Gentle Giant has got to be the least accessible band that I actually enjoy listening to. They are generally a favorite among connoisseurs of progressive rock, but they never had the crossover appeal that the likes of Genesis, Yes and even King Crimson did have. In a way, this is understandable, as their uncommon blend of progressive rock, chamber music, early baroque vocal music and subtle hints of jazz aren’t exactly easy to digest. However, this does make the listening experience all the more rewarding once it does sink in. ‘The Power And The Glory’ may actually reach that point sooner than many of their albums.

‘The Power And The Glory’ can be seen as the first in a trilogy of ever so slightly more accessible albums Gentle Giant made without sacrificing their unique core sound in the process – something which did happen on their last three records. What makes ‘The Power And The Glory’ the most enjoyable of those to me is the fact that it is notably more aggressive than their other works. Guitarist Gary Green might just be more prominent here than on any other Gentle Giant record. However, he does that without pushing any of Kerry Minnear’s keyboards or any of the brass and bowed instruments off the album.

Another thing that makes ‘The Power And The Glory’ more enjoyable to me than – let’s say – the average King Crimson album is the fact that despite all the complexity in the compositions and arrangements, there is always something memorable in the songs. The main vocal melody in opening track ‘Proclamation’ and its instrumental backing may not fit the traditional description of an earworm, but it’s a hook and there’s a chance it will get stuck in your head the moment you think about the track. Also, Derek Shulman is far from my favorite prog singer, but his diction and delivery are perfect here.

In addition, the sequencing of the album does wonders for its listenability. The listener is lured into the album with the relatively accessible ‘Proclamation’, after which the unpredictable rhythms and the hard left-right panning of the guitars in ‘So Sincere’ show what the band really is about. The rest of the album finds an excellent balance between weird, yet listenable tracks (the almost soulful ‘Playing The Game’, the calm ‘Aspirations’) and busy, complex rockers like ‘Cogs In Cogs’ and ‘The Face’. Also, I really like how the main theme of ‘Proclamation’ comes back in a completely different, more dramatic key in closing track ‘Valedictory’.

Sure, Gentle Giant is not for everyone. And the band was very much aware of that, judging from the mission statement that accompanied their sophomore album ‘Acquiring The Taste’. But when you can find something you like about this band, there are chances they will keep rewarding you when you listen to their albums repeatedly. Somehow, they managed to be more inventive and less pretentious than most other seventies prog bands simultaneously. ‘The Power And The Glory’ would be my recommendation for the Gentle Giant to start with if you are interested in them at all. And my choice for their best album.

Recommended tracks: ‘Proclamation’, ‘Cogs In Cogs’, ‘So Sincere’