INTERVIEW

Interview is Giant's seventh album, released after Free Hand, which is considered to be the band's best. The album has reached some peaks, but some things have reached their peak on Free Hand, or its predecessor, The Power and the Glory, and from there on, things started tumbling down.

A lot of the songs here are right-on progressive rock, with jazz, classical, and medieval tendencies, but songs such as Empty City and Give it Back, are leaning more towards the pop genre. It's still obvious that it's Gentle Giant, but some things are missing.

The title track is probably the best song on the album, maybe tied with I Lost My Head. It starts off with 30 seconds of the band talking and laughing, and then it kicks off with a bang, and Kerry Minnear's funky organ licks, John Weathers' groovy rhythms, and Ray Shulman's counterpointed bass fill up your speakers.

Give it Back may be in an odd time signature, but it's still pretty poppy. This album is full of Kerry, and less Gary Green. Maybe it's because of the new Hammond he got!

Design also starts with 30 seconds of the band talking, and then it evolves to that "regular" a capella song, that is now apparently featured on every GG album (or not). It seems as if they tried to rip-off On Reflection (in the same way that King Crimson's In the Wake of Poseidon seems like a total rip-off off their debut), as there is even military like-drumming!

I don't know how to describe Another Show. It's sort of all over the place. The pitch bends, the fast vocals, the reverb, the reverse echo, the time signatures, it's all too complicated for my little brain!

Now, Empty City and Timing are the weak tracks on the album. Nothing unique, should be good for fans of GG during the latter two albums.

Now, the tie for number one track of the album, I Lost My Head. The songs starts with a 3-minute long medieval section. It's pretty catchy, and it's another one of Kerry Minnear's vocal parts, which seem to extinct with every album. Kerry brings out some mean clavinet arpeggios, and then an awesome transition into the heavier part of the song, with JPW banging his gong, and Kerry playing a silky smooth piano line on his out-of-tune white piano, making it sound like a honky-tonk. The guitar and keyboard line is just too catchy, and you can't help but sing-a-long to the song. That is, after you learn its 5 or so verses!

So, despite how I worship the title track and the last song, I'm gonna give this 3/5. Still, more than half the album is average...

Share this GENTLE GIANT review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to The Runaway
• Report this review (#288733)
• Buy GENTLE GIANT music online with PA partners
• Show all GENTLE GIANT MP3/Stream
• Go to GENTLE GIANT page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Interview page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for GENTLE GIANT related discussions