Vital

Vital Artist: Van Der Graaf
Label: Virgin
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 077778754527
EAN: 0077778754527
ASIN: B000025EOO


Release Date: 1978-01-01

Vital


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive Rock Progressive Rock
Categories | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Rock Rock
Categories | Imports | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Ship Of Fools
  2. Still Life
  3. Last Frame
  4. Mirror Images
  5. Medley (1) Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers/(2)The Sleepwakers
  6. Pioneers Over 'C'
  7. Door
  8. Urban/Killer/Urban

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars An audio note .......2005-05-16

Since several previous reviewers have commented upon the audio quality of this album, here's a little background -- apparently, due to a technical problem, the recording of the show did not pick up any signal from David Jackson's sax/flute; his parts were "reconstructed" by pulling signal off of other tracks (eg:vocals) where his part had bled in. I would imagine that the other tracks were tweaked accordingly to compensate for the compromised quality of his track, contributing to the somewhat flat and claustrophobic quality of the overall recording.

That said, I like the more minimalist feel that the band were moving towards in this phase. The violin helped accentuate the midrange in what was at times rather a shrill, trebly sound; the group left more space in the music and were willing to play more abrasively and sloppily in the louder bits (which I consider to be a good move); and one can certainly detect the glimmerings of approaches that would persist in the work of post-punk artists like PIL, Wire, Virgin Prunes, and The Ex.

This is definitely worth checking out, and really should be regarded as a different band than the "Pawn Hearts"/"Godbluff" VdGG.

5 out of 5 stars Details missing from the CD version...........2005-05-11

For those who are wondering, here are some details taken from the original vinyl edition.

Graham Smith: violin
Charles Dickie: cello, electric piano, synthesizer
David Jackson: saxes and flute
Nic Potter: bass
Peter Hammill: vocals, guitar, piano
Guy Evans: drums
Recorded live at the Marquee Club, London on January 16, 1978.

This recording is raw, primal, powerful, and unforgettable, and the band were as uncompromising then as they are with their surprise reunion album in 2005.

5 out of 5 stars COME ON GUYS , THIS IS ONE OF THEIR BEST!.......2003-02-03

This was the second album i bought from this incredibly original group back when cds did not exist yet. Sure it was a hard one to digest, but then again , experimental music does always demand a bit more from the listener. If you are not into paying attention to THE MUSIC then go buy some Madonna cds...The Music is harsh, violent and progressive too...this is like a cross between some of Peter hammills best work and a Van Der Graff thats trying to take the pieces to the limit...simply something you will never hear again from Van Der Graff or any other group...EVER!

1 out of 5 stars Not the vinyle version !.......2001-10-30

This is a bad recording. There is not all the titles wich were on the double-live album on black-vinyl. This band deserved better than this commercial muck... wich rhymes with [you know what...]

2 out of 5 stars Not So.......2001-05-08

I feel obliged to re-write this review as only one of seven people felt my original review was helpful maybe I was being unclear.
Van Der Graaf Generator where a fine band who emerged from the progressive rock scene in the UK to become a totally unique and singularly passionate vehicle for the songwriting of Peter Hammill.By the time of this release most critics either felt the band had outlived it's usefulness or that they were on the verge of greatness. This band have always provoked such strong viewpoints.
My original complaint with this disc was it's very poor reproduction,not the quality of the music.The original vinyl version was a rough and ready attempt to present us with what it would have been like to BE THERE at the Marquee club on those nights.In a sense this was a success,but the compact disc is almost claustraphobic sounding,there is no space around the individual instruments(and Nic Potter's bass sounds woeful compared to the wonderful ,warm ,overflanged monster of the vinyl).
Some of the highlights are the stunning version of "Still Life" where cello and violin replace the original gothic organ of Hugh Banton to create one of the high points of Peter Hammill's career so far.His voice here almost captures what it is like to be in the same room while he sings( If you have ever seen him live you will know what I mean)."Pioneers over C" features some hair raising group playing and features Nic Potter's monster bass to maximum effect, only John Wetton when he played in King Crimson even comes close to this level of power from a bass guitar.The medley of " a plauge of lighthouse keepers " and "sleepwalkers" is dark ,menacing and volatile.

Music Album:

  1. The Bourbon Experiment ~ American Trash
  2. Element Of Doom ~ American Trash
  3. Misery Index/Commit Suicide ~ Misery Index , and Commit Suicide
  4. Brandnudemusic ~ Putnam Hall
  5. Soundtrack to a Headrush ~ Emanuel
  6. The Unstudied Sea ~ Frank Bango
  7. Best of Seven ~ Best of Seven
  8. Red Means Go ~ Mars Needs Women
  9. So... ~ AB Ivens & The X Miss Americas
  10. It's Only Your Ghost ~ Woke up Falling

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Maynard Ferguson ~ Maynard Ferguson

Live at Ratso's ~ Earl Hines

No Heavy Petting ~ UFO

In the Embrace of Evil ~ Grotesque

Ratt ~ Ratt

Colors of the World ~ Peter

Bass Terror ~ Bill Laswell & Nicholas Bullen (Subsonic 2)

Ost ~ New Generation Thriller Series Sound

Se Tu Lutas Tu Conquistas ~ Somos Nos a Justica

Remix Hits Sertanejo ~ Various Artists