Album Title: Pawn hearts
Artist: Van der Graaf Generator
Nationality: British
Year: 1971
Subgenre: Classic Prog?
Player(s): Peter Hammill (Guitars, Pianos and Vocals), Hugh Banton (Keyboards, Bass), Guy Evans (Drums), David Jackson (Sax and flute) --- with guest appearance from Robert Fripp on guitar
Familiarity: Another band I have heard of but never heard. I'm a prog rock noob for sure.
Favourite track(s): "A plague of lighthouse keepers"
Why? It's just so damn epic and really like several songs all in one. Plus, Robert Fripp! This song made me want to add something to the bucket list. Imagine renting a working lighthouse. Sitting up at the top with the light flashing on and off behind you. Try to pick the stormiest night of the year with lightning, thunder, rain slamming against the window, big roiling waves below crashing into the rocks. And you have this song cranking away as you sit there and watch it all unfold. Add beer and pizza and it's just about the coolest thing I could think about doing right now. I liked the ambiguous nature of the lyrics. Did the guy die at the end? Or find enlightenment? Or just go completely mad from the isolation? Personally I think he drowned but who knows? Seem like this is the type of song that could really annoy someone who does not enjoy prog which I thought was me but more on this later.
Least favourite track(s): Well this is where I get confused. Sounds like I should stick to the 3 songs from the original. I actually have a copy with 8 songs on it including one written by George Martin. Pretty much all just noise throwaways. But sticking with the original 3 I guess I would go with Man erg.
Why? I really liked the dissonant sax lines in Lemmings (Courtney love be damned, sax can belong in rock music). And it seems to be about some sort of post apocalyptic revolution or something. Although Man erg does have Fripp!
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? No. I like the band name and have been pleasantly surprised with albums I did not expect to like so at this point I have a pretty open mind.
Factoids you'd like to share? I thought it was quite interesting that this album was #1 in Italy and they seemed to be huge in that country. Makes you wonder why that was the case. It's like that Sugarman movie where he was so beloved in South Africa and nowhere else.
End impression: Loved it.
Comments: Damn you Trollheart, I'm rapidly becoming something I did not ever expect, a prog-head (is that the correct term?). It's been a genre I have pretty much avoided like the plague but I am finding myself loving 3 of the 4 albums I have reviewed hear so far. I kind of pictured it all to be like "The watch" but so far it's been amazing. The vocals on this record blew me away. Sounded a bit like early Rob Halford or something which I consider a good thing. Lyrics were very dark I thought but matched the music quite well. My only complaint would be lack or ripping guitar but that is my own bias I need to get over and adding Robert Fripp to the mix certainly helped that. I'm always a fan of dissonant saxophone when done right and this album does it right. Once again, can't wait to hear more from these guys.
Rating: My rating system is all screwed up at this point as I don't have enough experience with the genre to know what good vs. great is. But I'm going with a
4.0 on this one in hopes that there are some down the road that may blow my mind even more.