Wednesday 20 July 2016

A Louse Is Not A Home (Peter Hammill, 1974)

One of the greatest vocal performances ever, IMHO, at least when it comes to prog music. And there's more than this: "A Louse Is Not A Home" (from "The Silent Corner And The Empty Stage" album) is a greatly written song, including instrumental passages as good as the sung melodies and so many and unpredictable changes. Medieval hints, heavy riffs, piano touches, sax echoes, impressive progressions, dissonant improvisations, delicate themes... and most of all the uncompromising, moving Hammill's way.
 

Everything goes changelling with Hammill... even the cover arts!

Pain and anger, but also a weird and evil kind of joy fill each moment of this song, so that feelings are more important that any skills or conceptual inventions (they also exist, of course!). This is what I'd call emotional prog rock, a refined specialty of Mr. Hammill. The dark angel is simply perfect here, and of course the listener has to listen and re-listen to this in order to uncover all the secret delights of "A Louse Is Not A Home". So I did with pleasure and hope you'll do once more.

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