IL GRANDE ROCK

"Il Grande Rock" is a compilation album of Gentle Giant and was released in 1991. This is a compilation album that comprises tracks from the beginning of the career of Gentle Giant, which means that it comprises only tracks from 1970 to 1972. But, unlike their other compilation album from 1982, "Gentle Giant", which comprises tracks from their first four studio albums, "Il Grande Rock", only comprises tracks from three of those albums. So, it has three tracks from their eponymous debut album "Gentle Giant", four tracks from their second album "Acquiring The Taste" and three tracks from their fourth album "Octopus". It means was left out their third album "Three Friends", without any tracks.

"Gentle Giant" has ten tracks. "Giant" was released on "Gentle Giant". "Giant" is a fantastic opening song to that album. This is truly a classic progressive Gentle Giant's song, very dynamic and creative. I love the way how the guitar is played and the great keyboard work made by Kerry Minnear. This represents one of the best moments on that album, really. "Funny Ways" was released on "Gentle Giant". "Funny Ways" is a track completely different from the previous one. It's a mellow song, more classic and acoustic, with an extraordinary exploration of several musical instruments, some classic and acoustic and others electric and more modern, which are fantastically married with each other. It's also, in my humble opinion, a song with a relatively complex musical composition. This is a perfect example how these guys were absolutely unique and great. "Nothing At All" was released on "Gentle Giant". "Nothing At All" is the lengthiest track on that album and is a surprising track. It's an atypical Gentle Giant's track that has everything we can expect from this band. It begins as a soft and nice acoustic ballad with some melancholic harmonies. It grows as a heavy rock song. The song ends, as initially, as a soft and beautiful acoustic ballad. This is one of the strangest, original, curious and interesting songs ever composed by them. This is a real must have for all prog heads. "The Advent Of Panurge" was released on "Octupus". "The Advent Of Panurge" is a track strongly influenced by the jazz music, full of energy, with varied melodies and different singing styles. It's apparently a chaotic song where all instruments seem to be played in different directions. Which is more impressive on this music is that in the end we have a song with an excellent harmony. "Acquiring The Taste" was released on "Acquiring The Taste". "Acquiring The Taste" is a very short instrumental track. It's an avant-garde and explorative track with some nice and catchy musical moments despite its short length. "The Boys In The Band" was released on "Octupus". "The Boys In The Band" is the only instrumental track on that album. It's a relatively complex and a fast jazz musical composition with some different rhythms and tempos. This is a song very well arranged with some excellent solos by the keyboards, guitar and saxophones. Here we are in presence of a magnificent track. "Pantagruel's Nativity" was released on "Acquiring The Taste". "Pantagruel's Nativity" is one of my favourite tracks on that album that became a classic Gentle Giant's track. It's a song with continuous music and a nice melody. It has beautiful keyboards very well combined with a powerful and great guitar work. What is most impressive on this track is the use of so many musical instruments such as saxes, vibraphone, celesta, harpsichord, tympani, trumpet, clarinet and so on, in only one song. "Racconteur Troubadour" was released on "Octupus". "Racconteur Troubadour" is a track with some medievali influence, although it explores different types of music. It's a song where the violins and cellos reign and guide all the music. Once more it's a song with great vocals and is very well supported by an excellent keyboard work. "The Moon Is Down" was released on "Acquiring The Taste". "The Moon Is Down" is another interesting track that starts very slow but that develops into a more energetic sound. This is another song with nice and good exploratory passages and with a beautiful vocal work. "Plain Truth" was released on "Acquiring The Taste". "Plain Truth" is a solid rock track with the typical Gentle Giant's guitar work and with good vocal harmonies. It's probably the most accessible track on that album, the less complex and the more traditional, and less typical of them too. Still, it's a solid closer for this interesting, great and surprising work.

Compilation: Usually, almost all compilation albums of Gentle Giant are really very good and "Il Grande Rock" isn't an exception. As happened with many of their compilations, "Il Grande Rock" covers the beginning of Gentle Giant's career, the time where the three Shulman's brothers were members of the band. However, and I really don't know why, it was decided only include tracks from three of the four albums of that era, leaving out one of those albums, "Three Friends". Anyway, and despite of that, we can say that "Il Grande Rock" is a nice compilation album of Gentle Giant and that is enough representative of that phase. Some of their best compositions made in those days are present here, really. However, I would like to have here also some tracks from "Three Friends", an album that I consider perhaps their most simplest, accessible and beautiful. Then, this is a good compilation album that deserves to be rated with 3 stars.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)