THREE FRIENDS

Three Friends might be the album I would recommend to someone new to Gentle Giant; comparatively speaking, it possesses easily followed (but by no means simplistic) structures, and is a good blend of quiet, symphonic, and hard-rocking moments. While each song retains the distinctive and eclectic Gentle Giant sound, all of them are very different from one another. My only complaints are that this is one of the shortest full-length albums I've ever seen (clocking in at just over 35 minutes), that the cover art of the US release is the same as the first album, that the sound quality of said version is muffled, and that again on said version, there is an incorrect track division between the fifth and sixth songs (despite what Columbia says, and the fact that their vinyl format had the exact same track placement, they are wrong; one can clearly hear that the third verse of "Mr. Class and Quality?" make up a substantial part of "Three Friends"). All but the first of these are not the band's fault however, and so will not factor into my review, but be warned: Obtain the German LINE release if at all possible. This effort remains one of the band's most poignant works, as many people can relate to growing up and apart from the friends of their childhood.

"Prologue" With a short drum roll, Three Friends is off. There is a recurring guitar theme, occasionally coupled with synthesizer, and the bass playing is as lively as ever. After niety seconds of this, there is a short interlude and the calm vocals enter, telling us not just the beginning of the story, but giving us intimations of the end as well. The song closes as it began.

"Schooldays" The second track has a wispy, fanciful sound, evocative of childhood and the many possibilities that come with it; the lyrics, however, betray this feeling: "Schooldays, the happy days when we were going nowhere." There is a lot of piano work throughout the middle. The piece shifts from whimsical to creepy, as Ray Shulman's son's voice on this track sounds like something right out of a horror film, and the strings exaggerate this effect. There is a jaunty keyboard solo in 7/4 after, and the song returns to fancifulness. Sadly, their schooldays would be the only lasting thing the three friends would share.

"Working All Day" The gruff music makes one think of sweat, dirt, and shovels, as Derek Shulman sings about just what the title says. There are gritty guitars and raunchy saxophone, and a speaker who is content with his circumstances but unhappy with the way the economic world works. The middle part consists of saxophone, an excellent organ solo, and some of the best bass work on the album.

"Peel the Paint" Understandably, this one is the most artsy of the songs. It's quiet for most of the first half, with hushed vocals and a lovely recurring string section. Derek Shulman takes over lead vocals in the more strident section of the song. Gary Green indulges in a wild guitar solo played over Malcolm Mortimore's frenzied drum playing, which consumes almost the entire second half.

"Mister Class and Quality?" The music here is basically organ, some strange-sounding guitar, and fairly straightforward drumming. The lyrics are told from the point of view of a business executive, and are a scathing commentary on those lower on the socioeconomic ladder. It is a great song and an underrated gem, I fear.

"Three Friends" The album ends with a choir of voices summing up the lives of three friends who went from "class to class." The music is probably the most tightly orchestrated here, and I especially like Green's subtle, cooperative guitar playing.