Customer Reviews

Over

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Peter Hammill wrote this album after his wife left him. It is a sincere account of his feelings at that time, his questions on himself, on humanity, on what went wrong... This kind of album can be ridiculous when it's by a lesser artist, but Peter Hammill is a talented one, and it's hard not to be moved by this album.

Heartbreak and the subsequent anger it spurns are the main topics of this, my personal favorite Hammill album. He never really made another one like this. I think it's one of those love-it-or-hate-it albums... the drenched-in-sorrow cuts "Autumn", "This side of the looking glass", and "Alice (Letting go)" are possible tear-inducers. The anger felt on "Betrayal" will touch anyone who has ever felt betrayed, particularly in a relationship. Absolutely an excellent album, which does not fit at all with it's harder-edged progressive predecessors, but rather stands beside them as a different perspective.

It has been said this is Hammill's most personal release. I am not sure about that. But I feel it is his most painful. Breakups can be acutely painful and that formed the setting, the catalyst for this gem. Peter Gabriel would do his own broken relationships album with "Us" many years later. That too is a gem but not the subject at hand.

When I went through my second divorce this CD became my friend. I knew there was someone out there who had felt like I did , who had anguished like I was doing. Someone who had been both very sad and very angry. Someone who knew. Someone who knew intimately the pain of a breakup. Peter Hammill. Got to love him. I do.

This is an essential release for the Hammill fan. I am not going to review each song. That I am sure is covered elsewhere. Get the CD and discover it for yourself. But I would be amiss if I did not mention a few titles. Like the achingly sad but beautiful "Looking Glass" or the following track "Betrayed". Betrayed is one of the most if not the most vitriolic angst filled Hammill songs ever. Last mentioned here is "On Tuesdays..." which to me is almost unbearable to listen to. It has on more than once occasion reduced me to tears. Incredible stuff.

Powerful music. Inspired music. Music born of raw emotions. In the vast catalogue of Hammill releases this must be considered a must have, no questions asked.

Stepping back from the more complex arrangements typical of his work with his band, Van der Graaf Generator ? as well as those utilized on some of his recent solo outings (CHAMELEON IN THE SHADOW OF THE NIGHT [1972], THE SILENT CORNER AND THE EMPTY STAGE [ALSO 1972], and IN CAMERA [1973]) ? Peter Hammill delivered OVER to the world in 1976, one of the most painfully honest and soul-baring albums of his career. While Hammill is a (thankfully) prolific artist, with some of the most revealing self-analytic lyrics ever written, his personal life has always been kept private ? a difficult task for a performer, but one that has meant enough to him that he has managed to do it. That being said, it's pretty evident from the lyrics on OVER that he was going through an extremely painful and emotional period in his life ? and what better catharsis to expedite and enable the healing process than his music?

Joined here by Van der Graaf bandmates Guy Evans (drums), Nic Potter (bass) and Graham Smith (violin), Hammill frames these intensely personal songs brilliantly with his expressive piano and guitar ? and every bit of the emotion contained in the lyrics is carried perfectly by his unique and powerful voice. Pain, loss, self-doubt ?and, ultimately, hope ? are portrayed here in such a naturally vivid fashion that the listener cannot help but experience some degree of the feelings that inspired these works. It's a breathtakingly intense journey ? and one that connects the artist with the listener at the most human level possible.

The album begins with 'Crying wolf'. As the song is introduced by Hammill's choppy rhythm on electric guitar, then joined by the bass and drums, then the vocals, the listener might believe that the rest of the album is going to be in more of a 'rock' vein than is actually the case. The song's lyrics are accusatory, addressing the singer himself, decrying the self-pity and wallowing in anguish at being left alone: 'Is this what makes you happy? Is this what brings you joy? Your excuses are so crappy...silly boy!' The song goes on to berate the singer as self-centered, pushing him to stand up and take the steps needed to rebuild the life that is seen as destroyed.

'Autumn' addresses the loneliness and change that come in a long-term relationship, when the parents have raised their children and seen them move away to make their own way in the world. It's hard for parents to let go, to understand the ways of their offspring, to trust in the upbringing they've given them to guide them as they go out to find lives of their own. Hammill describes the feelings of being left alone, of being '...discarded, of no further use...' ? and winds up wondering how long it will be '...till this song is sung by our own sons and daughters', recognizing the cyclical nature of the lives we lead.

'Time heals' looks back at a fractured relationship - and wonders, as is a natural process at such a time, how things might have been different, and how they came to be like they are. People who love each other deeply and honestly sometimes grow apart through no fault of anyone involved ? but that doesn't make it any easier to accept traumatic changes. Time heals, as Hammill notes, '...but I still bear the weals' ? the pain might get easier to bear and to understand, but it never really goes away completely. It remains as a shadow to remind us of our humanity, of our folly, and ultimately of our ability to feel ? not just pain, but love as well.

'Alice (letting go)', 'This side of the looking glass', 'Betrayed' and '(On Tuesdays) she used to do yoga' are some of the most painful songs of loss and letting go I've ever heard ? and some of the most beautiful in their power and clarity of expression. The singer remembers incidents, habits and idiosyncrasies of the departed partner ?healing through the experience of the pain. In the album's final track, 'Lost and found', the images of the wolf and sheep from 'Crying wolf' and the themes of loss and loneliness from the other songs are brought together and reconciled with the knowledge that life goes on ? something that's hard to see and accept when one is in the throes of the awful pain of love lost, of the feeling of abandonment and betrayal, of helplessness and hopelessness. The song ends with the hope brought by a new love: 'I'm free at last, I'm in love at last...I'm lost and found...'

This is a hard album to listen to and not feel the pain expressed in the songs ? but it's a marvel for that very power: the power to reach out and touch the heart of the listener with the pain and loss (and ultimately, the hope) felt by the artist. It's one of Peter's most beautiful, honest and moving albums ? it's a masterpiece.

That is how this album ends. This album was a personal album for Hammill in an attempt to come to grips with his emotions and get "over" the painful split with his longterm girlfriend.

The split came after being "Betrayed" by his best friend, and, fittingly, this is the most emotional and extreme song on the album.

This album contains less "classical-style" melodies and has more of a folk/rock singer-songwriter approach. This is fitting given the soul-bearing lyrical content.

The album is not without flaws. There is an odd-tempo change in "Time Heals" that detracts from the rest of the tune and the guitar line in Alice (Letting Go) is repeated a little too often for this listener.

The rest of the album is stunning and emotional. Not one to play at parties or relax with the girlfriend. But for personal listening and exploration, things don't get much better than this.

Peter Hammill was a busy man in the mid-to-late 70s. Van Der Graaf Generator, the prog-music band he headed, was in the middle of its famous "second phase", and its critical and commercial heydays.

"Over" (8 tracks, 46 min.) was released in 1977, and recorded in a 2 week period. It captures Peter Hammill's feelings following a recent hard-to-take relationship break-up. The opening track "Crying Wolf" throws down the gauntlet, a musically agressive track that would have fitted nicely on any Phase 2 VDGG album, yet showing clear bitter feelings about what has gone wrong. Many of the following tracks are much more mellow, introspect, even sad (and clearly make this a solo album, not some VDGG-clone), check out "Autumn" and "This Side of the Looking Glass", with orchestral instrumentation, or the epic 8+ min. "Time Heals" (the title speaks for itself). The closing track "Lost and Found" thankfully ends this dark and emotional album on an up note.

I have loved this album for almost 30 years, and it still resonates with me as much today as it did when it came out in 1977. For another such bare and personal album that really works well (even if musically it is totally different), check out Over the Rhine's 2005 release "Drunkard's Prayer".

For those of us who lament the shortage of phase-two Van Der Graaf material, the discovery of Peter Hammill's solo albums from the period is an utter joy. The opening track 'Crying Wolf' could easily have found a place on say, STILL LIFE, or WORLD RECORD. The use of VDGG members Nic Potter and Guy Evans only adds to the ambience of the album.

So, when composing, how did Peter Hammill decide whether he would use it for another solo album or submit it for use by the band? (In my professional life, I write a solo newsletter and contribute to a group newsletter, and I know something of the dilemma of placing new material.)

For this album, the decision may have been easier. It's a highly personal chronicle of the breakdown of his marriage. 'Soul-baring and maudlin, beautiful and self-indulgent, in pretty much equal measures' as one reviewer of the time wrote.

I particularly like 'Autumn', which features a gorgeous string orchestration that you never got on a Van Der Graaf record. I know little of Peter's repertoire, so all I can do is refer the new listener back to Van Der Graaf: if you like this, you should be bowled over by both GODBLUFF and STILL LIFE.

A splendid album full of hate and love. Amazing

i argue this is a tiresome production. agnst and anguish over a failed love is only interesting if the separation of a parallel creative thrust accompanies the theme. a soothing sentimentality or bringing in other love interests would justify such deep mourning, but to deluge the listener with lyrical mass saturated with pathos is almost subconsciously sadistic as a modal choice. >>>>i sympathize with the intent to emphasize the pain, but poetry has an uphill challenge already competing with formats such as tv or instrumental music that an injustice to lyrical effort in general is risked as a result. i have such respect for the effective humane accomplishment of hamill's album pH that i can overlook the comparative bathos of this release. i hope the listeners committed to discovery of rock lyrical gems will try some of peter's other solo albums first before this dull but heart-felt item.

Update August 3, 2011-

I'm sorry. I just played Peter Hammill's Over album again today with a different perspective thanks to a better understanding what exactly he was trying to do, and now I feel I can appreciate it a *heck* of a lot more.

I severely underestimated just how personal Peter Hammill was expressing himself during the creation of this collection of songs. I completely overlooked this aspect of his music, and I honestly feel bad about it. What's especially surprising to me -and what *can't* be explained- is how exactly the songwriting improved dramatically this afternoon compared to my previous listen. It's certainly an example where everything finally clicked. Just how *much* it clicked is surprising though- REALLY surprising.

Anyway, the softer, more personal songs have really fine vocal melodies, and in one example ("Autumn") the vocal melody actually makes me want to cry. The opening song titled "Crying Wolf" is an extroardinary rocker. A MUCH better experience with this song compared to the last time I played it.

I still stand by this though- "This Side of the Looking Glass" isn't really that great of a song. The cheesiness in the orchestral arrangements is a major distraction for me. I suppose parts of it are decent until around the halfway point when it just becomes too much to tolerate and I lose interest. "Time Heals" isn't the musical disappointment I originally believed it was- it's just that compared to Van Der Graaf Generator's stuff, it comes up a little short. I suppose that was the point I was trying to make a few weeks ago. The lyrics are no great shakes, however appreciating the personal side of Peter Hammill changes my perspective on it in a positive way and presents an entirely different experience. "Lost and Found" *does* accomplish something after all. It's significantly more melodic than I gave it credit for the first time. This is one of those shocking moments where I can't really explain what happened. I just LIKE it now.

No, I can't relate to the lyrics because relationship troubles are something I've never had to experience, but that doesn't mean Over deserves the extremely harsh review I originally had given it. I'll leave my original thoughts open to the public right below this final sentence, but keep in mind that I now thoroughly enjoy Over and was simply unimpressed and/or confused when I initially wrote my review. I have in fact, finally warmed up to it. It's a great feeling when that happens.

Peter Hammill drastically misses the mark with this one. Perhaps he was going through a temporary dry spell or maybe he was finally running out of ideas (I wouldn't know having not heard anything past Over... which will change soon, I promise) but whatever the case, fans can believe this album shows a more personal side of Peter Hammill all they want- I know flaws (and misfires) when I hear them, and this album has plenty.

"Time Heals" is lyrically a disappointment. For some reason, Peter Hammill made a nearly 8-minute track totally banal with forgettable lyrics about typical relationship issues that someone less intelligent than Peter could have written. This is definitely abnormal by his standards when we consider what Peter has accomplished just one year before with Van Der Graaf Generator on their Still Life masterpiece, along with his previous solo album Nadir's Big Chance.

Musically... "Time Heals" is *still* not an improvement I'm afraid. I've heard better, again, by both VDGG and previous solo efforts. The predictability of the way this track was written makes me think disco somehow played a part in such a mediocre song. If not disco, maybe punk, or simply the fact the music scene was changing quickly in 1977 happened to play a part. *Something* sure did.

Now get this. I hate to say this. I really really hate what I'm about to say. I have to do it though. I have to go through with it. *Sigh* here goes...

"This Side of the Looking Glass" is the worst song I've ever heard. Imagine pretty ballerina dancers starring in a Snow White musical with the cheesiest orchestration imaginable, and imagine Peter Hammill changing his normal singing routine in order to compliment said orchestration and... oh my God, this is absolute garbage with a capital G. I've had my problems with a few Van Der Graaf Generator songs in the past, but they *never* offended me as much as this song does. At least when the band Chicago attempted the same thing on their second album, Terry Kath kept a reasonable vocal melody in check so it didn't become unbearable. This song is guilty of being overbearingly pretentious and I despise everything about it.

"Lost and Found" opens with a predictable drum beat giving us a sneak preview what to expect, perhaps. It's... hold on. My GOD is "This Side of the Looking Glass" horrible. Sorry sorry. Oh man. What a brutal mess. "Lost and Found" does nothing musically. It accomplishes absolutely nothing. What's it doing? What's Peter Hammill singing? Repeating the words "lost and found" a bunch of times? Afterwards I'm forced to experience an especially below average/awkwardly written vocal melody.

This is where it all went wrong. Now I'm HOPING this isn't the end of the line. I really want to hear more quality Peter Hammill material. I'm hoping he didn't permanently change his style starting here, and for the last 30-something years he was releasing music similar to this (songs devoid of melody and interesting lyrics) because I really want to investigate the mans solo career further.