Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Gentle GiantBrand: Gentle Giant
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
CD Release Date: 1990-04-20
Music Label: Fontana Island
Soundtracks:
- Pantagruel's Nativity
- Edge of Twilight
- House, The Street, The Room
- Acquiring the Taste
- Wreck
- The Moon Is Down
- Black Cat
- Plain Truth
Free Music Notes for Acquiring the Taste
Free Music Review: requirements
Hit: 5 Stars
I may be completely off my rocker, but I believe this album SHOULD have been called "Requiring the Taste" instead. That way you'd be required to listen to it, therefore adding much needed variety to your musical tastes (which may or may not be necessary since I don't know you personally), therefore encouraging every single musician out there to strive harder, therefore preventing the music scene from eventually falling apart and stinking like a room of rotten turkey corpses (which is what music is like today- I so vehemently believe!)
But the whole darn thing fell apart, didn't it? Now musicians just don't care as much. Lack of motivation? I don't know. Perhaps. Lack of talent? Again, I don't know. It's a cryin', stinkin' shame I tell ya. Who's to blame? Well I want to say it's *your* fault but I'm not the kind of guy to point fingers so let's just say it's somebody's fault (like always). Ain't nobody willing to take responsibility for their own darn actions anymore.
Oh who am I kidding? It's entirely my fault. Just look at the shameful look on my face. It's a dead giveaway. :)
Anyway, anybody can "acquire" something just by being a thief- it takes true discipline (and a police club) to require it.
Anyway, with that self-centered (and quite possibly dead wrong) little rant out of the way, let's move forward in typical fashion with a review of Acquiring the Taste. I almost typed "Required" again right there, haha. I guess that proves just how convinced I am that the album title should have been what *I* suggested. But don't listen to me! I don't know anything!
"Pantagruel's Nativity" is NOT how you should open an album when you're Gentle Giant. Musically it's only *somewhat* off the radar, and that just doesn't make a lick of sense when you're these guys. Oh okay, Acquiring the Taste is only the bands second album so we'll cut them a bit of slack and assume the weirdness factor hasn't yet permanently crawled inside their exceptionally talented little minds yet. We'll assume the band had yet to truly define their sound and style. Yeah I know people say "Never assume anything" but for the sake of this review, I clearly don't have a choice here.
Anyway, about the opening song. We'll just call it "the opening song" for now on since I don't really feel like typing out two humongous words anymore. It's July and it's 95 degrees outside with really sticky humidity in southeast Pennsylvania, so you must forgive my lazy ways. Lazy days and lazy ways. That defines me to a tee.
Anyway, it's a good song, and I can't help but wonder if the lead singer is going for an operatic style when he sings that verse melody. The flutes in the background just make the magical land of fairy tale pictures in your head even stronger. It's weird how the vocal melody and flutes just suddenly STOP on a dime so that fascinating instrumental chop can do its thing. It's really strange, but that's what Gentle Giant does best.
"Edge of Twilight" reminds me of Harry Potter's castle. Like, when you've been busy all day walking through a foggy forest, and you eventually stumble upon a castle. You're like "Whoa, how neato!" "Edge of Twilight" captures that foggy mysterious feeling better than... the Pirates can catch a fly ball out, hehe. I AM a big baseball fan so expect some references from time to time. Football too.
The VERY BEST SONG on the entire album is clearly (with no competition) "The House, the Street, the Room". I just love everything about this mysteriously written song. The quiet vocal melody speeds along at such an eerie pace, and unlike other times when Gentle Giant writes a mellow song, this time you actually get the feeling it's going to PICK UP and go somewhere interesting... and it does! These vocals will definitely remind you of the Keebler elves making cookies and crackers in that make believe tree factory of theirs. They make ice cream cones too, I just found out.
Not that I'm saying the band can't write a mellow song from time to time... do NOT put words in my mouth because you'll only end up confusing me (and that's the last thing I need when I can't even remember what I wrote five seconds ago- I already completely forgot!) It's just that, Gentle Giant is definitely at their very best when they completely let loose with these outrageous, sophisticated jams involving tricky time signatures that you'd never expect anyone to write. Expect the unexpected, bucko (again, another Pirates reference- I TOLD you I'd occasionally put one in there!)
Anyway, WOW! When "The House, the Street, the Room" turns extremely heavy halfway through, the rhythm section takes a trip to some gypsy palace in Egypt, and soon after that the guitar solo shows off its amazing level of complexity. How in the world did the band write stuff like this? Who knows, and any explanation will just confuse me anyway so don't even bother telling me (if you happen to know).
"Wreck" is a normal song. It sounds like pirate music though (no, not a baseball reference this time, haha). I mean actual pirates getting drunk and partying on the open sea with no concern for anything except, well, lots and lots of shiny gold, mate. "The Moon is Down" is yet ANOTHER extremely mellow song, however in this case the song is immediately elevated to greatness because of the vocal melody alone, and the fascinating way in which it is sung. The song still contains some of the bands distinctly weird trademark sounds (you can hear them taking place in the background) but I don't know exactly what they are. Maybe keyboards, maybe something else entirely.
You can just imagine walking outside of a building somewhere in London, looking up to the sky and seeing the moon playing tricks in a way that could completely and permanently damage your brain because it defies rational thinking. Such as... oh I don't know, the moon darting around all over the sky at lightning speed? Wouldn't it be really weird to see the moon doing that? Wouldn't you feel like passing out and breaking out into cold sweats by not being able to explain it? Just listen to the vocals and the atmosphere in this song and you'll hear EXACTLY what I mean.
"Black Cat" reminds me of cat burglars who quietly and precisely break locks off your home windows, sneak inside and tiptoe around. You don't even realize they're in your home because your bed is so cozy and warm that you've fallen into a deep sleep. Hopefully your home security system is up to snuff. Always lock your doors and windows at night because you just never know. Don't get into a routine where you think your home will always be safe either- burglars pay attention to this kind of stuff. The strings in this song really reinforce the "tiptoeing" part involving the burglars, too. I love it. Then the tempe changes appear and the tension builds! You then wake up the next morning to find all your jewelry is missing. NOT fun.
Ah... it was your ex-wifes jewelry anyway, so it could have been worse. :)
"Plain Truth" is mostly memorable for, well... being really long first of all (around 9 awesome minutes- wow!) and secondly, being dominated with violins in a way that would make the Mahavishnu Orchestra stand up and take notice. Nah, nothing can top the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but I'm sure had the band members ever attended a Gentle Giant concert in the 70's, they would have enjoyed what they heard.
I LOVE the vocal melody too! It reminds me of early Kansas material. I don't care if Kansas is a secondrate cheesy attempt at progressive rock- this song resembles Kansas. No not the STATE of Kansas. Then all we'd hear is the sound of fully developed cornstalks blowing next to a mooing pooing cow.
You better get this album, and get it now. Expect an overall heavy emphasis on peaceful vibes and mellow vocal melodies, and less on the outrageous nature of the otherwise absolutely INSANE musical chops of the band (featured on albums like In a Glass House, for example). Every bad boy has his soft side, and Gentle Giant is no exception.
Acquiring the Taste Poster
Limited Edition Japanese pressing remastered in a miniature LP sleeve. This was the second album released from the prog rock band and was originally released in 1971. Vertigo. 2005.Pop Music CDs
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