HiRez Poll Van Der Graaf Generator - THE CHARISMA YEARS: 1970-1978 [Blu-Ray Audio]

[Mistee]

OK, I cheated a bit since I don't have this box set, but since I do have these 4 surround offerings on DVD, and they are all 10s, I feel like it really isn't cheating too much.

These are still an easy 10 for me. The first two are a bit more adventurous mix-wise, but I have to say that I probably like Godbluff the best of all the albums. If anybody on here were to want a starting point, that would probably be the album I'd recommend as the most accessible. Pawn Hearts is unquestionably weird, H to He slightly less so. Godbluff and Still Life seem to be a happy medium, but Godbluff being the better of the two albums IMHO.

I know pretty much everything VDGG (and Hammill solo) backwards, having grown up with the albums, buying each release practically on the day it came out, and admittedly sometimes being a little too 'over-influenced' by some of the rather despairing lyrical content, particularly Hammill's solo stuff, when an impressionable teenager. And I long, long ago grew used to the fact that no one else in my life knew of the band or Hammill or liked the music if I played it to them. So since the release of this box set, comments like yours -- from people discovering VDGG for the first time, and enjoying what they hear -- have been an absolute pleasure.

 

[Godman]

Thank you so much everyone!!

I bought the four DVDA sets, I thought they were so great.. so I bought the boxset with blu rays and then sold the dvda sets. A big 10. Best total package ever. Easily on par with the Crimson box sets. Great value.
Dear Stephen, cant you do a Camel :The Decca years or a Brand X : the Virgin years. If VDGG and say Caravan etc can have these type of re-releases why not other even bigger prog and jazz rock bands from that same era? What if we started a crowdfunding campaign to get this done or am I dreaming!?

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

I bought the four DVDA sets, I thought they were so great.. so I bought the boxset with blu rays and then sold the dvda sets. A big 10. Best total package ever. Easily on par with the Crimson box sets. Great value.
Dear Stephen, cant you do a Camel :The Decca years or a Brand X : the Virgin years. If VDGG and say Caravan etc can have these type of re-releases why not other even bigger prog and jazz rock bands from that same era? What if we started a crowdfunding campaign to get this done or am I dreaming!?

Hang in there - some cool projects piling up at the moment waiting for release!! SWT

 

[GOS]

some cool projects piling up at the moment

I like how that sounds. "piling" up.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

I like how that sounds. "piling" up.

As usual I am sworn to secrecy until official announcements are made.

The only newly mixed albums that have already been mentioned and are awaiting release are 'Sound On Sound' from Bill Nelson's Red Noise, and 'Holidays In Eden' by Marillion. Two others (one of which is a massive box set containing numerous studio albums and several live concerts) finished and being scheduled, and three others almost complete, and another just started. And more being booked!

 

[Godman]

I love this and glad I asked the question! Sounds like Christmas will be a ball this year!

 

[The56Kid]

As usual I am sworn to secrecy until official announcements are made.

The only newly mixed albums that have already been mentioned and are awaiting release are 'Sound On Sound' from Bill Nelson's Red Noise, and 'Holidays In Eden' by Marillion. Two others (one of which is a massive box set containing numerous studio albums and several live concerts) finished and being scheduled, and three others almost complete, and another just started. And more being booked!

Awesome news!

 

[Veganfloyd]

The mixes are objectively very good but I find them too conservative/stereo-centric for this kind of music. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of activity going on in the surround speakers, but the wackiness of VDGG's compositions would go hand in hand with an old school quadraphonic approach to the mixing philosophy. Feels like a bit of a missed opportunity in this regard and not quite the holy grail of surround mixes that the first spot in the hi-res QQ poll would indicate. A 9 from me.

The fidelity is very good, but not to the point where I can subjectively notice any benefit of the blu-ray over the lossy DVDs on my Dali Mentors' based setup. I would say that the standalone releases are a safe bet for anyone with considerations for budget, shelf-space or lack of interest in what the box set has to offer. It is a great package overall though and very good value for the money.

 

[TuliaNonTroppo]

I am a touch flush right now so decided to buy this box set from Burning Shed. I have never heard these albums but quickly sampled stuff on Qobuz and liked every random thing I heard. It really seems like a no-brainer!