VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

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.

Van der Graaf Generator has always been an interesting band and is something of an acquired taste. While they are nominally considered a progressive rock band (specifically eclectic prog) they typically eschewed the symphonic flourishes of contemporaries such as the Moody Blues, Yes and Genesis and, as such, did not receive anything approaching the radio airplay or publicity of those other bands. Although VdGG could stretch songs past ten minutes and tell mythic tales within them, there always seemed to be a darkness and anger at the heart of their music, more so than their peers.

"The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other" (1970) could be considered to be their first album in the format that VdGG fans have become accustomed to, much harder and harsher than their psychedelic debut "The Aerosol Grey Machine" (1969). As much as their debut looked backwards at the psychedelic movement and perhaps was late to the party, "The Least We Can Do..." looked forward...anticipating early 1970s Genesis and heavily influencing Fish-era Marillion. Distorted organ, throbbing bass and swelling horns dominate the music with Peter Hammill's vocals, sometimes shrieking and sometimes whispering, provide plenty of drama.

The opening track "Darkness(11/11)" provides a mission statement or blueprint of sorts, showcasing Hugh Banton's aggressive organ playing, Nic Potter's pulsing bass and David Jackson's virtuoso horn playing. The next track "Refugees", along with "Out of My Book", showcases a more gentle side of the band and is vaguely reminiscent of Genesis, though the resemblance is probably coincidental given that this album was released in the same year as Genesis' first good album ("Trespass"). One almost wonders if VdGG influenced Genesis, because it almost certainly does not seem to be the other way around.

"White Hammer", "Whatever Would Robert Have Said?" and "After the Flood" are among the album's other highlights, mining the same dark, angry musical territory as "Darkness"...especially the last track. The bonus track "The Boat of Millions of Years" is also highly worthwhile. The album's only useless track is the redundant single version of "Refugees", which is included in some versions as a bonus track. While this album may not be quite as classic as "Pawn Hearts", "Godbluff" or "H to He Who am the Only One", it is still a remarkable album and is ahead of its time.

Here's an album almost guaranteed to challenge the ProgArchives rating guidelines. Awarding it two 'fans only' stars obviously doesn't work, judging by the disappointment of so many longtime fans and the low overall score of the album on these pages. And a single star hardly seems fitting for such an unapologetically defiant collection, so contrary to expectations that it even excludes the voice of Peter Hammill, typically the band's focal point and most distinctive element.

But isn't that a part of what Progressive Rock is supposed to do: shake the cages of our musical complacency? According to drummer Guy Evans, these fourteen "instrumental improvs and experiments" (and not songs, please note) were "made while we weren't looking", at various points over the previous six years. Some appear to be concert excerpts; others must have happened during studio rehearsals or soundchecks; most are little more than unclassifiable flotsam from the back of the Van Der Graaf closet. The sound quality varies wildly according to each source (none identified, by the way), making the project even more willfully self-indulgent, in the best meaning of the word.

A brief digression...according to guitarist ROBERT FRIPP, self-indulgence is an occupational hazard of the Prog Rock experience. "In practice, when you let rip this is always a risk", he once wrote, especially when "acting in accordance with one's own musical sense-of-rightness."

This particular bit of creative cage rattling was perfectly timed, arriving so soon after the too- polite "A Grounding in Numbers" album. Here the group was daring to swim dangerous waters again, and without life jackets. The results are more reckless, more unpredictable, and (yes) a little more incoherent as well: the price you sometimes pay for making serendipity your muse. I can't pretend it doesn't wander down some musical cul-de-sacs or chase its tail in circles at times. And never mind how well it actually succeeds (or not, just as often). The album is still a fascinating dissection of the collective VDGG brain pan.

In his sleeve notes Guy Evans adds, "These tracks really require you, the listener, to complete them and give them life." Which may sound like a cop-out of sorts, but he has a point. Even at their best (which this album never pretends to be), Van Der Graaf Generator has always been a difficult band to appreciate. To some fans, that's exactly what makes them so attractive.

If any band could combine the raw emotive power of punk with the complexity, polish and bombast of progressive rock, it was Van Der Graaf generator. Nowhere was this more evident than on this brilliant live recording. Mix King Crimson or early Genesis with MC5 and you get the picture...almost. Words simply can not do this justice. Perhaps VDGG is an acquired taste, but if you have an open ear and an open mind give "Vital" a listen. I dare you to listen to "Pioneers Over C" or " A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and not be beguiled. Rather than simply try to reproduce the brilliance of their studio albums, they present a stripped down, rawer version of VdGG with all the complexity, power and darkness on display.

Perhaps it's my own failure, but seeing this album as any kind of let-down, disappointment, or inadequate follow-up to the highly regarded Godbluff, is incomprehensible to me. Within this record, the listener is treated to propulsive jazz-rock riffs, memorable tagline melodies, fantastically atmopheric interplay between Van Der Graaf Generator's signature instruments - saxophone and organ, and also the less characteristic electric guitar and mellotron - and Peter Hammill's epic poetry projected with a delivery as varied as it is inspired. I shoud restrain myself from being too detailed at this point, because the element of surprise is personally one of Prog's most appealing qualities.

Usually after I hear an album a few times, I start to think about little things that I might have liked to have heard that would make an already solid release stand out just a little more. I know this is something a lot of listeners do, whether they're musical or not, according to their own subjective preferences. It's a natural process that occurs as you become comfortable with an artists material and is very common, even with some of your favorite works. For me, Godbluff is a monumental exception to that rule.

As an album, Godbluff is unique in the sense that not only is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, but every track is a masterpiece in its own right. Each one has an atmosphere and energy all its own, but they all relate to each other in an undeniably gratifying manner. A commonality in each track is an all-pervading darkness and depth of emotion. Each song's lyrical theme reflects extreme circumstances within one's life and a state of conflict, either internal, external, or both. The music compliments these ideas most effectively, as each part contains a subtle sense of driving agitation that propels the listener forward without detracting from the calmer passages. Everything from the notes themselves to the shifts of key, mood, and time signature to the instrumental timbre itself communicates artistic inspiration and emotional depth, creating an atmosphere unique to the album that haunts and enthralls the listener while augmenting the message and the fervor of the lyrics without detracting from them in any way. In short, this album contains a balanced symbiosis independent of compromise, a rare and admirable in creating album- oriented music to say the very least.

The Undercover Man is a fantastic opener. Starting softly and building progressively in texture, dynamics, and emotional fervor, Hammill leads us through a theatrical coming-of- age song that has a form more reminiscent of an overture or theatrical piece than your run- of-the-mill song. The instrumental sections help delineate the vocal passages and offer a solid contrast that renew the song's energy with each shift. By the time it concludes, you feel empowered by the dark, yet paradoxically positive energy offered by each member. Intriguing, yet inviting, this is an inspired choice for a first track.

Scorched Earth is a track of true bombast and strength. The energy of this track is very direct and engaging, even aggressive and intimidating. I believe this to be one of their strongest tracks. Complex, shifting, varied, and instrumentally demanding, this is a dense track, one you cannot hope to digest completely on the first listen. But with repeated listens comes much discovery and reward. The vocals here are more assertive than the previous track, and the empowering sensation one gets from them is more akin to the charge of battle than the uplifting perseverance through life's many changes, which is appropriate considering the track is about a soldier on the battlefield who knows nothing more than conflict any more. Truly an essential track with wonderful instrumental work, both individually and collectively when the band syncs up.

Arrow is a song that is in a constant state of evolution from the beginning jam to the slow tapering of sound as the action dies away before one final forceful cadence within the track's final moments. Hammill's most tortured vocal delivery ever suits the text so well. The lyrics depict a man running from an assassin, only to be denied shelter and brutally murdered. The darkest track on the album by far, but one of the most intriguing in the band's entire catalog. The main motive of the song is constantly developed and manipulated as the story unfolds, building to a dizzying climax as Jackson cuts loose in an instrumental depiction of the character's suffering as Hammill screams the lyrics telling of one's untimely demise. The instrumental textures here are haunting, and Hammill's punchy keys here are the perfect standout voice. I can't explain why, but the sound of that instrument alone seems to add a menacing, magical quality to the track that I feel is truly indispensable.

The Sleepwalkers has a much more mystic energy about it. Starting out playfully, the enigmatic organ drone under the bouncing soprano sax and tom hits start the song off directly and engage the listener's attention quickly before Hammill enters with his first lyrics. A song reflecting on the world around you and the people within it morphing and distorting beyond your control, the music reflects this idea by changing moods and themes with calculated regularity. These transitions, however, are seamless and natural, never seeming forced or contrived based on some arbitrary formula. The textures in some passages are lighter and more whimsical, but this deception is revealed as the next, more chaotic passage breaks loose and shatters the listener's expectations and sense of stability, in the most rewarding way possible, of course. After an ethereal moment of keyboard flourishes, the section that follows introduces a sense of tightened focus. It crescendos with each passing measure, re-energizing the listener and building up to one of the most climactic moments of the albums. Jackson soars above the other members with a fantastic solo that compliments the mix so well. No unnecessary or unjustified virtuosity in his playing; every beat of every note is truly powerful, as the strength of his playing here is the sheer edge in his tone. You don't get that kind of expression out of thirty- second note noodling and glissandos. Then Hammill reenters, forcefully delivering one of the most emotionally charged lyrical passages of the album. His screams here are truly bone-chilling. Not the kind of tortured, terrified shrieks of the previous track, but the kind of forceful shouts that will surely put a smile on your face. The original atmosphere penetrates the mix again as previous themes are reprised, Hammill reflectively delivers the final lyrical passages, and the keyboard flourishes before the driving passages return to signify a departure from the world as depicted within the lyrics, as well as a gentle awakening from the mystical world in which the song envelops the listener.

This album, according to my tastes and preferences, is one of the few albums I would regard as absolutely perfect. There is literally no conceivable change I would want to impose on any moment to alter this already strikingly beautiful formula. This album is so consistently good from track to track that I can't even conclusively select a favorite, which to me is a testament to its strength of consistency and the band's overall compositional talent. Each of these four remarkable songs is an adventure into some of the darkest textures progressive rock has ever offered, and I revel in every second of it! This is in my top 3 albums of all time, alongside Red and Selling England By The Pound. This is a masterpiece that more than deserves to be counted with the rest of the essential prog albums out there from all periods of the genre's existence, and for that reason, I award it an emphatic 5 stars along with my undying gratitude for having the pleasure of hearing this truly phenomenal music from my favorite band.

If you are a fan of the true 60's psych-rock, this album offers some kind of "high", with unique rich orchestration, and musicality- which are not specific by the average psychedelic bands. This stuff sounds as if have been released in 1967, and not that so close in the timeline to the VdGG's second album! I think it's hard to make up from prog-context, but this album is enjoyable on magic mushroom, while Pawn Hearts, for instance less. There are many similarities by some new, or prominent bands of this era- thus The Nice, the first Jethro, the early Floyd, and The Doors. But Banton was simple better qualified keyboardist, than Manzarek or Richard Wright. And there are the constantly presence of Hammill's genius, with amazing gloomy and sentimental vocal and acoustic guitar harmonies, and there plays the classic Rickenbacker bass sound, which are no longer works in the 70's lineup. "Afterwards" is a typical LSD propelled melody and "Black Smoke Yen" is a kind of "In" music as well. Some tracks sounds, something like Beat, or Mod influenced stuff ("Into a game, People You Were Going To"). "Running back" in all respects evoke the flower power era- on its meditative mood, with its sitar and flute harmonies, but Peter's painful vocal gives something strange and bizarre overtone on it. "Orthenthian street" shows the deepest similarities of the later VdGG sound, but even more Hammill's solo works. This is not a typical Van der Graaf track, all the more a typical Hammill self-expression. The eponymous song is like a silly MOI nothings, reflects some Zappa-like anti-consumerism. And I think the "Necromancer" is one of the early progrock songs, with its Holst adaptation. This piece was processed on the Crimson's Poseidon album, but VdGG was the first adaptator. "Firebrand" sounds like a fierce Ian Anderson-VdGG joint work. And my personal favorite is the "Octopus", which has very airy combo-organ sound. It's evoke the later work "Pioneers", feeling like a space, or undersea travel, but this song is more hot and raw, than whichever later VdGG song.

The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other is basically VDGG's first album. Here they are still taking shape musically and structurally. In doing so they created a remarkable record. There are some ideas on this record that were abondoned shortly after. Such as some of the ethereal flute dominated parts. This album also contains some of Hammills bathos hampered lyrics and higher voice that would eventually give way to his genius introspective lyrics and gravelly voice that would dominate his later efforts.

Darkness opens up the album with a droning pulse of wind, voice and organ before the bass plays a line evoking caution. The song seems to me about how a man's horrible actions are influenced by life's past and how it can poison the future. Love the single note organ solo and the sax solo that ends it. A true classic.

Refugees is the exact opposite. Beautiful sax playing augmented by cello sets the tone for Hammill's lament about two friends moving to the US. Another classic.

White Hammer is their first stab at an extended piece illustrating the witch hunts in 15th century Europe. Good song. Love the ending, the first example of VDGG's chaotic tendencies.

Whatever Would Robert Have Said a more straightforward song with a nod towards the Van de Graaff generator's inventor, Robert J. Van de Graaff.

Out Of My Book is a nice pastoral song that really gives me that feeling of young love and all of the uncertainties and confusion that comes with it. One of Hammill's early attempts at introspectiveity that will be expanded in great detail later in his career.

After The Flood is another extended piece that showcases some of the chaos that would be perfected on Pawn Hearts. Still with its changes and sometimes more ethereal feel to some of its parts make it a worthwhile ride.

This is the record that introduced me to this band back when I was a teenager in the '80s. I remember thinking at the time that this is a really great band except for the singer and the lyrics. Peter Hammill is definitely an acquired taste and once you get it, there is no going back. But on this record, his style is still forming. This album has it's fair share of ridiculous lines like "You can't have two killers living in the same pad." or " A thousand mouths are filled with rusted metal. Your face a shade of green. Somehow you try to speak with all of that garbage in your mouth." and "We are the ones they're going to build a statue for ten centuries ago." And one more, "At night they steal your eye from its socket. And the ball hangs falling from your cheek." But someway and somehow it works and gives this album a spacey charm I can't quite explain. Killers kicks things off with a medium paced rocker of sorts with a narrator telling describing a sea monster living on the bottom of the sea that pretty much devours anything within it's reach causing it to live in solitude. This ends up being a metaphor for the narrators own mistakes on how he treats loved ones rendering himself alone.

House With No Door sounds to me like a prelude to "Man Erg" With Hammill struggling with sharing himself with others. This song is driven by Hammill's piano and Evan's drums. it also contains a really nice flute solo backed by sax.

Emporer in His War-Room, is basically about hateful war monging leaders and the prices they'll pay for their actions. here we have robert Fripp making a nice appearance. Depite it's goofy lyrics, it's a good song.

Lost. here Hammill laments about a lost love amid a sprawling jazz-like atmosphere. Nice changes throughout. One of my favorite tunes.

Pioneers Over c. Lost in Space! And time and existence. Very Star Trekesque but alot of fun. Some far out sax interludes grace this one. H to He is most certainly of its time, nobody writes stuff like this anymore!