Gentle Giant - In a Glass House
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Gentle GiantEdition: Music CD
Format: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2004-11-15
Music Label: Alucard UK
Soundtracks:
- The Runaway
- An Inmates Lullaby
- Way Of Life
- Experience
- A Reunion
- In A Glass House
- The Runaway/Experience (Live)
- In A Glass House
Free Music Notes for In a Glass House
Free Music Review: unique
Hit: 5 Stars
"Unique" is definitely the word of the day when it concerns Gentle Giant. In fact, you know what? Don't ever say "unique" again unless you follow it up with the words "Gentle Giant". What makes this band so incredible? Dig this, young grasshopper-
One second you're hearing a beautiful folk rock guitar solo that quite possibly might make you think about old countryside forgotten castles, the next minute you're hearing gently-implemented xylophone fairies dancing in a highly unusual fashion, and *then* before you're able to grasp what finally hit you, some exceptionally weird chant-like Sunday church vocal melody slaps you against the face and makes you a believer for life.
All this stuff happens in just ONE song, and it happens *all* the time! Now tell me, what other band would have the courage to do all THAT?
Where did this band come from? What kind of music did the band members listen to while growing up? Did their parents approve of their (I assume) whacky sense of humor? Maybe they weren't even normal kids? Maybe the teacher would smack their wrists with a ruler every time they spoke out of term. Maybe the band members didn't have any parents and just appeared as aliens. Hey, you never know. :)
"The Runaway" opens this completely unique blend of musical creativity on a REALLY high note. The vocals chug along to the rhythm and the guitar playing except... the vocals don't actually chug along to it. Yes, it's true! It's an illusion! Believe me, I tell you no lie! The vocals don't chug along to *anything*. It's tricky business! Things just appear whenever the band *feels* like having them appear. Why? Because no one else would have done such a thing back then. You had to be different back in the 70's to make it big (or create orchestrated, sappy ballads).
It always WORKS though. Whatever they try works. I have no earthly idea how the band members were able to keep repeating the same formula for so many albums and for so many years, and never miss a beat the whole time they were doing it! True talent of the highest caliber.
That's what makes Gentle Giant so extraordinary- listen closely to the way they lay down their vocals. Ain't ever two instruments matching up together in a normal, predictable way. Ain't ever, I tell ya! If they are, it's extremely hard to notice it.
One thing this band most certainly isn't is boring. If you think Gentle Giant is boring, you deserve to live in a cardboard box with rats, spiders and bums. Would be crazy to believe such a stinky thing.
"An Inmates Lullaby" is a baby shower display of peaceful xylophone taps and even *more* peaceful (and melodically intricate!) vocals. Actually, this is more like baby delivery room music. You know, that room in the hospital where all the newborn babies sleep until the mother makes her grand entrance into the room. That room with a huge window outside of it as you watch over all the sleeping babies. I hope I never have to go inside that room. The thought of potentially waking up over 50 sleeping babies would be enough to make ME cry the loudest. :)
This song is perfect for such a delightful occasion! Anyway, I love when the vocals rush along at the end of specific lines so the xylophone has a chance to take its turn into the world of dazzling Willy Wonka creations. It's weird how the band makes it work. Don't know what I'm talking about? Doesn't matter 'cuz everyone hears something different anyway! And with that in mind, I can say no wrong, bubs!
Quite possibly the strangest way to write music my ears ever did hear, but Gentle Giant does the *same exact tricky thing* quite often, so I'm totally used to their style by now. *You* probably won't be used to it however, if In a Glass House happens to be your very first Gentle Giant experience. They say experience Hendrix. No no, experience THIS band.
"Way of Life" is my favorite song from the album. I just love the way the vocals are displayed here. Again, the vocals appear to follow along to the rhythm section and the guitar riff, but then suddenly, in a moment of "What the HECK just happened?" the guitar either overrides the vocals and cancels them out so you can't actually hear the vocals anymore, or the lead singer stops singing the line inexplicitly because even HE can't help but fall in love with the guitar playing, so he shuts his crazy lips and opens his ears. It's hard to explain which one is actually taking place here!
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! The second half of the song features a drop-dead gorgeous blonde... I mean tear-shedding moment of balladry that's so touching and moving that even the devil himself has to blow out his flames and put down his pitchfork.
GOSH what a head scratcher this stuff can be! You gotta be somewhat crazy to listen to the classic period of Gentle Giant, me thinks.
"Experience" is flat out freakin' awesome. I actually like this song almost as much as "Way of Life". It's really constructed in a highly unusual way. "Yeah, no duh! *Everything* Gentle Giant does is constructed in a highly unusual way you rocket scientist!" you're probably saying to yourself. Maybe you're even saying it out loud. It's perfectly normal to talk to yourself as long as you don't answer your own questions. That's what I was told. :)
Anyway, the part at the end when the song completely rocks out in a way that would surely make Huey Lewis proud is definitely quite groovy and might even encourage you to overcome your shyness and shake those sexy buns to the sophisticated tempo changes taking place. Here's something to think about- if you could dance to this music, you'd be the clear winner on the next season of the smash hit reality show Dancing With the Stars. I guarantee it.
I probably should have mentioned "Experience" after that "experience Hendrix" comment to make my review seem more organized, but oh well. I'm not going to change anything for the sake of organization. Besides, you're probably not aware of it, but I have obsessive compulsive disorder, so it's about time I fight my inner battles! It ends now!
The title song is really cool. Again, the heavy rocking out section at the end is super melodic and super dang cool, dudes. I need to stop getting this song confused with "The Runaway" though. It's a common mistake so you must forgive me.
Oh, did I forget to mention "A Reunion?". No, I won't be attending my 10-year high school reunion (Why bother? I had no friends and all the hot girls are taken!) but that doesn't mean this can't be an exquisite 2-minute piece of fine cuisine music. My manners immediately become more appropriate just by listening to it. It's melodic too. I love it. I love how the song really DOES capture the feeling of wanting to go back and experience a specific period in time. Of course, again, it does make you think about fancy dinner parties as well. It's caught between two very different worlds involving very different people.
I love Gentle Giant. Their music is actually very easy to get into despite their highly sophisticated way of putting music together. Everything they did just screams with immediately accessible and repetitive melodies (and I mean that as a compliment because they repeat the GOOD stuff). Later ya'll.
In a Glass House Poster
Reissue of the progressive rock act's 1973 album that's never been released in the United States. Repackaged with the original plastic window. Includes two bonus tracks, live versions of the album tracks, 'Runaway' (1974) and ' In A Glass House' (1974).Pop Music CDs
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