X My Heart [Original recording remastered]

Peter Hammill | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 13, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: FIE
• ASIN: B000024L77
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,924 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The pHQ undertook a number of tours after Roaring Forties and so it was natural that the (occasional) group was on Peter's mind when time came to record the next studio album. This was X My Heart. It might have been a blueprint for future work with the line-up, but in the event there were to be no more more live shows for this set-up.
It features one of his most beautiful ballads, "Earthbound," which features heartfelt vocals and a gorgeous string accompaniment. "Narcissus (Bar & Grill)" will delight fans with its classic Hammill style, while "A Better Time" shows that he's one of the more underrated vocalists in rock music today. Definitely one of his finest, and a good place to start for newcomers to the unpredictable and challenging world of Peter Hammill.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Uncompromising, March 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: X My Heart (Audio CD)

"X My Heart" is a more conventional, song-based album than its fantastic predecessor, "The Roaring Forties" which was more compositional and experimental (progressive?). This album, however, like the majority of Hammill's albums, remains uncompromising and is an exciting listen.

The songs are varied. "A Better Time" appears twice, in acapella and in orchestrated forms. This along with "Earthbound" are the highlights of the album. "Material Possession" has a strong celtic flavour. "Ram Origami" and "A Forest of Pronouns" are more experimental in the use of that great big, flexible voice.

Lyrically, much of the album deals with coming to terms with your past in order to deal with the "now" and look to the future. For most Hammill fans, this may not appear to be new stuff, however it is dealt with very eloquently and I get the impression that alot of it is somewhat autobiographical ("Amnesiac" and "Come Clean" in particular).

"I'll never find a better time to be alive than now".

And, whoever called Hammill the "Master of Melancholy", anyway? Sounds kinda positive to me.