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* The paradigmatic progressive rock band. They captured almost everything that was great about the 1970s progressive rock movement and ignored most of the unfortunate pretensions. Starting with their fourth [[Octopus]] album in 1973, the band churned out a bunch of flawless albums. All are highly recommended. | * The paradigmatic progressive rock band. They captured almost everything that was great about the 1970s progressive rock movement and ignored most of the unfortunate pretensions. Starting with their fourth [[Octopus]] album in 1973, the band churned out a bunch of flawless albums. All are highly recommended. | ||
* Actually I'd recommend just about anything these guys do, and we can't forget the classics (albeit hard to get into) [[Gentle Giant (album)|Gentle Giant]] (with the monstrous "[[Why Not?]]"), [[Acquiring The Taste]] (with the highly innovative "[[Pantagruel's Nativity]]"), and [[Three Friends]] (which gets my vote for the best side of GG ever - side 2). | * Actually I'd recommend just about anything these guys do, and we can't forget the classics (albeit hard to get into) [[Gentle Giant (album)|Gentle Giant]] (with the monstrous "[[Why Not?]]"), [[Acquiring The Taste]] (with the highly innovative "[[Pantagruel's Nativity]]"), and [[Three Friends]] (which gets my vote for the best side of GG ever - side 2). | ||
* Most people do not like Gentle Giant at first listen. They definately take some getting used to, but once you get used to them they are great. A good album to start with is [[Three Friends]] simply because it is their album that is most like what the other progressive groups of the day were doing. From their I would go on [to] [[ | * Most people do not like Gentle Giant at first listen. They definately take some getting used to, but once you get used to them they are great. A good album to start with is [[Three Friends]] simply because it is their album that is most like what the other progressive groups of the day were doing. From their I would go on [to] [[Octopus]] and [[Free Hand]]. | ||
* I found GG to be a very difficult band to get into. While a lot of prog rock can take 2 or 3 listens to fully appreciate, Gentle Giant took me many more. Most people I talk to who like GG didn't care much for them at first listen. I started with [[The Power and the Glory]], and most of that has grown on me, but there are still one or two tracks that I find tough to listen to. I also have [[Three Friends]], which isn't as good as [[The Power and the Glory]], and [[Octopus]], which has some good stuff and one very good instrumental. Generally speaking, the music is excellent; it's the vocals that can be irritating. The vocal melodies are often the same as the instrumental bits, and the layered harmony vocal thing is just overdone. I prefer vocals with more of a bite to them, like Fish's or Roger Waters'. | * I found GG to be a very difficult band to get into. While a lot of prog rock can take 2 or 3 listens to fully appreciate, Gentle Giant took me many more. Most people I talk to who like GG didn't care much for them at first listen. I started with [[The Power and the Glory]], and most of that has grown on me, but there are still one or two tracks that I find tough to listen to. I also have [[Three Friends]], which isn't as good as [[The Power and the Glory]], and [[Octopus]], which has some good stuff and one very good instrumental. Generally speaking, the music is excellent; it's the vocals that can be irritating. The vocal melodies are often the same as the instrumental bits, and the layered harmony vocal thing is just overdone. I prefer vocals with more of a bite to them, like Fish's or Roger Waters'. | ||
* [[Acquiring the Taste]] is the hardest album to start with but I think its their best. [[Octopus]] and [[Power and Glory]] are ok, but not as great as everyone says. This is quintessential prog rock. [[Free Hand]] is also good. | * [[Acquiring the Taste]] is the hardest album to start with but I think its their best. [[Octopus]] and [[Power and Glory]] are ok, but not as great as everyone says. This is quintessential prog rock. [[Free Hand]] is also good. | ||
* Outstanding group...I like the live CD [[Playing the Fool]] best, for some reason I like the live versions of their songs better than the studio versions, maybe they were more musically mature in developing their sound when this live album was recorded. Studio albums are hard to get into, I have [[Octopus]], [[Free Hand]], and [[Three Friends]]. Music is really complex, each member of the groups seems to be able to play 10 different instruments. They do lots of different styles of music...an essential progressive rock band. | * Outstanding group...I like the live CD [[Playing the Fool]] best, for some reason I like the live versions of their songs better than the studio versions, maybe they were more musically mature in developing their sound when this live album was recorded. Studio albums are hard to get into, I have [[Octopus]], [[Free Hand]], and [[Three Friends]]. Music is really complex, each member of the groups seems to be able to play 10 different instruments. They do lots of different styles of music...an essential progressive rock band. | ||
* Gentle Giant are awesome, but you have to have a PHD in music to understand what they're doing. The music is so stunningly complex that it's sometimes difficult to absorb, After listening to albums like [[Octopus]] and [[Power and the Glory]] 50 times or more, I still hear something new each time that was different from the last time. Multi-part vocal harmonies galore. The best place to start would be with one of their more accessible albums, maybe [[Three Friends]] or [[In a Glass House]]. | * Gentle Giant are awesome, but you have to have a PHD in music to understand what they're doing. The music is so stunningly complex that it's sometimes difficult to absorb, After listening to albums like [[Octopus]] and [[The Power and the Glory]] 50 times or more, I still hear something new each time that was different from the last time. Multi-part vocal harmonies galore. The best place to start would be with one of their more accessible albums, maybe [[Three Friends]] or [[In a Glass House]]. | ||
* Brilliant 5 piece. Medieval Rock. Unique. Virtuoso musicianship. | * Brilliant 5 piece. Medieval Rock. Unique. Virtuoso musicianship. | ||
* It's not a coincidence that these guys are among the most frequently mentioned bands on alt.music.progressive - they're GR-R-R-REAT! (to quote Tony the Tiger). What's most often alluded to, I think, is the amazing vocal harmonies they pull off. Vocally, they've learned a thing or two from Yes, although GG's voices are far more ... down-to-earth, shall we say. Not gruff or raspy, just a far cry from Anderson/Squire's airy-fairy, upper-registers-of-the-male-range act. And the instrumentation is wonderfully quirky, all sorts of neat things thrown in to keep the listener busy. I have three GG albums, which I recommend heartily and with roughly equal weight: [[Gentle Giant (album)|Gentle Giant]], [[Acquiring the Taste]], and the incredible live album [[Playing the Fool]]. | * It's not a coincidence that these guys are among the most frequently mentioned bands on alt.music.progressive - they're GR-R-R-REAT! (to quote Tony the Tiger). What's most often alluded to, I think, is the amazing vocal harmonies they pull off. Vocally, they've learned a thing or two from Yes, although GG's voices are far more ... down-to-earth, shall we say. Not gruff or raspy, just a far cry from Anderson/Squire's airy-fairy, upper-registers-of-the-male-range act. And the instrumentation is wonderfully quirky, all sorts of neat things thrown in to keep the listener busy. I have three GG albums, which I recommend heartily and with roughly equal weight: [[Gentle Giant (album)|Gentle Giant]], [[Acquiring the Taste]], and the incredible live album [[Playing the Fool]]. | ||