Originally released in 1973, In A Glass House was the fifth album by progressive rock legends Gentle Giant. Newly remixed and remastered, vocalist Derek Shulman claims the record can finally be heard exactly as intended. It was their final Vertigo release before switching labels to Chrysalis. Many fans regard In A Glass House as their finest work. Released alongside progressive masterpieces like Dark Side Of The Moon and Close To The Edge, there is a credible case for this album to be mentioned in the exact same breath.
Gentle Giant were a phenomenal, highly eccentric group. The five multi instrumentalists possessed unparalleled musical ability, seamlessly incorporating elements of rock, classical, medieval, and jazz into their sound. They also delivered staggering three, four, and five part vocal harmonies. In progressive rock today, probably only Big Big Train come close to matching them.
When the band started a piece, you never quite knew which way it would go. ‘Way Of Life‘ is an up tempo, energetic track with distinct hints of King Crimson. This ambitious piece concludes bizarrely with Kerry Minnear playing the exact same keyboard notes for almost ninety seconds.
Following the sound of breaking glass, ‘The Runaway‘ opens the record. Showcasing complex time signatures and intertwining melodies, it is a rockier track with a brilliant riff. Ray Shulman rarely gets mentioned among great progressive bassists, but his playing here is exemplary. ‘Experience‘ serves as the archetypal Gentle Giant piece, boasting inventive keyboards and fine guitar work from the equally unsung Gary Green.
‘An Intimate Lullaby‘ is a gentle, nursery rhyme style track featuring exquisite counterpoint vocals. At less than three minutes, ‘A Reunion‘ is short and sweet, with Minnear replacing Shulman on vocals over soft violin and cello. This leads into the majestic title track, ‘In A Glass House‘, a powerful piece showcasing immensely complex instrumental interplay.
None of the songs exceed eight minutes, yet the band packs an awful lot of changes into a short time frame. In A Glass House remains a challenging listen, but one that richly repays the time spent.
