Gentle Giant's Three Piece Suite

[flatliner]

Just finished listening to the 5.1 mix. Incredible!! And what a great value! I wasn't aware the bluray came with the CD ALSO until I got it! Plus the first 3 complete albums are here, flat transfer! They sound amazing as well......This is mostly likely the best value of the year! $15 for all of this! Any GG fan should get this now, before they are gone!

[Progatron]

I wasn't aware the bluray came with the CD ALSO until I got it!

This is good to hear, as I was unclear on that when I ordered it. Looking forward to it!

[zombywoof]

I've had an advance copy for a few weeks for the show, so I've had plenty of time to digest it.

I had my doubts about it for several reasons. For one, I'm not a big fan of compilations - I prefer to experience albums in full and make up my own mind about the 'best of' an artist. But Three Piece Suite is a bit different 'cause the tracks were chosen based on mastertape availability, not 'best of' standards.

The result is a nice little collection of alternate mixes of great GG tunes. Yes there ARE some tunes that I wish were there ("The Moon is Down"), but Wilson's presentations are different enough from the (already amazing) Tony Visconti productions that, to me, this collection has a place. Doesn't replace the originals in the least, but it's worth having.

[schlongasaurus]

I'm amazed at how well the master tapes have held up. Some of this stuff is damn near 50 years old. On another note, my 7 year old son is really digging the animated videos. I caught him humming Peel the Paint this morning! A fan is born.

[polmico]

The result is a nice little collection of alternate mixes of great GG tunes. Yes there ARE some tunes that I wish were there ("The Moon is Down"), but Wilson's presentations are different enough from the (already amazing) Tony Visconti productions that, to me, this collection has a place. Doesn't replace the originals in the least, but it's worth having.

This squares with my reasoning. That and the $15 price tag at Amazon.

[zombywoof]

This squares with my reasoning. That and the $15 price tag at Amazon.

Yup, and you get to hear some previously un-heard Gary Green leads and the added clarity aids ones appreciation of early GG. At the very least, you'll be pulling out your original copies and listening to them again (like I did!)

[Yellow Jester]

My copy of Three Piece Suite arrived today. Just played the 5.1 mixes (wonderful!) and listening to the flat transfer of the first album now. While I'd like to know why a different guitar solo was used in the 5.1 mix of "The House, The Street, The Room", this is another great remix by SW. I also enjoy the animations (and even the 'screen savers') the band used on this collection (which makes me wonder why more artists don't do animations when they do their surround sound discs). Hear The Giant!

[N_Singh]

I ordered this and am waiting for it to arrive. Just to be clear, then, it's the first three albums, but not all the cuts are in surround sound because not all the multi-tracks were located. How many songs are in surround?

[N_Singh]

OK never mind. read the thread.

[zombywoof]

I ordered this and am waiting for it to arrive. Just to be clear, then, it's the first three albums, but not all the cuts are in surround sound because not all the multi-tracks were located. How many songs are in surround?

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
11. Nothing at All (edit)

[olivetti]

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
11. Nothing at All (edit)

And new stereo mixes! (I assume)

[Yellow Jester]

And new stereo mixes! (I assume)

Yes; on GG's new collection, there are new stereo mixes of all 11 songs (as well as instrumental mixes of them on Blu-Ray).

[Gizmotron]

I broke down and ordered; it arrived last night.
I am looking forward to this weekend!

[yesman1955]

Received the BluRay/CD set recently. Have enjoyed relistening to their early stuff again. Had forgotten what a beautiful (and short) song is Three Friends. Just got thru adding the info for Three Piece Suite to their Wiki page. Posted it under Reissues. If you have the time, check out the entry. Hopefully, everything is correct!

[Proghound]

So far I love it but so disappointed that the master for "Prologue", the whole tone masterpiece (imo), apparently didn't survive. But I'm glad they included the entire original albums in their entirety as well. Not remastered but still sounds very clean.

After seeing Mike Keneally, Gary, Malcolm and Kerry were at GORGG, I really wish I had gone this year.

[jkelman]

So far I love it but so disappointed that the master for "Prologue", the whole tone masterpiece (imo), apparently didn't survive. But I'm glad they included the entire original albums in their entirety as well. Not remastered but still sounds very clean.

Actually, just flat-transferred, which I think is what most of Wilson's remix projects do (a few don't). I think it's good as you get to compare the new mix (sadly, with this, only selected track) to the original mix, original master.

Mine just arrived last week, and in addition to Wilson's work (and Anil's GREAT liners), I'm loving having the original mixes in the original mastered form.

[Frankh]

"Prologue", the whole tone masterpiece (imo)

Not your opinion solely.

Always felt like I was the only one!

This is why we're here.

[3LockBox]

I'm not an aficionado of Gentle Giant by any means, but I have compared older CD copies of Octopus with Steven Wilson's remix and I must say that the guy is a wizard at creating space where there was seemingly none before. It was evident on JT's Aqualung and it's evident on Octopus and The Power & The Glory. I'd give anything if Wilson could get a hold of Thin Lizzy's catalog or better yet, Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow.

As for Three Piece Suite, I could almost get into it just because I like Wilson's style, but this early stuff just doesn't grab me.

[Dok]

After seeing Mike Keneally, Gary, Malcolm and Kerry were at GORGG, I really wish I had gone this year.

Don't forget that Andy West was there as well.

[adap2it]

Don't forget that Andy West was there as well.

And I was there too...

[Dok]

And I was there too...

Absolutely, goes without saying Mr Dave Sr. Sir, yes sir.

[squonkduke]

The instrumental version is the thing that i'm appreciating more than everything else.

[JKL2000]

At the time this was released, I thought it was kind of strange to release this "suite" of the remixed tracks. But last night for the first time I listened to/watched the remixed tracks on the BD as opposed to just listening to the CD, so I kind of get more what they had in mind, and I think whichever Shulman it is who authors the DVDs/BDs may have been a driving force in creating this. He seems to have done a more elaborate job than he does on some of the other projects he authors - probably because this is his own work. And the suite DOES sort of stand nicely on its own as an alternative to listening to those three full albums in their semi-Wislonized releases.