Van der Graaf Generator Album Poll: Pawn Hearts (1971)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Mirror Image, Aug 19, 2018.

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  1. Mirror Image

    Mirror Image 200 Years Of Anton Bruckner Thread Starter

    Location:
    United States
    Perhaps you’re expecting grandiose soloing from the musicians or expecting it to sound a certain way? I mean I understand if you just don’t like the music, but it’d be nice to know whether or not you understand that VdGG were just a different kind of band that relied heavily on atmosphere and less on pyrotechnics, although, there is actually plenty of this happening within the music, it’s just presented in a completely different way.
     
  2. A great album just crying out for a superior remastering.
     
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  3. AlmostHeavenWV

    AlmostHeavenWV The poster formerly known as AlmostHeavenWV

    Location:
    Lancaster UK
    Perhaps I was fortunate. I bought PH's 'Fool's Mate' first, intrigued by the cover (Paul Whitehead again). Loved that LP, so I quickly followed it up with 'The Least We Can Do....' ('Aerosol Grey Machine' wasn't stocked by the record store I frequented, so I wasn't aware of it until a few years later). 'The Least...' was an instant winner with me, even though I wasn't a big fan of progressive rock, other than Hawkwind. The sounds that Hugh Banton and David Jackson produced on that album are extraordinary.
     
  4. Svetonio

    Svetonio Forum Resident

    Location:
    Serbia
    A masterpiece - no Prog fan should be without it.
     
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  5. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    Not my favourite VDGG but it IS their 'definitive statement'.
     
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  6. Margrave

    Margrave I'll Give It 5

    Location:
    Down by the sea.
    Brilliant album by my most favourite band, although I’ve several most favourites - lets say when it comes to progressive folk there is none better. Mr Hammill is national treasure.

    Pawn Hearts is masterpiece & should be compulsory in national curriculum. Who cares if you don’t know much about geography, don’t know much about history as long as you know your Van Der Graaf.

    Yes Pawn Hearts is one of best albums in universe even if, as everybody agrees, it’s not VDGs best LP.
     
  7. 93curr

    93curr Senior Member

    [​IMG]
     
  8. How does it sound? I generally shy away from all SHM releases as they are quite expensive and often offer nothing but reused mastering, or worse. Some have been well received, but I don't recall how this one rated.
     
  9. 93curr

    93curr Senior Member

    Definitely not a reused mastering. Sounds much closer to the original CD issue, but with a tad more detail. But, yeah, not cheap any more.

    If you can handle SACD, I'd recommend this one:
    Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
     
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  10. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    One of the best records ever made.
     
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  11. Thanks!
     
  12. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    No! I was not expecting the music to sound in any way whatsoever. Music like art, affects people in different ways. One thing I do give them credit for, is that they didn't sound like anyone else and the sound was their own. I just wasn't my cup of tea, that all.
     
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  13. Killer grabbed me immediately when I first heard it as part of a progressive rock box set. Pawn Hearts and He are my favorites. I never warmed up to GodBluff and beyond.
     
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  14. stax o' wax

    stax o' wax Forum Resident

    Location:
    The West
    Has anyone heard the other VDGG Japan SACD's or CD's?
    I wouldn't mind picking up a few of those if they are mastered well.
     
  15. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Love this and other Japanese reissues of the VDGG catalogue. They are all flat transfers. Highly recommended!
     
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  16. sleepjar

    sleepjar Underachiever

    Location:
    NJ
    Although I'd been a fan of PH and VdGG for many years, this album was an exception. It took me several years to warm up to Pawn Hearts, but as with many albums over the years, I literally woke up one morning and realized I loved it. The time had come. It is now one of my all time favorites, by anyone.
    I have no idea how I'd describe it to someone.
     
  17. albertop

    albertop Forum Resident

    Last edited: Aug 21, 2018
  18. So where's Fripp on this album then?
     
  19. There a thread on point where it’s stated the Japanese universal SACD, the platinum SHN and the plain SHN released in 2015-16 are each flat transfers. I’ll let you know whether mine is, or whether it’s the squashed 2005 mastering.
     
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  20. Beeb Fader

    Beeb Fader Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire,UK
    It's hard to tell....he plays a very minor role. A lot of people mistake some of Hugh Banton's Keyboard sounds for Fripp.
     
  21. nsmith1002

    nsmith1002 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Monticello, IN USA
    I hear him playing very softly in the left channel during the "Presence of the Night" section of "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers".

    It's not the usual sustained fuzz tone associated with Fripp but more of a staccato jazzy style (I think there's a few chords thrown in here and there also).
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2018
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  22. thematinggame

    thematinggame Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    You should really give some of their earlier, more song-based songs a chance - "Refugees" (one of the most beautiful songs ever-written) or even some of the songs from "The aerosol grey machine" (which I consider a great album btw) , actually the best way to start with PH/ VDGG in my opinion is Peter's "Fool's mate" album or "Over" (now these are what I call masterpieces)


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  23. Mook

    Mook Forum Resident

    I had been listening to the main prog bands for years when I decided to give Pawn Hearts a go & loved it straight away, especially the two 'shorter' tracks.

    Having said that, that was a couple of years back & I've yet to buy any of their other albums, Godbluff would be next on the shopping list.
     
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  24. Deek57

    Deek57 Forum Resident

    Picked this up yesterday for a fiver, not heard it for over forty years. I only remember "Theme One" as it was Fluff Freemans Saturday Rock Show theme tune. Will vote later after I've had a memory refresher listen later on today.
     
    AlmostHeavenWV likes this.
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