Gentle Giant

Artist: Gentle Giant
Label: Repertoire
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 4009910103524
ASIN: B0002LU9U8

Release Date: 2004-07-21

Gentle Giant

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Tracks:

Giant
Funny Ways
Alucard
Isn't It Quiet and Cold?
Nothing at All
Why Not?
Queen

Similar Items:

Acquiring the Taste
Octopus
Free Hand
Three Friends
The Power and the Glory

Album Details

Their 1970 Debut Album Produced by Tony Visconti.

Customer Reviews:

Not essential, but still good!.......2007-04-08

Unfortunately, this album is brought down by several weak spots. The drum solo in "Nothing at All" is unnecessary and pointless, "The Queen" is down-right lame, and "Alucard" never really goes anywhere. And am I the only person who thinks that Derek's voice sounds bad on this album? It's fine on "Acquiring The Taste" and other albums, but here it sounds wimpy and ugly.

Well, now that I've explained this album's flaws, I'll note its strengths.
"Funny Ways" is a remarkable ballad with interesting vocals and a great instrumental section. "Giant" prefigures "Acquiring the Taste". It has an intriguing organ part and the verses are cool. "Why Not?", "Nothing at All", and "Isn't it Quiet and Cold" are (the way I see it) average tracks that could've been much better.

There are 2 excellent tracks on this album (Giant and Funny Ways), 2 good ones (Why Not? and Nothing At All), 1 average one (Isn't it Quiet and Cold?), and 2 mediocre ones (Alucard and The Queen). 3 1/2 stars.

As a side note, what's the strange keyboard riff that appears throught the album about? It first appears at the beginning of "Alucard", then at the beginning and end of "Isn't it Quiet and Cold", and finally, at the end of the album. It doesn't pertain to a specific song, it just haunts the whole album. Hmmmm.................

BETTER SOUND, BUT INFERIOR MINI-SLEEVE.......2006-03-10

This is the best audio version available.

However, Repertoire blew it on the LP mini-sleeve. It is a pale & washed out comparison to the sleeve released by the Japanese in 2000.

I've loaded comaprison images above, neither of which has been color-manipulated.

A Giant step forward for this rock band.......2006-01-14

Quite a departure from Simon Dupree and The Big Sound "Gentle Giant" (the band's first album)is presented here in a miniature replica of the original cardboard fold out sleeve and includes a duplicate of the inside as well. We also get a mini-poster with lyrics and credits. Although not their finest album ("Octopus", "Three Friends","Freehand" and "In a Glass House" would remain their four best) this is a terrific debut.

Featuring Derek and Phil Shulman(Phil would leave the band after "Octopus") handling most of the lead vocals (with Kerry Minner on one pivotal track) this remastered edition sounds marvelous and is a huge step up from the previously issued version on Polygram/Vertigo. "Giant" opens up with a one two punch of cascading organ and Derek's lead vocal. "Funny Ways" opens with a cello and has an elegant melody carried by cello, violin, acoustic guitar and percussion.The odd "Alcuard" (Dracula backwards) features a prominent moog sythesizer played in unison with sax and organ with a spooky middle eight and hypnotic vocals about a visit from the vampire king. "Isn't It Quiet and Cold" has a melody that McCartney might have written during mid-period Beatles albums such as "Sgt. Pepper" and "Magical Mystery Tour" with a jaunty melody and vocal. "Nothing At All" has features guitarist Gary Green at the forefront with his acoustic guitar work and memorable four part harmonies. "Why Not" takes off with drums, organ, electric guitar and bass dominating this rocker. Derek's lead vocals are at the top of the mix. It made me realize how much he sounds like Steve Winwood. We close out with "God Save the Queen" played only as "Gentle Giant" could.

A terrific album that sounds better. Roy Thomas Baker's engineering and Tony Visconti's nice production touches come through with crystal clarity. Evidently there was damage to the original mastertape as there's a note about a "restoration" here. It even features the original UK "Vertigo" label on the Cd itself. Highly recommended.

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