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TRISECTOR
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
2008 , UK - EURO 17.50
Label: EMI/VIRGIN
ALBUM REVIEW
With David Jackson gone the band works as a trio for the first time in their career. Peter Hammill switches between guitar, acoustic and electric piano, while Hugh Banton switches as always between organ and bass. It's still Guy Evans on drums. I don't miss David Jackson's sax and flute at all here, even without him it sounds just like Van der Graaf generator. The absence of the flute brings the keyboards to the front and gives us some nice piano/organ duet playing from Hammill and Banton. Whether it's their King Crimson like instrumentals ("The hurlyburly"), the up tempo stuff ("Interference patterns" and "All that before") or the jazz influences more quieter pieces ("The final reel", "Only a whisper"), VDGG's music still sounds as fresh and exciting as ever. With "Over the hill" there's even that thing that the Present album was missing: a 10 minute+ prog rock epic. Present was no fluke, VDGG still has a lot of interesting music to offer in the new millennium, even without David Jackson. While I'm writing this I have a ticket for their show next Monday in Amsterdam. I can't wait to go. (RYM) 
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