AFTER THE FLOOD: AT THE BBC 1968-1977

This double-disc collection of archival material presents VdGG "live in the studio" performances for several notable BBC Radio shows from 1968 to 1977, thus covering their entire original career prior to 2005 reunion. Several of the tracks were previously unreleased so this is the opportunity for the band's hard-core fans and completists to add them to their precious collections. Sound quality varies considerably from session to session, but it is generally accepted for this type of archival release.

Some key VdGG songs such as "Darkness" and "Man-Erg" are included in two versions, which may sound overwhelming and frustrating to casual listeners. Still, the VdGG experts will rejoice in comparing the sound of "Darkness" with a bass guitar (Top Gear Session 1970) and without it (Sounds of the Seventies Session 1971). And since "Man-Erg" is one of the best and most important songs, not only of VdGG career, but also of entire progressive rock era and beyond, I don't mind hearing it twice in this set. It is particularly interesting to listen to the band in their earliest incarnation of 1968 playing three songs in rudimentary arrangements, that sound quite different from their later officially released versions on a single and the first album.

Another oddity is the inclusion of both songs from the rare single "Theme One/W" of 1971, as well as "Vision" that was released on the Hammill's debut solo LP "Fool's Mate" the same year. In terms of sound quality and production the second disc is much better. Performances from the latter days of 1976-77, such as "La Rossa", "When She Comes" and "Cat's Eye", are simply amazing; they could match perfectly their released studio versions.

In the absence of official live albums prior to the farewell release of 1978 "Vital", "After the Flood" serves the purpose well in order to present stage power of this seminal band, who for the most part of their career before 1976 rocked hard and heavy on saxophone and organ, without bothering to include guitars in their line-up. However, the uninitiated are advised to study the original eight studio albums first before buying this quite extended and at moments not very nicely mixed set of historically important radio performances.