GENTLE GIANT was arguably one of the most eccentric of British prog bands in the 1970s. While the band’s name suggested that, regardless of the band’s somewhat intimidating stature, they would not be threatening, for many, they surely were. Hence, they never really rose above their cult status. Their legacy remained, though, and you can hear the massive influence they had on the music of HAKEN, for example. In 1975, the band was signed to the pedigree prog record label, Chrysalis, and their first studio album for the label, “Free Hand,” their seventh overall, is a good entry point to their craft as it is one of their most accessible albums – dense as usual, but also melodic and achingly beautiful. The album enjoyed some success in the UK, but it still did not manage to break the band into the mainstream in the wake of PINK FLOYD, GENESIS, and YES. Rolling Stone magazine rated the album the best GENTLE GIANT endeavor, so if I were to recommend only one album by these eclectic Brits, it would be this one; in 2021, the album was reissued, remixed by Steven Wilson, so you might as well get that edition – it is the version I revisited while writing this anniversary review.
Speaking of which, while listening to the opening track, “Just the Same,” Wilson‘s ear-candy mix sounded so deliciously Hi-Fi that for a moment I thought I was listening to something way more contemporary – like THE TANGENT‘s recent endeavors. The music bears more than subtle similarities – jazzy twists and turns, and that vintage STEELY DAN feel. Of course, GENTLE GIANT takes things to further extremes with unorthodox time-signature changes and wild analog synth licks. Now, listening to the album for the first time in years, I also couldn’t help but marvel at how much vocalist Derek Shulman sounded like Steven Wilson – especially in the following track, “On Reflection.” The song is an intricately polyphonic, Medieval-sounding vocal masterpiece, and those layered vocals instantly trigger flashbacks of some of the most iconic PORCUPINE TREE, HAKEN, and STORM CORROSION songs. I read that the band’s keyboardist Kerry Minnear arranged the song, and this particular track has prompted some prog fans to dub his choral writing the pinnacle of musical genius. It’s difficult to disagree.
The title track, “Free Hand,” rolls out nice GENESIS vibes upfront, but quickly proves substantially more avant-garde than what Peter Gabriel & Co. were at the time. There is something truly enchanting about the song’s clockwork riffs – and Wilson‘s pristine mix makes these interlocking riffs sound even more sublime. Then, if the diabolical groove of these riffs wasn’t reminiscent enough of the signature craft of the contemporary prog juggernaut, THE TANGENT, the next track, “Time to Kill,” surely was. So, while GENTLE GIANT may have remained the unsung heroes of prog in the eyes of the mainstream music aficionados, the true prog connoisseurs seem to have been in the know, for sure. In fact, I was tipped off about the band by a drummer of an underground prog band, back in the day. Drummers usually know what’s what…
Okay, I must admit that the 3-minute Medieval interlude, “Talybont,” is not exactly my cup of tea, but almost all of those obscure prog efforts from the 1970s are prone to feature at least one track of this sort – namely, mindless medieval doodling. Perhaps it was meant to serve as just that – an interlude between two absolute bangers. The thing is, it is sandwiched between the album’s two best tracks, “His Last Voyage” and the closer, “Mobile.” The medieval vibe is not the issue here, since it is quite prominently present in “His Last Voyage,” too. In this banger, it is mixed with almost fusion-tinged jazz mayhem, which might not seem like the winning combo exactly, at face value, but – lo’ and behold! It is. This particular song has the best listening stats of this album on Spotify, so I guess I’m not alone with my opinion. Considering the album’s dramatic flow, I would have placed this song as the closer, but I guess the record labels didn’t give much thought to matters of this sort 50 years ago.
The closer, “Mobile,” is by far less epic. It’s a nice, groovy riffer, but it lacks the sense of drama that is so prominently present in “His Last Voyage.” I’m not exactly where it stems from – the violin licks, perhaps? – but the closer is subtly reminiscent of the endeavors of the Finnish prog group from the same era, WIGWAM, even, here and there. For a longtime fan of these Finns, that’s a nice bonus, of course. Unlike some of their proggy peers, GENTLE GIANT did not indulge in meandering, long-side suites or multi-part suites, but encapsulated their musical genius in 5 or 6 minutes per song. Like someone on Progarchives once said, if you are a prog lover, this album is a must, and if you are new to prog, you should check out this album anyway. ‘Nuff said.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Just the Same
- On Reflection
- Free Hand
- Time to Kill
- His Last Voyage
- Talybont
- Mobile
Lineup
Derek Shulman – vocals, treble recorder, alto saxophone
Gary Green – guitars, descant recorder, vocals
Kerry Minnear – keyboards, glockenspiel, vibes, marimba, timpani, harp, cello
Ray Shulman – bass, violins, vocals
John Weathers – drums, percussion
Label
Chrysalis
