Peter Hammill has always had an abiding interest, it seems, in the blurred
boundary between the mystical and the scientific, and between the rational
and magical mind; this is certainly evident on the debut Van Der Graaf
Generator album, even though Hammill had yet to really begin focusing
himself on what it was that was driving him (despite the fact that the
band's very name referenced a device that resembles a bastard mix of scientific
apparatus and shamanic totem). The Least We Can Do brings those concerns
to the fore with ferocity, with time out for a couple of more personal
pieces ("Refugees" and "Out of Our Book"). Hammill's
lyrics, delivered with all the passion and intent he can muster, reference
mysticism, numerology, astrology, various religious pantheons, the Malleus
Maleficarum (leading Hammill to conclude, a bit too hopefully, that magic
needs to be gray to be balanced), Robert van deGraaf himself (in "Whatever
Would Robert Have Said?"), the future of humanity, and surviving
ecological catastrophe. This being the start of the 1970s, the hopeful
notes are drowned out by the tidal wave of fear, sadness, and despair,
despite which, the music does tend to be rather uplifting, thanks to the
undercurrent of barely restrained majesty VDGG tended to have (possibly
thanks to Hugh Banton, who had been rather used to communicating with
God via church and cathedral organs; he brought that expertise to a position
more normally occupied by determined B3 thumpers engaged in battle with
show-horse guitarists). The main thing that The Least We Can Do is in
need of now is a good remastering job (and the addition of a few leftover
tracks, such as the "Refugees" single version and its B-side.)
The Virgin CD transfer is a lazy example of taking an album master and
making a CD master from it, leaving the album lacking dynamic range and
sounding a bit muffled. With the release of Box, one can hope.
(by Steven McDonald, All
Music Guide)
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