THE QUIET ZONE / THE PLEASURE DOME

This is a very controversial album. When Jackson & Banton left Van Der Graaf Generator, Peter Hammill decided to drop the "Generator" from the band's name and started to rebuild the band. Nic Potter came back as the bass player and a violinist, Graham Smith (ex-String Driven Thing) joined the new band, called Van Der Graaf; Guy Evans was kept at the drums stool and Peter Hammill decided to play more electric guitar at this album; along his acoustic and electric pianos. The sound of Van Der Graaf is very different when compared with Van Der Graaf Generator, but still has some hints of the past: "The Siren Song" and "The Wave" came direct from the past, mantaining the dark and creepy atmosphere of previous albums (well, every album from "The Least We Can Do..." to "World Record"), with a great difference: they are shorter songs, which intended to be direct, lacking instrumental flourishes and extended solos. "Cat's Eye/Yellow Fever (Running)" and "The Sphynx in the Face" are dynamic, rocker songs, representing VDG at his heaviest moment. This album has two titles and two covers, one for each original side of the vinyl, with "The Quiet Zone" presenting the more "traditional" sound and "The Pleasure Dome", the new direction of the band; this simple fact means that judging this album is a very difficult task, and although I like it very much, this album sound more like a completist affair. Along with the aforementioned songs, other highlights includes "The Habit of the Broken Heart" and "Chemical World". Shortly after this album, VDG was augmented by the inclusion of cello player Charles Dickie, recorded their live album "Vital" and vanished from the face of this Earth until today - don't forget, Van Der Graaf Generator returned; Van Der Graaf is still dead. But is there anybody here who really misses VDG, when VDGG is alive and kicking?