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Rating: Gentle Giant left us with 11 studio albums, which I personally rate as follows:
Gentle Giant (1970)*** Acquiring The Taste (1971)**** Three Friends (1972)***** Octopus (1973) **** In A Glass House (1973)**** The Power And The Glory (1974)**** Free Hand (1975)***** Interview (1976)** The Missing Piece (1977)*** Giant For A Day (1978)** Civilian (1980)**
For those who are not familiar with them and want to approach their splendid music, I recommend trying "Three Friends," or this "Free Hand." They are (relatively) the most immediate of the bunch, apart from the last two, which are quite unrepresentative of the Gentle Giant's style, at the time dealing with a vain attempt to simplify their production for commercial purposes. This trick worked out great for Genesis in the same period, but it didn't work out for them since they weren't cut out for pop. The incredible virtuosity of these musicians can be enjoyed in the astounding rhythmic structures they assign to their instruments (every type of keyboard including vibraphone and xylophone, every type of guitar, and then violin saxophones flutes... as well as bass and drums) and their four voices.
The unparalleled musician of the group is Kerry Minnear, a fellow who surrounds himself with Hammond, piano, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer, vibraphone... and live occasionally a recorder and Stratocaster. Every time he stretches his hands on an instrument, genius things pop out, whether it's one of the thousands of counterpoints with which he embellishes the pieces or a vibraphone solo or a piano passage. And when he starts singing... incredible! He has a voice... medieval! Ancient. Sweet. Not powerful but evocative of other times. In short, 800 years old and the ideal soundtrack to play in the car for a nice tour of castles from Canterbury to Bath up to Edinburgh. When there's a need to shout and rise above the rock momentum, Derek Shulman, one of the two brothers in the group, takes care of it (a third brother left after the fourth album, played wind instruments, and sang... better than all the others!). The other brother, Ray Shulman, is essentially a bassist of infinite personality and inventiveness, the pivot of all the harmonic/rhythmic interlocks that follow one another in their music. He also frequently and willingly deviates, on violin and acoustic guitar, and lends a hand in the choirs. By choirs, it means something very, very far from the well-spread harmonization of the main singing, or from some "response" to the solo voice. Joined by guitarist Gary Green on the fourth voice (and how good he is, too!...), they organize fantastic chorales, with chases up and down the rhythmic divisions of absolute enjoyment.
One of these forms the basis of the second track of this album, "On Reflection." Derek starts soon joined by Ray in counterpoint and then by the other two, for a first minute "a cappella" that feels like being inside Mont Saint Michel. The same score is repeated, enriched by a xylophone played by... drummer John Weathers, who modestly refrains from singing. The polyphonic chases resolve, in a progressive manner, into a lullaby interpreted by Minnear alone, stuff to see the gnomes come out of the fireplace... and for the finale, the same initial polyphonic vocal score is played, but this time instrumentally with piano, guitar, bass, and xylophone. Such is the spacing between the various instruments, the dynamic created by the completely different accents of the executions, the chromatic richness that the ear is blissfully lost... only to be "rescued" by the drums entering in a perfect 4/4, and all the chaos around her is revealed in a perfect, varied but logical rhythmic succession. A delight!
"Just The Same" which opens the album, instead begins with a snapping of fingers, in backbeat on a piano that "detaches" in 6/4. The fingers are replaced, from the other side of the stereo panorama, by a guitar, which takes to "chasing" the piano. Derek Shulman's singing begins in... 7/4! Shifting his accents ever more from those of the rhythm instruments and... we'll see each other on the bridge! Where they promptly regroup all in perfect sync. I say, these things nourish the human brain a lot, and it's clear that it's not music to listen to while doing something else... it's stuff that either you dedicate attention to, or it's better to let go. If you grant it your mind and intellect, Gentle Giant will give you, oh how they will give you!
"Free Hand" the album consists of only seven tracks, ends quickly, but it takes repeated listens to get in tune with it. I therefore recommend putting this music in the stereo, or in the iPod, or in the PC and listening to it in succession several times, with nothing else in between. Good stuff, it's good for you.
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 On Reflection (05:29)
In my way did I use you, do you think I really abused you
On reflection now it doesn't matter:
How can you say I made you need me more than anyone else
Who can say it right now it's finished over:
It's my act, it's my calling, I explained exactly the falling
Different ways of life can never even:
Be the same when you saw me, could you always take me the
same way As I came and went I tried to remember you:
Still you stay
Tied in your way
Changing times
Watching the signs
How:
Could you see in me what you thought about all you want me to be
Now:
On reflection why should have I changed my ways for you
All around all around
Cry my sympathy's with you but I never lied to you all in all
it seems it's just an experience:
Placed my cards on the table told of everything I was able,
Understanding still not anything different:
Find another to lean on, start again for I should have long
gone, on reflection now it's just an experience.
Soon the pain will have ended, together never intended, as I
come and go I'll try to remember you.
Look back it's not your game, together just in name.
I'll remember the good things how can you forget all the years
that we shared in our way:
Things were changing my life, taking your place in my life and
our time drifting away:
All around all around
05 His Last Voyage (06:26)
Rose in early morning, as the light came through,
Searching in the ocean, did what he should do,
Seeking not adventure, just a way of life,
Sky above turned grey, wind cut like a knife.
This was his last voyage, this was his last time.
Pulling up the anchor, letting go the rope,
Age rules over all things, fate rules over hope.
Then as bow was broken, water soon to rise,
For they would have nothing, Nature's trust unwise,
Through his boat and fortune, not for him that day,
If he went to God, for him they would pray,
As the tempest thundered, as the storm broke free,
Suddenly in darkness, fear there none to see,
Visions in his memory, what was meant to be,
When the storm was over, nothing could be seen,
Life and boat were taken, God knows what it means.
Rose in early morning, as the light came through,
Searching in the ocean, did what he should do,
This was his last voyage, this was his last time.
Pulling up the anchor, letting go the rope,
Age rules over all things, fate rules over hope.
07 Mobile (04:47)
1. Yes it's been hard, going a long time
and we're together even now.
Why do you ask? Surely you know it!
Isn't it clear just when and how.
What can we tell you?
At the beginning had no direction,
any other way.
After the fourth one, realisation,
finding our road, the same as if today.
2. Well we all hear, everyone, no-one,
not to not say, we like a lot.
Want to be seen rock and roll music,
Don't take us something that we're not.
True it looks better, tide looks like turning,
so all in all we feel we are alright.
Yes we had troubles, much more than many,
rather have none and do we think what's right.
What are your plans for the future now?
And can you say who does the writing then?
How did you get -- who gave the name of the band?
3. Now that he's gone, turn off our faces,
wait for the new man to arrive.
Soon the same song, sung for the next one,
saying our piece, though not alive.
What can we tell you?
At the beginning had no direction,
any other way.
After the fourth one, realisation,
finding our road, the same as if today.
Repeat of verse 2.
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