FREE HAND

Once again, I am a BIG FAT 0 going into this album, although I do know some Gentle Giant, I somehow missed adding this album to my library on Apple Music until recently, and it has now been added. I don't know a lot of GG, but I like what I do know. Also, at only around 36 minutes, this may be the shortest album on the countdown so far.

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.