminds me more of New Wave records from the early 80s and with corresponding factory sounds the album opens discreetly the first minute, the band plays itself and Hammill takes over his guitar rocking the lead. Unusually straightforward and for VdGG "The Hurlyburly" is a furious instrumental prelude, fast, impulsive and with excellent organ and percussion playing. "Interference Patterns" is progressive in the best VdGG mania and at the same time modern. Even for VdGG there are very weird passages, staccato drums and keyboards literally rush through the song as if the devil were after them and Hammill sings operatically with himself. Up to this point the listener is not allowed any rest, Jackson is missing, missing but not really. For me this song is like the "sound chaser" from VdGG. For the first time, the trio recalls the "old" sound in "The final reel", which is not least due to the fact that electronic flute sounds are played next to the piano at the beginning. Here I personally miss the absent D.J. But that doesn't change the fact that the song is very melodic, the organ takes over the melody, plus a few bits of guitar. The result is a wonderful "ballad" à la Hammill. Lifetime lives from the contrast of drums and melodies. This song was played live on the previous tour. Evans underscores Hammill's rather solemn melody, the drawn-out organ chords with a fast continuous beat on the cymbals, like a train he races through the title, quietly but impulsively. "Drop dead" is a straight rocker that I haven't heard from VdGG before. In its way it reminds me of songs from Hammill's solo work "The noise", but with a lot more quality. Hammill riffs around with a distorted guitar, and Banton plays an organ to it, as if he were about to apply to Deep Purple, and Guy drums deliver fantastic sound.

What is left to say as a summary? They are all great songs. What Banton and Evans do on this album is more than a backing band. I personally miss the saxophone or David Jackson's flutes, but it would be more than unfair to blame the trio for that. They exude a sense of togetherness and joy in playing. This CD is terrific. VdGG as a trio have arrived brilliantly.

The disease of revival and reunion affects everyone, regardless of age. Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton, Guy Evans and David Jackson have also been infected, and have restarted a story, that of the Van Der Graaf Generator, interrupted twenty-eight years ago. Although each of these gentlemen musicians has never stopped for a moment to play and search in a more or less progressive way, there was a strong fear of being disappointed by this record. Even after the convincing evidence provided on several occasions during this summer's tour.

"Present" then is a double disc, or rather a disc with an instrumental cd in the queue. I don't know how much of all this is really necessary, but in the space of an hour and three quarters of music there is a lot of valid material, at the height of a past that still now sounds one of the most intact and personal not only at internal of the progressive genre. The title is probably a reference to the band's willingness to be physically present again, but also to a kind of look at reality that is still intact. This is immediately demonstrated by "Every bloody emperor", the piece that remains most impressive of the whole collection: after an intro in which the atmosphere of the keyboards and the sax immediately reconnects the ranks of a historical sound, Hammill's voice enters peremptorily to sing without rhetoric in the face of new and old empires. As in the characteristics of the band, the piece, which in itself is a tense ballad, seven minutes long, aims to capture the devious perfidy that lurks in every power: it is a warning, increased by the interventions of the organ and the flute, which then is carried on throughout the record. Not a denunciation, but an attempt to uncover what lies beneath reality. The same can be said of "Nutter alert", another main piece of the disc, more existential but equally effective: these are the two most important and immediate pieces of "Present", not surprisingly included in the tour schedule. As a whole, the first CD is a masterful work that hits the mark by choosing the path of brevity (in all not even forty minutes): "Abandon ship!" and "In Babelsberg" continue in a more surly and unstructured way to probe a panicked world as a new Babel, taking Berlin as a reference point for a historical conscience that not everyone has. Hammill and his companions still have their own vision, concrete not only in the sounds and arrangements, credible even when it develops in the utopian hope of "On the beach", almost a sublimation of what is expressed in the previous tracks.

The second cd, on the other hand, lacks this cohesion, just for the fact that it is completely instrumental: it is a series of perception tests that could be equally valid as a starting or ending point of the disc. The tracks proceed in spasms between improvisation and free composition, almost a work on themselves that the Van Der Graaf perform to share and extrapolate the sound vision they have in mind. Despite pieces like "Homage to Teo" and "The price of admission", this second disk is more an end in itself and has a filling function, however to be admired for the quantity of ideas and technique.

A single disc, the first, with the addition of a few pieces from the second CD, would have left a stronger signal, not o nly for old fans.

To fully grasp the vigorous and suffered potential of the group we still think that we must look back to their past, "World Record", the seventh work of the Van der Graaf Generator, and the penultimate product of their classical formation if we calculate that the, double, "Present", has been accused of lacking that nonsoché vandergraaffico; others, on the other hand, have observed, conversely, that it is free from self-indulgence and that it is so direct that it lends itself to listening on several occasions.

The truth is - as often happens - in the middle: the disc is from 1976 like the previous "Still life", and evidently the songwriter Peter Hammill, obscure investigator of his own and others' tortuosity, was ready for a slightly different writing, more fluid, but not in a manner, because it does not imitate itself but rather thins its expressive veins giving it greater - listen, hear - catchiness, so much so that it can serve, for the uninitiated, as an introductory work to the production of the British group, also for the sound dynamics of the recording, closer to current standards than their first classics and further improved in the Virgin remaster.

The raucous and pompous grit that vocally commands the center of the stage is always in its place, the lyrics continue to be existential and tense, without easy consoling exits, and the group follows the leader following him with his characteristic timbres halfway between the psychodramatic outburst and the acid parable as a sermon in the deconsecrated cathedral, see the organ by Hugh Banton and the sax by David Jackson, here free to improvise more than usual in spaces where the soul melts and recomposes itself in lava streams. The line-up, with relative instrumentation, is as follows: Guy Evans (drum kit and percussion); Hugh Banton (Hammond organ; synthesizers; acoustic piano; bass and bass guitar pedals); Peter Hammill (vocals; electric and piano guitar) and David Jackson (alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones (acoustic and electric) plus flute). But the most explosive ideas seem to have been stored for the two previous albums, and, in my opinion, for the next one, in which, despite separating from Banton and Jackson (also for financial reasons), the sound is both electrifying and moving, thanks to the inclusion of the violin of the expert Graham Smith instead of the sax. But let's now pass to a reconnaissance of the songs that make up this album, "Disco-Mondo" whose artwork is proposed as the highly iconic illustration of the dark energy with which discs like this seem to burst from the very belly of a disturbed world that lets it be torn apart by the centrifugal force of certain painful musical confessions about the materiality of survival in a vulgar present, marking a sort of "World Record" of lyrical self-harm.

Those who already know VDGG, listening to songs like "When She Comes" or "A Place To Survive", cannot fail to notice that something in their style has changed: the compositional approach of the four is somehow more spontaneous, almost jazzy. A very important role is played by Guy Evans' drums, whose regular rhythms are followed by quite catchy organ riffs, sometimes voiced by the sax. On this sound plot, decidedly unusual for a band that in the past had so loved to create dark and gothic atmospheres, stands the unmistakable voice of Hammill, who, now "speaking" now singing, punctuates every syllable of his always perfect lyrics. The vocalist, however, unlike what happens in "Still Life", leaves great space for the solo rides of his companions, especially Dave Jackson, who has the opportunity to express his talent in long solos. The next "Masks": after a sweet opening, dominated by a sax that leaves you breathless, the song proceeds calmly, and then decisively picks up the rhythm in the central part, led by the electric guitar. Finally he takes up the initial theme and ends with an infinite and painful cry from Hammill. The singer, in particular, provides here one of his best vocal performances ever. Evidently the enigmatic story he talks about (a man, who hid all his feelings and emotions behind a mask, when he took it off, discovered that he no longer had a face) must have been very dear to him.

However, at least in my opinion, it is the 20 minutes of "MeurglysIII" that alone is worth the price of the record. Meurglys is the name of Hammill's guitar, and it is to her that the song is dedicated: the multi-instrumental leader talks about it as his best friend, the only one he can believe in, the only one capable of understanding him and helping him to go through the difficult moments of her existence simply by playing and composing new songs with her. A truly heartfelt and profound text that of this piece, which cannot help but strike all of us little composers who try to write songs with our acoustic guitar or with our piano, and then take refuge in the world created by our pseudo-texts ...

Oh well, I wanted to focus on his lyrics, but it should be emphasized that "MeurglysIII", from an instrumental point of view, is perhaps the most successful test of the VDGG. Banton's organ no longer plays "riffettini", but builds again the sonorous cathedrals of the old albums, supported by the strong foundations of Evans, who manages to keep really impossible times. The suite doesn't have as many different parts as "A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers" (from Pawn Hearts), but it still manages to alternate schizophrenic moments dominated by Jackson and his bloody sax, with calmer parts, decorated by the voice. But the absolute protagonist of the song is her, "MeurglysIII". This time Hammill does not just use it to accompany himself, but launches into complicated phrasing and sudden interventions worthy of the best Robert Fripp. The last 5 minutes of the suite host a superb dialogue between Meurglys and Jackson's sax, which seem to compete for who can find the most absurd sounds. Exciting.

Wondering, a soft ballad in the tradition of pieces like "Refugees" or "House with no door", benefits from the warm tones of a synthesizer that supports the framework of a crepuscular and disturbing hymn, but is the height of the poignant, for music and Thematic: in the text one wonders ("Won-dering ...") if everything one has tried, experienced, thought during one's life was only a dream, and the impression is that whoever asks for it has gone through the thresholds of being and is now in another dimension overlooking the river Lethe.

To conclude, my opinion on this "World Record" is more than positive. However, although moments of pure musical ecstasy are touched in the suite, the album has several weak points, and this does not allow me to give it full marks. An object that, however, cannot be missing on the shelf of those who love this great band.

Let me start with a statement, that I can't help myself and just have to give it 5 stars. It's one of the best prog bands of all time. And I mean a strict elite club, not even containing Pink Floyd (which I love). Hammill is absolute top vocalist of the genre, one of a kind: theatrical, passionate, maliciously angry, pompous, scary or painfuly beautiful and above all - honest and authentic. The music on this come back album is very intense, and I mean very. On these four rather epic tracks the listener can regonise the band from the previous works (the voice, sax organ and all) but it's kinda stripped down to it's bare emotional components, and I would say predominant mood here is anger. Beautifuly served anger: with shrieking voice and saxophones, with heavy sounding organ and guitar providing ominous motives, based on thundering drums and bass with ornaments from flute. Despite the intermission between the band's releases it's third masterpiece in a row of four. It started from H to He and ended on Still life. I know Godbluff for about 25 years but listening to it leaves me deeply touched, everytime. Like I said - it's a masterpiece.

This double CD set captures the band after they had reinvented themselves as a trio following on from the departure of David Jackson. The quartet had reformed in 2004 and recorded 'Present', yet after touring a decision was made to part company with Jackson and to instead work as a trio of Hugh Banton (organ), Guy Evans (drums) and Peter Hammill (vocals, guitar, piano). This CD captures them in their tenth show as a three-piece, having yet to release any new material, although they were trialling some music which would be recorded for 'Trisector' the following year. This meant the band had to reinvent their music, as apart from debut 'The Aerosol Grey Machine', they always had an additional melodic element either with woodwind or strings, but that was no longer the case. Part of this has been countered by Hammill becoming far more aggressive on guitar, and while they have replicated some parts normally played by Jackson, there are others where they have simply restructured the arrangements.

Opener "Lemmings" shows exactly what direction the band is going to take, while "A Place To Survive" is deliciously fractured and dynamic. Hammill, Banton and Evans started playing together in 1968, and more than 40 years later they were determined to prove that the latest iteration of VDGG were not only valid but were continuing to drive their legacy forward. There is plenty of emotion, both on stage and off, with the delicate piano introduction to "Man Erg" being one of the highlights of a tempestuous double CD set. The Paradiso is often used by progressive bands to record concerts as the crowd is always rapturous, and there is great sound quality to be had, and such is the case here. VDGG have continued as a trio to this day, having released four studio albums to date, yet at the beginning they were looking back into the classic catalogue and producing songs in a brand-new way. Essential for any fan of the band.

VDGG dropped this after a hiatus, kind of. During the interregnum Peter Hammil released three solo albums that include compositions written for VDGG played by everyone from VDGG. So basically three VDGG albums were released under a different name.

Anyways, this album goes a bit harder then previous efforts but to me the songs are not very good, I think VDGG would go on to make better albums (Still Lkfe) and had already made better ones (H To He Who Am The Only One).

Overall this is a fine album and welcome release but I would recommend other VDGG albums over this one which strikes me as mediocre for its unadventurous song forms, lack of variety and weak melodies.

Three songs, two ten minute long VDGG standards and a sidelong.

This is an album I've tried to make myself like but I just don't. The first two songs in the grand scheme of the VDGG universe are rather average songs, outdone by more powerful songs like Lost or Arrows.

Finally "A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers" is actually pretty bad. The sections don't go together, the song lacks direction, the singing is some of Hammils worse (there's a sea shanty section? ) and the audio is mixed very badly (I shouldn't have to constantly fiddle with the volume to hear half the song without destroying my speakers at others.)

Overall this album is probably the bands worse in my eyes after ALT.

The album "Still Life" partly consists of songs recorded during the same session as the previous one in the discography "Godbluff". Both longplays complement each other perfectly. Still Life is not so much a development and continuation of its predecessor as its opposite. The band clearly deviates from the previous style here. The exception is the composition "La Rossa" - one of the two (apart from "Pilgrims") recorded during the session "Godbluff". Well twisted, with the crazy vocals of Peter Hammill and the aggressive sound of David Jackson's saxophone, reminiscent of the heavy and dark atmosphere of the previous album.

The first track on the album is "Pilgrims", which begins calmly - with Peter's organ and vocals. There is a delicate polyphony in places. The melody is a combination of short motifs, not very much of one another. Finally, we have a saxophone solo, but it repeats the melody of the chorus and a part of the verse. "Still Life" - a calm start again, only vocals and organs. Two and a half minutes pass and the other instruments come in. We hear the organ riff. Hammill screams his games, the theme from the beginning returns. The ending is quiet singing and the piano itself. "La Rossa" - a song weird in terms of lyrics . Musically stuck together from various fragments, with a folk cutout after the sixth minute. Later, almost all the time, the vocalist does not sing, but screams. The last minute is a bit jamming instrumental madness. Thematically it is about broken relationships. "My Room (Waiting For Wonderland)" - starts calmly, with drums, bass and soprano saxophone, after a while Hammill sings a pleasant verse and shows us his vocal range. Later he repeats the same melodic theme an octave higher. We have a saxophone solo, followed by a third verse. At the end of the piece there is a longer instrumental part, in which Jackson elicits quite unusual tones from the saxophone, but always perfectly accentuating the atmosphere. "Childlike Faith in Childhood's End" begins slowly with Hammill's flutes and singing. After that, we hear the main topic for the first time. The vocalist screams and the subject is mistreated with a new, contrasted part in the middle. For the first time we are dealing with the melody of the finale. It is finally followed by the coveted element of the good old VDGG.

The album differs from the previous ones mainly in terms of its pronunciation. Those were more mysterious and pessimistic, but this one seems - surprisingly - a bit optimistic and cheerful. All in all a fantastic album.