Pochi gruppi musicali degli anni 70 sono riusciti ad incarnare così bene lo spirito e l'anima di quel sublime movimento denominato Progressive Rock. Indubbiamente i Gentle Giant possono vantarsi di essere stati prog al 100%, come quasi nessuna altra band, dall’inizio alla fine della loro carriera, chiusasi nel 1980 per motivi di coerenza, poiché riluttanti all’idea di virare verso altri generi musicali pur di rimanere ancora nella sfera d’interesse del pubblico. Loro del progressive ne sono il manifesto, tanto che il disegno del Gigante appare su quasi tutte le copertine dei pochi libri che trattano l’argomento.
Ma i Gentle Giant suonano jazz? Suonano musica folkloristico-medioevale? Suonano rock barocco? Suonano musica sperimentale? Sì e no: le contaminazioni sono molteplici, ma non si mischiano, bensì si sfumano l’una nell’altra, a formare ciò che rende unico lo stile e il sound dei Gentle Giant. I ritmi si alternano spesso dispari, la musica è melodica al massimo, l’ascolto risulta non facile all’orecchio non avvezzo a queste caratteristiche. E’ solo questione di capire la musica e comprenderne il grande lavoro compositivo compiuto da musicisti di questo calibro, tecnicamente fra i migliori mai apparsi su questo pianeta. Sono tutti polistrumentisti e la band ha fatto uso di oltre 30 strumenti musicali diversi, sia in studio che dal vivo: chitarre elettriche, chitarra 12 corde, basso, batteria, svariati tipi di percussioni, organo, pianoforte, clavicembalo, spinetta, clarinetto, sintetizzatori vari, violino, violoncello, tromba, sax tenore e soprano, vibrafono e persino un strumento inventato da loro, lo Shulberry, una sorta di chitarra a percussione, suonata ad esempio nell’intro di Playing The Game, sul disco The Power And The Glory. Un gruppo fuori dal comune dunque, in cui cinque componenti su sei cantavano. Proprio uno dei cantanti, Phil Shulmann, quello dalla voce eterea e vellutata, decide di lasciare la band dopo aver concluso il tour di Octopus. Le tournee lo stancano e Phil preferisce la vita con la sua famiglia a casa. Ma i due fratelli Derek e Ray non si perdono certo d’animo perché la formazione è oramai solida con il batterista John Weathers oramai ben integrato nella band (mai notato la sua somiglianza con il logo gigante buono dei GG?) e con Kerry Minnear e Gary Green sempre in grande spolvero.
In A Glass House vede la luce nel 1973, un album superbo che ottimamente rappresenta un degno seguito di Octopus. Vetri che si infrangono e ritmi complicati aprono The Runaway, con flauti, cori e vibrafono negli intermezzi e la chitarra di Gary Green in evidenza. An Inmates Lullaby è una ninna nanna progressiva molto particolare e orecchiabile. Molto più ritmo e velocità in Way Of Life con stacchi virtuosi e numerosi cambi di tema. Experience parte con musica quasi barocca cantata dal tastierista Kerry Minnear, per poi giungere a quel bellissimo stacco di basso su cui sopraggiunge la linea vocale di Derek Shulman che qui offre una prestazione notevole. Magici sono invece i violini di A Reunion, una ballata appassionata, di nuovo con la dolce voce di Kerry Minnear. La title-track chiude l’album originale e rappresenta in pieno la definizione di rock sinfonico. Bello il finale con la slide-guitar e il piccolo medley che si chiude con il vetro rotto.
Sulla versione recentemente rimasterizzata troviamo anche due tracce dal vivo: il medley The Runaway/Experience registrato a Düsseldorf nel 1976 e In A Glass House registrata a Münster nel 1974.
Un peccato davvero che una band simile nel passato non sia stata apprezzata a dovere dal pubblico, mentre la critica ne ha sempre elogiate le gesta. In Germania, Olanda e Italia hanno sempre avuto un seguito piuttosto sostanzioso e con piacere si può constatare come le nuove generazioni di fan del Progressive annoverino aprezzino i Gentle Giant, tanto che oggigiorno vendono più di quanto non abbiano fatto in passato. Sono i veri Re del Prog.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 The Runaway (07:15)
He is the runaway, Lie low the wanted man
Mask his elusive face, Soon he will getaway and free is his
future no more aimless time to spend
And evading, he's escaping
Four dirty walls and a bed in a cage his home no more.
Run in the underwood, Cover and hide the trail
Senses like sharpened sword, Guards for the shadow on his
tail.
And yet his joy is empty and sad.
All thoughts are scarred with the prison cell and freedom
seems like freedom's hell
Hopes stained with strange regret, His dreams are dreams
for that he cannot get.
And yet his joy is empty and sad.
Lose all identity, Vanish in own denial
Seeks only lies and hide, Truth never brought to trial.
And caught in his own net, he looks to find endless life and
evading, he's escaping
Four dirty walls and a bed in a cage his home no more.
Run in the underwood, Cover and hide the trail
Senses like sharpened sword, Guards for the shadow on his
tail.
02 An Inmates Lullaby (04:39)
Lying down here in the afternoon
In my pretty cosy little cushioned room
I can talk to all my funny friends in here
I was told to rest why ... I am not quite clear
Eating flowers growing in the garden where there are tasty
tulips and I don't care
If I wet my trousers there was no time
I had nowhere else to go nowhere else I could find
Staring up at the great big white light
That shines everyday and shines all through the night
Hearing voices of the silly friends of mine
Always lock the door nurses waiting outside all the time
Hurt myself this morning, Doctor gave me warning sent me
to my room and told me that I'm bad
I heard someone saying I think he'll be staying maybe for a
long time, Why does everybody else think that I'm mad
I heard someone saying I think he'll be staying maybe for a
long time and that I'm mad
Lying down here in the afternoon
In my pretty cosy little cushioned room
I can talk to all my funny friends in here
I was told to rest why ... I am not quite clear
03 Way of Life (08:04)
You'll find an answer, You've got to believe in your own way
of life.
So you'll have to find an answer, You'll have to find a way,
Try to find, Try to find.
You'll try to question her, Does she believe in the choice of
your life.
So you have to try to ask her, when you are away, left
behind, out of mind; away.
And in the end you discover, examine, you have to decide if
there is an answer, if there is a way, Let her find piece of
mind.
And another day, all alone, think there is away at home.
Every other may, have their own, way of life that is their
own.
And your wandering only a game to realise no joy your
own.
And another day, all alone, choice of life is not your own.
You'll try to question her, Does she believe in the way of
your life.
So you have to try to ask her, You'll have to find a way, left
behind, out of mind; away.
04 Experience (07:50)
Once I was a boy, an innocent to life and my role in it,
This world played my game, and anyone a clown or foil for
myself
The harmless affairs, and no-one seemed to care for any
meaning
My life was my own, The debt I paid, I paid it only to
myself
The unseeing youth, how can it be so shallow and short-
sighted
These years passed me by, to realise the folly of these unripe
years
Now I am a man, I realise
My unworldly sins pained many lives
Yet I heard, heard with ears that wouldn't listen
And still I watched and I saw with blinkered eyes
But with age the conscience slowly dawns and bonds of
duty gently tied
All my sins, seen through now there is experience and
recollecting act in virgin guise.
Master inner voices, making the choices
Once I could rebel and consequences then had no reflection
And I am a man, And I am bound by adult age discretion
now
05 A Reunion (02:11)
Meeting in this way who could have known
How our destinies and ways apart have grown.
Looking still the same after all these years changing only in
my memories not clear
And believing all futures we would share
Fate design playing natures mime and today by chance we
meet again after all this time
Meeting in this way no-one could have known.
Sharing thoughts and deeds simple harmony plans and
hopes erased in our maturity
Now tomorrow's dreams are now yesterday.
Fate design playing natures mime and today by chance we
meet again after all this time
Meeting in this way no-one could have known.
06 In a Glass House (08:09)
Looking through the window can you tell me what you see.
You're sure you're really seeing what is meant to be a Glass
a mirror to reflect what I conspire a vision, image I desire.
Standing on the ice believing all I'm searching for
Close your cloudy eyes and chase all that you did before
Standing on the ice believing all I'm for
Close your cloudy eyes and chase all that you did before
Living in a glass house shielding all that's meant for me
Can you clear the shade and can you tell me what you see.
Shadow fills the light until the glass house becomes the
night
Dark is gleaming or am I dreaming
Running everywhere
Seeing clearly when I dare
Is it today or is it your way
And the moon must fall
Inspiration waits for your call for you to get a silhouette
Narrow the field aim in any direction
Do what I feel just to see my reflection
Any turn I know
Disappearing everywhere I go
I look to you for what I do
And only then I see
That the glass house is just for me
And any time is never mine
Narrow the field aim in any direction
Do what I feel just to see my reflection
Shadow fills the light until the glass house becomes night
Dark is gleaming or am I dreaming
Running everywhere
Seeing clearly when I dare
Is it today or is it your way
And the moon must fall
Inspiration waits for your call for you to get a silhouette
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