Release Date: 11th
March 2014
Label: Cherry Red
Normally,
the albums that land on my desk for review, fall into one of two categories,
either they are by artists I am already well aware of, or they are from artists
that have fallen under my radar. Other
World, by Peter Hammill and Gary Lucas is the first to fall into a third
category, being very aware of one artist, but not the other one. Peter Hammill
has been around for a long time, both as a solo artist and as a member of Van
Der Graaf Generator, and indeed I possess a copy of The Silent Corner and the
Empty Stage, an early solo album and have used VDGG’s “Theme One” as
intro/outro music to my radio show at one point. Gary Lucas, I have since
discovered has been involved with many artists including Captain Beefheart and
Jeff Buckley.
I should perhaps say from the outset, that I am
fascinated by the vocalisations that Peter Hammill produces, but am not a
person that warmly embraces the more cacophonous side of VDGG and therefore I
did approach this release with a little bit of apprehension.
This is a collaboration between these two guitarists and
the music on Other World, described
by Peter Hammill as “something quite strange, but also strangely powerful,”
features little more than guitars and Peter’s unique vocal style. At first
glance, and listen, the pairing of Peter and Gary might lead one to think that
the abrasive electric riffs associated with one guitarist would not sit well
alongside the other guitarists more virtuoso styling which straddles the genres
from the ambient to the more blues ridden. Nothing could be further from
reality, as the music that they generate certainly piques the interest.
Other
World is a 14 track album with a total playing time around 59
minutes. The longest and shortest tracks on Other
World are “Slippery Slope” and “Means to an End,” running for 7:04 minutes
and 1:38 minutes respectively.
Opening tracks to albums set the scene for the listener
and can nudge them towards being either positive or negative and so the
importance cannot be played down. “Spinning Coins” (2:55) draws the “short
straw” on the album, but copes with the pressure admirably. The combination of
superb acoustic guitar playing, the edgy unique vocals of Peter and the
slightly discordant, almost ethereal, electric guitar behind both, just hits
the spot. This is a majestic start which makes you eager to move further into
the rest of the album.
There are 5 instrumentals included on the album, Other World, and they are “Built from
Scratch” (4:26), “Attar of Roses” (4:20), “Glass” (3:27), “Means to an End”
(1:38) and “Slippery Slope” (7:05). They range from the dark and somber (Built
from Scratch) through the gentle, atmospheric acoustic (Attar of Roses) and
onto soundscape, ethereal and cinematic (Glass and Slippery Slope).
The other tracks on the album fit into the
straightforward “normal” sounds (i e no noise or discord) of “Kith and Kin”
(5:30). “This is Showbiz” (3:05) and “The Kid” (4:17) as well as those that
utilize passages of noise and discord. This latter group would include “Reboot”
(6:56), “Black Ice” (4:59) and “Means to an End” (1:38) which seem based around
discord or weave into discord and then out again.
Other
World is certainly a difficult album to get into, even with
repeated plays. I find a lot of what is on offer to be grouped with the best
music I have heard thus far in 2014, but find I cannot appreciate the album
when the artists meander off into the “land of discord.” At the outset I did
mention that some of the more cacophonous passages which regularly litter VDGG
music, I just don’t like, and I find the same with Other World. To use a soccer cliché, this album is like a “game of
two halves” and I find the amazing music on offer, to be overshadowed by the
more discordant and as such, it isn’t an album I will return to often. This of
course is a personal opinion as always, and I would encourage people to give
this album a few listens and make up their own minds.
3.5/5
Stars
Key
Tracks: Spinning Coins, Of Kith And Kin, The Kid
Tracks:
Spinning Coins
Some Kind Of Fracas
Of Kith And Kin
Cash
Built From Scratch
Attar Of Roses
This is Showbiz
Reboot
Black Ice
The Kid
Glass
2 Views
Means To An End
Slippery Slope
Tracks:
Spinning Coins
Some Kind Of Fracas
Of Kith And Kin
Cash
Built From Scratch
Attar Of Roses
This is Showbiz
Reboot
Black Ice
The Kid
Glass
2 Views
Means To An End
Slippery Slope
May 17, 2014
Review
Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk
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