FREE HAND

I've enjoyed most of the 1970s albums by Yes, Genesis and Jethro Tull for a long time, but last night I listened closely to FREE HAND, probably for the first time ever, and it made me wonder if Gentle Giant were not, perhaps, more sophisticated than any of the aforementioned. The ONLY early prog bands which truly match GG in ensemble playing, are Frank Zappa's band circa 1974, and the early 1980s incarnation of King Crimson, with its intricate gamelan-style melodies. I simply gasped with astonishment when I heard the fugue GG pull off in 'On Reflection'. This is so much more than the textbook fugue Keith Emerson inserted into 'The Endless Enigma'; it's an original piece of music that's vibrantly alive!

For Gentle Giant there were no experiments with pompous church organ-like sounds which some listeners may find of questionable taste (as performed by Tony Banks on FOXTROT or by Rick Wakeman on GOING FOR THE ONE). This band has nothing solemn about it; it really ROCKS, and lead singer Derek Shulman bears a lot of responsibility for that - he must be one of the most dynamic prog vocalists around. Shulman is also capable of moving the listener: the sweet melancholy of 'His Last Voyage' proves that it makes no sense to call prog music 'sterile'.

So, hats off to Gentle Giant! On the 1998 remaster, FREE HAND is coupled with INTERVIEW, which was originally released just seven months later. Although a lesser album, INTERVIEW is worth hearing, so the FREE HAND/INTERVIEW combi looks like a first- rate bargain.