SCARCE '70 Org VAN Der GRAAF GENERATOR H TO HE DARK PROG PSYCH Peter HAMMILL

$

55

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CLASSIC DARK PROGRESSIVE-ROCK HIGHS FROM 1970

               Van der Graaf Generator

      H TO HE WHO AM THE ONLY ONE

                     USA - DUNHILL RECORDS DS 50097

SCARCE PRESSING with MINT CLEAN VINYL (see full details below)!

Exquisite works of Van der Graaf Generator, the progressive legend from the dawn of the seventies...the 2nd album reveals adventure & feeling at great depth ... finding the storied band at peak levels...

All of the songs on "H to He" (which refers to "the transformation of Hydrogen to Helium, creating vast amounts of energy with power our universe") center around the universal theme of lonliness, aloneness, and recluse. The first song is "Killer," a catchy, dark song about a fish who kills everything it loves, and is thus lonely. The lyrics are somewhat awkward and sophomoric, but the message still reaches through. There is a strange dark psychadelic jam somewhere in the middle, featuring a cavernous organ and freaky sax wails. Also noteable is the acoustic guitar which appears in the background, one of the few times HAMMILL actually plays.

"House with No Door" is a keys ballad, with the main focus being the lyrics. There is also a bass somewhere in the track, which BANTON plays, that sounds excellent, and some flute courtesy of JACKSON that sounds wonderful. The song deals with the theme of being trapped in a house, a metaphor for yourself and the fact that we are all trapped within ourselves, essentially alone.

War, and the decay and death which it causes and is created by is the theme of "The Emperor and His War-Room." The main focus is a general, an emperor of war who knows nothing but how to kill. He is essentially a victim of his circumstances, doing what he does because it is all he knows. This is the literal interpretation of the fish in "Killer," the real-life example that that song explained metaphorically. The first half, "The Emperor", is a pondering montage of shadowy imagery and ghostly flute and organ backdrops. Halfway through the song is a bridge over which Robert FRIPP lays down the only electric guitar on the album, which leads into "The Room." This section is much more catchy, with lyrics that sum up the Emperor's situation and creates a final climax.

"Lost" is the traditional theme of post-breakup loneliness and hopelessness, drawn out to great epic lengths by HAMMILL. The music seems to float in and out, tons of themes segueing together in random fashion. Harder to describe.

The final song, "Pioneers over C" is musically in a similar fashion as "Lost", with many themes strung together. This song is more epic and spacey than the last, the sci-fi theme of space pioneers travelling at the speed of light (C, as in E=MC2) and becoming trapped in a bodiless, empty world of eternal nothingness. The sax goes really insane towards the end, and a theme in 14/8 appears towards the end, looping on and on endlessly as it slowly fades into a spacey, atmospheric section.

Highly recommended to people who are in the mood for something different, something dark, or something good.

1. Killer (8:07)
2. House With No Door (6:03)
3. The Emperor In His War-Room (9:04)
a) The Emperor
b) The Room
4. Lost (11:13)
a) The Dance In Sand And Sea
b) The Dance In The Frost
5. Pioneers Over C. (12:05)

CONDITION: The cover: The thick gatefold cover is hard to find clean: this copy unfortunately has light age spotting, not pronounced unless looking close, but there, rated VG++ collection worthy (M- vinyl below) ...has NO delete marks, no split seams, no bends and no writing...

The vinyl: is all glossy both sides "M-" play graded: smooth enjoyable, tracks like glass....

keeper!

A GREAT ADDITION TO ANYONE'S COLLECTION !

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record