Search - Van Der Graaf Generator :: The Box

The holy grail for VdGG fans

Jim Christopulos | Chicago, IL | 11/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a dream come true for long-time fans. The rare BBC tracks, as well as the live concert tracks from Italy, are a revelation. GREAT STUFF!! And the old classics from the studio albums have been remastered and they sound incredible - I felt the way I did many moons ago when I heard these tunes for the first time. Very crisp, not dull and flat like some of the Virgin reissues of VDGG on cd. And the booklet is worth the price alone. Literally over a hundred photos with a (somewhat humorous) history of the group (including commentary from the boys themselves). Probably not for the novice, but a real treasure trove for the hardcore (or somewhat knowledgable)."

The b(oll)ox

undeletablearchive | Hove, East Sussex United Kingdom | 05/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, not a 'clunker review' (see my personal page for clarification) but I have to enthuse about this box set. VdGG were - as all those in the know, er, know - one of the greatest ever prog rock groups. This product puts together a fantastic range of material in an an approriately doomy plasticised card box, and adds a terrific aladdin's cave of a booklet. This is not what counts though. Where The Box really scores is in the decision on what to include to justify putting out a box set in the first place. Too often a decision is made to put out unreleased material. Hence we get something like Genesis Archive which is really inessential and only for completists. The whole box set enterprise is afflicted by this 'odds'n'sods effect': if the stuff did not merit release at the time, why should it now? However - Lo and Hooray! - The Box avoids this problem magnificently. What has been done here is on top of a limited number of high-quality rarities and live cuts, a vast swathe of the studio tracks we already know (including e.g. Refugees, White Hammer, La Rossa, Still Life) get remastered. Before stifling yawns (yeah right - when did anyone ever notice a remaster), this is not just tinkering, it is full-scale revisioning. The sound on these tracks is now just incredible - full, fat, detailed, dynamic, powerful. I have rarely heard any rock production that's even close to this good. The effect is revelatory. When Peter sings 'West is Mike and Susie' it is just fresher and more heartbreaking than ever; and when the band start steaming (Plague of Lighthouse Keepers) I swear it is the heaviest thing that ever roared out of my speakers. These remasters are not available elsewhere. Once heard, you'll never go back. In sum, The Box is a superb product great for newbies as well as devotees, so good it has brought about something of a VdGG renaissance, selling way over what was expected. An object lesson in how to re-present, as well as honour, a legacy."

Essential music for the thirsty prog fan

Ignaciocue | Mexico | 12/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This box includes bootleg quality live stuff from this unique, masterful, intense seventies prog band.
The remastered studio versions sound much better. Listen to 'A plague of Lighthouse Keepers' with headphones, or not, and you will rediscover or brutally discover these british rock masters. Get hooked strangely, magically in this profound masterpiece. Two of the three studio tracks of 'Pawn Hearts' are not included, just live, so they are a must listen.We all VDGG fans wish we could get all their catalog remastered someday. The box has sold well amd is is A must for VDGG die hard fans, and and excellent intro to those about to prog . Real fine stuff, but be warned: quite deep and chaotic sometimes. High quality musicians with few electric guitars. Inmerse yourself in Distorted hammonds, Saxes, acoustic guitar and piano, an outstanding drummer and maybe the best singer and song writer in the prog realm ever. I mean the very best performer too..."