Music Monday: Three Friends by Gentle Giant

Gentle Giant - Three Friends

Prog Rock seems to be divided into two main categories, the "pop" prog of bands like Genesis, Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull (well, if you can really call this pop) and the true prog that just made complex music, no matter what the audiences think. The most notable of these are King Crimson and Gentle Giant.

Mixing classical music and rock is one of the main hallmarks of progressive rock, but whereas bands like Yes incorporated more romantic or baroque styles into their music, Gentle Giant reached even further, throwing in touches of Medieval and Madrigal harmonies, creating a large, complex polyphonic sound that I can't help but love.

They've had a few great albums in the 70's and Three Friends, their third album, stands as one of their best. It is not quite as complex as the prior Acquiring the Taste or their next, Octopus (both are fantastic by the way), but is still more busy than most bands outputs. The playing is top notch, especially Kerry Minnear's keyboards. This album rocks hard with fantastic solos as the softer parts are beautiful. The piano chords of "School Days" are haunting beautiful and their tone was copied by Radiohead. (that's my theory anyway) If you don't like prog, you won't like this album. If you do however, this is worth owning.