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Topic ClosedGentle Giant. Where to start?
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Saperlipopette! View Drop Down
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Points: 10045 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Gentle Giant. Where to start?
    Posted: June 10 2014 at 16:03
Originally posted by libertycaps libertycaps wrote:

...is only about my fourth favorite but its still a perfect introduction. 

1. Acquiring The Taste (GG's defining album imo. Perfect)
2. Three Friends 
3. Debut
4. Octopus
5. In A Glass House
6. Interview
7. Power and the Glory
8. Free Hand (I still give it a 7 out of 10 though)

Generally I find more beauty in their early works while the also great 1973-1976 albums feels a little colder (so I listen to them less).
  
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Points: 142 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 10 2014 at 15:00
Originally posted by Dr. Occulator Dr. Occulator wrote:

IMO there is only one place to start and that's at the beginning. Believe me it's all worth it.
 
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Points: 72 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 08 2014 at 15:44


Edited by libertycaps - June 08 2014 at 15:49
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Points: 2111 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2014 at 10:47
I say start with Three Friends. This is probably my favorite GG album. I used to enjoy a good bit of their music. I own all of those Allucard remasters, and they do sound great no question about it, but I've kind of grown rather intolerant of much their music. I remember enjoying In A Glass House in addition to Three Friends. Octopus, although an undisputed fan favorite, has worn out it's welcome with me and it doesn't do much for me anymore. I think a lot of problems with GG is they try to cram so much into just 5-7 minutes and a lot of times it just doesn't work for me. Their 'polystylism' seems to lack a certain cohesiveness that I get from Genesis, Yes, or even King Crimson. But, at the end of the day, all of our ears are different. But I still have a fondness for the afore mentioned albums.
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Points: 312 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2014 at 10:43
I would start with "Acquiring The Taste"....then "Octopus"...then "Free Hand".  You can then fill in the cracks as I've found the others in between to be transitional albums which are still incredible, but I find the aforementioned to be the "established" GG sound.

Later albums from Interview to Civilian are a mixed bag, but I'm a superfan and like them all. Smile 
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Points: 14256 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 13 2014 at 09:11
Ah... the Giant. well as long as you do NOT start with Giant for a day you should be safe. I personally believe the best of the best is a mix of Free Hand, In a Glass House, or Three Friends with a smattering of Power and the Glory. The live album is a treasure too! Playing The Fool may be the best album they have released!
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Points: 2446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2014 at 18:30
I'd say Power and the glory, Three friends, Freehand, In a glass house and Civilian are my fave 5.
All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.
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Points: 20468 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2014 at 09:10
Originally posted by 2dogs 2dogs wrote:

I've started with the first one and quite liked it, have now got to Acquiring the Taste. I like this one more, particularly the complexity and having a number of contrasting things to listen to simultaneously.
After all these years....the first two are still my favorites.
IMO the complexity of the later work didn't always mean better songs and albums.
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Points: 705 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2014 at 00:50
I've started with the first one and quite liked it, have now got to Acquiring the Taste. I like this one more, particularly the complexity and having a number of contrasting things to listen to simultaneously.
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Points: 3145 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2014 at 16:04
Originally posted by Dr. Occulator Dr. Occulator wrote:

IMO there is only one place to start and that's at the beginning. Believe me it's all worth it.


The only place to start in my opinion
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Points: 10970 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2014 at 03:08
^ Feel free to continue on here: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=43
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Points: 1 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2014 at 02:43
I started with the first album(s/t)and just went chronically until "Free Hand"(1975). I didn't really enjoyed their later stuff. But my favorite GG album is probably "In A Glass House". (BTW my first post here, Cheers!).
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Points: 1759 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2014 at 14:25
Power And The Glory is the only one I really like to be honest, and I listened to their debut, Octopus, and In A Glass House, but never got into it. The Power And The Glory is the essence of Gentle Giant for me - I'd say start there Smile
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Points: 20468 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2014 at 09:58
I see that 'libertycaps'  started with Glass House....well., it has the highest rating here at PA so I suppose that's as good as place as any though it's interesting that the band themselves weren't as fond of that one....at least from what I read once.
I have always liked the first two the best...the later ones are certainly more sophisticated but for me not as accessible and not as melodic at times.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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Points: 26161 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2014 at 02:39
Originally posted by libertycaps libertycaps wrote:

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?PID=8093863&style=MUSIC
Just checked. It's the Alucard remaster! Phew.
I'll prolly get Octopus next if sufficiently moved to do so. 

yep thats it

BTW Edge Of Twilight has all of Octopus bar one track Dog's Life which is considered one of GG's weakest tracks. I did splash out on the most recent Alucard remaster which comes in a replica gatefold sleeve and includes a bonus track 'Excerpts From Octopus' of them playing live. I think it was worth it for that.
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Points: 72 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2014 at 01:23
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?PID=8093863&style=MUSIC
Just checked. It's the Alucard remaster! Phew.
I'll prolly get Octopus next if sufficiently moved to do so. 
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Points: 4160 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2014 at 17:42
The Power and the Glory is the one I think summarizes their sound best. In A Glass House is a bit more varied and also great. Acquiring The Taste still remains my favorite. I don't really like Octopus at all :O nor Free Hand that much. Also the debut is nice. 

A band whose softer medieval like passage are usually much better than their sometimes cheesy hard rock songs...
There be dragons
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Points: 14169 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2014 at 17:36
The Power and the Glory, Acquiring the Taste, Octopus, and Three Friends, in that order
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Points: 166178 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2014 at 17:13
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:


Originally posted by libertycaps libertycaps wrote:

Right. Sorry about that. Anyway, after sampling tracks on youtube i decided to start with In a Glass House.

If you do get that album on CD make sure you get the 2009 Alucard release as remastered from the original master tapes. The earlier 35th Anniversary release was botched and has horrible sound and way too much hiss.


This may explain way I was never terribly keen on this album. I fear a rebuy is in order.
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Points: 9 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2014 at 05:15
I started with 'Live-Playing The Fool' and it did me no harm

But yeah, starting at the beginning would be a great journey!
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