Peter Hammill: Essential Albums?

So recently I've gotten really into Van Der Graaf generator. They're quickly becoming my favorite band ever. They have so many amazing songs and albums.

Nadir's is the best. None of his others stand up to it

I would also add Enter K and The Black Box (which has the epic VdGG-like "Flight")

Hammill had quite an adventurous career covering many different styles.
So I'll gladly refer you to my 35 something reviews of his albums

But to save you the effort, here's a short list grouped per style:

'Singer song-writer' albums
Not really singer-song writer but still a focus on ballads, lyrics and vocals.
Chameleon In The Shadow is the one to get here.
Also Over is solid but it divides fans so take care. Same goes for As Close as This.
He did many more ballad stuff in the 90's which generally are bland.
His recent album Clutch is brilliant though. Lots of acoustic guitars, experimental sounds and intense vocals.
Proggy albums
Weird stuff here. Both The Silent Corner and In Camera are interesting and kind of essential.
Usually those albums are very appreciated by VDGG fans.
Experimental albums
The Future Now is the best here for me. Ph7 is a forgotten gem and many people like Black Box, but I find it uneven at best.
Rocking Albums
Nadir obviously, but I also love the early 80's albums very much. Patience first, followed by Enter K and Sitting Targets
'Midi' Albums
About everything from 1986-2000. Plastic synth sounds, drum computers and weak songwriting.
Avoid at all cost. If you want to check it out anyway, Incoherence from 2006 might be your safest bet.

That, for a 'short' introduction.


Edited by Bonnek - May 02 2010 at 07:47

He made a lot of excellent ones, and many of his latter albums are seriously underrated, just because Hammill does not like to play string-puppet for proggers. Try "The Noiise", it is a really refreshing album. "Roaring Forties" is another very underrated album. And of course there is his opera "The Fall of the House of Usher", which is a must-have. Unfortunately it is currently not available, or only at ridiculously high prices from e-bay or the likes.  And by all means get the newer version of it, without the drums and with the violin and lots of other stuff added

Usher is certainly amazing, I was lucky enough to get a second hand copy for a fiver recently. Wouldn't really agree r.e. The Noise (which I thought was a bit Nadir-lite...) or Roaring Forties (though I've only just got that, admittedly)... most of his later albums have at least a gem or two on them, though.

omri wrote: I got the 1999 versionof "Usher" cause Baldfriede so strongly recommended it (again and again) and somehow I'm a bit disapointed. I feel it is a bit weak musicaly (sorry baldfriede but that's my thoughts).   From those I know I would recomend :   1. The silent corner and empty stage 2. Chameleon in the shadow of night 3. Over 4. Loops and reels   There are other good albums and good tracks even in not very great albums but these 4 I find to be the best.

Interesting. Can you specify what you consider to be weak about that album? It is in my opinion one of the three best prog albums ever made.

BaldJean wrote: omri wrote: BaldFriede wrote: omri wrote: I got the 1999 versionof "Usher" cause Baldfriede so strongly recommended it (again and again) and somehow I'm a bit disapointed. I feel it is a bit weak musicaly (sorry baldfriede but that's my thoughts).   From those I know I would recomend :   1. The silent corner and empty stage 2. Chameleon in the shadow of night 3. Over 4. Loops and reels   There are other good albums and good tracks even in not very great albums but these 4 I find to be the best. Interesting. Can you specify what you consider to be weak about that album? It is in my opinion one of the three best prog albums ever made.   I'm not sure my musical knowledge or my English are good enough to give an educated  explanation but that's a fair question and I'll try to give a fair answer. In many of the tracks of the album (29 if I'm correct) there's one very simple melody (a bit like melodies in action movies) and a singing with a low voice and both serves the aim of creating dark atmosphere (like something bad is about to occur) but the melody seems not going anywhere so all I am left with is that atmosphere. It ain't that bad but I do expect much more from Hamill. Comparing it to a song like "Time heals" that has several different musical chapters, of different musical styles, great lyrics and strong emotions makes "Usher" loose in every parameter. I hope what I wrote is clear. Anyway, it is your right to think else and that's fine with me. the melodies are rarely simple;an exception are some of the appearances of Madeline Usher, when she is in a trance, and then the melody is deliberately simple and repetitive to illustrate that trance. else the melodies are quite complex, with lots of key changes. and there is a lot of polyphonic singing; these parts are DEFINITELY not simple

I think ''In Camera'' is a pretty good album and quite close to VDGG sound in some aspects.
''Sitting targets'' is not as good - that is how far I have gone...

..oh, as for "Usher", it just doesn't work - skip it.