Gentle Giant
Three Friends (Alucard ALU-GG 034, 2011)
Originally released in 1972, Three Friends belongs to the category of must have progressive rock albums. It was the band’s first concept album, centered on three childhood friends whose lives take them to very different places.
Gentle Giant played a groundbreaking style of music, mixing rock, jazz, classical music, early music and sound experimentation. The remastered version of Three Friends is now available and it is definitely worth acquiring. If you don’t have a really good sound system, you should listen to this album with headphones. It is full of beautiful details and nuances.
What separated Gentle Giant from other groups of their era was their ability to create elaborate musical counterpoints, enchanting call and response vocals with speaker cable, mesmerizing choruses, superb instrumental interplay and the use of a wide range of musical instruments, including some rarely used in rock music, such as the vibraphone.
The line-up on this album includes Kerry Minnear on keyboards, vibraphone, percussion, moog synthesizer, lead vocals; Ray Shulman on bass, violin, string guitar and vocals; Gary Green on guitars, percussion; Derek Shulman on lead vocals; Malcolm Mortimore on drums; and Philip Shulman on saxophones, lead vocals.
Three Friend begins with ‘Prologue,’ an intense piece with outstanding keyboard and bass work, guitar and sax interplay and the unmistaken vocals that characterized Gentle Giant.
‘Schooldays’ is a charming piece that takes the listener to childhood years with guitar and vibraphone, followed by call and response vocals. The second part of the track is a delectable combination of piano, mellotron and evocative vocals, including a guest ‘boy’s voice’ appearance by Calvin, Phil Shulman’s son.
The vibrant ‘Working All Day’ contains a series of counterpoints and skillful sax and bass interplay as well as sumptuous organ and synthesizer.
‘Peel the Paint’ dexterously uses chamber strings, bass and organ. ‘Mister Class and Quality’ presents several layers of counterpoints between bass, guitar and keyboards.
The last piece of the original album is a grand finale titled Three Friends where you’ll find majestic mellotron, organ, guitars and vocals.
This remastered version contains two bonus tracks, a live version of ‘Prologue’ and ’Out-Takes,’ which is a series of studio rehearsals and alternative versions.
The CD version comes in a gatefold digipack with lyrics and a booklet with personal comments by some of the musicians and 1970s photos.
Three Friends is an outstanding album that shows Gentle Giant at their prime. It has aged well and it is an essential album by one of the finest progressive rock bands of all time.