Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Van Der Graaf Generator - A Grounding In Numbers CD (album) cover

A GROUNDING IN NUMBERS

Van Der Graaf Generator

 

Eclectic Prog

3.48 | 530 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

poslednijat_colobar
Prog Reviewer
5 stars Seniors' supremacy

Just what an album!? After my little break (or not so little) from writing reviews on PA, I decided to come back in writing exactly with this breathtaking album by art rock pioneers - Van der Graaf Generator. The choice isn't accidental. That pause in writing helps me to get into this magnificent band properly. Undoubtedly there is a new direction in the conception of the band with this album. It's still a trio, without a brass section, but that's substituted very well with different kind of ideas.

Despite the presence of controversial reviews to date, I cannot find anything annoying or embarrassing into A Grounding in Numbers, but only well-arranged, profound and developed ideas in professional manner of production. The album is a fountain of progressive rock music with compact sound and strict songwriting abilities of the band members in varied and dynamic style. It's obvious how the routine of Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton and Guy Evans raise the album to that high level it deserves to receive in fact.

The musicianship is just... special with a word. An album without naivety, insignificance or boredom constructed in not exactly the most familiar VdGG style. People who know what are doing and more importantly - why. That's VdGG nowadays with the release of A Grounding in Numbers. Without a single note on the wrong place.

The last and most significant thing I'd like to comment is the genre of the album or the domain it's produced of. That's strongly art rock oriented album without typical (of the band) dark atmosphere and brass section. With lots of Canterbury sound and space rock motifs and themes connected in faultless psychedelic way. The songs are usually much shorter than most of previous albums' songs. But their ideas are developed precisely and concrete in the short-songs situation. Give little more chance to this professional and hard-digestible album. 4,5 stars will be deserve rating, which should be rounded up.

poslednijat_colobar | 5/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.