Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Van Der Graaf Generator
Label: Virgin Records
Release: 2005
Length: 102:50
Rating: 5/5
The story of »Present« is the tale of an unbelievable comeback by prog rock legends after twenty-seven years away, and of four musical friends joining creative forces. Even after Van Der Graaf Generator (VDGG for short) fell apart for the (third) time in 1978, they never stopped working together as solo musicians. The seeds of a totally unexpected VDGG reunion in the classic lineup (singer/occasional guitarist and pianist Peter Hammill, organist/bassist Hugh Banton, saxophonist/flautist David Jackson and drummer Guy Evans) began to show in 2003. That was when Hammill’s three old pals joined him mid-set during a solo show at Queen Elisabeth Hall, right in the middle of the VDGG evergreen »Still Life«. It was only their second shared appearance since 1996, when they had played the classic »Lemmings« at Union Chapel. After that Queen Elisabeth Hall gig, which got an enthusiastic response from the crowd, the four cult musicians realized the old VDGG chemistry was back. So in 2004, after more than twenty-five years, they started writing new music again for a legendary band that even the biggest optimists had been sure would belong to the seventies forever.
Hammill got an extra push to revive VDGG from a heart attack at the end of 2003, which made him even more aware of his own mortality and convinced him that the last chance to join forces with Banton, Jackson and Evans had come. The result was the excellent double studio album »Present«, which showed two different sides of VDGG: the songwriters and the improvisers. The first disc held six proper songs, with heads and tails, on which the classic VDGG picked up stylistically right where they had left off with »World Record« (1976). The second disc was filled with avant-garde, fully spontaneous improvisations between four buddies with every instrumental trick up their sleeves.
The first VDGG studio album since »The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome« (1977) brought back the classic logo and all the sonic ingredients that shot Hammill and company into the elite of the most innovative, adventurous and daring prog rock acts in the seventies. Hammill’s chameleonic, thunderous vocal approach, with its harmonious swings between low and high registers as he leapt back and forth between ‘hell’ and ‘heaven’, was as enviable as ever, and the same goes for his refined piano arrangements.
On »Present« Peter has also noticeably improved as an (occasional) electric guitarist, and his witty improvisations unexpectedly burst to the front a good few times. His sudden but carefully controlled, thunderous outbursts of rage deepened the dark atmosphere of most of the »Present« compositions, which meant the revived, classic VDGG were no less gloomy than in their younger years. His three instrumental pals proved just as well that the move into the ‘senior citizen’ category had treated them in the most dignified way possible, and that they still play their instruments like youngsters. Banton once again dazzled with his organ masterpieces and simultaneous bass pedal work, while Jackson was the incarnation of saxophone-and-flute versatility and boundless lucidity. Evans, as always, was a fascinating presence with his drumming style: uncompromising in his diligent ‘destruction’ of the drum kit, yet full of jazzy dynamics and sophistication when ‘working over’ the cymbals.
»Every Bloody Emperor«, the first vivid proof that the old chemistry is working again, is a brilliant album opener with a biting, socially critical lyric that only Hammill could come up with. It breaks down to first principles the hypocrisy of modern Western society, which hides behind a propaganda mask of democracy while forcing us into slavery for a new great capitalist empire. A short improvised intro with piercing passages on electric piano sets the stage for Hammill’s theatrical vocal performance. The pastoral sounds of Jackson’s flute and his distinctive saxophone shenanigans, along with Banton’s massive organ passages, deepen the all-pervading dark atmosphere. The avant-garde fusion instrumental section, with plenty of wild improvisation, especially on Jackson’s sax, stirs up a chaotic, resigned, post-apocalyptic mood, while Hammill foretells the rise and fall of yet another great empire built on double standards.
»Boleas Panic« is a fantastic instrumental with a strong jazz rock fusion flavor, ruled first and foremost by Jackson’s shape-shifting sax improvisations, while Evans’s drumming this time is full of subtle jazzy finesse. Massive layers of organ bring a touch of grandeur in the middle of a thin ambient line between chaos and refinement, and Hammill’s scattered electric guitar improvisations are no less fun.
The explosive rocker »Nutter Alert« is marked by brutal saxophone passages that play the lion’s share in building a phantasmagorical atmosphere, while Mr. Hammill once again doesn’t hold back on his thunderous outbursts, peaking in a dramatic chorus. Maestro Banton impresses with a mighty organ improvisation, while Professor Jackson is a stunning source of boundless saxophone lucidity, so the intense mood doesn’t let up until the end of yet another fascinating track. »Abandon Ship!« is stuffed with crazy improvisational ideas, especially Evans’s rampage around the drum kit, while the ‘sharp-tongued doctor’ Hammill this time pours out his bile on the negative consequences of living under the influence of certain institutions that passed their expiration date long ago. Wild variations between organ and sax, with touches of jazz fusion, nicely back Peter’s chameleonic vocal outpourings that shake heaven, earth and the underworld.
The eerily dark »In Babelsberg«, which tells of a walk through Babelsberg, the largest district of the German city of Potsdam, opens with furious passages on sax and electric guitar, while Hammill is once again ‘torn’ while describing the local sights, with no shortage of historical references. The first disc closes with the intriguing experiment »On The Beach«, which opens as a moving ballad on the wings of Peter’s vocals, with shy improvisations in between. It then moves into a dynamic jazz fusion section with Jackson’s sax front and center. It all ends with the sound of rolling waves.
The second disc is entirely instrumental and made up of spontaneous group improvisations from the first studio sessions of the newly reunited VDGG. These improvisations certainly aren’t right for every mood, but they are a vivid demonstration of the boundless improvisational imagination and experimental side of the English prog rock legends, who were enjoying themselves in rehearsals in the studio again after a long time and surprised themselves more than once in the process. »Vulcan Meld« picks up exactly where »On The Beach« ended, with the sound of rolling waves, followed by wild improvising based on free jazz and avant-garde. »Double Bass«, where Banton shows off his talent on the bass pedals while Jackson once again releases all the ‘brakes’ in his saxophone kingdom, is another vivid example of boundless instrumental spontaneity.
»Slo Moves« is a chaotic, distinctly dark improvisational adventure, with Evans’s enviable rhythmic combinations up front. »Architectural Hair« has the sound of birds chirping, while a raging sax and electric guitar wittily fight their way through chaotic rhythmic meanders. »Spanner« has some interesting drum breakouts, while the general chaos is fueled mainly by the sax and organ variations in between. »Crux« is a somewhat calmer, more ambient improvisational adventure, where the harmonious, almost symbiotic relationship between organ and sax is especially satisfying.
»Manuelle« is spiced up with plenty of improvisational wonders, and this time Peter’s electric guitar stands out too, at moments sounding like an enraged mule. »’eavy Mate« has ultra-chaotic drum and sax improvisations, while Mr. Hammill amuses himself with assorted dissonant guitar effects. He carries on with them on the psychedelic-avant-garde madhouse »Homage to Teo«, a total ambient disconnect from everything rational. The second disc closes with »The Price of Admission«, which, with its combative rhythms, is perhaps the closest of all the improvisational experiments to taking shape as an instrumental with a shaky approximation of ‘head and tail’.
On »Present«, Van Der Graaf Generator rose from the ashes like a phoenix. They seized their last chance to return to the scene after almost three decades, and against all expectations made an album that stands shoulder to shoulder with their seventies classics. The first disc above all was what managed to convince longtime fans that the classic VDGG lineup had kept all its experimental boldness, lyrical provocation and knack for building a post-apocalyptic atmosphere into old age, just like in their younger days.
The second disc, with its mostly chaotic, instrumental-improvisational nature, didn’t offer such a thrilling listening experience, though it was still interesting for all lovers of free jazz forms and ‘disconnected’ musical avant-garde. The English prog rock giants did reach the peak of this kind of wild improvisational feat with the album »ALT« (2012). After the »Present« tour in 2006, the VDGG members were full of refreshing verve, so Jackson’s decision to leave them was all the more shocking and baffling. His departure was quite a blow that cut a deep emotional groove between him and the other members, but Hammill, Banton and Evans still decided to carry on the VDGG story as a trio, and they pulled it off with downright fascinating results.
Lineup
Peter Hammill – vocals, electric guitar, electric piano
Guy Evans – drums, percussion
Hugh Banton – organ, bass pedals/bass guitar
David Jackson – saxophone and flute
Production
Van Der Graaf Generator
Tracklist
CD1:
1. Every Bloody Emperor (7:03)
2. Boleas Panic (6:50)
3. Nutter Alert (6:11)
4. Abandon Ship! (5:07)
5. In Babelsberg (5:30)
6. On the Beach (6:48)
CD2:
1. Vulcan Meld (7:19)
2. Double Bass (6:34)
3. Slo Moves (6:24)
4. Architectural Hair (8:55)
5. Spanner (5:03)
6. Crux (5:50)
7. Manuelle (7:51)
8. ‘Eavy Mate (3:51)
9. Homage to Teo (4:45)
10. The Price of Admission (8:49)
