In A Glass House, quinto disco do Gentle Giant, é mais uma obra-prima de uma banda no auge de sua criatividade e capacidade musical. Este álbum se destaca como uma parte essencial do rico catálogo da banda, mantendo a sonoridade excêntrica que sempre foi uma marca registrada do grupo, mas de forma ainda mais natural e fluida. O Gentle Giant continuava a explorar sua liberdade artística de forma desenfreada, sem medo de experimentar e combinar suas vastas influências musicais, que iam do rock ao jazz, passando pela música clássica e renascentista. A química entre os membros era palpável e nada parecia ser capaz de deter as mentes brilhantes desses pioneiros do rock progressivo eclético.
O disco começa com "Runaway", uma faixa que se inicia de maneira intrigante, com o som rítmico de vidro quebrando, um começo inusitado, mas que se revela perfeitamente apropriado. A música então evolui para um progressivo de altíssimo nível, repleto de melodias complexas e uma instrumentação variada. Há seções que remetem a coros medievais, com teclados que brilham ao longo da canção. O solo de vibrafone é êxtase puro, algo que só poderia surgir do universo criativo da banda. Além disso, até as letras são intrigantes, o que torna "Runaway" uma abertura magistral para o álbum.
"An Inmates Lullaby" é uma faixa completamente feita na percussão, o que já a torna peculiar, mesmo para os padrões do Gentle Giant. A melodia tem um tom infantil, mas ao mesmo tempo perturbador e bizarro, o que se encaixa muito bem na temática da música, que trata de alguém em um hospital psiquiátrico. É uma faixa extremamente original, que adiciona diversidade ao álbum, mostrando que o grupo não tinha medo de explorar novas sonoridades. "Way Of Life" é uma faixa enérgica e uma das mais cativantes do álbum. O baixo assume um papel dominante, junto com os sintetizadores, enquanto a música alterna entre um ritmo frenético e uma seção mais serena, com órgão e vocais suaves. A faixa é equilibrada, com diferentes instrumentos assumindo o protagonismo em diferentes momentos, além de também possuir dissonâncias interessantes entre as partes vocais e instrumentais.
"Experience" é uma composição maravilhosa, com teclados inventivos combinados com uma guitarra acústica intrincada tocada em alta velocidade. A música é complexa, mas extremamente agradável, possuindo uma estrutura que compreende diversas formas diferentes, com momentos imprevisíveis e mudanças de tempo virtuosas. A influência medieval também é marcante, acrescentando uma camada extra de profundidade à faixa. "Reunion" é uma música curta, mas fantástica. O violino é lindo e o baixo perfeito. Apesar de sua simplicidade e curta duração, a faixa é emocionante e cheia de doçura, adicionando ainda mais diversidade a um álbum já incrivelmente variado. Confesso que inicialmente eu a subestimei por seu tamanho e construção simples, mas com o tempo percebi que se trata de uma peça belíssima que se encaixa perfeitamente no contexto do disco.
O disco termina de maneira brilhante com a faixa-título. Um excelente riff acústico com harmônicos dá início à música, seguido por um frenesi de violino. Esta faixa é sem dúvida uma das minhas composições progressivas favoritas de todos os tempos. As partes vocais, a instrumentação, o equilíbrio entre os inúmeros ingredientes que compõem a música, tudo a direciona com sabedoria e maestria. A faixa finaliza com dois segundos de cada música do álbum, seguidos pelo som de vidro quebrando, encerrando o disco de forma impactante.
O Gentle Giant não é uma banda definida por um ou dois álbuns, mas por uma fase inteira de excelência, e In A Glass House é uma preciosidade dessa era em que tudo funcionava perfeitamente. A banda prova que é possível fazer música complexa, brilhante e ao mesmo tempo, se divertir no processo.
================================In A Glass House, the fifth album by Gentle Giant, is yet another masterpiece from a band at the peak of its creativity and musical prowess. This album stands out as an essential part of the band's rich catalog, maintaining the eccentric sound that has always been the group's trademark, but in an even more natural and fluid way. Gentle Giant continued to explore their artistic freedom with reckless abandon, unafraid to experiment and combine their vast musical influences, ranging from rock to jazz, classical, and Renaissance music. The chemistry between the members was palpable, and nothing seemed capable of stopping the brilliant minds of these pioneers of eclectic progressive rock.
The album opens with "Runaway," a track that begins intriguingly with the rhythmic sound of breaking glass—a peculiar start, but one that proves to be perfectly fitting. The music then evolves into high-level progressive rock, full of complex melodies and varied instrumentation. There are sections reminiscent of medieval choruses, with keyboards shining throughout the song. The vibraphone solo is pure ecstasy, something that could only emerge from the band's creative universe. Moreover, even the lyrics are intriguing, making "Runaway" a masterful opening to the album.
"An Inmates Lullaby" is a track entirely composed of percussion, which already makes it peculiar, even by Gentle Giant's standards. The melody has a childlike tone, but it's also disturbing and bizarre, fitting perfectly with the song's theme, which deals with someone in a psychiatric hospital. It's an extremely original track that adds diversity to the album, showing that the group was unafraid to explore new sounds. "Way Of Life" is an energetic track and one of the most captivating on the album. The bass takes on a dominant role, along with the synthesizers, while the music alternates between a frenetic rhythm and a more serene section with organ and soft vocals. The track is well-balanced, with different instruments taking the lead at different moments, and it also features interesting dissonances between the vocal and instrumental parts.
"Experience" is a wonderful composition, with inventive keyboards combined with an intricate acoustic guitar played at high speed. The music is complex but extremely pleasant, with a structure that comprises various different forms, unpredictable moments, and virtuosic tempo changes. The medieval influence is also strong, adding an extra layer of depth to the track. "Reunion" is a short but fantastic song. The violin is beautiful, and the bass is perfect. Despite its simplicity and short duration, the track is emotional and full of sweetness, adding even more diversity to an already incredibly varied album. I must admit that I initially underestimated it due to its size and simple construction, but over time I realized it is a beautiful piece that fits perfectly within the context of the album.
The album ends brilliantly with the title track. An excellent acoustic riff with harmonics kicks off the music, followed by a frenzy of violin. This track is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite progressive compositions. The vocal parts, the instrumentation, the balance between the numerous elements that make up the music—all are handled with wisdom and mastery. The track concludes with two seconds of each song from the album, followed by the sound of breaking glass, closing the album in an impactful manner.
Gentle Giant is not a band defined by one or two albums but by an entire phase of excellence, and In A Glass House is a gem from that era when everything worked perfectly. The band proves that it's possible to make complex, brilliant music while having fun in the process.
NOTA: 10/10
Tracks Listing
1. The Runaway (7:15)
2. An Inmate's Lullaby (4:40)
3. Way of Life (7:52)
4. Experience (7:50)
5. A Reunion (2:11)
6. In a Glass House (8:26)
Ouça, "In a Glass Hous"
In A Glass House, the fifth album by Gentle Giant, is yet another masterpiece from a band at the peak of its creativity and musical prowess. This album stands out as an essential part of the band's rich catalog, maintaining the eccentric sound that has always been the group's trademark, but in an even more natural and fluid way. Gentle Giant continued to explore their artistic freedom with reckless abandon, unafraid to experiment and combine their vast musical influences, ranging from rock to jazz, classical, and Renaissance music. The chemistry between the members was palpable, and nothing seemed capable of stopping the brilliant minds of these pioneers of eclectic progressive rock.
The album opens with "Runaway," a track that begins intriguingly with the rhythmic sound of breaking glass—a peculiar start, but one that proves to be perfectly fitting. The music then evolves into high-level progressive rock, full of complex melodies and varied instrumentation. There are sections reminiscent of medieval choruses, with keyboards shining throughout the song. The vibraphone solo is pure ecstasy, something that could only emerge from the band's creative universe. Moreover, even the lyrics are intriguing, making "Runaway" a masterful opening to the album.
"An Inmates Lullaby" is a track entirely composed of percussion, which already makes it peculiar, even by Gentle Giant's standards. The melody has a childlike tone, but it's also disturbing and bizarre, fitting perfectly with the song's theme, which deals with someone in a psychiatric hospital. It's an extremely original track that adds diversity to the album, showing that the group was unafraid to explore new sounds. "Way Of Life" is an energetic track and one of the most captivating on the album. The bass takes on a dominant role, along with the synthesizers, while the music alternates between a frenetic rhythm and a more serene section with organ and soft vocals. The track is well-balanced, with different instruments taking the lead at different moments, and it also features interesting dissonances between the vocal and instrumental parts.
"Experience" is a wonderful composition, with inventive keyboards combined with an intricate acoustic guitar played at high speed. The music is complex but extremely pleasant, with a structure that comprises various different forms, unpredictable moments, and virtuosic tempo changes. The medieval influence is also strong, adding an extra layer of depth to the track. "Reunion" is a short but fantastic song. The violin is beautiful, and the bass is perfect. Despite its simplicity and short duration, the track is emotional and full of sweetness, adding even more diversity to an already incredibly varied album. I must admit that I initially underestimated it due to its size and simple construction, but over time I realized it is a beautiful piece that fits perfectly within the context of the album.
The album ends brilliantly with the title track. An excellent acoustic riff with harmonics kicks off the music, followed by a frenzy of violin. This track is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite progressive compositions. The vocal parts, the instrumentation, the balance between the numerous elements that make up the music—all are handled with wisdom and mastery. The track concludes with two seconds of each song from the album, followed by the sound of breaking glass, closing the album in an impactful manner.
Gentle Giant is not a band defined by one or two albums but by an entire phase of excellence, and In A Glass House is a gem from that era when everything worked perfectly. The band proves that it's possible to make complex, brilliant music while having fun in the process.
NOTA: 10/10
Tracks Listing
1. The Runaway (7:15)
2. An Inmate's Lullaby (4:40)
3. Way of Life (7:52)
4. Experience (7:50)
5. A Reunion (2:11)
6. In a Glass House (8:26)
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