I bought this and their second album Acquiring the Taste while visiting my relatives in England back in 1973 when I was 14. Three Friends and Octopus were my favourite albums at that time so finding them in a record store for 1£ each wasn't a difficult choice. And, as you noted, the quality of the music was a pleasant surprise. After In a Glass House you should come back to this album as well as the other two. You are running out of Genesis anyway. 😁
VdGG,Tull, ELP and now Gentle Giant in three days.This isn't Halloween, it's Christmas! 🌲A neighbor was playing cliche Halloween sounds really loud a few days ago and it sounded pretty lame so I put on Pawn Hearts😁 Which is scarier, a cliche Halloween soundtrack or an insane screaming lighthouse keeper? 😮 She's REALLY cool💛 and went back to playing jazz after that. Don't know of any scary jazz 🙂 You are the best Justin, no one else even close!
Yep, this is one of my favorite GG songs. I hope this first album is the next of theirs you'll tackle. This song, "Giant," "Funny Ways," "Nothing at All," and "Why Not" are all gems.
"Count Alucard" was originally an alias used by the titular The Son of Dracula in the classic Universal Horror Film, and has been subsequently used in numerous versions of Dracula/vampire lore.
Btw, because the original "Dracula" film had no score Philip Glass decided to write one, recorded by th Kronos Quartet in 1999. He also wrote the score to the "Candyman" film, "The Hours" and "Low" and "Heroes" symphonies based on the Bowie albums he made with Brian Eno. All 3 artists are on the covers of the 2 albums.
In GG history , the eldest Shulman brother Phil , left after recording Octopus . He contributed saxes and vocals among other instruments , plus composition . His and Derek’s saxes contributed greatly to these earlier albums . If you want to hear amazing use of saxes in the genre , listen to Working All Day from Three Friends . The baritone sax in particular from Phil really sets the tone and Kerry puts down one of his best organ solos . 👍
Abraham Stoker (8 November 1847 - 20 April 1912) was an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned.
I discovered GG in the 80's. As I grow older, I appreciate them more. I'm a diehard lover of prog/experimental music. I don't see any prog bands that bring this disciplined classical training. Phenomena!
No doubt these guys are great musicians with a lot of creativity, but I would say there are a number of prog bands who bring the classical training with creativity. King Crimson and ELP come to mind, as does Yes and Genesis. But great company to be in.
This is the first track that really points towards the hyper-syncopated math-funk that would become their bread and butter later. It's also just a big fun stew of heavy riffs. I have to think this song was their effort to replicate what King Crimson had done with "21st Century Schizoid Man", and like that song, the vocal sections are fine and creepy, but sort of slight - it's the instrumental parts that are the main course.
It's 1970 and someone plays you this without warning. You've maybe heard Court of the Crimson King but no other 'classic prog'. If you're the adventurous type who loves something out of the ordinary, you would rush out and buy this the next day and you would still be playing it 51 years later. Alucard is undead yet!
A great track from an excellent debut, almost an "esecutive summary" of GG's forthcoming career. The vocals make this song special, totally unexpected, sounding like nothing else before or since.
Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is the most famous vampire novel, but by no means the first vampire tale. That honor goes to John Polidori, the doctor of Lord Byron, with "The Vampyre" published in 1819 based on a story Lord Byron told at the famous contest in the Villa Diodati on Jun 16th 1816 where Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (who later married Shelley) and her cousin Claire Clairmont (who later married Lord Byron; they are the parents of Ada Lovelace who is an important computer pioneer; she already described in detail what computers would be able to do 100 years before the first one was built) told each other ghost stories. Mary's contribution was a story that later grew into the novel "Frankenstein". And 26 years before "Dracula" the first lesbian vampire appeared in "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu.
Just a curiosity: the vocals were recorded backwards to onwards on the tape to give that kind of effect on purpose; the idea was to in fact simulate the "alucard" awakening.
I've loved this album since I first heard my brother playing it in the early 70s. It's worth listening to the rest of the tracks, especially (IMHO) the first track on side two, 'Nothing at All'.
Their first two albums are really upstartalbums. But I really really love them, they have a special atmosphere. A bit of innocence? For their real start try Simon Dupree and the big sounds. Quite different, but the seeds are there, specialy in the song Kites.
*Alright JP* *I know you had mixed feelings about Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo by Happy The Man* *But I got songs here that'll make you like them way more* *Some instrumentals like* ___________________________________ *Lunch at the Psychedelicateseen* *Slipstream* *Adrift, from the album The Muse Awakens* *Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil, from their Debut* ___________________________________ *Songs with vocals I recommend songs from their debut like* *Upon the Rainbow* --------------------------------------------------------- *If you don't like any of these, fair play, you've beaten me🤷🏿♂️*
I love Gentle Giant for several decades now; nice complicated music. This is a great song from a great album although I prefer the Three Friends album, my favorite. Several themes in this song come, more or less, back in other songs on other albums.
I liked the jazziness of it. The vocals reminded me of 10cc and the synth riffs reminded me of Frankenstein by Edgar Winter, both of which came later than this.
I'm amazed that you pointed out the vocals... the one thing I was going to say before your review even started.. It was the only part I didn't enjoy... First time listen for me. Thanks
Still not sure if I've heard the first Gentle Giant track I ever heard again yet...sounded similar in ways to this. I think Alucard dates from later "lore", films and such.
I haven't really sensed what I'd call 'a Halloween feeling' from any of the songs you've played. To me - I'd play songs that evoke a scary quality with lyrical content that delves on the sinister. This GG song comes closest but still no way spooky enough. The song itself - a great song and a welcome listen!
Ridiculuosly complex, while maintaining an awesome groove = Gentle Giant. I forgive you for messing up my Gentle Giant progresion. LOVE the vocals! Seems like early GG is a little more heavy and later GG more refined. Love both sides though. 🤘
I think when Phil Shulman left they lost a bit of the soul influence. Not so much heavy Hammond and Sax going on after Three Friends in fact (even though he left after Octopus).
@@matreynolds1 Haven't checked out the 3 first albums much yet, so you may very well be right. It could also just be that music released in 1970 usually was a bit heavier than the following years, like with ELP. ELP's debut released in 70 was much heavier than those that followed, and those that followed where more refined until it all went over the cliff...
@@matreynolds1 I still have a few albums to enjoy before I embark upon Three Friends. I'm currently listening to In a Glass House, after that I'm moving on to Interview, then Three Friends is next. I've already heard Octupus, TPATG and Free Hand.
I believe that Gentle Giant simply had the same idea as the Castlevania creators much later, spelling the name “Dracula” backwards as a coquettish joke
A decent track from their debut album, start as you mean to go on eh. The main, recurring riff is really strong. The interspersed, some time slower riffs, and noodlings, pretty good too. What lets it down for me somewhat is the vocals. Though to a degree typical of the bands style, that usually I love (this's no Knots for instance), here, not so much. It's the cadence, delivery that just grates slightly. Good, but not great, but for a first album......
@@Alix777. Aye, it is a really good album. And good example of the vocal performances I mention. Listening to this vocal, say, against 'Schooldays' off Three Friends, and this pales in comparison. Bide your time, JP will get to 'Three Friends' eventually :)
It's funny you asked about the vocal part, this is the only time I heard a song for the first time and thought I need to hear this played backwards, like the title. The melody just sounds backwards to me, I'm going to search for a reversed version or find a way to play it backwards myself. We have the technology. Um you do know that Alucard is Dracula spelled backwards, right?
Apparently I'm not the only one over these past decades to think this, some You Tuber has posted the entire album backwards: ruclips.net/video/Tf5xjrfpgYs/видео.html Near as I can figure here's where the first verse ends, moving towards the beginning, the melody sounds good but the words are backwards: ruclips.net/video/Tf5xjrfpgYs/видео.html
The actual book, by Bram Stoker, is a bit boring by today's standards. This track is not to boring. If anything it can almost be too intense (or it was yesterday when I hadn't had enough sleep). All in all, a good song and review.
draculA might not agree, but ... well he does, din'e. And now, at random, I remember the *Headless Horseman* ... Here's a headless cover of it. ruclips.net/video/4CmhA_V7ebA/видео.html (about 1:30 long).
Come to think of it, the voivod in *Voivod* was not a Polish nobleman, but a kind of alien vampire lord. They have quite a lot of songs with that sound to them, but here's one that's just nice to nod one's head to: *Fix My Heart* ruclips.net/video/M_zTCrenWuw/видео.html (It does have some voivodik lyrics, mind.) The artwork is all done by their drummer, and I think he's also the author of their founding myth (of aliens, vampires, and gallactic wars).
Trading licks or running on the spot? No-one seems to have the nerve to make the next move. I'm hearing shades of Hatfield and the North, or National Health, or, probably, VDGG. A number of beginnings and endings with the centres edited out. Vocals? Clever fun without out much contribution. Perhaps we should be playing it backwards, as its title suggests. Then again, it might be inspired by Focus' supreme nonsense, 'Hocus Pocus', a simple framework riff with mad interludes.
I'm pretty sure the vocal crescendos we're reversed vocals, then the forward vocals came in to establish the consonant attack, usually about 2.5 beats later. Big studio tricks for the the tape days, but definitely possible.
No idea who this is, not a video game play, waste of time to be honest. Adrian Fahrenheit Țepeș , Adorian Fārenhaitsu Tsepeshu), better known as Alucard , is a fictional character in Konami's Castlevania series of video games. His first appearance in the series was in the 1989 game Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, but he is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, released in 1997. His design in Symphony of the Night was created by Ayami Kojima, marking her first contribution to the Castlevania franchise. In the series, Alucard is the son of Dracula, the antagonist of the Castlevania series. Due to his human mother, Lisa, Alucard is a dhampir, a half-human, half-vampire.
I bought this and their second album Acquiring the Taste while visiting my relatives in England back in 1973 when I was 14. Three Friends and Octopus were my favourite albums at that time so finding them in a record store for 1£ each wasn't a difficult choice. And, as you noted, the quality of the music was a pleasant surprise. After In a Glass House you should come back to this album as well as the other two. You are running out of Genesis anyway. 😁
VdGG,Tull, ELP and now Gentle Giant in three days.This isn't Halloween, it's Christmas! 🌲A neighbor was playing cliche Halloween sounds really loud a few days ago and it sounded pretty lame so I put on Pawn Hearts😁 Which is scarier, a cliche Halloween soundtrack or an insane screaming lighthouse keeper? 😮 She's REALLY cool💛 and went back to playing jazz after that. Don't know of any scary jazz 🙂 You are the best Justin, no one else even close!
oh, there is at least some somewhat scary jazz like stuff by "Bohren und der club of gore" or John Zorn... only a hint.
Haha thats awesome! Ty Mark :)
Love the groove on this track , the riff the dirty grungy bass , the spooky sounding lyrics . Man I love GG . Happy birthday again to me !
OK - I'm playing catch-up. I was typing while listening to this and I found myself speeding up with the music!!!! That was awesome. Great tune!
Yep, this is one of my favorite GG songs. I hope this first album is the next of theirs you'll tackle. This song, "Giant," "Funny Ways," "Nothing at All," and "Why Not" are all gems.
"Count Alucard" was originally an alias used by the titular The Son of Dracula in the classic Universal Horror Film, and has been subsequently used in numerous versions of Dracula/vampire lore.
Btw, because the original "Dracula" film had no score Philip Glass decided to write one, recorded by th Kronos Quartet in 1999. He also wrote the score to the "Candyman" film, "The Hours" and "Low" and "Heroes" symphonies based on the Bowie albums he made with Brian Eno. All 3 artists are on the covers of the 2 albums.
Sunday is great on here! A favourite of mine, never gets old.
In GG history , the eldest Shulman brother Phil , left after recording Octopus . He contributed saxes and vocals among other instruments , plus composition . His and Derek’s saxes contributed greatly to these earlier albums .
If you want to hear amazing use of saxes in the genre , listen to Working All Day from Three Friends . The baritone sax in particular from Phil really sets the tone and Kerry puts down one of his best organ solos . 👍
Good pick JP! Alucard is "Dracula" spelled backwards.
Abraham Stoker (8 November 1847 - 20 April 1912) was an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned.
Love that fuzzy Minimoog bass riff.
I think it’s trying to imitate a saxophone
I discovered GG in the 80's. As I grow older, I appreciate them more. I'm a diehard lover of prog/experimental music. I don't see any prog bands that bring this disciplined classical training. Phenomena!
No doubt these guys are great musicians with a lot of creativity, but I would say there are a number of prog bands who bring the classical training with creativity. King Crimson and ELP come to mind, as does Yes and Genesis. But great company to be in.
I love the Jazz interlude in the middle of the song. I could play Alucard all day and never tire.
The third brother really added to to the early albums.
Best song from their first album.
This is the first track that really points towards the hyper-syncopated math-funk that would become their bread and butter later. It's also just a big fun stew of heavy riffs. I have to think this song was their effort to replicate what King Crimson had done with "21st Century Schizoid Man", and like that song, the vocal sections are fine and creepy, but sort of slight - it's the instrumental parts that are the main course.
One of my favorites.
I love this tune, it's the grooviest they ever got. :)
Wow! GG absolutely redrum'ed on this song. Not so gentle, I loved it.
It's 1970 and someone plays you this without warning. You've maybe heard Court of the Crimson King but no other 'classic prog'. If you're the adventurous type who loves something out of the ordinary, you would rush out and buy this the next day and you would still be playing it 51 years later. Alucard is undead yet!
One of my favorite GG tracks; check out Nothing at All from the same album, also ground breaking !!!!
Nice drums and fuzzy groovy rift. Great first album and rather jazzy.
A great track from an excellent debut, almost an "esecutive summary" of GG's forthcoming career. The vocals make this song special, totally unexpected, sounding like nothing else before or since.
I'm watching Castlevania right now after it being recommended to me for years, and it's really, really good.
Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is the most famous vampire novel, but by no means the first vampire tale. That honor goes to John Polidori, the doctor of Lord Byron, with "The Vampyre" published in 1819 based on a story Lord Byron told at the famous contest in the Villa Diodati on Jun 16th 1816 where Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (who later married Shelley) and her cousin Claire Clairmont (who later married Lord Byron; they are the parents of Ada Lovelace who is an important computer pioneer; she already described in detail what computers would be able to do 100 years before the first one was built) told each other ghost stories. Mary's contribution was a story that later grew into the novel "Frankenstein".
And 26 years before "Dracula" the first lesbian vampire appeared in "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu.
Love the vampiric history; ty!
Just a curiosity: the vocals were recorded backwards to onwards on the tape to give that kind of effect on purpose; the idea was to in fact simulate the "alucard" awakening.
Watching this was fun, Justin :-)
Glad you enjoyed MM!
The one and only Gentle Giant... Terrific track.
Love Giant. Got almost everything as it came out. Did you know that when "In a Glass House" came out it was only available as an import.
I have an original import copy LP with the clear window in front
@@geneleonard4368 Not surprised if it no longer has the clear window.
I've loved this album since I first heard my brother playing it in the early 70s. It's worth listening to the rest of the tracks, especially (IMHO) the first track on side two, 'Nothing at All'.
Love this song.
Their first two albums are really upstartalbums. But I really really love them, they have a special atmosphere. A bit of innocence? For their real start try Simon Dupree and the big sounds. Quite different, but the seeds are there, specialy in the song Kites.
Lol, you're still singing, "I wear my sunglasses at night." I've always liked that song, not even sure why, just the dark tone.
Wow! What a track! Never heard of band nor song before, but I like it.
Listen to Acquiring the Taste album; it's a great introduction to GG...Three Friends is great too...
*Alright JP*
*I know you had mixed feelings about Knee Bitten Nymphs in Limbo by Happy The Man*
*But I got songs here that'll make you like them way more*
*Some instrumentals like*
___________________________________
*Lunch at the Psychedelicateseen*
*Slipstream*
*Adrift, from the album The Muse Awakens*
*Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil, from their Debut*
___________________________________
*Songs with vocals I recommend songs from their debut like*
*Upon the Rainbow*
---------------------------------------------------------
*If you don't like any of these, fair play, you've beaten me🤷🏿♂️*
Yes,you must check out Three Friends. I'm sure you will enjoy it!
I love reversed guitars, vocals, whatever… if I could just get younger listening to it.
I am thinking that a lot younger is required in my case.
@@maruad7577
In reverse @ 45rpm otta do it.
The singing reminds one of playing a tape backwards. Fits perfecty to Alucard (Dracula read backwards)
I love Gentle Giant for several decades now; nice complicated music. This is a great song from a great album although I prefer the Three Friends album, my favorite.
Several themes in this song come, more or less, back in other songs on other albums.
I liked the jazziness of it. The vocals reminded me of 10cc and the synth riffs reminded me of Frankenstein by Edgar Winter, both of which came later than this.
The vocals are so much better than the feeble imitation sounds in Bohemian Rhapsody!
I'm amazed that you pointed out the vocals... the one thing I was going to say before your review even started.. It was the only part I didn't enjoy...
First time listen for me. Thanks
Still not sure if I've heard the first Gentle Giant track I ever heard again yet...sounded similar in ways to this.
I think Alucard dates from later "lore", films and such.
I haven't really sensed what I'd call 'a Halloween feeling' from any of the songs you've played. To me - I'd play songs that evoke a scary quality with lyrical content that delves on the sinister. This GG song comes closest but still no way spooky enough. The song itself - a great song and a welcome listen!
@@Katehowe3010 Doves?
@@Katehowe3010 That was my 2nd guess!
@@Katehowe3010 I thought you might know Eloy Madness as well.
@@Katehowe3010 I have their first 3 albums - Hyperion, Summer Stars and Aerie Faerie.
I read David Jackson wouldn't let some VdGG be played around his then young kids because he thought it was too scary for them. I don't blame him!
Ridiculuosly complex, while maintaining an awesome groove = Gentle Giant. I forgive you for messing up my Gentle Giant progresion. LOVE the vocals! Seems like early GG is a little more heavy and later GG more refined. Love both sides though. 🤘
I think when Phil Shulman left they lost a bit of the soul influence. Not so much heavy Hammond and Sax going on after Three Friends in fact (even though he left after Octopus).
@@matreynolds1 Haven't checked out the 3 first albums much yet, so you may very well be right. It could also just be that music released in 1970 usually was a bit heavier than the following years, like with ELP. ELP's debut released in 70 was much heavier than those that followed, and those that followed where more refined until it all went over the cliff...
@@progqueen6219 Good point. Three Friends is my favourite Giant album, I think it's perfect.
@@matreynolds1 I still have a few albums to enjoy before I embark upon Three Friends. I'm currently listening to In a Glass House, after that I'm moving on to Interview, then Three Friends is next. I've already heard Octupus, TPATG and Free Hand.
@@progqueen6219 Hope you enjoy them all!
Another great spooky feeling song is Hypnotized by Fleetwood Mac, reallr great track!
I think this was GG doing their own version of King Crimson's Schizoid Man.
I believe that Gentle Giant simply had the same idea as the Castlevania creators much later, spelling the name “Dracula” backwards as a coquettish joke
Dog spelled backwards is Cat.
No, sideways.
No, cat spelled backwards is devil. 🐾
A decent track from their debut album, start as you mean to go on eh. The main, recurring riff is really strong. The interspersed, some time slower riffs, and noodlings, pretty good too. What lets it down for me somewhat is the vocals. Though to a degree typical of the bands style, that usually I love (this's no Knots for instance), here, not so much. It's the cadence, delivery that just grates slightly. Good, but not great, but for a first album......
I never see people reacting to the Three Friends album; it's a better one imo
@@Alix777. Aye, it is a really good album. And good example of the vocal performances I mention. Listening to this vocal, say, against 'Schooldays' off Three Friends, and this pales in comparison.
Bide your time, JP will get to 'Three Friends' eventually :)
So tight they squeak...:)...
Welcome to the world of weird ass music.. 😂
After this one you should do "Why Not" from the same album, the best song of the album IMO
For me, a masterpiece. Not epic, not dreamy, not classical. Just a lot of atmosphere, musicianship and mental illness 😂
It's funny you asked about the vocal part, this is the only time I heard a song for the first time and thought I need to hear this played backwards, like the title. The melody just sounds backwards to me, I'm going to search for a reversed version or find a way to play it backwards myself. We have the technology.
Um you do know that Alucard is Dracula spelled backwards, right?
Apparently I'm not the only one over these past decades to think this, some You Tuber has posted the entire album backwards: ruclips.net/video/Tf5xjrfpgYs/видео.html
Near as I can figure here's where the first verse ends, moving towards the beginning, the melody sounds good but the words are backwards: ruclips.net/video/Tf5xjrfpgYs/видео.html
The actual book, by Bram Stoker, is a bit boring by today's standards. This track is not to boring. If anything it can almost be too intense (or it was yesterday when I hadn't had enough sleep). All in all, a good song and review.
The voices make me think of a song played backward. The intonations/level of voices is the opposite of what it should normally be.
draculA might not agree, but ... well he does, din'e.
And now, at random, I remember the *Headless Horseman* ... Here's a headless cover of it. ruclips.net/video/4CmhA_V7ebA/видео.html (about 1:30 long).
Satch did a follow-up on *Flying in a Blue Dream* ruclips.net/video/y8w501Siu4w/видео.html
Come to think of it, the voivod in *Voivod* was not a Polish nobleman, but a kind of alien vampire lord. They have quite a lot of songs with that sound to them, but here's one that's just nice to nod one's head to: *Fix My Heart* ruclips.net/video/M_zTCrenWuw/видео.html
(It does have some voivodik lyrics, mind.)
The artwork is all done by their drummer, and I think he's also the author of their founding myth (of aliens, vampires, and gallactic wars).
Trading licks or running on the spot? No-one seems to have the nerve to make the next move. I'm hearing shades of Hatfield and the North, or National Health, or, probably, VDGG. A number of beginnings and endings with the centres edited out. Vocals? Clever fun without out much contribution. Perhaps we should be playing it backwards, as its title suggests.
Then again, it might be inspired by Focus' supreme nonsense, 'Hocus Pocus', a simple framework riff with mad interludes.
very zappa - ish
You clearly know music, that's why you should have audio on. And you say short comments, that's something people can't do.
Thats kind of you ISAB, thank you (and put that bike back 😊)
Please play some of the Live GG I sent for 2 years Justin. : )
NGL, I forgot about Alucard (which is a better pick than Spooky Boogie anyways). 😅
ecaeP. ! ooB .neewollaH yppaH .siht rof esnepsus ni gnitiaw neeb ev'I
How the freak did you do this?
I wanna do this too.
@@-davidolivares Mama always said I was born a little backwards. And I write everything Mama says down on paper. Peace man.
@@jamespaivapaiva4460
.looc
I'm pretty sure the vocal crescendos we're reversed vocals, then the forward vocals came in to establish the consonant attack, usually about 2.5 beats later.
Big studio tricks for the the tape days, but definitely possible.
No idea who this is, not a video game play, waste of time to be honest.
Adrian Fahrenheit Țepeș , Adorian Fārenhaitsu Tsepeshu), better known as Alucard , is a fictional character in Konami's Castlevania series of video games. His first appearance in the series was in the 1989 game Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, but he is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, released in 1997. His design in Symphony of the Night was created by Ayami Kojima, marking her first contribution to the Castlevania franchise.
In the series, Alucard is the son of Dracula, the antagonist of the Castlevania series. Due to his human mother, Lisa, Alucard is a dhampir, a half-human, half-vampire.