"...A Tall Tale..."
Talk
about keeping it in the family – Portsmouth brothers and multi-instrumentalists
Derek, Ray and Phil Shulman teamed up with classically trained guitarist Gary
Green, keyboard whizz Kerry Minnear and drummer Martin Smith in 1970 to form
GENTLE GIANT. Abandoning their Sixties Simon Dupree & The Big Sound pop
sensibilities entirely – they powered full tilt into the emerging sound of the
day – Progressive Rock. Eleven albums later and England's Prog heroes were
still there in 1980 – giving it loads of difficult syncopations and selling
bugger all records.
This
first double-disc reissue of their extensive back-catalogue put out by
England’s reputable Beat Goes On label remasters the South Coast boy’s first
two Prog outings at Vertigo in 1970 and 1971 – home of many'd the eye-catching
gatefold sleeve. Not dissimilar in style to King Crimson and Yes but without
perhaps the same (dare we say it) commerciality – Gentle Giant nonetheless
built a steady and fiercely loyal following - and on the evidence presented
here you can understand why that affection still endures today. Amazing playing
virtuosity - clever classical interludes and layered harmony vocals sat on top
of a trademark guitar sound not unlike Robert Fripp enjoying himself - it's all
here - sounding and looking great too. Here are the tall tales and the bearded
technicalities for their first two steps…
UK
released November 2012 – "Gentle Giant/Acquiring The Taste" by GENTLE
GIANT on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1095 (Barcode 5017261210951) offers their first two
studio albums remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:
Disc
1 "Gentle Giant" (37:05 minutes):
1.
Giant
2.
Funny Ways
3.
Alucard
4.
Isn't It Quiet And Cold
5.
Nothing At All [Side 2] 6. Why Not
7.
The Queen
Tracks
1 to 7 are their debut album "Gentle Giant" - released November 1970
in the UK on Vertigo Records 6360 020 (it was not issued in the USA). Produced
by TONY VISCONTI.
Disc
2 "Acquiring The Taste" (39:07 minutes):
1.
Pantagruel's Nativity
2.
Edge Of Twilight
3.
The House, The Street, The Room
4.
Acquiring The Taste
5.
Wreck [Side 2]
6.
The Moon s Down
7.
Black Cat
8.
Plain Truth
Tracks
1 to 8 are their 2nd studio album "Acquiring The Taste" - released
July 1971 in the UK on Vertigo Records 6360 041 (not issued in the USA).
Produced by TONY VISCONTI.
GENTLE
GIANT was:
DEREK
SHULMAN - Lead and Backing Vocals (some Bass), Alto Sax, Clavichord and Cowbell
RAY
SHULMAN - Bass, Violin, Electric Violin, Viola, Spanish Guitar, 12-String
Guitar, Organ Bass Pedals, Skulls, Tambourine Percussion and Backing Vocals
PHIL
SHULMAN - Alto and Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Clarinet, Recorder, Piano, Claves,
Maracas, Lead and Backing Vocals
KERRY
MINNEAR - Electric Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Vibraphone, Moog, Piano, Celeste,
Clavichord, Harpsichord, Tympani, Maracas, Bass, Cello, Lead and Backing Vocals
and Tuned Percussion
GARY
GREEN - Lead Guitar, 6 and 12-String Guitar, Wah-Wah Guitar, Donkey's Jawbone,
Cat Calls and Vocals
MARTIN
SMITH - Drums, Gongs,Tambourine and Percussion
Guests:
CLAIRE
DENIZ - Cello on "Isn't It Quiet And Cold" on the "Gentle
Giant" LP
PAUL
COSH - Tenor Horn on "Giant" and played Trumpet and Organ on the
"Acquiring The Taste" LP
TONY
VISCONTI - Recorder, Bass Drum and Triangle on the "Acquiring The
Taste" LP
The
outer card slipcase gives the release a classy feel (now generic with all BGO
releases) while the 16-page booklet is packed with original details (the Tony
Visconti 'A Tale Tale' liner notes that graced the inner gatefold of the debut
LP) and properly in-depth assessments of the albums and the band by noted
writer DAVID WELLS (done in 2012). The final few pages give you the lyrics to
both records - all of it centred by a black and white photo of the original
six-piece band. ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the new Remasters at Sound
Performance in London and while the 1st LP is undoubtedly hissy in places -
both records are full of presence and power - the second album "Acquiring The
Taste" in particular shining like a new sixpence (there were mastering
issues on the first run of these CDs but I've experienced none of that in
2016).
Defiant
in their musical vision - you're struck at first by their playing - Gentle
Giant was an accomplished band right from the off with musical adventure and
boundary-breaking forcably built into their DNA. The debut album is ragged
around the edges for sure – but it’s mighty in scope and daring. A doomy church
organ hisses in for "Giant" and you're in ELP territory before Derek
Shulman comes roaring in the vocals like the younger brother of Roger Chapman
from Family. Things get really interesting with "Funny Ways" - a
fantastic amalgam of beautiful cello, acoustic guitar, electric wah-wah and
even a lone brass instrument all combining into a delicate choral rock track -
Phil Shulman's lead vocal softer and more suited to the song. "Alucard"
(Dracula spelt backwards and a label name used for GG reissues) is proper Prog
- huge synth chords - phased vocals - brass jabs and lyrics about 'terror fills
my soul' - nice. Side 2 opens with the Emily Bronte Baroque of "Isn't It
Quiet And Cold" - whimsy vocals dancing daintily above a violin,
harpsichord, cello and timpani plinking. Hardly surprising that the nine-minute
"Nothing At All" was chosen as the representative track of the album
on the 2005 Vertigo 3CD Box Set "Time Machine" (see separate review)
- it's stunning - beautiful - surprising and the playing/arrangements are so
damn accomplished like Yes meets Jethro Tull by way of Family (the Bass and
that ever-present Acoustic Guitar
are
particularly sweet and clear on the remaster). The guitar Prog of "Why
Not" is superb too but the mock 'God Save' "The Queen" tests
your patience a tad.
If
the first album was an announcement and more-than-promising start - the largely
improvised 2nd album delivered on that Prog entree. Like "Nothing At
All" from the 1st LP - "Pantagruel's Nativity" was chosen as the
representative of "Acquiring The Taste" for the "Time Machine"
Vertigo Box Set - another near seven minutes of wickedly good mellotron and
guitar. Inspired by the French Author Francois Rabelius and his tale of
jousting giants 'Gargantua and Pantagruel' - it has fabulous audio especially
on this chunky guitars and layered vocals. You're then thrown by the sheer
prettiness of "Edge Of Twlight" as sounds flit from speaker to
speaker - a pretty Prog ditty as I say but with menace provided by big kettle
drums and phased voices. "The House The Street The Room" feels like
Family meets Genesis somewhere between 1968's "Music In A Doll's
House" and 1970's "Nursery Cryme". The short synth pavane of
"Acquiring The Taste" precedes "Wreck" which has an almost
catchy Uriah Heap chorus of 'hey yeah'. But for me the album is sealed by the
final three - "The Moon Is Down", "Black Cat" and
"Plain Truth" - all of which display more clever breaks than you can
shake a stick at. At seven and half-minutes and opening with some wicked
wah-wah guitar not unlike Hendrix having a doodle on his Strat - the longest of
the three "Plain Truth" is very cool Prog indeed and leaves you
impressed by an unsung hero of an LP (fans consider ATT a gem).
In
the liner notes for "Acquiring The Taste" - GENTLE GIANT collectively
stated that their music should be '...unique, adventurous and fascinating...'
even '...at the risk of being very unpopular...' Job done boys...
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