THE QUIET ZONE / THE PLEASURE DOME

Hardly one of VdGG's best records, but surely worth a listening . The two members who have had a great impact on the sound of earlier VdGG, David Jackson & Hugh Banton are missing, and so is "Generator" (This record & Vital was released under the name "Van der Graaf"). The record is a great example of VdGG's ability to compose more easy-listening short song-formats, all melodic and not TOO challenging, but still interesting, due to the musicians, the great production and Hammill's lyrics and mostly the way he presents them. Song highlights are the energetic "The Sphinx in the Face" "Cats Eye/Yellow Fever (Running)" the varied "Last frame" and the beautiful "Habit of a Broken Heart". If you are a fan of what VdGG were able to compose on albums like Pawn Hearts, H to He.., God bluff & Still Life, you might not find this as interesting, but if you think that the complexities and the wild experiments associated with earlier VdGG are to much, you probably would consider this their best effort. Even though I prefer earlier VdGG I must say that this is a great example of VdGG's and Hammill's ability to seek out new territories within the music field, and it maybe have helped them earn a reputation different from that of ELP who the same year released Works, which wasn't actually what the world was screaming for at the time.. (Not that I think Works vol. 1 & 2 are bad. on the contrary)