GENTLE GIANT - Acquiring the Taste (1971-2009) RM / SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The band's second album is a major advance on its first, featuring superior singing, playing, and songwriting, as well as a more unified sound, without sacrificing the element of surprise in the first record. Many of the melodies and even the riffs here (check out Gary Green's first guitar flourish on "Pantagruel's Nativity") have a pretty high haunt count, and all of the musicianship displays an elegance seldom heard even in progressive circles -- but the record also, amazingly enough, rocks really hard as well. Elements of hard rock and Gregorian chants mix freely and, amazingly enough, well throughout this album. by Bruce Eder

Tracklist
1 Pantagruel's Nativity 6:50
2 Edge Of Twilight 3:47
3 The House, The Street, The Room 6:01
4 Acquiring The Taste 1:36
5 Wreck 4:36
6 The Moon Is Down 4:45
7 Black Cat 3:51
8 Plain Truth 7:36
Credits
Bass – Gary Green, Ray Shulman
Cello – Kerry Minnear
Clarinet – Phil Shulman
Drums – Martin Smith
Guitar – Gary Green, Ray Shulman
Keyboards – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Paul Cosh, Phil Shulman
Percussion – Tony Visconti
Saxophone – Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman
Trumpet – Paul Cosh, Phil Shulman
Vibraphone – Kerry Minnear
Viola – Ray Shulman
Violin – Ray Shulman
Vocals – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman
Written-By – Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Phil Shulman, Ray Shulman