GENTLE GIANT – Gentle Giant (1970-2009) RM | SHM-CD | Series : Do It Rock | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Astonishingly daring debut album, not as focused or overpowering as King Crimson's first but still crashing down barriers and steamrolling expectations. The mix of medieval harmonies and electric rock got stronger on subsequent albums, but the music here is still pretty jarring. Kerry Minnear was probably the only prog rock keyboard player of the era who allowed his synthesizers to sound like themselves and not mimic orchestras; Gary Green's guitars are alternately loud and brittle or soft and lyrical, and always surprising; and the presence of saxes and trumpets (courtesy of Phil Shulman) was unusual in any rock band of the era -- all of which explains how Gentle Giant managed to attract a cult following but hadn't a prayer of moving up from that level of recognition. "Funny Ways" was the softest prog rock song this side of Crimson's "I Talk to the Wind," but a lot of the rest is pretty intense in volume and tempo changes. "Nothing at All" by itself is worth the price of purchase. Bruce Eder  

Tracklist  :
1 Giant 6:24
Horns [Tenor Hornist] – Paul Cosh
2 Funny Ways 4:23
3 Alucard 6:01
4 Isn't It Quiet And Cold? 3:53
Cello – Claire Deniz
5 Nothing At All 9:08
6 Why Not? 5:31
7 The Queen 1:40
Credits
Bass [Most], Violin, Guitar [Some], Percussion, Backing Vocals – Ray Shulman
Cover [Cover Artiste Extraordinaire] – George Underwood
Drums, Percussion – Martin Smith
Keyboards, Bass [Some], Cello, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion [Tuned] – Kerry Minnear
Lead Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar – Gary Green
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Bass [Some] – Derek Shulman
Saxophone, Trumpet, Recorder, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Phil Shulman

GENTLE GIANT – Acquiring The Taste (1971-2009) RM | Mini LP | SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The band's second album is a major advance on its first, featuring superior singing, playing, and songwriting, as well as a more unified sound, without sacrificing the element of surprise in the first record. Many of the melodies and even the riffs here (check out Gary Green's first guitar flourish on "Pantagruel's Nativity") have a pretty high haunt count, and all of the musicianship displays an elegance seldom heard even in progressive circles -- but the record also, amazingly enough, rocks really hard as well. Elements of hard rock and Gregorian chants mix freely and, amazingly enough, well throughout this album. Bruce Eder
Tracklist
1 Pantagruel's Nativity 6:50
2 Edge Of Twilight 3:47
3 The House, The Street, The Room 6:01
4 Acquiring The Taste 1:36
5 Wreck 4:36
6 The Moon Is Down 4:45
7 Black Cat 3:51
8 Plain Truth 7:36
Credits
Bass – Gary Green, Ray Shulman
Cello – Kerry Minnear
Clarinet – Phil Shulman
Drums – Martin Smith
Guitar – Gary Green, Ray Shulman
Keyboards – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Paul Cosh, Phil Shulman
Percussion – Tony Visconti
Saxophone – Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman
Trumpet – Paul Cosh, Phil Shulman
Vibraphone – Kerry Minnear
Viola – Ray Shulman
Violin – Ray Shulman
Vocals – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman
Written-By – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman

GENTLE GIANT - Three Friends (1972-2009) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Gentle Giant's third album (and their first self-produced effort, Tony Visconti having run the sessions on the two previous records) was another advance, this time in the direction of a harder rock sound -- everything sounds turned up here, especially the guitars, the bass, and the electronic keyboards. Three Friends hardly sacrificed any of the group's progressive intentions, however, and there are some softer moments here, such as the playful, sprightly first half of "Schooldays"; the harmonies and arrangements still had a distinctly medieval feel, and the melodies, though a little harder to discern here (which made them even more appealing when they did become obvious), were quite engaging. This is supposed to be a concept album, about the relationship between three friends across a lifetime, and the original notes and lyrics have been reprinted, but none of that is necessary in order to enjoy the songs here. by Bruce Eder
Tracklist

1 Prologue 6:14
2 Schooldays 7:37
3 Working All Day 5:12
4 Peel The Paint 7:31
5 Mister Class And Quality? 3:23
6 Three Friends 5:26
Credits
Bass, Violin, Guitar [12 String], Vocals – Ray Shulman
Design [Sleeve Design] – Rick Breach
Drums – Malcolm Mortimore
Guitar, Percussion – Gary Green
Keyboards, Vibraphone, Percussion, Synthesizer [Moog], Vocals – Kerry Minnear
Saxophone [Saxes], Vocals – Philip Shulman
Vocals – Derek Shulman
Voice [Boy's Voice] – Calvin Shulman (tracks: 2)
Written-By – Shulman, Minnear, Shulman, Shulman

GENTLE GIANT - Octopus (1972-2009) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Returning to Gentle Giant's fourth album after any kind of lengthy absence, it's astonishing just how little Octopus has dated. Often written off at the time as a pale reflection of the truly gargantuan steps being taken by the likes of Jethro Tull and Barclay James Harvest, the band's closest relatives in the tangled skein of period prog, Gentle Giant often seemed more notable for its album art than its music. Octopus, however, marries the two seamlessly, with the cover speaking for itself, of course. And the mood continues within, the deliciously convoluted opening "The Advent of Panurge" itself riding waves of sonic tentacles as Gary Green's guitar shrieks short but so effective bursts around the thundering bass and, occasionally, churchy organ. Against the pulsating volume of the album's heavier tracks -- "Panurge" is joined by "A Cry for Everyone" -- the band's excursions into less excitable territory are never less than captivating. Twiddly though they are, the sometimes a cappella "Knots," the lilting "Dog's Life," and the Yes-with-fiddles-ish "Raconteur Troubadour" all have moments of sublime sweetness, while the instrumental "The Boys in the Band" is a succession of quirky showcases for, indeed, all the boys. Occasionally arrangements do get overly cluttered -- with each of the six bandmembers doubling up on at least three different instruments, there's a distinct sense of overdubs for overdubbing's sake. Follow the key instruments alone, however, and the soundscapes not only make perfect sense, but so do the flourishes and intrusions that rattle around. And the end result is an album that has withstood the test of time a lot better than anyone might have expected  by Dave Thompson  

Tracklist:

1 - The Advent Of Panurge

2 - Raconteur, Troubadour

3 - A Cry For Everyone

4 - Knots

5 - The Boys In The Band

6 - Dog's Life

7 - Think Of Me With Kindness

8 - River

Gentle Giant is:

Gary Green - (Electric guitars, maracas),

Kerry Minnear - (Piano, Hammond, Minimoog, electric piano, Mellotron, Clavinet, harpsichord, regal, vibraphone, tambourine, cello, lead vocals and backing vocals),

Derek Shulman - (Lead vocals, alto saxophone),

Phil Shulman - (Trumpet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, mellophone,

lead vocals and backing vocals),

Ray Shulman - (Bass, violin, viola, electric violin, acoustic guitar, tambourine, backing vocals),

John Weathers - (Drums, bongos, varispeed cymbal, xylophone)

GENTLE GIANT - In a Glass House (1973-2005) 35th Anniversary Edition / WV (image+.cue), lossless

Gentle Giant was reduced to a quintet on In a Glass House with the departure of elder brother Phil Shulman, but its sound is unchanged, and the group may actually be tighter without the presence of his saxophones. The time signatures are still really strange, and the tempo changes are sometimes jarring, as is the wide range of dynamics, but this is also one of the group's most pleasing records -- they rock out in various places, and elsewhere perform all kinds of little experiments with percussion instruments ("An Inmate's Lullaby"), or create a strange, otherworldly sort of modern medieval-style music ("Way of Life"). None of it except possibly "A Reunion" is light listening, but the challenge does yield some rewarding sounds. by Bruce Eder

Tracklist:
1 The Runaway 7:15
2 An Inmates Lullaby 4:40
3 Way Of Life 7:53
4 Experience 7:50
5 A Reunion 2:11
6 In A Glass House 8:27
Bonus
7 The Runaway / Experience (Live In Dusseldorf 23rd September 1976) 10:01
8 In A Glass House (Münster 5th April 1974) 9:49
Credits:
Bass, Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Ray Shulman
Drums, Percussion – John Weathers
Guitar [6 & 12 String], Mandolin, Percussion, Recorder [Alto] – Gary Green
Keyboards, Percussion [Tuned], Recorder, Vocals – Kerry Minnear
Vocals, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Recorder – Derek Shulman
Written-By – Shulman, Minnear, Shulman

GENTLE GIANT - Free Hand (1975-2005) 35th Anniversary Edition / WV (image+.cue), lossless

Free Hand is perhaps Gentle Giant's most realized effort. After the excellent In a Glass House, the group further developed its Renaissance-medieval approach, producing one of the most creative and complex recordings in progressive rock history. Their vocal approach to the four-part fugue "On Reflection" was revolutionary for its time and is looked upon as one of the genre's defining moments. Despite the complexity of the arrangements, the music never sounds academic and in fact is very accessible thanks to several melodic hooks. The combination of superb musicianship, dry wit, and creative compositions make this an essential and historical recording . by Robert Taylor 


Tracklist:
1 Just The Same 5:33
2 On Reflection 5:43
3 Free Hand 6:13
4 Time To Kill 5:08
5 His Last Voyage 6:27
6 Talybont 2:43
7 Mobile 5:00
bonus
8     Just the Same
Credits:
Performer – Derek Shulman, Gary Green, John Weathers, Kerry Minnear, Ray Shulman