Gentle Giant is hard to get into, but worth it.

OMFG!!! THANK YOU to those who recommended Interview, now I'm angry at myself for not listening to it much sooner.

As a Cardiacs fan, I now understand what Cardiacs meant when they said GG were a huge influence .. Yes and clearly a mine of ideas, Riffs, hooks and melodies. I never truly understood this while listening to the earlier albums, but now I fully understand why they call GG a huge influence

For example, I've just listened to the amazing Design and Timing and there are at least three very obvious bits in each that Cardiacs lifted right out and used intact.

I urge all Cardiacs fans, who haven't heard Design yet, to listen to it. And the rest of the album in fact.

I think this might now be my favourite GG album.





Edited by LAM-SGC - March 02 2020 at 02:58

I think it should be noted that different people may like or dislike a piece of music for different reasons. It seems common to suggest that people dislike Gentle Giant because of its complexity. But I never had an issue with Gentle Giant's complexity. The reason for my initial dislike of Gentle Giant was because of its "folkishness".

GG can get incredibly dense at times, and the vocals can wear on you if you're not privy to them. Minstrel music isn't a priority for most LOL. I heard someone once say "Knots" made them nauseous.

LAM-SGC wrote: The order I listened to the first five albums the very first time and all in the space of a few days was: AtT O GG TF IaGH Quite a while after that the next ones I heard, having found them on cheap secondhand vinyl were: Giant For a Day and Free Hand then after that TPatG. I haven't listened to any others after those eight. So a question, am I missing any gems in their output?

Everything up to Interview is worth checking out. All are good although In A Glass House is the one I struggle with most although I will still occasionally give it a spin. Most of their albums have some nice 'hooks' but that one doesn't. Minnear is incredible on it though. Octopus is usually considered the best entry point for them as it's a little more straightforward and they 'rock out' a bit more on that. The Power and The Glory is the one clicked with me straight away probably because of those 'hooks'.

^ looks like you got the essentials! I’ve never heard interview but a lot of people seem to like that one however.

I've always liked Gentle Giant, from the very first time I heard them.

When I listen to songs like Nothing At All, I feel like I'm listening to a great 60s pop band like early Floyd or The Kinks or Love or The Moody Blues rather than a prog band.
After the early Floyd pop songs, the great Julia Dream for example, I feel that GG had the nicest songs lyrically and melodically.

Took me quite some time to get into them too, but like you said... it's worth it.

The first GG album I heard in its entirety was Octopus and I absolutely loved it. By that time, though, Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Genesis, solo Hackett and Gabriel, were standard listening for me. I fully agree that they are not an easy band to get into as idiosyncratic and fantastically complex as the music is. I do not normally advocate for a listener to try to hard to get into a band, but at the same time I also say that if something in the sound is intriguing, if not entirely appealing, then keep listening. GG is one of those bands who reward an attempt. I now have half a dozen of their albums. Some of us are more musically adventurous than others; the rewards are not easily seen by those who prefer the mainstream, but for those of us who know, we have found some rare jewels indeed.