AND CLOSE AS THIS

While you can't go wrong with any pre-1984 Hammill album, every album since needs to be approached with the utmost care. Some are good, others surprisingly weak. Most are a mix.

What you may found of And Close As This is impossible to predict. You may like it even if you don't like any other Hammill album, or you may be the most ardent Hammill fan and hate it. Actually, every time I play this I don't know whether I will end up liking or hating it.

Hammill sticks to a more modest vocal approach, leaving both his screetch and more operatic leanings in the bag. What comes out is an album with great piano songs. For the most part very beautiful and tender, with just a few weaker songs or nasty breaks.

It is a surprisingly smooth and mellow approach that is unlike any other album in the Hammill catalogue. At least till then, as Hammill would revisit this approach on some of his albums from the 90's, but nowhere near as good as here. 3.5 stars