The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome

The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome
Studio album by Van der Graaf
Released 2 September 1977
Recorded 13 May - 12 June 1977
Studio Foal, Morgan Studios and Rockfield Studios
Genre Progressive rock [1]
Length 43:34
Label UK Charisma Records
USA Mercury Records
Producer Peter Hammill
Van der Graaf chronology
World Record
(1976)World Record1976		 The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome
(1977)		 Vital
(1978)Vital1978
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]

The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome, released in 1977, is the eighth album by British British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was their last studio album before their 2005 reunion.[2] The album features a more energetic, new wave sound than its three immediate predecessors, anticipating singer and songwriter Peter Hammill's late 1970s solo work.

For this album, bassist Nic Potter returned to the band, having left in 1970, and violinist Graham Smith (String Driven Thing), also joined the line-up, in place of the two members who had departed in the aftermath of their previous album, World Record (October 1976): organist Hugh Banton and saxophonist/flautist David Jackson. This considerably modified the band's sound. Officially, the band's name was shortened to just "Van der Graaf" for this album and the live album Vital (July 1978), that followed, but contemporaneous Charisma Records promotional materials used both the full and shortened name.

Track listing

All tracks written by Peter Hammill, except where indicated.

Side One, "The Quiet Zone"

  1. "Lizard Play" – 4:29
  2. "The Habit of the Broken Heart" – 4:40
  3. "The Siren Song" – 6:05
  4. "Last Frame" – 6:15

Side Two, "The Pleasure Dome"

  1. "The Wave" – 3:15
  2. "Cat's Eye / Yellow Fever (Running)" (Hammill, Graham Smith) – 5:21
  3. "The Sphinx in the Face" – 5:59
  4. "Chemical World" – 6:12
  5. "The Sphinx Returns" – 1:18

Reissue Bonus Tracks

  1. "Door" – 3:23
  2. "The Wave" – 3:03
    • Demo version
  3. "Ship of Fools" – 3:43
    • B-side of "Cat's Eye" single

Reissue Packaging Issues

The 2005 reissue added some B-sides and a demo. The last two of these were mislabeled on the CD packaging.

Reception

Critical reception was positive. Melody Maker said the band "[had] just come up with an album that finally approached the band's long-promised potential".[3]

Personnel

Van der Graaf

References

  1. 1 2 McDonald, Steven (2011). "Van der Graaf - The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome (1977) album review | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Christopulos, J., and Smart, P.: "Van der Graaf Generator - The Book", page 266. Phil and Jim publishers, 2005.
  3. ↑ "Graaf generate power: Van der Graaf - The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome (1977) album review at Melody Maker by J.O.". Retrieved 6 January 2014.
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