Customer Reviews

Godbluff

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You know, for "geezer" fans like me who have already bought "Godbluff" and many, many other prog classics over the decades twice or more as new improved formats become available, these reissues are starting to get annoying. That is until we pull the shrink wrap off and experience again everything that made these recordings worth our investment of time and money in the first place.

I am not completely familiar with the full story of "Godbluff," but I do believe that this was their 1973 "comeback" album, after a brief break-up; singer/songwriter Pete Hammill had become wrapped up in his solo career, while keyboardist/drummer/sax-flautist Hugh Banton/Guy Evans/David Jackson retreated to Italy (where VDGG was a #1 chart-topping act) to record their interesting but not-spectacular "Long Hello" album.

Reuniting with "Godbluff," the quartet roared to life again in a HUGE way with this (skimpy by modern CD standards) 40 minute reaffirmation of their collective power. All four tracks are lucid, mighty testaments to the visionary talents of Hammill and company, but I most especially want to direct your particular attention to the track that scorches with the most frightful intensity: ARROW, track 3 (1st cut side two for us LP era neanderthals).

This is STRONG stuff, here folks, and not in a profane or cartoonish death-metal sort of way. Rather, it's all intensity and execution, starting with the fade-in bass & drum intro, skipping along nervously as Jackson's sax bleats in over the top to add some high-plateau drama to the soundscape. The musical suggestion of traveling by horseback across a barren landscape is evoked vividly before a single word is sung. Banton's Fender Rhodes (probably Hammill-there is NO GUITAR in this song) joins to bring this atmospheric stage-setter to a close, settling down to a sinuous opening statement of the song's theme, sustaining the final note like a snake poised on a desert stone waiting to strike--

Enter Hammill, roaring: "Stub towers in the distance, riders cross the blasted moor against the horizon." Simply transcribing the line can hardly invest it with the skullcrushing force of Hammill's delivery, in surely the most extreme match of material and performance of his career. "Arrow" is 9:47 of pure blood & thunder on trampling hooves, with Hammill riding high in the stirrups and screaming into the maelstrom, "what a crawl against the slope, dark loom the gallows--one touch to the chapel door, how swiftly comes the arrow."

And of course the band is at full gallop alongside Hammill, with Jackson & Evans stomping mercilessly with massed saxaphone & percussion. Save for a brief synthesizer break (fully in accord with the near-panic mood established at Hammill's first words), Hugh Banton keeps well to the background, but with the other three wailing at "11," the restraint becomes a valuable contribution in its own right.

Van Der Graaf, as I am again obliged to state, is NOT for everyone, and "Godbluff" (like their other CLASSIC record, "Pawn Hearts") is almost sure to scare off timid or casual listeners. To unattuned ears, it's rough, Hammill's voice is not "pretty" in the Michael Bolton sense, although Hamill was definitely capable of it. Here I recommend their second record, "The Least we can Do is Wave to Each Other" as a starting point for curious listeners; Hammill's voice is beautiful by any standard, especially on the plaintive "Refugees," a song that some movie director will eventually make a gigantic hit with when he leases it for his soundtrack.

Still for those adventurous enough to try something with some real brains & brawn, you've definitely stepped up to the Phd. level here. Van Der Graaf were not looking for chart-topping smashes, they were (are) artists fortunate enough to be chasing their muse at a time when commerce favored musicians in that pursuit. For those of us coming of age during that late '60's early '70's flowering of progressive rock, we now have a rich and vast body of work to discover (or rediscover) and reflect on for the rest of our lives. Including among many others but with special distinction, the great Van Der Graaf Generator, who after a 20 year hiatus have now fired it up again to release yet another reunion CD, "Present," now available on Amazon...

Let's give the last word to Peter, reflecting in his unique way on our mayfly existences; "How long the night is, why is this passage so narrow? How strange my body feels, impaled upon the arrow!"

....

When VdGG broke up in 1972, they were at the height of their powers. They'd just released a masterpiece -- 'Pawn Hearts' -- and the world, or Italy at least, loved them. For three years, Peter Hammill released solo albums; history does not relate what the other band members did during the period. In 1975, with no-one making much money (not even in Italy), the band reformed.

Wonderfully, the band was still at the height of its powers. 'Godbluff' relies less on effects, overdubs and manually-intensive tape manipulation than 'Pawn Hearts', but it's a more consistent album which perhaps doesn't try to squeeze in quite so many different riffs per track.

With the arrival of CD in the early 1980s, Virgin (now the owner of the Charisma back-catalogue) put out two well-considered compilations of VdGG's works. So highly regarded was 'Godbluff' that, of the four tracks on the album, the 'Second Generation' compilation CD contained no fewer than three.

But strangely it omitted 'Arrow', which for me is the stand-out track (and I've been listening to the album for 25 years). One of the reviewers of the time (must have been from Melody Maker, Sounds or NME) wrote that it began with one of the greatest examples of free jazz drumming he had ever heard. (It's probably not true. But I would content that Guy Evans has been one of the greatest white jazz-rock drummers of the past thirty years.) I have always loved the lyrics of 'Arrow', depicting a bleak, mediaeval landscape and a figure desperately scuttling around, 'craving protection'.

Postscript: I saw saxophonist Dave Jackson in concert last night, at an outdoor fireworks-and-picnic event at Claremont, Surrey, England. Still wearing a trademark leather hat, his music has evolved into an electronics-enhanced style bearing some similarities to John Surman and Jan Garbarek. Since the break-up of VdGG phase 2, he's made a second career in teaching, and this showed through in the motion-sensitive instruments laid out in front of the stage for audience participation. Unfortunately the instruments were also rain-sensitive, and he seemed to spend much of the time covering them....

Forced to compete against other stages offering soul standards and Abba revivalists, he attracted a relatively tiny audience. His music was just too weird and demanded too much concentration ever to be immensely popular. Which is pretty much the story of Van Der Graaf. From 'Pawn Hearts', through 'Godbluff' and 'Still Life', the band achieved a tremendously high standard in demanding progressive music. Listen to a sample first so that you understand the genre you're buying into, but you can safely buy any of those three albums. Prepare to be amazed!

The 1975 comeback album "Godbluff" is the album that puts the other prog giants (Pink Floyd, ELP, Yes, etc.) to bed, and that's no bluff. This album is absolutely relentless in its emotional intensity and lyrical profundity. It must be noted that Hammill isn't merely a singer, but a PERFORMER of lyrics, which is what lines like "If all is lost none is known/and how can we lose what we've never owned?" demand. Being a long-time hardcore Pink Floyd fan, it really means something when I say Peter Hammill really makes a dwarf of Roger Waters on this album (particularly in execution). While the other big names were running on autopilot by this time, "Godbluff" really makes the others pale in comparison. VDGG arrived to kick major ass on all fronts with a vengeance.

The opener "The Undercover Man" creeps along with Hammill whispering in the shadows, building suspense before the song opens up with a reflective & confessional soliloquy. The band always supplying the perfect canvas for Hammill to paint his lyrics to profound effect, which become universally addressed by the end of the piece.

Like a restless ocean wave comes "Scorched Earth", beautifully segued from the opening track. The song builds with Evans' drumming really punctuating the intensity that soon reaches its tantric release. Banton's modified Hammond sounds downright frightful during the heavy angular riffs (this music would've scare the crap out of me as a child), which again help convey Hammill's wrath with lines like "It's far too late to turn, unless it's to stone". The band then goes into an absolutely frenzy, demanding that the listener turn his stereo up well into the red (and well past 11). Hammill's guitar abuse at the end is absolutely perfect.

"Arrow" begins with a jazzy schizophrenic vibe (with wah-wah sax) before easing into the opening chords. Hammill is absolutely manic on this track (which I have blaring as I write), with lyrics full of helplessness & wrath. Jackson's sax sounds great & easily replaces the electric guitar. Actually, I couldn't even imagine a guitar on this album - too much intensity.

Finally, we meet "The Sleepwalkers" with a very mathmatical interplay between Banton & Evans. The song has many incredible movements & a great build with Jackson really coming to the fore. The song grows to orgasmic proportions with Jackson really taking the song to new heights. It's really something to hear Hammill lose his mind in the background just before he explodes into "Tonight, before you lay down to the sweetness of your sleep...". Of course, this part should be cranked up to infinity to feel the full effects (or affects) of his wrath.

I obviously have profound feelings for this album and recommend that when you buy (and yes you WILL buy it) this one, it must be played at full volume everyday. We should get a petition going to have this & other VDGG albums digitally remastered (any feedback on this?). This band really makes the other prog giants appear as SLEEPWALKERS.

a brief layoff, a solo album or two and a long a hello. then, 1975, there's godbluff. if you're reading this review, you're probably already interested. if you are a casual progger, then you should look away. there are no synths. there are no solos. there's only van der graaf. sax, organ, drums, vox and some clavinet on this one. and let me tell you, there's a lot of vox. i'm currently replacing my old vdgg cds and buying the reissues. this is one of the best. buy it for the sound alone, but the bonus live tracks only add to the experience. ph always said this was a band that bordered between chaos and control. not only do the studio tracks affirm this; the live tracks underline it. vdgg is a dangerous band.

Released in 1975, after a 4-year hiatus following the stunning PAWN HEARTS, GODBLUFF came as a surprise to many American fans who thought they had heard the last of Van der Graaf as a band. Maintaining the same personnel as their last recording -- Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton, David Jackson and Guy Evans -- the band blasts back with a vengeance. The four lengthy songs contained here are replete with their strongpoints and the trademark sound -- in this case, not a bad thing -- that listeners and fans had come to expect. The songs flow together almost as one continuous piece -- the band is obviously enjoying its rebirth. Repeated listenings -- as with all of their work -- reveal different insights and aspects both to the music and the lyrics.

This recording was followed in short order by the stunningly beautiful -- and powerful -- STILL LIFE and WORLD RECORD, all three albums being released in the span of less than two years. It seemed at the time that their hiatus had ended like a cork being blown out of a bottle.

This is a great 'come-back' album -- and simply a fine example of the work of one of the greatest progressive rock ensembles of our time.

Easiest to listen to of all VDGG albums (in my humble opinion) and the one I use to introduce people to the horrors of Peter Hammill and friends.
Reformed for the second (or third) time, this was the best VDGG ever. "Still LIfe" is considered as Peters masterpiece and most think "World Record" was a dud. But I like them all!

Man, if ever there was a band that earned the label "acquired taste," it's VDGG. This album was my first exposure to them back in '75, and upon first listen I wasn't sure if I loved it or hated it. Thankfully, I quickly grew to love it. But it's a tough listen, to be sure. The dark lyrics, Peter Hammill's twisted vocal approach (one minute a whisper, then a moan, followed by insane screeching at the top of his lungs) and the bizarre instrumentation (think Traffic with a bad hangover). Scary stuff, but definitely worth it in the end. Practically every song on this one is a classic, especially the intense "Undercover Man" and "Scorched Earth." Lots of great Hammond organ and sax work. My only quibble? Why, in the year 2003, has the VDGG catalog NOT been remastered yet, while some artists' CD catalogs have been remastered two, even three times over by now!? That's just downright shameful.

For those unfamiliar with VDGG, this is the perfect place to start. Godbluff was released during a transitional period for the band (between their early eccentricities & their bleaker, more 'string-driven sound of the late 70's. It was during this time that they recorded a triad of albums (of which this was the first) that displayed a melodic & lyrical power that could be truly breathtaking. So much so that now (twenty-three years after it's release) it still sounds as urgent & contemporary as ever. It's a rare item... an expertly played 'prog-rock' record that doesn't succumb to cloying pretentiousness in the least! More than a few screamers of the punk era have cited singer Peter Hammill as a seminal influence, and after listening to tracks like "Arrow" it's easy to understand why. Hammill's voice is a staggeringly powerful instrument that he always uses to it's full potential. And while the punks could attempt to copy his intensity & anger, it's Hammill's intuitive sense of control & finesse that make his vocals so brutally effective (often without rising above a whisper...the opening cut, "The Undercover Man" being a perfect example). Drummer Guy Evens, organist Hugh Banton & wood-wind man David Jackson represent the tightest & most musically impressive line-up of the band's history. This is a wonderfully intense album & among the best of it's genre.

. . . and other contexts, also, but this is largely the contemplative side of Hammill & Co., kind of picking up the pieces after the manic excesses that brought them to their peak on _Pawn Hearts_ (which would constitute anyones peak!). There are no real schizophrenic meltdowns like on their previous masterpiece, more a slow existential burn, that taken on its own virtues is very satisfying. It's just nowhere near as good as _Pawn Hearts_.

"Scorched Earth" exemplifies the plusses of this album perfectly. Featuring a slow pre-grunge chromatic riff as its centerpiece, it builds in segments like the best of VDGG, until they've spun considerable tension by the end of ten minutes. Every musician is on here, especially David Jackson and the formidable Guy Evans on drums.

"Arrow"--quite the memorable song, if not only for Hammill's shrill falsetto emanations after starting out in his lower registers--exemplifies both the plusses and (comparatively few) minusses of this album. Like every other song here, this is a slow-burner. It builds in its own time, like the best of VDGG (and the best of wines), but the recording is sub-par and Hammill sounds like he's singing under the sea (again, not in a good way like on _Pawn Hearts_'s "Plague of Lighthouse Keepers"). His falsetto does get annoying (doth he protest too much?), like I said before. The difference between his falsetto here and on _Pawn Hearts_ is that every instrument screeches when Hammill does and your lost in the Echoplex of your corpus callosum. On "Arrow" it's Hammill screeching over a by-and-large restrained supporting cast. Somehow the balance just seems off here.

In short, buy this album after you've had a proper introduction to the band (_Pawn Hearts_ and the earlier works like _H for He . . ._ and _The Least We Could Do is Wave . . ._). I think to start on this one might scare you off to the abundant joys of VDGG (if indeed disequilibrium is a joy to you). If you go through those and get to this one, you'll be able to appreciate it for what it is. A slightly flawed document of a master lyricist and his supporting musicians' journey upward from hell. They are still in hell here, but they are reflecting on it as they ascend, hence all the fascinating things they do with the slow burn.

A masterpiece of epic proportions. This band was something else. Peter Hammill is a lyrical genius. Only Peter Gabriel can compare in that regard. This album is dark yet soothing, crushing yet uplifting. Captivating at every moment. All the way to the brilliant ending. Complex music, complex lyrics...excellent playing...very inspired sounding...
All of the instruments sound great. The percussion is is especially fantastic.
It still blows me away. Ten years after I first heard it, its allure hasn't diminished a bit. Incredible. I'd give it 1000 stars if I could.
Powerful stuff!