The least we can do is wave... vs Viva La Trance

Really the final battle between Amon-Ra and Van Der Graaf

A 1970 vs 1974 match-up, with the VdGG album being considerably higher rated than the ADII. This is the lowest rated album by VdGG, though not really lowly rated, of the 1970 to 1976 years (4.05 rating at PA). With ADII, this is the lowest rated album of theirs during the 1969 to 1974 period at 3.23 here (but is still higher rated than all subsequent studio albums except one from 1995). I think of it as album by a band in transition, though one could argue that the transition began earlier, and that there are transitions album to album....

While VdGG's 1969 debut album has much of the VdGG sound, some do not consider it to be a true VdGG album (more of a Hammill solo), and consider The Least We Can Do to be to be either the first full-blooded true VdGG album, and the real start of the classic period, which includes the 1971 - 1972 trio of albums, The Least We Can Do..., H tO He..., and Pawn Hearts. On the other hand, one could consider Vive la Trance to be the first post-classic ADII album (the classic albums being the first five between 1969 and 1972) -- that said, the first three ADII albums might be considered the most classic.

Whether you agree with that, for me this is the most staisfying VdGG album of both that classic trio of abums, and is also my favourite VdGG album period. I prefer AdII's "classic" i1969 to 1972 period, those first five albums, to anything that followed that I know of. Actually, Vive LA Trance is the latest AdII album of theirs that I have in my collection, listened to other music though, and it is still more highly regarded generally to what came after it, but not as highly regarded as I said, to what came before.

While I like Vive la Trance, this is an easy vote for my favourite VdGG album. Now had you paired it up with AdII's 1970 album, Yeti, much as I love The Least We Can Do, I would have voted Yeti.

While I love VdGG's 1970 and 1971 trio of albums, the originally trio of ADII albums beats VdGG for me. In fact for me they had both peaked by 1971. And for both bands the most classic, classic period ends in 1971. I can say with some confidence that VDGG soundly beats ADII for me from the 1974 up period (VdGG starting with Godbluff in 1975, and ADII with Trance in 1974). But with both bands its the earlier period that I prefer.

So, in a nutshell, love both Amon Duul II's classic trio, Phallus Dei, Yeti and Tanz Der Lemminge, and VdGG's classic trio The Least We Can Do..., H to He, and Pawn Hearts, but Amon DUul II still wind that contest for me. VdGG's following two albums, Godbluff and Still Life about tie in in enjoyment for me with Amon Duul II's Carnival in Babylon and Wolf City, but on subsequent albums from both, VdGG wins.

I thought it's break it down, just to keep my thoughts in one thread rather than across this series of polls.

Edited by Logan - August 05 2017 at 15:26

Gawd. Who concocts these torturous polls......Chris
Going with Hammill and Co. for this one.

The Least We Can Do