Gentle Giant - Three Friends

Concept album alert! A Giant recording by any measure

After two albums establishing their direction and identity, having junked their pop career as Simon Dupree, early-70s progsters Gentle Giant got it right third time with Three Friends. It’s an album that will be instantly loved or hated, so typical is it of the progressive genre. Weird harmonies, weirder time signatures, five reasonably lengthy tracks and – gasp – a concept. Listening to it again after two decades or so, it’s possible to discern an affinity with the Canterbury school, the likes of Soft Machine (Phil Shulman’s saxes) and particularly Hatfield & The North in both the high-pitched vocal of Ray Shulman and Kerry Minnear’s rippling keyboards.

The album charts the path through the life of three friends who enjoy differing fortunes as their futures unfold. Sleevenote-writer Chris Welch believes album four, Octopus, to be Giant’s masterwork, but it would have been nice to have had more context as to how Three Friends itself was received back in 1972 when released on the legendary Vertigo label. As it is, the sumptuous mini-gatefold LP packaging and poster insert should be enough to tempt any fans yet to replace their vinyl. Giant virgins could happily start here too – a classic.

Repertoire | REP 5114

Reviewed by Michael Heatley
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