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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gentle Giant's "Free Hand": A Progressive Rock Classic!, December 16, 2001
Gentle Giant is one of the most interesting progressive rock bands that has ever been. From 1970 to 1980, they put out some of the most provacative, fascinating, and musically complex music in progressive rock. In the middle of their career, they put out a release calle "Free Hand".Free Hand: Arguably their most popular album (with the possible exception of "In a Glass House"), and certainly one of their best! It was released in 1972, and is their third recording. The first track, "Just the Same", starts with the snapping of fingers, making a nice tempo, and it is then accompanied by a keyboard rhythm, and electric guitar, and then explodes into a heavy bass, drums, and vocals: "See me, What I am, What I was, What I'll be....", as Derek Shulman belts out the lyrics in his inimitable style (and subtlety accompanied by strange saxophones, clarinets, and horns). Changes and more changes, musically, rhythmically, and in time and tempo, abound throughout this catchy, strangely mellow, and at times, heavy, and excellent song. The second track is called "On Reflection", and is one that continues to display the unexpected virtousity, and inventiveness, and talent of Gentle Giant. It is a song in which all five members of the group sing, in a juxtaposed harmony that is reminiscent of Medieval English minstrel music. Lovely! (Especially Kerry Minnear's soft vocals in the middle of this song). The third track, and title track, is "Free Hand", and is my favorite song on this recording. This one is really powerful! Back is the driving bass guitar work of Ray Shulman, and the excellent guitar work of Gary Green. Also on this song are all the unexpected changes in tempo, it is like 4 or 5 songs in one! The fourth track is "Time to Kill", and starts with the sounds from the original computer game, "Pong". A medium level Giant song, it does groove in it's own way. The fifth track is "His Last Voyage", and begins with a mellow bass line, compliment by vibes and guitar, and then melding perfectly into a lovely vocal harmony, with Minnear in the lead. This is a very dreamy song, and quite ethereal. The sixth track is entitled "Talybont", is an instrumental piece, and is another of my favorite songs on this album. Again, it displays that hard-to-put-your-finger-on-quality and medieval feel that much of Gentle Giant's music is famous for.
It comes complete with harpsichord, electric guitar and bass, recorder, moog synthesizers, flute, tambourine, and drums. The seventh, and final track on this recording is "Mobile", and this exhibits the kind of driving, 'rolling' heavy bass lines, raucous vocals of Derek Shulman, and soft keyboard/harpsichord work of Minnear, eclectic electric guitar work of Gary Greene, fantastic drumming of John Weathers. It is also complete and replete with the strangeness and altogether weirdness of Gentle Giant. At times, it is like they are 'punk classical', from Mozart's time, especially when the bass player, Ray Shulman, pulls out his electric violin, and has a go in the middle of the song! So, by all means, stretch the limits of your imagination, and expand your musical horizons with the boundless possibilities of Gentle Giant!
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