What does it sound like?:
“Gentle Giant” were one of the several progressive bands that “got away”; possibly as they were from outside the London bubble. Though GG worked very hard, and were big in Europe and Canada, they never hit the ELP/Yes/ Genesis big time. Maybe it’s because their music was clever and busy, but neither fey or flash; Frank Zappa name checked them as a progressive band he liked, and he was often acerbic about the early 70s invasion of British stadium fillers. GG really WERE progressive in bringing musics together, medieval chants, rock music, sublime melodies and harmonies (the brothers Shulman being part of “Simon Dupree and the Big Sound”, whose “Kites” is a beautiful bit of 1967 pop psychedelia), flash but to-the-point keyboards, horns, violins, xylophones, and generally putting more ideas in a song than many acts did in their careers. Nor were Gentle Giant ones for side-long epics, fairy tales and myths – though they DID have Roger Dean do the cover to “Octopus”.
1972 had led them to produce the aforementioned “Octopus”, another gem, but burnout and cognisant of the life of a rock musician sabotaged family life, Phil Shulman stepped back from the band, and his brother Derek stepped forward a bit more, a Moog synthesiser was acquired … and an album was produced in a month. Whilst clever and busy, “In a Glass House” (which had a see-thru cover) was tighter and sharper in tone, and foretold the future in the almost sampled breaking glass (probably done with a lot of tapes and editing). For some, tIAGH is their best album, a progressive music for the more sophisticated listener, like VdgG and King Crimson. Unfortunately, the recording quality of IAGH was thought problematic, gear (the electronic sort), time, and cost of correcting all limiting how much it could be tidied up. The current reissue had all sorts of clever electronics and AI processing to get the masters back to a workable form, and has then been cleaned up for the high standards of modern audio equipment (if not my ageing ears), so sounds very clear. the Athmos mix will be lovely.
All tracks are present and correct, and my download didn’t have any extras, but I really don’t mind; (though maybe a live recording could have been fun). However, the “Gentle Giant’s” 30-disc “Unburied Treasures” provides plenty of that, given it includes 15 concert recordings, if you can find a copy for less than the Amazon-advertised £3500 (and you think I’m joking). I am sure darker corners of the Internet might also reveal live recordings, not that I would encourage people in such activity. It’s great to have progressive music which stretches the mind without being wet or fantastical, given how over-exposed the really big acts remain. This sounds great, and remains interesting because there is so much going on, without it being the player’s ego, or the sound of late-hippie tropes like the bigger progressive acts were.
What does it all *mean*?
We’ve just had “Prog at the Proms”, which was something of a curate’s egg. I think it’s because there wasn’t enough effort to show the stretching and creative nature of the better end of prog, and GG made unserious serious music. It may not appeal to those who fetisise primitivism, and the preoccupations in they lyrics are psychological rather than “the street”; while you COULD dance to it, I suspect few will, as there are not a lot of 4:4 beats to be had. However, this is still very stimulating and interesting music which really should be more widely appreciated. Interestingly, I know some 20 to30 year old kids (not my own) passing through various music colleges who spontaneously seem to have discovered GG, and see it in the same spirit as jazzers “Snarky Puppy”. Maybe the times are coming around to complexity again.
Goes well with…
Tea, Wegovy, modavigil, stretching, and pelvic floor exercises.
Release Date:
out now, pop-pickers
Might suit people who like…
King Crimson, Van der Graaf Generator, Henry Cow, Canterbury-style bands, Frank Zappa, Snarky Puppy, Steven Wilson.
The track “Way of Life” might be just about danceable, of course!
Splendid review, Big V. And actually it is my favourite Giant album (sometimes tied with Power and The Glory). I will, of course, be buying this. Huzzah!
That’s very kind, thank you!
Great review! Thanks. As a latecomer (by 50 years) to Gentle Giant, I shall investigate. By the way, Derek Shulman’s autobiography (“Giant Steps: My improbable journey from stage lights to executive heights”) is fascinating. As the title indicates, it sheds light on his long career both before and after GG. His post-GG career certainly proceeded in a highly unexpected way.
Be aware that, despite the release date of July 31st, the single CD version is currently showing as out-of-stock at Burning Shed. If you want the CD+BluRay edition it’s still in stock at the time of writing. Hopefully the single CD will soon become available again.
Probs available to stream (and maybe even the Atmos) from 31st
Now streaming but not the Atmos.
I did see, however, that the Ken Scott Atmos mix of Ziggy Stardust has just appeared on Tidal. Only listened to Five Years so far but it sounds really good.
BACK IN STOCK at Burning Shed this morning. My copy already secured. Be swift, they say, number limited.