As the subject says, the legendary album by Van der Graaf Generator is the most popular one on the site right now. Has there been a reissue recently, or there is just a common spark of interest for this grandiose sonic journey?

Maybe this could be a reason for this post to become a 'Pawn Hearts' appreciation post? I personally adore the album, it scares the hell out of me, and is one of the most satisfactory experiences when you have some good headphones on!

 

 

well, you still said something. 

God knows how that "most popular album (last 24 hours) works, I think it's the most visited album page in 24 h or something. 

But it's a solid album, why wouldn't it be popular ?!

I'd rather drink the contents of a bedpan than listen to it.

Well..it's only rated at #12 in the best of all time list.

I have an original vinyl as well as a cd version...rarely play it....but I will say it is a 'unique piece of music'.

that's harsh, gross and unnecessary... 

I have a repress from 1972 on the large mad hatter Charisma label, non pink, gatefold version mastered at Bell Sound in NY.........I spin it 3-4x a yr probably. The inside gatefold pic he's holding a watermelon looks like, freaking weird people man!

Anyway, Pawn Hearts is currently number 12 on here and not number 1. Not sure what chart the op was referring to. 

Oh I see. Well, lot's of different albums pop up on that. In fact some on here have speculated that it's related to advertising or something like that or that people pay to have their albums show up. 

Am I missing something? Do I need to be on an acid trip like the rest of you?

 

 

 

I agree. No one quite like him.

You fanned on the word fan , right after Genesis!  LOL

I think the main connection between Genesis and VDGG were they were both part of the Charisma label stable.. Tony Stratton Smith had the same kind of intense gut response to their music so developed them in a similar way (and sent them both out into emerging european markets).. but then he also felt the same about Lindisfarne (who actually generated some money for the label rather than debt!).. Imagine being on the tour bus of one of the '6 Bob' tours circa early '72 with Lindisfarne, VDGG and Genesis.. Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks sitting at the front, eyes forward, nervously hugging their hamper whilst Phil Collins and Steve Hackett hang out at he back with Lindisfarne supping their Newcastle Brown ale and VDGG lounge in the middle creating exotic herbal smells!

Is that how they were actually sitting in the tour bus or is that just your interpretation of how it was? 

I feel like there's something wrong with that setting or there are a lot of lurkers on PA that check out those albums that end up there. I do not know. 

Is there an actual algorithm in place, or is it like if five people in an hour search the same thing the site deems that MASSIVE TRAFFIC! Lmao.

it's PA best kept secret how that works. 

I do not know but it is strange and funny which is fine. I'm looking forward to the next controversial album that end up there. 

makes much hated Asia sound like Beethoven.  

I often wonder what the algorithm is that works this out, or if there are just a whole heap of lurkers? Shiva the Destructor was the most popular for two or three days(!!!) and, even though I like the album, it’s not *that* impressive. I think only Uwe and I have reviewed it on PA, so it’s not like it’s flavour of the month or anything. Weird....

The only thing I could think, when it came to Shiva, is that it was “legitimately” most popular (for whatever reason), and then once it was there, people clicked on it because of the cover art, which kept it there longer than it might have been there otherwise (because it is quite catchy cover art).

could be just the album that gets the most clicks in 24 hours. 

I'm looking forward to the next controversial 24 hours most popular album. 

Up until Shiva, I assumed it was simply the most clicks in 24 hours. But for Shiva to have been there at all, let alone for longer than just one day, seems strange to me. Maybe there just weren’t many other clicks that/those days....? 🤷🏻‍♂️

are you annoyed by those albums there or you find it funny (I do)? 

Annoyed? Heck, no! Amused and intrigued, if anything. I guess I find it interesting to see what is there, but I don’t really care or think about it otherwise. Most of the time I don’t really even remember who is there. I think the only reasons Shiva struck out are because it has such eye-catching artwork, and because I had recently reviewed it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

 

By the way: There are not many albums that books were written about. "Pawn Hearts" is such an album. Considering what a huge success the album was in Italy it is not surprising the book was written by an Italian. There is, however, also an English translation of the book.

So, let's take a look at one of the reviews: I don't know this guy but I have seen so many reviews (not necessarily by him) that are in the same vein... What does this tell me about the album?? Absolutely nothing. Some reviews really need to be 'cleaned' from PA. (Moreover, this does not even comply to the current rule of 100 words minimum, to be precise)

I don’t have a problem with that review. It tells me more than some far wordier reviews. Quantity is not always equivalent with quality. Moreover, the 100 word “minimum” is only in relation to the weighting of the rating. Shorter reviews are still allowed. And, as someone who suffers from verbal diarrhoea, and well aware my own reviews can be too wordy, shorter is sometimes better.