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Track 1 - 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including Mirrors)

Wow, what a punch in the face this opening track is! Even today, 55 years later, it packs a wallop! I can only imagine how people reacted in 1969. (I was alive but still in diapers when it came out, and wasn't really aware of it until the mid-to-late 80s). I believe that I actually heard April Wine's cover of it first (outstanding, if you've never heard it), and In the Wake of Poseidon was the first KC album I ever owned. Enough background, play the song! OK, here we go?

After nearly 30 seconds of odd sound effects, that opening riff comes at you like a ton of bricks! Then Greg Lake's vocals come in with the ominous effect on the voice before we have another round of the intro riff, and a second verse. After one more repeat of the opening riff, the band is literally revving up for what comes next, with an accelerando of a three note pattern. Then bang! At around the 2 minute mark, we have an aural onslaught like nothing most listeners at the time had ever heard before. Chaotic sounding, yet precision playing. Michael Giles drumming is underrated, as he and Greg Lake on the bass hold it all together. The band is playing a fast jazzy riff. Robert Fripp's manic guitar playing takes over at around 2:45 with a sustained, somewhat dissonant guitar solo. Following Fripp's solo, woodwind man/multi-instrumentalist, Ian MacDonald, blows a free jazz solo, while Fripp degenerates into feedback. Giles & Lake subtly bring the band back together at around 4:15 with a descending bass line. At 4:24 the jazzy riff comes back. If you think it's been an insane ride up to this point, "you ain't heard nothin' yet!" At 4:38, they, on a dime, launch into some of the most impossibly precise complicated musical phrases ever recorded. I have to admit, that even though I have had a transcription of it before, I never had the patience to try to get it down. To call this expert level playing is an understatement. Fripp and MacDonald are in complete unison with each other while Lake & Giles are spot-on accurate on the rhythm (Lake is playing root notes of the phrases). I have heard this countless times and am still blown away by it. They have dynamic level shifts and staccato segments. The playing is simply stunning, even though the section is under a minute long, it is unforgettable. Then at around 5:20 Giles plays a tasty drum fill that brings the band back to the jazzy riff that began at around 2 minutes. Lake is walking all over his bass like a madman. At around 5:45, they play a repeating phrase that'll almost make you think the record is stuck for a brief moment which brings them back to the opening riff. Lake sings another verse, and the riff comes back one final time, before they return to the 3 note accelerando from earlier, but this time play it until it loses control. They have a false ending then have one last bit of chaos before the song ends. I need to catch my breath.

Track 2 - I Talk to the Wind

Apparently the band needed to catch their breath as well, as the next song falls into the "and now for something completely different" category. As mentioned, I don't know this one as well, but I do know it is a quieter, more peaceful song. It begins with overdubbed, high-pitched, harmony flute lines from Ian MacDonald, with subtle accompaniment from the others. Lake, with harmony vocals from MacDonald enters at around 13 seconds. This one seems to be a bit of poetic lyricism from an official band-member Pete Sinfield. He is credited with providing "lyrics and illumination" (gotta love the 60s!). Here are the lyrics from the first verse and chorus:

Said the straight man to the late man

Where have you been?

I've been here and I've been there

And I've been in between

I talk to the wind

My words are all carried away

I talk to the wind

The wind does not hear

The wind cannot hear

It reminds me a bit of Christina Rosetti's famous poem "Who Has Seen the Wind?" This song is very mellow and relaxed, especially following the onslaught of 21st Century Schizoid Man. MacDonald takes a flute solo beginning at 2:53, followed by a mellow guitar solo from Fripp. Lake's vocals are smooth and soothing, and MacDonald does a nice job on the harmonies. After a false ending, MacDonald plays another flute solo. Giles plays nice drum fills throughout, despite the mellowness of the song. This one immediately segues into?

Track 3 - Epitaph

This one has two sections as follows:

- a. March for No Reason

- b. Tomorrow and Tomorrow

While this one is also a slow track, it is quite different from its predecessor. A dramatic timpani roll sets the stage and ominous minor key mellotron orchestration comes in (played by Fripp). This one, to my ears, takes inspiration, at least in sound and mood, from the Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin. After a dramatic introduction, lake begins singing, almost inaudibly at around 40 second in, and the accompaniment is very subtle, with primarily bass & drums until around 1:09, when the dynamic level increases a notch and Fripp strums a big acoustic guitar chord. Subtle mellotron creeps back in, and then they hit the chorus and play a syncopated chord on the second beat of each measure. The rhythm becomes steadier at around 2 minutes while lake repeats the phrase "I fear tomorrow I'll be crying," three times. Fripp takes a short, mellow guitar before the next verse begins at around 2:30. Things begin to change at around 3:45 with a big mellotron crescendo that leads to an acoustic guitar led instrumental section. MacDonald has several wind instruments overdubbed, while the band plays a pattern where there is a subtle downbeat on the 1st beat of each 4-4 measure, then a drum accent on the 2nd beat, and an acoustic strum on the third beat that sustains. To me the effect is like cannons being fired. Mellotron chords, Lake's bass, and MacDonald's aforementioned instrumentation round out the sound. A drum fill at 5:15 brings the rhythm back to being steady and the next verse is sung. Lake's singing is wonderfully expressive. The 1-2-3? rhythm pattern returns in the accompaniment. "I fear tomorrow I'll be crying?" is repeated numerous times as the vocals fade out and the instrumentation continues in an orchestral manner before fading out a minute or so later. An epically dramatic song to round-out side one.

Track 4 - Moonchild

This one also has two sections as follows.

- a. The Dream

- b. The Illusion

This is the other track that I don't know very well from this album, even though it is the longest one, at a little over 12 minutes in length. It begins in a bit of a mournful tone to my ears. Lake begins singing after a brief introduction. He has an effect on his voice again. I like how Giles plays cymbals that match the rhythm of his singing. Fripp plays subtle, jazzy guitar chords, as well as feedback sounds. Following 2 verses, at around 2:30 quiet, sustained notes pause the rhythmic motion of the song, setting up for something to happen. What, I don't know, or at least I don't remember. Apparently, the opening 2 and a half minutes are, part A-The Dream, while the remaining 11 and a half minutes are a free form instrumental composition by the band (Part B- The Illusion). They are certainly in no hurry to get anywhere. Giles joins the quiet music at around 4:30 with some soft random drum fills. I think there is a bit of John Cage influence here, as it seems to be random "chance" music (whatever happens, happens). MacDonald eventually joins in with random vibraphone tinkling. Thus far (8:30) the song is still very quiet, despite the random musical phrases from the band. I have not noticed Lake's bass in this improv. It seems to be mainly Fripp, MacDonald & Giles. This one is not so much my "cup of tea." (I understand now why I have forgotten all about this track.) I like more solid arrangements, which we get in abundance on the next track.

Track 5 - The Court of the Crimson King

This one also has two sections as follows:

- a. The Return of the Fire Witch

- b. The Dance of the Puppets

While I love 21st Century Schizoid Man, and enjoy Epitaph, I think this is my favorite track from this album. Curiously, both Prog Archives and Wikipedia list the song as being 9:22, while iTunes says it's 10:02. Not sure why the player says it's 40 seconds longer; we shall see.

I love the intro of this one, a simple drum lead-in ushers in big mellotron sounds with a steady rhythm section underneath it. It is a very stately and majestic melody, indeed. However at 30 seconds in, everything drops out and Lake begins singing, with arpeggiated acoustic guitar accompaniment. Bass and flute join on the third phrase and the music crescendos until the title line "for the Court of the Crimson King!" is sung and the introduction theme returns in all of its glory. (all of this is in the first minute of the song. Another verse follows, this time with Giles playing snare rolls and drum fills. The intro theme returns again. But at around 2:20, four sharply strummed acoustic guitar chords take us into an instrumental section, with Giles' cymbal work, Lake's bass, and staccato organ chords providing motion while variations on the theme play over the top. A drum fill at 2:50 harkens the return of the main theme. Another verse follows at 3:20, this time, a harpsichord enters the mix. Another recapitulation of the main theme returns, this time followed by a quieter flute solo section. Fripp joins in with some mellow guitar bits, Giles tinkles the ride-cymbals, while Lake implies the chord changes in the bass notes. (I feel like I'm back in music-theory classes in college and analyzing a classical piece.) I love how Giles matches MacDonald's flute trill at the end of the segment (5:20). I am also finding this to have an almost rondo form as the "A section?the main theme?keeps returning. However, after the flute feature, it does not. After a brief transition, we have a variation on the verse, THEN the theme returns. This time it repeats a few extra times, building up to a big finish of part A of the song?The Return of the Fire Witch. As the closing chord of that part fades out, Giles returns to his beloved ride-cymbals and taps out a few notes, softly. At around 7:20, mellotron flutes begin to play a variation of the main theme from part A, that reminds me of the intro to The Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever. This is the start of The Dance of the Puppets portion of the song, part-B. I can almost see dancing marionettes here. But at the 8 minute mark, the main theme returns in a big way. There are variations in instrumentation, but the song ends in a big crescendo at 9:23, according to the time on my iTunes player. Now what about those extra 39 seconds?let's see. It initially seems like there is nothing but silence, but then at about 9:41 there are sounds. Very low pitched. It seems like instrumental sounds, possibly in reverse, yet, almost like a lion grunting, but not quite roaring. According to Wikipedia, it's this?

After the end of The Court of the Crimson King, there is a hidden track run from 9:41 to 10:00 on some pressings.

Well, there we go. Perhaps someone can shed some more light on it for me.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Well, once again King Crimson makes me have to split my rankings. I love tracks 1, 3, and 5. If the whole album was up to that level, it'd be an easy 5 out of 5 stars for me. But no?Track 2 is just kind of OK for me; I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. However, after the first 2.5 minutes of track 4, Moonchild, I could do without the rest of it. I'm sure someone will tell me they think it's the best bit on the album, and if they do, then good for them. It's just filler for me. So, on the strength of the odd-numbered tracks, and the OK-ness of track 2, I'll only deduct a half a star, and call it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. That puts it on par with Discipline, and just below Red at 4.75 stars. (I gave Larks' Tongues in Aspic a fair-to-middling 3.5 stars, and Lizard, only 2.5, to sum up the KC albums that made the list.) I know that's sacrilege for some, as many consider this album to be the holy grail of prog albums, but that one is up next for me ;)

Clicking 4, but really 4.5!!

From the opening vocal counterpoints of the jazzy and voluble "The Advent of Panurge" full of instrumental twists and turns, or Ray Shulman's violins in the medieval "Raconteur Troubadour" that recreates the wanderings of a period troubadour in first person, or the aggressiveness of Gary Green's riffs in the hard-rocker "A Cry for Everyone", or also the experimentation of the Crimsonian "Knot" with that game of choral layers interacting with dysfunctional sonorities and a surprising mini xylophone solo by John Wheaters, "Octopus" is the climax of a proposal as innovative as risky, something that the band always bet on, moving away from any conventionalism.

And the plurality of elements and nuances does not stop flowing in "Octopus", with the very progressive and instrumental "The Boys in the Band" and Kerry Minnear's choppy display of hammonds and moogs, with the fun and folkloric "Dog's Life" and Ray's violins and arpeggiated guitars, also with the beautiful and emotive "Think of Me with Kindness" guided by Minnear's cozy vocals and keyboards, and concludes with "River", an electronic foray that Green complements with an excellent bluesy guitar solo, in one of the best moments of the polychromatic album.

"Octopus" is one more jewel of Gentle Giant, to which, as it happened throughout the career of the British, the commercial success did not smile, but it did help the consolidation of the progressive genre in its most eclectic variant.

4/4.5 stars

Track 1 - Red

We begin with the title track. This one kicks right off with some heavy riffage! The trio is really rockin' on this one. This album is often described as KCs heaviest. I can see why based on this track. Things change a bit at around 2:45. There is an uncredited cellist on this part of the track. They kick back into the original groove around 3:50. This is just a great heavy-prog instrumental. I like it!

Track 2 - Fallen Angel

This one begins with some unusual sounds that fade in. I think there are backwards recorded sounds. Wetton sings for the first time, thereafter, and we are in a moderate 4-4. This is very melodic. Then at around 1:50 we get a bit heavier. There are various horn parts under a heavy riff. Big fat bass at 3:10 as a new riff begins, Bruford plays some great drum fills throughout. Another strong track.

Track 3 - One More Red Nightmare

This is probably the track I know best. I love the riff and Bruford's drum fills are fantastic! I love Wetton's vocals as well. There are actual handclaps in the verses. At around 1:50 we move into odd-metered prog-heaven. Fripp has some great layered guitar parts. There is a bit of sax filling out the sound, but not super prominent. The main riff returns at around 4:00. Another verse follows. At around 5 minutes, Fripp plays an arpeggiated guitar pattern, and Wetton plays melodic basslines. There is a sax solo in this section played by former KC man Ian McDonald. GREAT TRACK! One of my favorite KC tunes.

Track 4 - Providence

This one fades in slowly with mellow sounds including violin, but then there is a bit of low-pitched feedback. Upon checking, this is a live improv piece that included David Cross before he was fired from the band. This reminds me of the more experimental, random stuff found on Larks Tongues in Aspic. This is the one that is going to lower my rating. They finally start getting into a groove at around 6 minutes in. Some nice playing in this part, especially from Bruford & Wetton. Fripp is just randomly noodling and getting feedback. This album was shaping up to be really great until this track. Not my cup of tea.

Track 5 - Starless

Obviously, this was originally intended for the previous album Starless & Bible Black, but it wasn't quite ready then. The title was shortened to Starless, due to the fact there is a Title track on the previous album, even though Wetton sings "Starless & Bible Black," in THIS song. This one reminds me of "Epitaph" from In the Court of the Crimson King at the beginning. Loads of mellotron, and a slow plodding tempo. At 4:25, an instrumental section begins with an odd-metered bass riff. Frip joins in with syncopated guitar bits. There are some horn parts, and Bruford comes in with some percussion. Wetton's bass tone is fierce on this album. They lock into a groove just before the 7-minute mark. The riff gets heavier as it goes along with Fripp playing sinister lead parts. Lots of great drumming and percussion from Bill. A new riff takes over around 8:45. Just after 9 minutes, we have a wild, fast tempo instrumental section with sax featured. They mellow it back down at around 10 minutes, then it gets a bit Jazz- fusiony. The mellotron returns a bit after 11 minutes, and the develop a big finish! Great prog!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

If it weren't for "Providence" this could be a candidate for my favorite KC album. Thankfully that one even came together towards the end of it. They are really rockin' some heavy prog here. I'll give it 4.75 out of 5 stars. Would have been a 5 were it not for Providence.

Clicking 5, but really 4.75, 4 is too low.

Track 1 - Lemmings (Including COG)

We fade in with a pulsing rhythm along with various sounds including a trilling flute. Hammill begins singing at around 20 seconds. Drums kick in after the first verse and we keep building in dramatic intensity. At around 50 seconds, the feel changes and a riff begins to play on the horns. As always Hammill and company are very intense and dramatic. At around 2 minutes things calm down briefly with a clam organ chord, but we dive right back in. We calm down again after the 3-minute mark. There is a sax melody at around 4:20, that turns into an Avant-garde type of solo. Things quiet down again before the 5-minute mark. Then there is an explosion of indeterminate noises. This one really reminds me of early KC. It is very "free form" at around 7 minutes. They come back together at around 7:30. I like David Jackson's horn parts at around 8 minutes. I also like the peaceful section at around the 10-minute mark. As the song reaches conclusion there are some ambient sounds. It has its moments, but this has not been the most enjoyable VDGG track to my ears.

Track 2 - Man-Erg

This one begins with some piano chords and Hammill joins in on vocals. This one has a more traditional ballad feel to it. So far (one minute in) it is reminding me of the song Refugees from the band's second album. There is still lots of song left, so let's see if it remains so. I like the drum fill that happens at around 1:40. I like when Hammill does this half-sung/half-spoken thing. Beautiful organ happens at 2:45. Then, however, things do indeed shift away from a ballad format. By 3 minutes they begin rocking out. Distorted organ and interesting vocal effects are going on here. By 4:35 an electric piano takes over with a moderate drumbeat behind it. Organ comes back, however, as Hammill begins singing again. There is a mellow instrumental part, primarily featuring saxophone. The intensity increases again after the 7-minute mark. By 7:40 though we go back to the ballad feel. Things are feeling grand and majestic at around 9:15. The heavy organ riff returns and then we work our way toward the big finish. I like it better than Lemmings, but still not going to be one of my all-time favorites.

Track 3 - A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers

This is a 10-part suite (or medley) as follows:

a. "Eyewitness" ? 2:25

b. "Pictures/Lighthouse" (music: Banton, Jackson) ? 3:10

c. "Eyewitness" ? 0:54

d. "S.H.M." ? 1:57

e. "Presence of the Night" ? 3:51

f. "Kosmos Tours" (music: Evans; lyrics: Hammill) ? 1:17

g. "(Custard's) Last Stand" ? 2:48

h. "The Clot Thickens" (music: Hammill, Banton, Evans, Jackson; lyrics: Hammill) ? 2:51

i. "Land's End (Sineline)" (music: Jackson; lyrics: Hammill) ? 2:01

j. "We Go Now" (music: Jackson, Banton) ? 1:51"

(Above copied from the Wikipedia page)

We begin with electric piano at a slow tempo, quickly joined by Hammill's vocals. He goes into a falsetto shortly afterward. Then returns to a normal register. By 2:40 things quiet down with sounds that suggest the ocean. The song is literally about a lighthouse keeper who witnesses disasters at sea and the depression it causes, so that makes sense. There is some foreboding music at around 4:40 on the organ. At around 5:30 a 6-8 rhythm returns. Hammill certainly has a unique vocal style; I'll give him that. I like the horn parts at around 7:45, though perhaps I should refer to them as "porn harts" as David Jackson jokingly called them as he was about to record some of them. The joke led to the name of the album. There is a quieter section around the 10-minute point dropping to nearly nothing by 10:35 before it starts to build back up. By 11 minutes Hammill is in full vocal hysterics. I am enjoying the chaotic middle instrumental section that begins around 11:30. By 13 minutes it has gotten a bit much- Perhaps the lighthouse keeper is going insane? The ensuing lyrics seem to indicate such: "The maelstrom of my memory is a vampire, and it feeds on me/ now, staggering madly, over the brink I fall." Things go suddenly quiet after that dramatic line. Then piano and organ begin playing more calm chords. Nice arranging at around 14 minutes. Hammill's vocals are nice at around 15 minutes. It's very dramatic (again) after the 16-minute point. The music and vocals that follow sound like a deranged circus band. I do believe this is the music of someone going insane. Suddenly the cacophony comes to a close at around 19:10 and piano chords begin. Hammill begins singing again. Nice harmonies around 21:00. The ending section is building a dramatic crescendo to close the song. I actually like it more than the side one songs, but it can get a bit much at times for me.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I don't know that VDGG will ever be one of my favorite bands. I do enjoy some of it, but other times it's just not for me. They are very talented, and Peter Hammill is a singular creative force. However, they get a little too atonal and free form for me sometimes. That said, I'll give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars, as I do think there is a lot to enjoy in APOLHK.

Clicking 3, but really 3.5!

Track 1 - Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 1

We begin with some Kalimba and gradually some tingling bell sounds join in. This is an extremely slow buildup .At around 3 minutes in, guitar & David Cross' violin or viola (not sure which) joins in with some rhythm. A big heavy riff begins at 3:40, but only briefly. After some more strings, the riff returns. Then after some wild Fripp leadwork, they get into a funky groove with Fripp's wild playing over the top at around 5:00. Bruford and Muir go crazy on drums & percussion while Wetton goes wild on wah-wah bass. Quite a bit of a cacophony which settles down at around 7:45 with a mellow violin part. At times it is so quiet that it is almost inaudible. Rhythm begins to build at around 11:45 and very gradually increases in volume. By 12:30 there is the peak of the crescendo. There are some sounds that sound like someone has the TV news on or something, but I don't know what is being said. Wetton has a bit of a bass feature which gives way to arpeggiated guitar. The song fades out with some high-pitched bells. It was an interesting ride, to be sure. Personally, I'd have liked more to have been made out of the big riff near the beginning. But what do I know, this album is considered to be a classic more than half a century later.

Track 2 - Book of Saturday

Mellow jazzy guitar chords are joined by Wetton's vocals and a subtle bass line. A reverse guitar solo comes next, followed by violin. Wetton sings another verse thereafter with violin.

A short mellow piece with nice vocals from Wetton.

Track 3 - Exiles

This one fades in with sounds I can't quite identify. There are lots of sound effects, including some that sound like seagulls. By 1:55 there is a melody with a light rhythm section, acoustic guitar & a violin solo. Wetton begins singing at around 2:25. Cymbal rolls lead to Cross' string instruments. The melody returns at around 3:25. Fripp adds a guitar solo after the 6-minute mark. Things sound like they are fading but then there is a crescendo near the ending.

Track 4 - Easy Money

A syncopated distorted guitar part with a steady, almost march-tempo beat underneath begins this one. Nonsense vocaleases in harmony join in. There is a nearly a Capella verse with minimal guitar accompaniment, and a bit of percussion. The phrase "Easy Money" is accented and followed by odd percussion bits. The second verse has a bit more accompaniment. An instrumental section follows. Fripp improvises a solo over the rhythm section, with some various percussion. The harmony vocals return around 6:30, then Wetton delivers another verse with more intense instrumentation. A maniacal laugh closes things out.

Track 5 - The Talking Drum

We begin with wind sound effects. There is a sound that sounds like a passing horn of some kind. Soft bongo (or similar) drums sound like a galloping horse. As we pass the 2-minute mark a rhythm begins to fade in on bass & drums. Cross comes in on viola (I believe) at around 3 minutes. By 4:30 Fripp is playing sustained parts along with Cross. Things gradually get louder as we go. I believe a fuzz bass has entered the picture as well. At some point I believe Cross switched to Violin. Screeching noises close the track out.

Track 6 - Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part 2

This is my favorite track on the album, by far. Nice tight playing. There is an opening set of riffs followed by the main theme. The intro part returns around 2 minutes and Wetton plays a monster bass fill. At around 2:45 the main theme returns, but quieter, then begins a gradual buildup. By around 3:30, some crazier sounds join in, but then Fripp establishes a new riff for Cross to solo over. The main theme returns at around 4:45. Cool drumming is featured around 5:30. At around 6 minutes the band hits a big chord and holds it for about 30 seconds. Everything seems to fade out with around 30 seconds remaining.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

With the exception of track 6, this album just never clicks with me. I know many KC fans rank it as one of their finest, but it just isn't what I'm looking for. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. I'll give it a 3.5 overall, but it'd be much lower without track 6.

Clicking 3, but really 3.5.

Track 1 - Pantagruel's Nativity

We begin with a melancholy melody on a synth. High pitched vocals join in at a moderate tempo accompanied in a subtle way by the band. A mellotron chord begins to crescendo on the left speaker and the band plays a few accented phrases. The melody takes back over with flute and trumpets joining in. The accented phrases return to take us to a different section of the song, which becomes very quiet, before the band led by distorted guitar takes over. GG's choral singing style comes into play next. Then we have a horn section break before a vibraphone solo begins. A guitar solo follows that. The guitar riff from earlier leads us to the next verse with the polyphonic choral singing. The riff returns, with a trumpet featured. Then we have another verse, similar to the beginning. The guitar riff concludes the track. It was pretty good but a bit disjointed to me.

Track 2 - Edge of Twilight

Once again, it begins a bit melancholy with dissonant chords backing the vocals. On the second verse there is a reverse recorded sound that pans across the speakers. This is a very mellow track, thus far. There are vocals underneath an upright bass and tom-tom bed. Next there are some kind of fantasy, arpeggiated sounds. Following that, the drums and percussion takes over in a sort of 20th century classical music sort of way. The next verse returns with the reverse recorded sounds. This is not my favorite GG song that I have heard, It was even more disjointed than the first one.

Track 3 - The House, The Street, The Room

I have heard this one before, but not enough to really remember it. We start with a riff that sounds like a cross between Hang on Sloopy and Hall of the Mountain King. Vocals join then the dynamic level comes down, and we have a bit of harpsichord. Then the riff returns, and we cycle through in a similar way. At just under 2 minutes, we have an instrumental break, started with piano in a classical style, before multitudes of different instruments take turns joining in. Then suddenly at 2:40, we have a Hendrix-y style unaccompanied guitar solo, but it is only very briefly unaccompanied, the band joins in with some prominent Hammond organ and some unusual percussive sound while the guitar solo continues. The underlying rhythm is in odd meters. The initial riff returns after the solo, and we cycle through the earlier sections. We end with the random instruments from the 2-minute point of the song. This has been my favorite track so far. Lots of GG quirkiness, but it holds together better as a song than the first 2 tracks for me.

Track 4 - Acquiring the Taste

Another case of the shortest track on the album (1:37) being the title track. Different synth sounds are being layered in a melodic way as a brief instrumental interlude.

Track 5 - Wreck

Very cool riff! First played by clean guitar and bass, joined by a big fat synth sound and drums. Now we're talking! The riff backs the vocals which are very much in a call & response style. The harmony parts in the response remind me of 3 Dog Night's version of Liar. Then we have a quieter section with classical instruments accompanying the vocal. I REALLY like this one! The band fades out for a recorder ensemble with harpsichord. Very renaissance (not the band but the time period). The band and vocals return. This would be a great crowd participation song. Did any of my old school GG fans see them back in the 70s? Did they do this one live? I hope so. This one is now my favorite track on the album so far, and one of the best GG tracks I have heard.

Track 6 - The Moon is Down

We begin with strings and woodwinds. A lot of this album has a very "20th Century Classical Music" style. The band's voices join in and the rhythm section and harpsichord (again!) joins in. Lots of little "incidental" sounds. The tempo increases into a 5-4 riff. A horn section joins in. There is a very captivating instrumental break. The tempo slows back down, and the vocals return. Good track.

Track 7 - Black Cat

We begin in 7-4 here. There are signature layered GG vocals. Violins and strings take over for a moment, to be followed by quirkiness. The vibra-slap is used prominently. This is almost like a less-intense King Crimson track. Kinda cool.

Track 8 - Plain Truth

The longest track at 7:36. We start with what I initially thought was a wah-wah guitar, but then changed my mind to think it's a violin. The riff reminds me at times of the March to The Scaffold from Pictures at an Exhibition. Then, everything changes, as one might expect in prog! At 45 seconds in, the band kicks in full-on with vocals. Lots of changing meters. A variation of the riffage begins at 1:45 and we have an instrumental break. The band comes back in following that with a cycle of the sections that preceded the instrumental break. Things quiet back down at around 3:30. Nice bass playing at around 4:40. I believe again that this is an electric violin taking the lead. I like how the band is gradually building in intensity. Yep, definitely violin. I believe Charlie Daniels may have been inspired by the way that solo ended, as it sounds like the Devil's violin solo in the Devil went Down to Georgia. At 6:30 the band drops out and the violin takes over again. There is a big riff to close this one out.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Wow, great prog again from Gentle Giant! Unfortunately, the first 2 tracks weren't the best. Thankfully things started getting better with the third track. I'll give this a 4 out of 5. Might have been a bit higher if it weren't for the first two songs.

Track 1 - The Advent of Panurge

We begin with quintessential GG style vocals backed by electric piano and mellow guitar. A quirky riff begins around 50 seconds in. A cool odd-metered rhythm sets up the next verse. I love the slightly jazzy feel. At around 3:40 we get more of those polyphonic vocal parts. Then a tricky instrumental break. After another short vocal section, the song abruptly ends. Lots of cool stuff happens in this track, but it never really "Gels" together into a memorable song. Good but not great.

Track 2 - Raconteur, Troubadour

Vocals & instruments begin together without an intro. A violin creates a countermelody to the vocals. I like the rhythm change following the first verse. Then after the second verse there is a break similar to the first one, then an almost classical melody follows that. Nice! GG definitely have their own "thing" happening. They don't always lock into a groove in the same way other bands do.

Track 3 - A Cry for Everyone

I say that about the groove, and then this one starts out with a steady rockin' beat! This one rocks harder than the previous two. I love the instrumental break at around 1:15. I like the panning of the instruments in the various instrumental breaks. LOVE the groove after 2:30! This one is shaping up to be my favorite track, so far.

Track 4 - Knots

The most familiar track to me, not just from the album, but from GG in general. It starts with the canon-style polyphonic vocals. Xylophones and other tuned percussion along with piano provide accents underneath the vocals, with the full band interjecting from time to time. THOSE VOCAL PARTS! Love it. To me, this is the definitive GG track!

Track 5 - The Boys in the Band

We start with a giggle and a coin being dropped onto a table, before we get a fantastic prog riff from the full band! This one's cookin'! If someone asked, "What does prog rock sound like?", this would be a good track to play for an answer. The groove shifts by around 3:00. This is a wonderful prog-rock instrumental! Great track!

Track 6 - Dog's Life

A classical style guitar riff starts us off here, followed by vocals with an "orchestrated" accompaniment. It gets quirkier and we go along. The vocal and the guitar part alternate throughout. Nice quirky track.

Track 7 - Think of Me with Kindness

A mellow piano and vocal ballad style starts this off. Drums & bass join in after the first verse. Hammond organ and a trombone style synth solo follow, before going back to the song. I like how this one builds. This one reminds me of Procol Harum. Good track.

Track 8 - River

Pretty cool intro with wah-wah guitar and violin playing together with accents from the band. I like the "swooshing wind" effect! Quirky rhythms throughout. I like the instrumental break at around 3:10. Then we get a slightly bluesy guitar solo. I like when the vocals double the guitar. Lots of cool playing going on here. Good track.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

An excellent album indeed. I especially like tracks 3, 4, and 5. The first two tracks are probably the weakest ones to me. Neither are bad, but they don't really hook me in. I'm giving this a 4 out of 5 stars. Very strong album, but not quite to the level of my all-time favorites.

Track 1 - Elephant Talk

Tony Levin's unique sounding "Stick" starts us off here. After an opening bit, the rhythm becomes downright funky (Funky Bill Bruford?). Belew's vocals remind me of David Byrne on the Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime." (Belew, of course, worked with the Talking Heads prior to this.) Is that Fripp creating the elephant sound with his guitar & effects? No shortage of unique sounds on this track.

Track 2 - Frame by Frame

This one begins with a catchy, almost radio-friendly, guitar hook. (Fripp? surely not!) There is a quick rhythm underneath it all. Then we move into 7-8 and sustained vocals. Love the rhythms! I really like this track!

Track 3 - Matte Kudasai

The translation of the Japanese title is "Please Wait." This one almost has a similar feel to Fleetwood Mac's Albatross, or even Sleepwalk by Santo & Johnny. Belew's vocals are wonderful. A very mellow track. Nice slide guitar.

Track 4 - Indiscipline

Crazy rhythms are the name of the game here. This one is based on a letter from Belew's then-wife, about a painting she had made. Do you repeat yourself when under stress? The whole thing is wonderfully weird. I LIKE IT!

Track 5 - Thela Hun Ginjeet

The title is an anagram for "Heat in the Jungle." Odd-metered guitar parts start us off. Bruford and Levin are the glue that hold it together. The vocals are kind of a chant at the beginning. Apparently, the talking on the recording is from a tape Fripp made of Belew giving an account of a walk he took in Notting Hill Gate in London, where he was first harassed by a street gang, then the police. Cool music underneath it all.

Track 6 - The Sheltering Sky

As this begins, I recognize having heard it before. African-style percussion and a rhythm guitar pattern establish the groove for Fripp's highly-effected guitar sounds to play over (or is it a guitar-synth?). A very mellow track.

Track 7 - Discipline

Odd rhythms start us out. The guitar interplay between Fripp & Belew is just wonderful. Of course, Bruford & Levin may be one of the greatest rhythm-sections of all time. The guitar parts are very complex, yet not inaccessible to listen to. Excellent track.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Very different in sound from 60s-70s KC, but not in spirit. I really enjoyed that album. Fripp, of course, is always the central figure in any KC lineup. I just recently read an interview with Bruford where he said something to the effect of, you can play pretty much anything you like in KC, so long as Fripp likes it. This may be a good way to introduce the uninitiated into the World of KC, and then go back. Excellent album 4.5 out of 5 stars (I am saving my 5s).

Track 1 - The Undercover Man

Flute with delays and stereo panning starts us off. A high-hat & tambourine establishes the rhythm, and a subtle organ joins the flute. Hammill, as I mentioned in the review of "Still Life" always sounds more German than English to me in his singing style. He is in a low register at the start of this song. In the second verse, the instrumentation begins to build, and Hammill goes to a higher register. The drumbeat becomes more steady as we reach the bridge. There is a slow climb of intensity as the song progresses. At around 3:30 things come back down and there is what sounds like timpani roll behind the voice. There is a short instrumental section, then the vocals return, and become more intense. (Intense is a word I often use when discussing VDGG.) We close with a sustained organ chord, but then there are a few subtle electric piano chords, which lead us into?

Track 2 - Scorched Earth

We carry over from the previous track, but things build up fairly quickly. Hammill's vocals are as urgent as ever. Lots of odd meters in this one. The instrumentation thins briefly before building to a bit of a cacophony around 3:20. An instrumental section follows, with lots of rhythmic twists & turns. A huge crescendo happens around 4:40 before a very complex scalar type of run. The meter turns to a steady rocking 4-4 at around 6 minutes. Every time I think it gets as intense as it can, it gets moreso! Tempos and dynamic levels keep increasing. Things back off around 8:30 but then build again. A bit of guitar feedback closes us out. Wow, what a ride!

Track 3 - Arrow

A drumbeat fades in with some additional sounds, Bass guitar joins in and a rhythm is established. Free blowin' jazzy sax joins in, then wild keyboard sounds follow. Things settle down for a moment and a new musical theme is established. The rhythm slightly reminds me of the opening guitar chords on the theme from MASH. Then Hammill's intense vocals join in. There is nothing easy going about Mr. Peter Hamill when it comes to his singing! Of course, Jackson, Banton & Evans' instrumental contributions cannot be discounted (as well as Hammill's guitar and keyboard playing). A powerful minor key instrumental section closes out the song with a major chord (known as a Picardy third for my music theory inclined friends). Another heart pumping, exciting, musical track.

Track 4 - The Sleepwalkers

A nice proggy odd meter intro ushers in the vocals. Instead of more cowbell, we get woodblock as a turnaround between verses. The woodwind parts are more "composed" sounding and less improvised on this song. Even when Hammill sings quietly it is still "intense" (lol). Then we get a bit of a drunk-merry-go-round part! The rhythm changes so frequently it's sometimes hard to find the downbeat, but I believe it's intentional as the band is very tight. At around 4:35, we get an organ-led dreamy/floaty feel. The rhythm gets rock-steady at around 5 minutes for an instrumental segment. A sax solo takes over at around 6:40. The sound is very full and rich, as Hamill scream-sings over the top of it all. VDGG music is always theatrical in its approach. Swirling-panning sounds bring us into the fade out.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I would never recommend VDGG as chill-out get ready for bed music. I'm not always great at interpreting lyrics on a first listen, as I am a more music-oriented listener than a lyric listener, so I'm not always sure what Pete is going on about, but he always sings it with conviction. I have been moderately familiar with VDGG's sound for a while, but this & Still Life are the first two VDGG albums I've listened to start-to-finish. They are not for the faint of heart. The album may only be about 36 minutes long (not including bonus tracks), but that's all they need to take you on a powerful journey. I'm putting VDGG close to King Crimson on the prog-style spectrum, but not quite as gymnastic musically. They really carve out their own niche. I'm giving this a 4 out of 5 stars, as it is quite good, but not something I could listen to frequently.

Track 1 - Just the Same

A finger snapping syncopated rhythm starts us off and then piano followed by guitar takes over. The full band comes in with vocals in an odd meter. It's kinda catchy. At a little after the 2-minute mark we have a slower, smoother instrumental break. We get a bit funkier at about 3 and a half minutes in. The vocals return in a similar vein as they had been at the start. The finger snaps return to close the song. Not bad, not the greatest either.

Track 2 - On Reflection

Here is what I think of when I think of Gentle Giant! The a capella vocals arrangements in canon style and complex harmonies. The piano joins the second time around and marimba, I think. At just under 2 minutes, the choir-like vocals give way to a bass then a vocal solo with other instruments joining. At about 2:45 the harmonies return briefly before another solo vocal chorus. We are in 6-8 on this one. At 4:00 we get different harmony vocals and instrumentation, then an instrumental break in canon style that closes out the song. Excellent prog.

Track 3 - Free Hand

A complex piano riff is joined by other instruments with odd harmonies. Then we have a guitar riff setting up the main groove for the first verse. Lots of twiddly instrumental fills between verses. A very proggy instrumental break follows. Then another verse. Then a bridge of sorts on the lyric "Then I changed my mind," with instrumental fills. Then another wacky (in the best way) instrumental break follows. This one alternates between odd times and 3-4. The next verse comes in a bit louder than the preceding ones. This is very quirky prog, and I like it.

Track 4 - Time to Kill

There are some odd sound effects leasing to a guitar & bass riff. Then it's like the drums and other instruments are trying to find a groove (intentionally), then they lock in tight to bring the vocals in. There are lots of quick changes in style and texture that are hard to describe, but it's all very prog.

Track 5 - His Last Voyage

A bass riff starts this one off, to be joined by vibraphone. Then acoustic guitar accompanies the vocals in a very echoey verse. The vocals are almost Beach Boy-like (God Only Knows, not Surfin' USA). A very mellow track up until around 2:35, then other instruments take over with some twiddly playing, then it gets jazzy with the instruments mixed higher than the harmony vocals. Then we get a wah wah guitar solo over a jazzy piano led riff. The acoustic guitar and vocals return along with the echoey mix.

Track 6 - Talybont

At only 2:40 this is by far the shortest track on the album (with the longest being the previous track at just under 6:30) A keyboard riff starts this one off joined by a tom-tom led drumbeat. Then harpsichord & recorder. It sounds Baroque-like, but nor entirely. I like the use of timed delays and staccato playing at around 1:30. This one turned out to be an instrumental.

Track 7 - Mobile

This one sounds Celtic at the start with acoustic guitar & fiddle. Then the electric instruments & drums join in for the verses. The instrumental break at around 1:15 is cool. Another verse follows then another instrumental section. Following that we have a bridge with an effect on the vocals. No-one will ever accuse Gentle Giant of not being prog enough based on this album. The final note fades out for around 20 seconds before a drum fill punctuates the ending.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS.

A fine prog album indeed. Gentle Giant seem to have their own quirky style, but I think most classic prog fans would enjoy it. I wouldn't give it masterpiece ratings but very solid 4 out of 5 stars.