STILL LIFE

This is one of those slow growing masterpieces. None of the tracks here really grab the attention immediately, but over repeated listens, they reveal depth and detail that truly astounds. Of all of Van Der Graaf's releases, this one is the one that I find I connect the most with emotionally. Every once in a while, I have to listen to the title track, and it can almost bring me to tears - very few songs I can say that about. And it is not even the best track on the album; I would give that honour to La Rossa, a love song that doesn't sound like anything you will hear on the radio, in part due to the darker undertones. And of course, the idea of hearing Van Der Graaf Generator on the radio is, in itself, somewhat laughable.

I'm going to keep this short, even though it's one of very few albums I've given a five star rating to so far, in part because so much has been said about this one, but also simply because this album connects with you on a strong, emotional level that no review can truly do justice to. Suffice it to say that, while this is perhaps not the most adventurous thing Van Der Graaf did, it is the most emotional.