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Review Summary: This is their first conceptual album wich became an underrated piece. But this is probably their most simple and beautiful piece. “Three Friends” is the third studio album of Gentle Giant and was released in 1972. The line up on the album is Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman, Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and Malcolm Mortimore. The album had also the participation of Calvin Shulman (boy’s voice on track 2).
“Three Friends” is the first and only album of Gentle Giant with drummer Malcolm Mortimore who had replaced Martin Smith, their former drummer, after their first two studio albums, their eponymous debut and their second “Acquiring The Taste”. Despite this isn’t the only change into their line up, this is the only case of substitution of their band’s members. As in opposition to many other contemporary bands, Gentle Giant always had a very constant line up. The other only change was the departure of Phil Shulman after the release of their following fourth studio album “Octopus”.
After their eponymous debut studio album, a solid progressive rock album, and their second, an improvement in weirdness, instrumentation and production, for their third album, Gentle Giant decided that they were going to expand their horizons and ended up writing a kind of a mini-rock opera, a conceptual album. Not that the album really feels as a rock opera, for the most part, but we can feel that there is a conducting wire on it. After all, we are talking about a conceptual album. However, we can say that this is really an album with a very special concept.
“Three Friends” is Gentle Giant’s first conceptual album, and is one of the first albums with a concept made by any band. The concept is rather simple. Basically, it deals with the idea of three school friends whose lives take them to very different life situations. They were separated by the fate, each following a different own path. One becomes a manual labour, other a businessman and the third an artist, a painter. Anyway, each of the three friends aren’t satisfied with their lives and eventually reunite together to achieve their goals easier. However, the lyrical insights that sketch out the characters are generally banal, with nothing of important revealed about the labourer, the businessman or the artist. But what does finally come off and is really important is the music. Musically, the album is comparatively short and drawn on an appropriate intimate scale. The pieces introduce themes that reappear throughout, all over the album. It’s a much easier album than its predecessor, and despite be a conceptual album it isn’t absolutely necessary listen to the album by order, to can enjoy all the songs on it, which isn’t a common thing on the majority of those kind of albums.
About the tracks, “Prologue” blends the band’s distinctive and complex vocals with the typically weird and quirky Gentle Giant’s riffs and themes where Minnear’s various keyboards always played a key role. On the following track, the melodies on the sentimental and nostalgic “Schooldays”, varies from staccato and really strange to more accessible and beautiful ones. Then, we have the heavy progressive saxophone of “Working All Day”, where again and probably, they show their early influence from King Crimson and perhaps some glimpses of Van Der Graaf Generator’s music. “Peel The Paint” opens like a low-key ballad, but of course is far from a simple or a straightforward track. But this tune quickly turns into a heavy and aggressive song with lots of heavy saxophone riffs. At the end it even goes into a full heavy rock jam that is probably the most unpolished and roughest piece of music that Gentle Giant has ever recorded. “Mister Class And Quality?” is quite the opposite. It’s a tight and carefully constructed piece that shows many of the band’s most important and typical trademarks, both in sound and composition. This one glides over into the title track that is one of the most majestic and symphonic moments in Gentle Giant’s career, consisting of swirling organs and mellotrons surrounding the beautiful vocal harmonies. Despite be a very short track, it’s really a great piece of music.
Conclusion: All in all, “Three Friends” is a very strong album and has some entirely outstanding moments. With it, Gentle Giant found definitely their feet and produced a great working. They made their first conceptual album, the first of four, which are “Three Friends”, “In A Glass House”, “The Power And The Glory” and “Interview”. I’m very glad that “Three Friends” be a conceptual album. I always loved this kind of albums. The concept gives to all songs a sense, while the general melodies and jams are indeed tighter, richer and more emotional. Since I listen to it, for the first time, I always loved it, despite it isn’t one of my favourite Gentle Giant’s albums. But it’s certainly one of their great workings. I always considered “Three Friends” an underrated album. Of all Gentle Giant’s eleven studio albums, excluding “The Missing Piece”, “Giant For A Day” and “Civilian”, which are, for me, minor works, “Three Friends” and “Gentle Giant” are the simplest and the most accessible of all, and probably the most beautiful too. So sincerely, I recommend it for beginners with the group and for all people which have an open mind to listen to one of the most creative groups ever.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
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Album Rating: 4.5
Let's return to one of my favourite classic prog bands with an album that sometimes is a little bit underrated. It isn't a masterpiece but still is a great album, as most of their albums are. Anyway, I think this album also deserves a review with a better rating than a 3.0.
Your comments are welcome as usual.
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Ayyy, props for reviewing this in the first place, band and album needs more attention around here. Review is pretty well written, but if I could offer some criticism which could improve it I'd focus on tightening up a few things;
- try to avoid repeating ideas and words, especially so close together. For example just count how many times you say "concept", particularly in the final paragraph, and ask yourself if a few of those couldn't be cut or reworded some way.
- I used to be guilty of doing this (probably still am from time to time), but consider leaving out unnecessary details - especially when they don't pertain to the album at hand. Knowing about the band members' first and last names as they're rattled off in a list isn't very important for a reader. Being greeted with a band history synopsis in the intro is a dull way to begin too. Try to draw the reader in with your descriptions, you could really start this review with paragraph 4 and with few adjustments it would be a much better read I think.
- I'd recommend you read over the review and try to improve the flow a little bit, some of these descriptions/sentences are just a little clunky or overly detailed, not in the sense that you use too many adjectives (something I did/do haha) but there's just too much raw information which makes it sounds less like a review than it does a mere description. When you make strong arguments in paras 4-7 it's much more interesting for me than reading dry objective facts. Focus on that stuff and this would be more engaging I think.
So yeah, sorry to write so much because it looks more scathing than it is, but you've got all the elements to make a really great review here, just try to slim it down a little and make what's left mean the same. (:
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks, man. I appreciate your criticism. I'll try to be more objective on my next reviews.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Nice review for a great album, there need to be more Gentle Giant write-ups in this site :]
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks, Soccer and I agree with you. But don't be worried about that, because I pretend to cover all their studio albums, in time.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Workin all day
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Absolutely. Thanks pal.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Good to see more love for this band and album. And you did another competent work, as usual. Pos.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks dude. All of you are right. This band needs undoubtedly more attention and love on this site. I hope this my small contribution bring to them what they deserve, which is be recognized as one of the most creative prog bands ever.
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Niiice man, I love this album, it's probably my favorite together with Free Hand (I'd have to revisit everything to be sure though). Your review gives it a rating I can agree with much more than the other one
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Nice choice, e. Just re-bought the first album on CD. Used to own a vinyl copy about a million years ago. Nice to see Gentle Giant get some love.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@ Sabrutin
I'm really a great fan of Gentle Giant. This was maybe, the unique band, that I changed the rating of the best album, several times. Sincerely, I think they have even better albums than this one, which is even most impressive because I rated it with 4.5. Personally, I prefer "Free Hand". For many years "Free Hand" was my first choice. Now, my first choice goes to "In A Glass House", despite I consider "Acquiring The Taste", "Octopus", "In A Glass House", "The Power Ande The Glory and "Free Hand", pratically at the same level.
Anyway, "Three Friends" was an album that grown up on me with the time. Initially I gave to it a 4.0. However, as probably this is the most beautiful album made by them, I changed my rating to 4.5.
Thanks, man.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
HAve a different cover on vinyl
great album either way
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@ Diva
Thanks, bro. The first album is a great work, but less good than this one is, in my opinion. I have a vinyl copy of their debut as happen the same with some others albums from them too.
Yeah, the band needs more love, indeed.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@ wham
I know that. The vinyl copy has a cover similar to their debut album, the picture of the "gentle giant". Maybe they changed it due to the similitudes with the cover of their first album.
Yeah, great album anyway. Thanks dude.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
With e21 around, prog lives hard! There were a time where prog was much more popular here in Sputnik. Prog lists and prog reviews on the front page were appearing on a regular basis not too long ago. Oh, nostalgia, when you take me!
Three Friends is probably my 4th favorite GG album, right after In a Glass House, Free Hand and Acquiring the Taste. For a long time, I preferred Octopus over Three Friends, but the latter is more consistent, and probably more accessible. Octopus is pretty much varied and well balanced but as a whole, I don't enjoy the experience as much as Three Friends. (both are 4.5, but Octopus is near from a 4 to me). Anyway, I'm a fan boy since my ratings from the debut to Interview are all between 4.5 or 5 except I have the debut and Interview at a 4.
Nice job on the review bro, but as Scuro said, you use the words ''concept'' and ''conceptual'' a little too often.
HAve a different cover on vinyl [2]
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
octopus is a little underwhelming at times, one of the coolest covers ever though
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah but again, I have the version with an octopus in a jar.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Yeah, mine's the one with the octopus in a jar as well.
And don't worry Jethro, I'll keep pumping out the prog reviews in the future ;]
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
True, SoccerRiot. Keep them coming! I still have to listen to that Victor Wooten album that you covered recently ;) There are some other prog reviewers that come to mind; manosg, linguist2011, menawati, undertakerpt, Tarkus, Nagrarok, Frippertronics, vanderb0b, JamieTwort, Divaman, but half of them don't write anymore or don't cover that much prog anymore.
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