| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
bucka001 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 16 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 864
|
 Topic: Close to the Lighthouse Keepers
Posted: June 25 2012 at 20:19 |
Pawn Hearts isn't my fave VdGG album, although it's certainly a one-of-a-kind achievement (that's either a good or bad thing depending on who you are!). I think it's magnificent, but I like the more straightforward approach of Godbluff or Still Life. Still, I prefer Plague over CTTE. But I still think CTTE is pretty damned good. There are parts of it I don't like as much as I used to (that can be said of Yes overall), but there are some really brilliant things on there. The beginning, where Howe is ripping away and then the band suddenly stops and goes "Ahhhhhhh!!" is pretty f*cking cool. I love how they do that for just a second and start ripping away again. That whole first section (the psycho guitar blaring away with a couple of "Ahhhhh" interuptions) is actually one of my favorite musical sections by anyone. Wakeman's organ solo toward the end is also on fire. By the way, this is probably the only tune where I prefer Alan White's approach on Yessongs to Broof's on the studio album. White just plays a straigh-ahead 4/4 groove on that beginning guitar section, whereas Broof is riding the cymbal or playing just the closed hi-hat, etc. I love Bruford, but this is the one case where I prefer AW's version (at least for that first section).
|
|
jc
|
 |
Equality 7-2521
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 11 2005
Location: Philly
Status: Offline
Points: 15783
|
Posted: June 25 2012 at 14:52 |
|
The difference in the vocalists tips the very close match up to Plague.
|
|
"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "
|
|
The Bearded Bard
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 24 2012
Location: Behind the Sun
Status: Offline
Points: 12859
|
Posted: June 25 2012 at 14:17 |
|
A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers, today anyway.
Edited by The Bearded Bard - June 25 2012 at 14:25
|
|
|
|
smartpatrol
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 15 2012
Location: My Bedroom
Status: Offline
Points: 14169
|
Posted: June 25 2012 at 13:26 |
|
Lighthouse Keepers if a great song, but Close to the Edge is better.
|
|
Gandalfino
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 07 2010
Status: Offline
Points: 315
|
Posted: June 25 2012 at 11:17 |
|
Yeah!
|
|
someone_else
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: May 02 2008
Location: Going Bananas
Status: Offline
Points: 23998
|
Posted: June 22 2010 at 07:56 |
 Epignosis wrote:
someone_else wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
Again, I have no idea what people see in Pawn Hearts (besides the interesting cover art). |
I think that Pawn Hearts is one of the finest examples of overrating on PA. However, there is one outstanding track on this album. Unfortunately, this is not A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, but Man-erg.
Plague forms half of the evidence that VdGG's virtues are not to be found in 20+ minute tracks.
|
Looking back on my review of this album, I said this of "Man-Erg:"
"Man-Erg" Soft piano and organ begin this much more pleasant track. I love the soulful vocal melody in the first several moments, and it may be my favorite part of this album. After some saxophone screeching, the pleasantness ends, as an odd and cacophonic section takes over. All told, this is my favorite track from the album, and essentially salvages it from being banished from my hearing it ever again.
Although the last time I heard the album was when I reviewed it. 
|
That was just nine and a half months ago  . For me it must be longer, but first I have planned to review another album by this band.
|
|
|
|
Geizao
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 23 2008
Location: Key Largo
Status: Offline
Points: 393
|
Posted: June 22 2010 at 05:12 |
|
Hard to choose, but House... is little bit (more) dramatic, I think.
|
|
Ronnie Pilgrim
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 09 2010
Location: The South of TX
Status: Offline
Points: 771
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 17:00 |
Not a big fan of the title track to the Yes offering, although the other side is near perfection, imho.But the Van der Graaf Generator album doesn't put me to sleep for an entire half of it, so I am giving it the nod.
|
|
pinkyfloydyfan
Forum Groupie
Joined: October 09 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 78
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 16:21 |
Realy tight... But VDGG with APOLK make me feel stranger and i have always a lot of things to search IN the music & in the text.
PH makes better texts than JA. A fabulous sax against keyboard.
BUT both are great specially the play of Steve Howe.
APOLK by a inch.
|
We are pilgrims! 
|
|
BaldJean
Prog Reviewer
Joined: May 28 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10377
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 12:53 |
someone_else wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
Again, I have no idea what people see in Pawn Hearts (besides the interesting cover art). |
I think that Pawn Hearts is one of the finest examples of overrating on PA. However, there is one outstanding track on this album. Unfortunately, this is not A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, but Man-erg.
Plague forms half of the evidence that VdGG's virtues are not to be found in 20+ minute tracks.
|
I think that "Close to the Edge" is one of the finest examples of overrating on PA. yes, a fine album, but where is the daring? all together much too tame. no, "Relayer" is a much better album than "Close to the Edge". here we find the daring that was missing in "Close to the Edge"
|
 A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta
|
|
digdug
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 13 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4707
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 10:26 |
Soul Dreamer wrote:
CTTE...by lightyears.... |
This
|
|
Prog On!
|
|
b_olariu
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2007
Location: Romania
Status: Offline
Points: 5531
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 06:42 |
A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers 
|
|
Epignosis
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 30 2007
Location: Raeford, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 32482
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 06:35 |
someone_else wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
Again, I have no idea what people see in Pawn Hearts (besides the interesting cover art). |
I think that Pawn Hearts is one of the finest examples of overrating on PA. However, there is one outstanding track on this album. Unfortunately, this is not A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, but Man-erg.
Plague forms half of the evidence that VdGG's virtues are not to be found in 20+ minute tracks.
|
Looking back on my review of this album, I said this of "Man-Erg:"
"Man-Erg" Soft piano and organ begin this much more pleasant track. I
love the soulful vocal
melody in the first several moments, and it may be my favorite part of
this album. After some
saxophone screeching, the pleasantness ends, as an odd and cacophonic
section takes over. All told,
this is my favorite track from the album, and essentially salvages it
from being banished from my
hearing it ever again.Although the last time I heard the album was when I reviewed it.
Edited by Epignosis - June 21 2010 at 06:36
|
|
|
|
someone_else
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: May 02 2008
Location: Going Bananas
Status: Offline
Points: 23998
|
Posted: June 21 2010 at 02:33 |
Epignosis wrote:
Again, I have no idea what people see in Pawn Hearts (besides the interesting cover art). |
I think that Pawn Hearts is one of the finest examples of overrating on PA. However, there is one outstanding track on this album. Unfortunately, this is not A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, but Man-erg.
Plague forms half of the evidence that VdGG's virtues are not to be found in 20+ minute tracks.
|
|
|
|
A Person
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 10 2008
Location: __
Status: Offline
Points: 65760
|
Posted: June 20 2010 at 19:46 |
Missed this, definitely voting for Lighthouse. CttE is a very good track, Lighthouse is a great one.  For one: I greatly prefer VdGG's vocals, and the atmosphere is amazing. CttE doesn't impress me as much, Gates of Delirium would have been a much harder choice.
|
|
Soul Dreamer
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 17 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 997
|
Posted: June 19 2010 at 20:57 |
^^^.. CTTE...by lightyears....
|
|
To be the one who seeks so I may find .. (Metallica)
|
|
Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team
Joined: March 12 2005
Location: Neurotica
Status: Offline
Points: 166178
|
Posted: June 19 2010 at 16:05 |
|
A Plague...by eons.
|
|
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
|
|
Zombywoof
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 26 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 1217
|
Posted: June 19 2010 at 14:24 |
|
I'll take VDGG over Yes anyday!!
|
|
Continue the prog discussion here: http://zombyprog.proboards.com/index.cgi ...
|
|
squire4001
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 16 2009
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 188
|
Posted: June 19 2010 at 14:06 |
|
I love both epics, but my first love was CTTE.
|
|
Prog´ everyday in every way of your life including music!
|
|
CinemaZebra
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 13 2010
Location: Ancient Rome
Status: Offline
Points: 6795
|
Posted: June 19 2010 at 12:19 |
|
WOW. Closest poll ever? A few minutes ago it was 31 to 31, now it's 32 to 32.
Edited by CinemaZebra - June 19 2010 at 12:20
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
Close to the Lighthouse Keepers
