GENTLE GIANT - SELF-TITLED (1970)

Gentle Giant were a great UK prog rock band active from 1970-1980. Comprised of five multi-intrumentalists, their neoclassical/hard rock sound is often accompanied by violin, clarinet, or any number of other odd instruments (a later album listed 46 instruments played by the same 5 members). Sometimes medieval, sometimes jazzy, but always interesting, Gentle Giant never shied away from a heavy riff, as evidenced by the opening track on this, their 1970 debut album. They even toured with Sabbath in 1973, but were generally a little too esoteric for hard-rockin' Ozzy fans. I guess they never really found their niche, but they're a Hell of a band, trippy-dippy psychedelia and all.

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