Member:
gryphs
Date:
11/16/2008
One of the many things that make Peter Hammill’s early solo works so endearing are the solo acoustic gems that can be found hidden in the maelstrom. It is amazing how one man and a guitar or piano can rip at listener’s hearts. His 1986 release, And Close As This, is Hammill as solo as it can get: his voice and a piano (occasionally processed). And the results are stunning.
Every song is a bare-boned, stripped down invitation to view his soul. Even the lyrics are more direct, but not less effective. Gone are the phalanxes of grandiose verbosity, replaced by simple ideas that make empathy easy to find. The recording runs the gamut of emotions, positive and negative, but each is honest and real. When listening to And Close As This, the simple instrumentation and production leave an uncluttered path into the man’s emotions. Although each song is a worthy addition to the Hammill catalogue, any parent who listens to “Sleep Now” and doesn’t immediately run to hug their children has ice-water in their veins.
An individual breakdown of each song would be counterproductive to the appreciation of the recording. And Close As This is an example of how less is more. The power of one voice, one instrument, and the willingness to share your heart with the listener can be greater than a room of electrified technology. Nobody does it better than Peter Hammill, and And Close As This proves it.
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