THREE FRIENDS

After hearing GG's 'Octopus' I was a little put off from this band as it just did not appeal to my prog senses. However, this was a major revelation and I am glad I dipped in again to this acquired taste in prog.

Every track on 3 Friends is sublime, powerfully constructed with complex arrangements, time sig changes, and all cocooned in a huge concept. I always maintained a concerted interest in concept albums - some of prog's finest moments are concept albums and on this occasion we have the fascinating tale of three friends and we trace their lives from early school years through to their maturity as they learn to work and cope with the materialistic world in which they are thrown.

Sound familiar? It should. Many albums of the 70s bucked against the system and attempted to stab at the oppressiveness of material society that stifles the imagination and innovation of the individual. The story of the album continues as we explore one friend at a time. The first becomes a manual labourer, the next an artist, and the third a very successful businessman. It is this last man who seems to have achieved the ultimate success but at what price? The others become outcasts so what does this say about the modern social system? Gentle Giant question this by making the successful man the most spiritually impoverished - this is the price of success - the soul.

'Mr Class and Quality' is a monologue that explains the concept. 'Working All day ' shows how to cope in the rut of 9 to 5 existence to try and climb to the top of the corporate ladder. GG seem to be intent on hammering a message of how materialism erodes the freewill and the choice of spirituality to augment to human condition.

Weighty themes are enhanced by even heavier musical arrangements. 'Peel The Paint' is divine - brilliant! The sheer complexity of textures are prevalent throughout and make this one of the most pleasurable listening experiences in the Canterbury subgenre. This is one of GG's shining hours.

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