Van Der Graff Gentle Giant Camel

HarbouringTheSoul wrote: Honestly, I seem to be the only one who has always found Gentle Giant very accessible.

I thought I was the only one

HarbouringTheSoul wrote: Honestly, I seem to be the only one who has always found Gentle Giant very accessible.

What are you so confused about? You really think the weird vocals on and the sound of tape rolling at the end of "Valedictory" is something a girlfriend of a fellow progger could put up with?

Yeah, I would go for Free Hand as the one that mixes accessibility and complexity the best. Honestly, I seem to be the only one who has always found Gentle Giant very accessible. 

As a matter of fact, I'm just getting into this bands. The one I know better so far is Camel, and have been listening to Van Der Graff Generator for the last week or two. About Gentle Giant, I have only heard the live album "Playing the Fool" once. As far as I have heard, I really like Camel a lot, but it seems mainly the original line-up period (plus "A Live Album"). As for VdGG, I was trying to choose what to buy to check them out, but they had so many high ratings that I chouldn't choose the "best 2 or 3 albums", so I ended up buying all from "The least we can do..." up to "Still Life". Now, I did my first listening at house with my wife, all the album one after another, and at first I was a bit nervous that I might have made a big waste of money and that I might have found a band that was too much for me (and the fact that my wife kept on complaining about me buying such horrible music didn't help at all). However, I've been listening to them more and I have found many songs I am really digging a lot; I still think some songs are a bit too much for me, but others I am really loving and just want to listen to them again and again. As for the one Gentle Giant album I got, I didn't like it so much, but only heard it once, so I hope I can make more sense out of it later on. I might ask for help here about which albums I should try after Playing the Fool. So far, I don't dare to vote. And indeed, I only called this bands 2nd tier because that's the way I have seen them refered to here, but I don't think they below Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, etc in any way. I was also thinking about including Renaissance on this poll, which I also love a lot, but I haven't seen such a cult praise for that band in the site, so I thought this 3 bands are the real "close followers" to the 1st tier bands.

Dayvenkirq wrote: Since, in all due honesty, I haven't charted all of VdGG's classic prog territory, what is their most melodic record? And I don't mean a lot of noodling, but melodies that are actually mesmerizing ... or catchy at the very least?

You have chosen the wrong band for that. VdGG are rarely if ever catchy. Some of their melodies are indeed brilliant, but they unfold over a long period of time. That said, I would start with Godbluff, but beware: The first track is arguably the least memorable track melody-wise.

Dayvenkirq wrote: ^ These thoughts belong to a different thread.

Okay, sorry to Dellinger for the diversion into related avenues.  You should become a moderator, I hear there's an opening. ;)

Guldbamsen wrote: No vote from me. These acts are far too different from one another for me to choose. That wouldn't be a problem, if I only loved one of them, but I happen to love all three for entirely different reasons. I prefer Van Damme in the evening, Camel in the mornings and Gentle Giant for dancing.

I take issue with VdGG being called "second rate".  In my opinion they're the best proggers in the land!

^ And RPI for romantic dinner with the wife. 

^ These thoughts belong to a different thread. 

Edited by Dayvenkirq - November 01 2012 at 14:47