| Acquiring the Taste | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 16 July 1971 | |||
| Recorded | January–April 1971 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Length | 39:26 | |||
| Label | Vertigo (UK) Mercury (US) | |||
| Producer | Tony Visconti | |||
| Gentle Giant chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Acquiring the Taste is the second studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1971 on the Vertigo label. [2] It was the final album by the band to feature original drummer Martin Smith.
The album was a departure from the blues and soul styles found on their self-titled debut album. It was more experimental, more discordant, and with more varied instrumentation. In the sleeve text, the band made this famous declaration:
It is our goal to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of being very unpopular. We have recorded each composition with the one thought – that it should be unique, adventurous and fascinating. It has taken every shred of our combined musical and technical knowledge to achieve this. From the outset we have abandoned all preconceived thoughts of blatant commercialism. Instead we hope to give you something far more substantial and fulfilling. All you need to do is sit back, and acquire the taste.
The song "Pantagruel's Nativity" is inspired by the books of Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais.
At 39 minutes and 26 seconds, it is the longest studio album the group ever released. The album was recorded at Advision Studios in London, with engineers Martin Rushent, Big A and Garybaldi, and at AIR Studios in London, with engineer Bill Price.
The album cover artwork shows a giant tongue licking what appear to be buttocks. When the album gatefold sleeve is opened completely, however, it actually shows the tongue licking a peach. In 2005 the cover was featured in Pitchfork 's list of "The Worst Record Covers of All Time". [3]
All tracks are written by Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, Phil Shulman, and Ray Shulman; arranged by Gentle Giant, except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pantagruel's Nativity" | 6:53 |
| 2. | "Edge of Twilight" (Percussion section written and arr. by Minnear) | 3:51 |
| 3. | "The House, the Street, the Room" | 6:05 |
| 4. | "Acquiring the Taste" (instrumental; arr. by Minnear) | 1:39 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wreck" | 4:39 |
| 2. | "The Moon Is Down" | 4:49 |
| 3. | "Black Cat" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Plain Truth" | 7:36 |
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [4] | 46 |
Gentle Giant was a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. They were known for the complexity and sophistication of their music and for the varied musical skills of the members. All of the band members were multi-instrumentalists. Although not commercially successful, the band did achieve a cult following.
Octopus is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1972. It was the band's last album with founding member Phil Shulman and the first with new drummer John Weathers, who would remain with the band until their dissolution in 1980. Octopus remains a highly regarded example of the progressive rock genre and is generally considered to represent the start of the band's peak period.
The Power and the Glory is the sixth studio album by the British progressive rock group Gentle Giant, released in 1974. Contrary to popular belief, the title of the album and its many lyrical themes were not inspired by author Graham Greene's novel of the same name, although Derek Shulman was aware of Greene's novel. Guitarist Gary Green has cited this album as his favourite by the band.
Three Friends is the third studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1972. It was the band's first release to chart in America, peaking at #197 on the Billboard 200. It is the only album by Gentle Giant to feature drummer Malcolm Mortimore following the departure of Martin Smith.
Gentle Giant is the first studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1970.
In a Glass House is the fifth album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released on 21 September 1973. The album is a loosely-realized concept project based on the aphorism "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". The record begins and ends with the sound of breaking glass. It is the first album released by the band following the departure of Phil Shulman.
Free Hand is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1975. It was Gentle Giant's first album with their new label Chrysalis Records in the UK. It is noted for its high production values, and for a less dissonant, more accessible feel than their previous album The Power and the Glory. It was their highest-charting album in the US and the only one to reach the Top 50 on the Billboard 200.
Playing the Fool - The Official Live is a live album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant which was released in 1977. The album contains versions of songs from all of the band's studio albums to that point except for Acquiring the Taste. The original UK LP came with a 12-page booklet that has not been reproduced in any of the CD editions.
Interview is the eighth studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1976.
The Missing Piece is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, released in 1977. After the Interview tour this return to the studio marked a change of direction for the band with the first side of the album exploring different musical directions than the band was previously known for, including pop music and punk rock, while the second side was more in the vein of their signature progressive rock style. This was the last Gentle Giant album to chart in the United States.
Giant for a Day! is the tenth album by the British band Gentle Giant, released in 1978. The band's previous use of counterpoint and medieval-themed arrangements was not present on this recording. This album features a pop rock sensibility, instead of their usual progressive rock sound. Unlike the previous albums, the band did not make any tour or concerts to support this album. From the album only the title track was ever played live by the band during its final tour supporting the Civilian album.
Civilian is the eleventh and final studio album by the British band Gentle Giant, released in 1980. It was recorded at Sound City Studios in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles with former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Consisting mostly of short rock songs, it is closer to a traditional rock sound than the progressive style for which the band is best known. The album also marked a return to Columbia Records in the U.S. and Canada after an eight-year hiatus; the band's last album released with Columbia had been 1972's Octopus.
Raymond Shulman was a British musician, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. With his brothers Derek and Phil, he co-founded the progressive rock band Gentle Giant. Shulman also worked as record producer in the late 1980s and early 1990s for alternative rock artists such as The Sundays and The Sugarcubes.
Derek Victor Shulman is a Scottish musician and singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record executive. From 1970 to 1980, he was lead vocalist for the band Gentle Giant.
Snakes and Ladders is the fourth album by Gerry Rafferty. It was released in 1980, following the success of his previous two albums, City to City and Night Owl. The album charted at No. 15 in the UK but only reached No. 61 in the US, while singles achieved #54UK, and #67UK / #54US. The album was released on CD in 1998 [EMI 7 46609-2] but deleted soon after that, and it got reissued on CD in August 2012 as a 2-CD set with "Sleepwalking."
Days of Our Lives is the debut studio album by American country music artist James Otto. It was released in 2004 on Mercury Nashville Records, and its title track was a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.
On Arrival is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Dan Seals. The album reached #13 on the Top Country Albums chart. "Love on Arrival" and "Good Times" were the first two singles which both reached #1 while the last two singles, "Bordertown" and "Water Under the Bridge" only reached #49 and #57, respectively. "Good Times", which was his last #1 single and last Top 40 hit, was originally performed by Sam Cooke. "Made for Lovin' You" was also recorded by Clinton Gregory on his 1990 debut album Music 'n Me, and would later be a Top Ten hit for Doug Stone who released it from his 1992 album From the Heart.
The Gentle Giant is an album by multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef recorded in 1970 and 1971 and released on the Atlantic label.
Tattooed Heart is the third solo studio album by American country music artist Ronnie Dunn. The album was released on November 11, 2016 via Nash Icon Records. The album was originally scheduled for release on October 21, 2016.
Jacob's Ladder is an album by Brad Mehldau. It was recorded in 2020 and 2021 and released by Nonesuch Records in 2022.
