TRISECTOR

'Trisector' is, for me, distinctive in the VdGG canon - it is their most purely keyboards-dominated album from any era. Jaxon's railway cap and double saxophones may dominate our classical image of VdGG, but in his regrettable absence 'Trisector' brings into focus the true backbone of their unique musical sound. Because, quite honestly, many tracks on this album have an unexpectedly classic-era VdGG feel to them, albeit without a core ingredient. The rigorous and emphatic organ of Hugh Banton, counterpointed with the piano (sometimes guitar) of Peter Hammill, creates a coherent and familiar musical framework, for all the experiments with rhythm that permeate 'Trisector'. I find this album to be the most artistically successful of their comeback albums. Its predecessor has a variety of styles cobbled together, while the production mix of its successor brings PH's vocals far more to the fore (with negative results IMO).

'Trisector' also has one of the clearest concepts among VdGG albums. It starts with an uncharacteristically jolly instrumental called 'The Hurlyburly', which I take to represent life prior to old age. Then the remaining tracks deal with old age in one way or another, from poignant ('Final Reel') to hilarious ('All That Before', a spoof on a 1960's Kinks number that surely influenced the young Peter Hammill). And the music is great, this album is worthy of this great band.

Verdict: 'Trisector' = Keyboards.