Genre: progressive
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: H To He Who am the Only One
Company: ABC Dunhill
Catalog: DS 50097
Year: 1970
Country/State: Manchester, UK
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve; small punch hole lower left corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5740
Price: $50.00
As to be expected, the band third studio set "H To He Who am the Only One" was recorded amidst another round of personnel turmoil. This time around former The Misunderstood bassist Nic Potter decided to tender his notice midway through the recording sessions. King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp was brought in as a guest and the shake up didn't seem to have a major impact on the recording sessions. Produced by John Anthony, this may have been the band's creative zenith. Mind you, as you probably figured out from the goofy title (anyone got a clue?), it wasn't their most commercial, or accessible ousting so newbies and the casual fan might want to sample something else in the VDGG catalog before jumping in with this one.
- Even though it stretched out over eight minutes and found David Jackson literally freaking out on sax, 'Killer' stood as a fantastic song and one of those progressive pieces that deserved it's classic status. Propelled by a surprisingly commercial riff and Peter Hammill's dark and scary vocals, the plotline was largely lost on me (using a shark's life as an allegory for life as an anti-social introvert?), though I have to admit that the 'fish can't fly' chorus has always made me smile.
- 'House with No Door' stood as the song for folks who didn't think VDGG could put together a straightforward commercial track. A simply stunning ballad, Hammill kept his over-the-top tendencies in check, turning in a stark and compelling performance highlighted by what may have been Jackson's prettiest flute solo. Great piano and organ from High Banton and Hammill. My only complaint - they faded it out too soon.
- A two part suite, 'The Emperor In His War - Room' featured Robert Fripp, though his performance was relatively low keyed and didn't kick in under towards the start of 'The Room'. Musically 'The Emperor' segment was a fairly conventional ballad apparently meant to provide insight into the mindset of a political tyrant ... you can see why I normally don't try to second guess lyrics. Not quite as commercial 'House with No Door', but with a pretty and distinctive melody. 'The Room' opened up with Fripp, then bounced around between slower and more upbeat segments. Given the track's complexity, Guy Evans turned in some nice drumming to keep it tied together and focused.
- Longtime fans seem to consider 'Lost' the standout performance, but I'm going to go against the current and suggest that clocking in at over 11 minutes the two part suite was one of the lesser performances. To my ears it captured Hammill and company at their most theatric and over-the-top pompous. Musically it was all over the place giving all the players an opportunity to stretch out. Certainly listenable and occasionally even pleasant, but not my favorite.
- Hum, imagine VDGG doing science fiction lyrics ... well you don't need to go any further than the closer 'Pioneers Over C'. Musically this one didn't do a great deal for me, the band bouncing around an extended piece without any real form or format. On the other hand it had a fascinating lyric that seemed to have something to do with the possibilities of time travel (I/m not a big sci-fi fans). I borrowed this Hammill interview off the official VDGG website:
"This is my only attempt at writing a specifically sci-fi song, although the balancing is much more towards fiction than science. Man's first plunge into the unknown territory beyond the speed of light (c): in the light of the discoveries necessary for the attempt, the date is meaningless, although in rational terms it is ludicrously optimistic. The Pioneers... the first hypernauts... are, because of theoretical deficiencies, thrown into time-warp or absolute relativity, in which they exist as 'creatures' of limitless imagination but total non-physicality. They are thus potentially ghouls, ghosties, poltergeists and all manner of indefinable Forces: this is one possible explanation but, truly, in such circumstances explanations are meaningless, irrelevant and totally speculative. My only regret is that I found it necessary to provide a certain chronological continuity in order to remain, if faintly, within the bounds of comprehension. I don't pretend that there are any answers here, and any questions are entirely subjective."
Summation - One of the lost treasures in the VDGG catalog and something every progressive fan should at least hear, if not own.
"H To He Who am the Only One" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Killer (Peter Hammil - Hugh Banton - Chris Judge-Smith) -
2.) House with No Door (Peter Hammill - David Jackson) -
3.) The Emperor In His War - Room
i.) The Emperor (Peter Hammill)
ii.) The Room (Peter Hammill)
(side 2)
1.) Lost
i.) Dance In Sand and Sea (Peter Hammill)
ii.) Dane In Frost (Peter Hammill)
2.) Pioneers Over C (Peter Hammill - David Jackson) -
In case anyone cared, the original UK issue sported slightly different packaging.
Charisma catalog CAS 1027
There was also a cool gatefold inner sleeve:
For anyone interested, YouTube features an in-concert performance of 'Lost':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTtLBFp-SgY&feature=related
