Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff
By: Lindsay Bianchi | Category: Album Reviews | 12/09/05 | 06:31 PM
 |  |  Grade: B+ | Genre: Prog-Rock
Summary: Van Der Graaf Generator labored in obscurity virtually their entire career leaving behind one of musicdom's strangest catalogues of sound. Godbluff is a great bit of prog-rock history getting its due.
In the early seventies, just around the time that everyone began to go disco crazy, there were a faithful few who refused to give up on the majesty and pomp of their beloved art-rock. Bands like Caravan, Gentle Giant and Strawbs proudly waved the flag of pretension, but it was on Britain's Famous Charisma Label that two of the most overblown progressive rock bands offered up to the masses their gloriously twisted idea of music. One band, Genesis, after a string of brilliant oddball releases, went onto huge popularity when they lost the groups leading visionary, Peter Gabriel. The other band, Van Der Graaf Generator (named after American physicist Robert Van de Graaf's high voltage invention) labored in obscurity virtually their entire career leaving behind one of musicdom's strangest catalogues of sound. |
The re-release of Van Der Graaf's entire output thus continues with two classics from their middle period, Godbluff, and Still Life. Both contain only a few songs, which average around 8 minutes in length, but they are two distinct and separate steps toward a more mature sound.
As uncompromising as ever, mainman Peter Hammill leads his fellow musicians through a quartet of typically dark visions containing all the ear markings of serious prog-rock. Hugh Banton's heavy organ fills and relentless bass lines fight for control over David Jackson's soaring, searing Saxophone. Drummer Guy Evans keeps the whole moving through numerous time changes with plenty of percussive histrionics. On top of it all, of course, are the singular vocal stylings of Peter Hammill.
Using his voice like a fifth instrument, Hammill goes from falsetto to growl and back again, punctuating his introspective, searching lyrics with a frightening conviction. Capable of both great tenderness and harsh cynicism, Hammill's voice is the defining element of the Van Der Graaf sound. These are not songs to dance to. They are more like songs to think to.
The album opens with Jackson on an echoing flute followed by Banton's familiar keyboards upon which Hammill whispers the opening lines, "Here at the glass -- all the usual problems, all the habitual farce." Somewhat existential, always questioning, these tunes are meant to stimulate the brain, not sedate it. Of course, it isn't long before the music picks up speed growing more insistent. The song drifts seamlessly into "Scorched Earth," another grim view of the world, one that seems surprisingly relevant in today's polarized atmosphere.
Hammill and company are nothing, if not prophetic, stretching the boundaries of rock here as no other band had in 1975, except for perhaps the equally challenging King Crimson. Van Der Graaf, however stick closer to the rockier side of progressive music, using jazz timing to spice things up a bit. It is a perfect marriage to the free verse lyrics, which Peter Hammill employs, resulting in a provocative mixture.
The current resurgence of "head music" from bands like The Mars Volta and System Of A Down, both of which utilize the jarring staccato effects that VDGG and others perfected over thirty years ago, shows the influence that these progressive pioneers have had. Many of these older groups have dated well, proving their ultimate worth. Art-rock has never really left, being carried on in one form or another through the 80's and 90's. It is only now that this hard-edged classical rock is returning to the forefront.
The second half of Godbluff begins with a drum and bass workout slowly leading into a full-fledged jam with Jackson's familiar sax and then Banton's keyboard giving way to the song proper. Hammill's lyrics hint at the human condition, describing the world like some unknown Bergman epic. "We are all on the run, on our knees; the sundial draws a line upon eternity across every number."
Although the viewpoint is often grim, the music can be quite moving, even beautiful at times. It seems to serve as a contrast to the more oppressive, angry passages.
The final piece from this set, "The Sleepwalkers," jumps right in and marches forward showcasing some of Guy Evan's best percussion. Here again we have a narrator that wonders what the point of living is, making life's absurd condition more apparent.
The overall message of Godbluff is the thin veil between life and death, a subject that Van Der Graaf was destined to tackle eventually. As Peter sings, "I'd search the hidden corners of all this world, make reason of the sensory whorl if I only had time, but soon the dream is ended."
As a bonus for this CD re-release, two live tracks, "Forsaken Gardens" and "A Louse Is Not A Home" have been added. Not exactly up to the quality of the rest, they are still of interest to hardcore VDGG fans. The vocals are mixed poorly, sometimes overriding the music. The musicianship, as always, is superb. Overall, this is a great bit of prog-rock history getting its due.
Reissue Date: June 27, 2005
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