Gentle Giant collection Three Piece Suite out in September

By
( )
published

Mixed by Steven Wilson, Gentle Giant’s Three Piece Suite features material from band’s first 3 albums - watch video for Peel The Paint

The Three Piece Suite cover art
The Three Piece Suite cover art

A collection of tracks by Gentle Giant are to released in a new compilation later this year.

Titled Three Piece Suite, the Steven Wilson-mixed compilation features material from the band’s first three albums: 1970’s Gentle Giant, 1971’s Acquiring The Taste and 1972’s Three Friends.

Also included is the commercially unreleased song Freedom’s Child that was taken from the first recording sessions with legendary producer Tony Visconti, who was behind the desk for the band’s first two records.

To mark the announcement, an animated video for Peel The Paint has been released.

Visconti recalls: “I was a very optimistic young man in 1970 – I thought music like theirs would save the world from mediocrity. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth in it.

“I championed their cause by becoming sympathetic to the point where I temporarily joined the band for both albums. I modified their arrangements and pulled off some stunning audio effects that gave their sound more depth and immediacy.

“The band knew I was on their side. I remember there being a great feeling of camaraderie during the sessions.”

Explaining the remixes, Wilson adds: “I used Logic as the software and Universal Audio plug-ins, which provide emulations of classic analog outboard effects, channel strips and old mixing desks.

“I used these tools to clean things up and bring out some more clarity, detail and definition in some of the instrumental interplay.”

He adds: “There was never a question of trying to outdo the original mixes, but offer different perspectives on them.”

Three Piece Suite will be released on September 29 via Soulfood on two-disc digipak containing a 96⁄24 animated Blu-ray plus CD, single disc digipak CD, a two-disc gatefold LP pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl and as a 95⁄24 digital download.

The liner notes by Anil Prasad include reflections from Gentle Giant members about the writing and recording sessions.

Find the Three Piece Suite cover art and tracklist below.

Gentle Giant Three Piece Suite tracklist

  1. Giant
  2. Nothing At All
  3. Why Not
  4. Pantagruel’s Nativity
  5. The House, The Street, The Room
  6. Schooldays
  7. Peel The Paint
  8. Mr. Class And Quality?
  9. Three Friends
  10. Freedom’s Child

Gentle Giant: You look back and think why the hell did we do that?

Gentle Giant Quiz

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, The Tragically Hip, Marillion and Rush.