THREE FRIENDS

As this was my first formal introduction to the Giant I must say it is an excellent progressive rock cd in that there is some very nice jazz interludes with some real nice vibraphone playing intermixing with the standard fare of Hammond and electric piano.

My first impression is that these guys are a tight band with nice interplay between instruments that never seems to focus too long one one in particular unlike much of prog which will have way extended synth, organ or drum soloing.

The band understands balances, dynamics and the art of syncopation and usually rhythmic interplay. These are much highlighted in the vocal arrangement of Schooldays and the guitar work in Working All Day.

You can hear the Van der Graaff Generator and Crimson influence in not only the vocalists style of singing of which I find much less grating and intellectually pompous than Peter Hammill's but the horn arrangements(used tastefully and sparingly).

I found the release again a very tasteful execution of the progressive side of rock without the overuse of mellotron and Moog. I mean these guys really tried to create a balance with following the footsteps of Genesis, ELP and the rest of mainstream 1970s prog rock a factor which warrants my shelling out some green to obtain some of the GG back catalog.

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