| Track: | Rating: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Breakthrough | | | | | |
| 2. My Experience | | | | | |
| 3. Ophelia | | | | | |
| 4. Empress's Clothes | | | | | |
| 5. Glue | | | | | |
| 6. Hesitation | | | | | |
| 7. Sitting Targets | | | | | |
| 8. Stranger Still | | | | | |
| 9. Sign | | | | | |
| 10. What I Did | | | | | |
| 11. Central Hotel | | | | | |
All songs by Peter Hammill.
Perhaps 1981 was the true "test" for the integrity of progressive musicians. Faced with a consolidated singles market (as opposed to the dominant album market of the early 1970s) and a creeping encroachment towards AOR radio in the music industry, many musicians moved towards the "centre" in an attempt to maintain their high profile within the business. One need only think of Asia, Cinema-Yes and Genesis for the most financially successful examples, but their were several imitators who followed in their wake.
It would be inappropriate to center entirely on 1981 as a "pivotal year" within this process, of course. But 1981 was the year that King Crimson released Discipline, the album that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that progressive tendencies could be successfully merged with the newer musical ideas then approaching. Moreover, it was the first year wherein earlier progressive bands such as Yes and Gentle Giant were no longer an active part of the community; Genesis became more commercial, Jethro Tull had broken off from their previous lineup; and Pink Floyd were on the path to internal disintegration. Accordingly, it seems as good a time for a watershed mark as any.
1981 was also the year that Peter Hammill released Sitting Targets, one of his best solo albums. Despite having a few "trappings" of the times, ST is in many ways more unusual than Hammill's earlier solo material. Dark, disturbing and at times stunningly eloquent, this easily ranks at one of Hammill's masterpieces -- his musical arrangements, moreover, are at times designed as to deliberately offset any mainstream tendencies.
The album's front cover features an image of two crash-test dummies prior to impact. This is extremely significant as regards the development of the album, with its many car-related metaphors eventually suggesting a complete breakdown of the artist's sanity (as suggested by the "after" image on the inside cover). Seldom has Hammill been able to maintain such high levels of intensity as is featured throughout this album; it is possible, in fact, that this relatively underrated work is the most consistently successful album of his solo career (which is not quite the same as to call it his best release).
The album begins with "Breakthrough", a rather dark narrative detailing a hostage situation in a school classroom (with the lyrics suitably vague enough to suggest a number of specific possibilities). The music begins with a minor-key lead in, with unusual chords and rhythms emerging through the mix. Evans's drum track occasionally seems to be meandering slightly, though never actually losing sight of the song's development entirely; one assumes that this must have been a deliberate effect within the musical drama. The bass line (presumably played by Hammill himself -- no reference to Nic Potter appears in the liner notes) seems at times to be a twisted rendition of "Walking On The Moon". A curious opening track in the general sense, but a very successful one.
"My Experience" is perhaps the most "commercial" track on the album, featuring a chorus that owes at least a little to the pop sensibilities of the day; nonetheless, Hammill's skewed approach to the genre's trappings makes a prominent appearance. The instrumental arrangement is interesting, with an acoustic guitar and drums opening eventually yielding to an electric guitar development in the main body of the song; the chorus, moreover, depends heavily on a synthesized keyboard presence. Despite being successful in and of itself, this is perhaps the least essential track on the album.
"Ophelia" is something rather different, an articulate ballad featuring only acoustic guitar and synthesizer accompaniment to Hammill's lyrics (which are, of course, the main focus of the track). Although subsequent live performances have perhaps improved the track, the original version is a very good number as well, with its depiction of the suicidal heroine in question. One wonders if it might have been a leftover from an earlier project, however; the song seems somewhat out of place in this particular context.
"Empress's Clothes" is more typical of the general ST ethos, beginning with an odd combination of a drum machine, bass, and distorted guitar. The subsequent musical layering is rather impressive as well (David Jackson's saxophone enters the album via this track). Obsession and domination are the primary themes of this track, and Hammill's delivery allows the track to seem extremely disturbing. Morris Pert's contribution is notable as well.
"Glue" (apparently played entirely by Hammill himself) may be the most unusual track on the album -- the music seem to be deliberately disorganized throughout the song's development. As might be expected, the music contains few signs of technical virtuosity, but makes up for this with its incredibly dark and murky structure. The lyrics and vocal lines corroborate fairly well with this setting. This is an unbelievably dark number, and a highlight of the album in its own strange way.
"Hesitation" isn't quite as good, though it comes close. The music is somewhat less distinctive than that of the previous track, and it takes a wrenching vocal performance from Hammill to grant the song its high rating. Evans and Jackson are fairly high in the mix.
"Sitting Targets", which began the second side on the original album release, is better. The only other track on the album featuring Evans and Jackson together, this may the most authentic "VdGG" track on the album -- the structure is track of a more conventional progressive rock number, with Hammill taking an electric guitar solo at one point. Lyrically, the song includes several "road" metaphors (which occasionally seem almost overbearing), suggesting that the "concept" of the album is on its way to completion.
The masterpiece of the album is "Stranger Still", a rare song which manages to combine themes of individual isolation and biological entropy without sounding foolish in the process. This is essentially a vocal work, though it also features an impressive piano performance. This track may be as perfect a portrayal of isolation as is possible in the progressive genre. A distorted electric guitar part appears and suddenly disappears between the second and third verses, apparently in keeping with the structural breakdown indicated within the lyrics. The concluding section of the song, featuring numerous tape loops from the track -- including one with the word "entropy" chanting over and over -- is nothing short of classic.
"Sign" continues the general direction of the album, featuring the artist's lament over the stultifying effect of fan idolatry on his person, with a steady acoustic guitar theme providing the lead musical direction. This isn't overly thematically different from the rest of the album, but is no less successful as such. Incidentally, some listeners might note that this track seems to have influenced Fish to some degree, given a lyrical allusion in Marillion's "Freaks".
"What I Did" is another odd number, featuring fuzz-tone bass and programmed drums over backmasked guitar passages (with David Jackson providing some measure of familiarity with the rest of Hammill's career). The mixing of the vocal and musical arrangements is quite unusual as well. From a lyrical perspective, Hammill focuses on both excess and the memory of excess in this track; his perspective is not one of guilt, but of resignation.
And this leads to "Central Hotel", an impressive (and somewhat disturbing) track. As with other parts of the album, the music occasionally seems rather unfocused. The lyric is the primary feature of the track, however, chronicling Hammill's cryptic references to a "central hotel" which he is continually trying to escape (and which, eventually, turns out to be the artist himself). The particular meaning of this track isn't entirely evident, but Hammill's gripping depiction of the narrator's relapse into mental instability is enough to make up for this. An appropriate end to the work, to say the least.
This album is strongly recommended to those interested in Hammill's work, as well as to progressive fans in general.
(review originally posted to alt.music.yes on 5 January 1998)