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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
'A Black Box', released in 1980, completed the trilogy of 'monochrome' albums that kicked off with 'The Future Now' in 1978 and 'PH7' in 1979. These albums marked a stylistic shift, Hammill largely dispensing with the complex, labyrinthine arrangements that had been the hallmark of his earlier solo albums and his work with Van der Graaf Generator. This new style was stripped-down, concentrated and concise - and fitted well into the punk ethos of the time. One of Hammill's earlier albums 'Nadir's Big Chance' released in 1975 had, in fact, been hailed a prototype punk-rock album. The subject matter of Hammill's songs also became more accessible, and his lyrics more straightforward and direct. This new approach served to heighten the intensity and power of Hammill's writing - as evinced by 'A Black Box'. Every song hits like a punch both musically and lyrically, as a result of the basic electric guitar, bass drums and keyboards instrumentation, as well as the production quality Hammill achieved by recording with only 8 tracks. The sound is jerky, cut-up, grainy black and white and brilliant. The opener, 'Golden Promises' is a no-nonsense rocker, with harsh distorted guitar and a strident rhythm; 'Losing Faith in Words' shouts about the difficulty of being heard above a juddering piano and staccato lead guitar. 'Jargon King' continues on the theme of communication using phased out electronic effects, synthesiser and backwards tape; 'Fogwalking' is a slow stroll through a nightmarish nightime London with gothic keyboard landscapes and eerie saxophone provided by David Jackson; 'The Spirit' is a simple three-chord trick up-tempo rock-song, almost thrown away; 'In Slow Time' features melodic synths and a sinuous melody line; 'The Wipe' a chaotic, out-of-control ambient spasm wraps up what was originally side one of the vinyl album. The remainder is taken up with the twenty minute sequence 'Flight'. Although consisting of seven individual parts, 'Flight' is so precisely constructed that it seems to be no more than a single song. Hammill holds the separate strands of the piece together with strong melody lines and underlying musical themes, overlaid with some of his most imaginative lyrics. The end result is a satisfyingly unified piece that sits at the heart of 'A Black Box'. John Gill, in his Sounds review of July 26, concluded that this was Hammill's strongest material in years: "'A Black Box' carries the achievements of 'The Future Now' and 'PH7' even further. Searching, pushing, outstripping and setting precedents for others."
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A great start of the eighties for Peter Hammill, who already
made quite a few masterpieces in the seventies, as as a solo-
artist as well as with Van der Graaf Generator.
Maybe this is his most difficult album, so it is not a good start of if you know yet know his work. In that case, start with
Sitting Targets or maybe The Lovesongs first.
Flight is of course the perrenial highlight here, twenty minutes
of survival-music which was overwhelming to witness live (which
I did quite a few times in the eighties) and remains one of his
all time classics. But Losing Faith in Words, the Spirit and
In Slow Time are as hauntingly beautiful as anything he's done
before and afterwards. This is Hammill's New Wave album, a start
of the new direction which was continued on Sitting Targets,
Enter K and Patient, three other classics of the eighties.
made quite a few masterpieces in the seventies, as as a solo-
artist as well as with Van der Graaf Generator.
Maybe this is his most difficult album, so it is not a good start of if you know yet know his work. In that case, start with
Sitting Targets or maybe The Lovesongs first.
Flight is of course the perrenial highlight here, twenty minutes
of survival-music which was overwhelming to witness live (which
I did quite a few times in the eighties) and remains one of his
all time classics. But Losing Faith in Words, the Spirit and
In Slow Time are as hauntingly beautiful as anything he's done
before and afterwards. This is Hammill's New Wave album, a start
of the new direction which was continued on Sitting Targets,
Enter K and Patient, three other classics of the eighties.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The remastered 'A Black Box'. Originally released in 1980, this, one of the first 'indie' albums but now an EMI corporate product, completed the 'monochrome trilogy' of albums that kicked off with 'The Future Now' in 1978 and 'PH7' in 1979. These albums marked a stylistic shift, Hammill largely dispensing with the complex, labyrinthine arrangements that had been the hallmark of his earlier solo albums and his work with Van der Graaf Generator. This new style was stripped-down, concentrated and concise - and fitted well into the punk ethos of the time. One of Hammill's earlier albums 'Nadir's Big Chance' released in 1975 had, in fact, been hailed as a prototype punk-rock album. The subject matter of Hammill's songs became more accessible, his lyrics more straightforward and direct. This new approach served to heighten the intensity and power of Hammill's writing. Every song here hits like a punch both musically and lyrically, as a result of the basic electric guitar, bass drums and keyboards instrumentation and the production quality Hammill achieved by recording with only 8 tracks. The sound is jerky, cut-up, grainy black and white and brilliant. The opener, 'Golden Promises' is a no-nonsense rocker, with harsh distorted guitar and a strident rhythm; 'Losing Faith in Words' shouts about the difficulty of being heard above a juddering piano and staccato lead guitar. 'Jargon King' continues on the theme of communication using phased-out electronic effects, synthesiser and backwards tape; 'Fogwalking' is a slow stroll through a nightmarish nightime London with gothic keyboard landscapes and eerie saxophone provided by David Jaxon; 'The Spirit' is a simple three-chord trick up-tempo rock-song, almost thrown away; 'In Slow Time' features melodic synths and a sinuous melody line; 'The Wipe' a chaotic, out-of-control ambient spasm wraps up what was originally side one of the vinyl album. The remainder is taken up with the twenty minute sequence 'Flight'. Although consisting of seven individual parts, 'Flight' is so precisely constructed that it seems to be no more than a single song. Hammill holds the separate strands of the piece together with strong melody lines and musical themes, overlaid with some of his most imaginative lyrics. The end result is a satisfyingly unified piece that sits at the heart of 'A Black Box'. John Gill, in his Sounds review of July 26, concluded that this was Hammill's strongest material in years: "'A Black Box' carries the achievements of 'The Future Now' and 'PH7' even further. Searching, pushing, outstripping and setting precedents for others."
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Classic Hammill
This superb CD is the remastered version of Hammill's 1980 classic; there's no additional material here, but this album is worth five stars in its own right. Read more
Published 6 months ago by N. Dutton
a real gem to discover again, and again, and again
I stopped completely listening to P. Hammill after "sitting targets". Don't ask me why: i don't remember. Maybe I didn't like the commercial aspect of it. Read more
Published 15 months ago by as
Peter Hamill's most enduring work
Black Box by Peter Hamill remains to this day as one of his finest works. Its spare starkness compares well with earlier more grandiose works with Van Der Graff and his ever... Read more
Published on 20 Dec 2000
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