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Peter Hammill - Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night CD (album) cover

CHAMELEON IN THE SHADOW OF THE NIGHT

Peter Hammill

 

Eclectic Prog

4.03 | 424 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer
3 stars Even if Peter is surrounded by his VDGG friends (all of them, even Potter is holding the bass), it is not to be noticed in the start of this "solo" album.

To be honest the first couple of songs are nothing too fancy. These fully acoustic tracks are rather dull. My interest started to raise during "Rock & Role". Jackson's input on the sax, the heavier music, the tortured Hammill do relate this song to the band's ones. This song could have been featured on a VDGG album without any problem.

One can also feel all the majesty of Peter's vocals during the intimate and dark "In The End". Again, the atmosphere of "Still Life" is very close and those melodic vocal lines are really touching. I am often moved by Peter when he is responsible of such poignant song writing. An excellent song. I wonder how a full VDGG interpretation of this track would have sounded like.

In his second role (fluting), Jackson is backing up Peter during the acoustic and very soft "What's It Worth". I would have liked him to be a bit more on the forefront, but I guess that this would have led to a more "VDGG" oriented album. Probably what Peter wanted to prevent..

It is still the few pieces that can have some relation with the band that I prefer the most here. "Easy To Slip Away" is another good example of a collaboration between Peter and his mates. Fine mellotron as well played by him. Another fine moment.

No wonder either that one of my fave from this album is the closing number. "Black Room" does bring you into the VDGG world. The power and the might are there, the vocal extravaganza is there, the furious sax notes are there, the tortured vocals are there, the "loose" improvisations are there. What else is needed? The highlight.

If there were not those few weaker songs, I wouldn't have hesitated for the four star rating, but as it is, three stars sound more appropriate. A good album.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 |

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