Sonix

December 25, 2007 @ 10:14 pm · Filed under Sonix

Sonix (1996) is one long meandering soundscape of an album with no vocals by Hammill. It is different from Loops & Reels, (another instrumental-only album), in that the album is less experimental and the actual sounds structures seem composed in contrast to being merely studio experiments.

The lush keyboard sounds and interesting guitar noises on are interspersed with various string instruments such as violin and cello, colouring the sound in an effective way.

This isn’t an album I would recommend except to the committed fan who already has everything, but for me there was a richness to this album that I didn’t expect from the initial description of it. Sonix stands up to repeated listenings, unlike the other similar instrumental albums - Unsung, Loops & Reels and Spur Of The Moment, which, in comparison are less satisfying listens.

Even though Sonix is an instrumental album, it has much in common with albums such as Fireships and Everyone You Hold.

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Peel Sessions

December 25, 2007 @ 10:04 pm · Filed under Peel Sessions

The Peel Sessions (1995) are essentially live-in-the-studio takes of his better known songs. This collection features fourteen songs from four different sessions in ‘74; ‘79; ‘79; ‘88.

He is mostly a solitary musician on these sessions with only occasional help from Graham Smith’s violin. The songs here shine with the intensity that only Peter Hammill can bring forth, and I can’t recommend this album of songs highly enough.

Standout tracks are difficult to pick on this album - they are all rather brilliant - making this an essential album to own.  

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Roaring Forties

December 25, 2007 @ 9:35 pm · Filed under Roaring Forties

Roaring Forties (1994) is a stunning return to form for Peter Hammill. It is definitely his best album of the 90’s and one of his best solo efforts in his career.

From the opening track Hammill shows he means business. The music has the wide scope it once had before, with wild mood swings and changes in intensity and complexity.

David Jackson’s saxophone is a valuable contribution to the overall sound of this album, and his playing is some of his best since the VDGG heyday.

Roaring Forties clearly shows that Hammill does not intend to gradually fade out, but continue to make music that will impress and inspire and surprise his audience.

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There Goes the Daylight (live)

December 25, 2007 @ 9:31 pm · Filed under There Goes the Daylight

There Goes The Daylight (1993) is noisy. Really Noisy. With the guitar upfront, and the playing forceful, this album’s closest counterpart is The Margin.

Even a song as delicate as The Habit Of The Broken Heart acquires an edge with the hard guitar sound - Stuart Gordon’s violin hardly softens the attack, and Hammill sings with a barely suppressed sneer.

The songs themselves are for the most part of the strongest in Hammill’s catalogue. Even then, of the two songs that are duplicated here and on The Margin, (Empress’s Clothes and Sign), the better versions appear on The Margin. Yet those two songs count among the standout tracks on There Goes The Daylight.

Another standout is Cat’s Eye / Yellow Fever; reminding you that this line-up is pretty close to being Van Der Graaf II.

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The Noise

December 25, 2007 @ 9:13 pm · Filed under Noise, The Noise

The Noise (1992) is an apt title for this album, and it so obviously falls into The Noise sequence of album releases - whereas albums such as Fireships who are meant as part of The Calm series.

The songs on The Noise have a brash swagger to them, similar to the sound of the K Group. The songwriting is quite strong, though tends towards a simpler Rock structure - perhaps a surprise and even a disappointment for fans of Hammill’s unique songwriting.

Yet, there are the standout moments: Where The Mouth Is; Planet Coventry; and especially, Primo On The Parapet.

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Fireships

December 25, 2007 @ 9:09 pm · Filed under Fireships

http://www.sittingtargets.com/images/fireships.jpg Fireships (1992) and the following album, The Noise, are in contrast to one another, each one forming part of Hammill’s intention then, to record divergent albums under the banners of “The Calm” and “The Noise” - indicating the overall feel and mood of the individual album.

Fireships falls squarely in “The Calm” sequence. If you prefer Hammill’s quieter and more introspective songwriting, this album holds certain delights such as His Best Girl; Oasis and Incomplete Surrender.

That the album only contains songs that are slow, and well .. calm, may work against it, offering less of the aural surprises and wild mood swings that Hammill usually explores on his albums.

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Fall of the House of Usher

December 25, 2007 @ 9:05 pm · Filed under Fall of the House of Usher, Usher

The Fall of the House of Usher (1991) is Hammill’s long-in-the-making rock opera of Edgar Allen Poe’s classic book. You will either love this album, or hate it. Personally I fall solidly into the latter category, though I know some fans which rate this amongst his best work.

To my ear the melodies sound forced, made to fit the libretto. The only dubious plus point I would give this album, is that this is the first time I actually found Andy Bell (of Erasure) tolerable.

As for further recommendations, you’re really on your own here, for there aren’t any other albums by Hammill that sound similar. My best suggestion for further listening is to just start with the list of must-have albums.

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roomtemperature (live)

December 25, 2007 @ 9:00 pm · Filed under roomtemperature

RoomTemperature, along with Typical, is one of Hammill’s best live albums with some of his finest songs from his extensive repertoire appearing on this 2CD set.
Essential stuff really.

The album collects from various shows played in Canada, USA, and England during Feb - March ‘90.

The only niggles for me are the lack of a drummer; and occasionally the crowd noise becomes intrusive. Why do some people insist on talking during a concert anyway ??

There are numerous highlights ..
The Comet The Course The Tail;   Cat’s Eye / Yellow Fever (Running);
Time To Burn;    Hemlock;   Patient;   A Way Out;   Modern.

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Out of Water

December 25, 2007 @ 8:55 pm · Filed under Out of Water

Out Of Water (1990) is something of a return to form after a number of less than satisfying albums. This album contains no filler material, and is one of his stronger solo albums in his career. The arrangements and songwriting are top notch.

The closing track, A Way Out, is remarkable for how Hammill strings together every possible cliche and phrase containing the word ‘out’, yet transcending cliche and creating something special, especially when he closes unexpectedly with the simple words: “I wish I’d said I love you.”

Other standout tracks are On The Surface, and Our Oyster.

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Spur Of The Moment

December 25, 2007 @ 8:53 pm · Filed under Spur of the Moment

Spur Of The Moment (1988), is an improvised set played, programmed and sequenced by Hammill and Guy Evans as a collaborative work. As explained in the liner notes, the music is purposely unstructured, and was recorded from a single performance. Some of this was later remixed, but no over-dubs added.

The music itself, all instrumental, veers strongly to the avant-garde. The music isn’t soothing, but neither jarring, mostly sounding like .. well .. an unstructured improvised set by a brilliant percussionist / drummer and a pianist.

Fans expecting something more conventially Hammill, (if there is such a thing), should rather look at other albums by Hammill.

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