Friday 25 March 2016

Playing The Game (Gentle Giant, 1974)

"The Power And The Glory" comes from Gentle Giant's intermediate era, between the unpredictable early albums and the more mainstream rock late ones. Maybe that's why songs like this "Playing The Game" still have an everchanging structure, including tempo changes, enjoyable sounds, jazz-rock switches and melodic passages, but also are fully enjoyable by all publics. The sung theme is pleasant and original, while the long instrumental passages include progressive interplays and improvisation-like moments.

"The Power And The Glory" was the sixth studio album by GG.

The main theme comes back here and there, and so does the starting riff, giving a well structured plot to the track. As usual with the Giant, the rythm is irregular and the drums include many innovative solutions. The lyrics show the political side of the band, via the character of the King and a coherent metaphor comparing social life to a card play, a concept you'll also find elsewhere in the album. In short, these are Gentle Giant in all their power and glory!

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